Named after the legendary 19th century explorer and hunter Frederick Courtenay Selous, the reserve was founded by the German colonial administration in 1905. It was later expanded to include traditional elephant migration routes and accommodate the vast herds of buffalo that roam this remote, untouched corner of Africa.  Frederick Courteney Selous died in battle in 1917, his grave is on the north of the river near the Selous Safari Camp.

Few places evoke the romance, mystique and spiritual delight of the African bush like the Selous Game Reserve.  Embracing 54,000 square kilometres of south-western Tanzania, it is the largest protected wilderness reserve on the continent, three times larger than the Serengeti and twice the size of Belgium.  The Selous Game Reserve has been declared a World Heritage Site, one of three in Tanzania.

The sheer diversity of the landscape - from hot volcanic springs, placid lagoons and the many channels from the Great Ruaha and Rufiji Rivers which bisect the reserve - make the Selous such a unique area.  Most of Africa’s mammal species, from the largest to the smallest to the rarest, thrive here. In addition there are some 440 species of birds and more than 2,000 recorded varieties of plants.  The reserve is best avoided during the long rains of March to May, and its peak is from June to October.  It can be explored on foot in the presence of an armed ranger, by vehicle and its rivers by boat.  The Selous promises an experience of pristine splendour and beauty - as well as a sense of adventure.

To those who know and love the bush, the Selous is one of Africa’s best kept secrets......