The following link provides full details of all the Tanzanian National Parks –

http://www.tanzaniaparks.com/

• Arusha National Park
• Gombe Stream National Park
• Katavi National Park
• Kitulo Plateau National Park
• Lake Manyara National Park
• Mahale Mountains National Park
• Mikumi National Park
• Ruaha National Park
• Rubondo Island National Park
• Saadani National Park
• Serengeti National Park
• Tarangire National Park
• Udzungwa Mountains National Park

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

The following link provides full details of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area -

http://www.ngorongoro-crater-africa.org

Selous Game Reserve

As the largest reserve in Africa at 55,000 sq km, Selous can justifiably claim to offer unparalleled wilderness. Located in southern Tanzania, it is home to the largest populations of some of Africa's most sought after game including elephant, lion, wild dog, leopard, buffalo, hippo, crocodile and herds of plains game, yet it remains one of the least visited of the great game sanctuaries on the continent.

For anyone who has struggled to photograph wildlife through a throng of other vehicles or followed a convoy of minibuses through other national parks, the personal experience of the little visited Selous is particularly refreshing.

What makes Selous stand out from many of the other wonderful reserves and parks with which Africa is blessed is the opportunity to take boat safaris and walking safaris. See our walking safaris pages for further details. Both options bring you far closer to the natural environment than regular 4x4 game drives and are not generally available in other reserves. Sable Mountain Lodge also offers night drives. In addition to this the sheer dramatic scale of Selous makes it an outstanding example of untouched African wilderness, and as one of the last refuges of healthy populations of the endangered wild dogs the reserve truly can claim to offer a unique African safari experience.

Best time to visit:
June-October and December-mid March. Short rains are expected in November and the long rains usually last from early April-late May. Scheduled flights to Selous are usually suspended from end March to early June and most of the camps will be closed over this period.

Getting to Selous

By plane: Air services are available from Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar into several airstrips servicing the camps. Scheduled flights cost from/to Dar $150 or Zanzibar $180p.p. Both Coastal Aviation and Zanair have daily scheduled flights to all airstrips.
Coastal depart Zanzibar at 14.00 and Dar 14.30, arrive Selous 15.15 daily. Flights depart Selous 15.30 and arrive Dar 16.15 and Zanzibar 17.05.
Zanair fly Dar-Selous dep 07.30 arr 08.00 and Selous-Dar dep 08.30 arr 09.00 and dep 17.15 arr 17.45. Zanzibar-Selous flights dep 07.00 arr 08.00 and dep 16.00 arr 17.00. Selous –Zanzibar flights dep 08.30 arr 09.30 and dep 17.30 arr 18.30.
A good cost and time saving possibility is to take the train down to Selous from Dar es Salaam then fly directly out to Zanzibar, thus avoiding returning to Dar to catch a ferry or another flight.
There are also onward connections from Selous-Ruaha. The 2007 schedule is depart Selous Mon, Thurs and Sat at 09.30 arrive Ruaha 11.30. Flights cost from $330p.p.
There are now daily flight connections between Mafia Island and Selous with Coastal Aviation with the option to fly on to Kilwa as well.

By Scheduled Train:
For just $15 p.p. in a private first class compartment, this is a very affordable way to reach Selous, the most convenient camp if using the train is Sable Mountain Lodge who offer free transfers from Kisaki station.

The current 2007 schedule departing from TAZARA station Dar es Salaam is Mon 09.00, Tues 15.50 and Fri 15.50.
Kisaki railway station is a mere 20 minute drive from Sable Mountain Lodge which offers free pick ups and transfers.
The five and a half hour journey shows an interesting view of rural Tanzanian life as well as two hours of free game viewing as the train passes through Selous Game Reserve.
The best option is in by train and fly out, due to the unpredictable schedule of the northbound train.

The southbound train offers cost saving possibilities if intending to explore southern Tanzania. Mangula is a further 2 hours south from Kisaki and is the gateway to Udzungwa Mountains and Mikumi. Makambako is the gateway to the Iringa region and Ruaha whilst Mbeya offers a host of options in the southern highlands.
We can make reservations for train tickets to all these regions from Dar es Salaam.

For those travelling northwards to Dar es Salaam from Zambia and Malawi, the train departs Kipiri Moshi in Zambia as well as Mbeya and Makambako in southern Tanzania, thus making Selous accessable from the southern regions at an affordable rate as well.

By Car: Journey time from Dar es Salaam is about seven hours. From Morogoro the massively improved road through Matombo to Selous passes through spectacular scenery, thick forest and vibrant villages and takes about four hours. The last 50km requires use of a 4x4 car.
The Kibiti road from Dar es Salaam to Mtemere gate in eastern Selous also takes roughly 7 hours.

Where to stay
Rufiji River Camp, Impala Camp, Selous Safari Camp, Beho Beho Camp and Sand Rivers are all located inside the reserve. Just outside the western boundary is Sable Mountain Lodge and just outside the eastern boundary is Mbega Camp.
Several camps also offer more exclusive fly and mobile camping options inside the reserve.
Please ask for further information on all camps.

Park fees: $30p.p.