The reserve is named after the late Captain Frederick Courteney Selous, a famous elephant hunter who was killed by a German sniper in 1917.
General accessibility to the 55,000 sq km reserve used to be difficult, however, there are now a number of scheduled flights from Dar es Salaam and a convenient dirt road linking the park with other southern Tanzanian attractions. The reserve is immense, remote and wild and no human habitation is allowed within its boundaries, apart from within camps and lodges.
Today it boasts some of Africa’s finest virgin bush, unchanged through centuries and inhabited by three quarters of a million wild animals. The river systems and gorges are fascinating, as are the swamps, woodlands and savannahs, all home to hippo, crocodile, elephant, buffalo, wildebeest, zebras, giraffe, waterbuck, baboon, leopards, lion, wild dog, eland, sable and roan, to mention just a few of the species.
The bird-life is also extremely rich. There are a number of camps in the northern sector of the park, offering a mix of rustic and exotic accommodation. Game drives are by open four-wheel drive vehicle or by boat, a wonderfully peaceful way to view game. For a real highlight, choose a safari that offers escorted walking safaris.