Southern Circuit · Tanzania

Selous & Nyerere

Africa's largest game reserve. Boat safaris on the Rufiji River. Wild dogs, hippos, and crocodiles in a wilderness the size of Switzerland.
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50,000 km²

Africa's largest reserve

Boat Safari

On the Rufiji River

Wild Dog

Best viewing in Tanzania

UNESCO

World Heritage Site

Hippo’s head rising from murky water, with ripples around it

50,000

km² reserve area

Africa's largest reserve

The Selous Game Reserve - with its protected inner zone now gazetted as Nyerere National Park - is Africa's largest game reserve by area. It stretches across 50,000 km² of miombo woodland and riverine forest in southern Tanzania, bisected by the Rufiji River.

Selous/Nyerere offers things the north cannot: boat safaris along the Rufiji where hippos surface beside your vessel; walking safaris in trackless miombo; and some of the continent's best wild dog viewing. Visitor numbers are negligible compared to the northern parks.

Choose your Selous Safari adventure

We're a Tanzanian family operation crafting deeply personal adventures that go beyond the guidebooks.

7-Day Private Southern Safari Wild South Tanzania Discovery
A 7-day private safari through Ruaha and Nyerere, Tanzania's raw southern parks, where elephants gather in massive herds, wild dogs roam free, and boat safaris on the Rufiji River replace the tourist crowds.
  • Duration: 7 days, 6 nights
  • Begins: Dar es Salaam
  • Operates: Jun-Oct
  • Difficulty: Easy
Starting At $4,800
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A glimpse of what awaits

Real photos from real guests. This is Tanzania.

Ways to experience Selous

On the Water

Boat Safari

The signature Selous experience - a motorboat on the Rufiji River at dawn. Hippos surface alongside you. Crocodiles line every bank. Fish eagles overhead.

On Foot

Walking Safari

Guided walking in the miombo with expert ranger and armed guide. Tracks, dung, termite mounds, bird calls — every sense engaged in the bush.

From the Vehicle

Game Drive

Classic 4x4 game drives through Nyerere National Park, following wild dog packs, tracking lion, sitting at a hippo pool.

Overnight

Fly Camping

Spend a night under the stars with a bedroll, campfire, and nothing between you and the African bush. Available on selected itineraries.

By Air

Charter Flights

All access is by charter flight. We use trusted operators into private airstrips. The flight over the reserve at low altitude is itself extraordinary.

Selous Questions, Answered.

Everything you need to know about Selous

What is the difference between Selous and Nyerere?

Nyerere National Park was gazetted in 2019 as the protected inner zone of the Selous Game Reserve - it is where safari activity takes place and where our camps are located. The Selous name is still widely used.

When is the best time?

How do I get there?

Can I combine Selous with a northern safari?

Plan Your Selous Safari


One of the last great wild places on earth. Almost no one goes there. We'll take you.

  • Expert-guided experiences
  • Tailor-made itineraries
  • 24/7 in-country support