Best time to visit Selous
Excellent time is: June, July, August, September and October
For good views you may visit in: November and December
For fair views you may visit in: January, February and May
However we do not recommend that you travel in March and April.
Game viewing within the Selous Game Reserve is at its best from late June up to October. This is the dry season so wildlife is much easier to see because the wild animals gather around the known water resources and also the vegetation is not thick. The majority of the lodges are closed from March up to the finish of May.
In Brief
The best time to visit: June – October
Peak Season: June – October (most of the tourist areas close to River Rufiji are crowded with tourists)
Low Season: March, April and May and most of the lodges are even closed
Best Weather Conditions: June to October there is no rainfall
Worst Weather conditions: March and April since it is the peak of the wet season
Dry Season: June to October
It is easier to see the wild animals during this period since they normally gather around the common water holes and more so the vegetation is not that very dense. Most of the days are really sunny and when it rains it does so in less volume. The danger of getting infected with malaria is pretty minimal since there are very few mosquitoes. The Humidity is less and the heat is not overwhelming. It is very Dust and also drought shots in. some of the tourist areas may become rather crowded.
October to May (Wet Season)
The Scenery is green and very beautiful, there are less Crowds during the months of the low season (March, April as well as May). The Prices may be reduced to bring in more tourists. This is the best time for watching birds since there are numerous migrant species within the park. Most of the Roads are muddy and very challenging to drive through. It is not the best time for viewing wildlife as compared to the middle and finish of the dry season. The majority of the lodges are closed from April up to May. It is very hot and the humidity is high.
the Selous which covers about 50000 square kilometers, is the largest game reserve on the entire African continent. This Reserve extends over 5% of the total land area of the Republic of Tanzania and it is 3 times the size of the internationally renowned Serengeti plains. Although it is fairly away from the beaten-track of Tanzania’s often traveled safari circuits, having a safari in the Selous offers you a life-memorable experience with views of various animals and birds inside this isolated area.
Selous Game Reserve is home to large wild animal populations including 200,000 buffaloes, close to one million wildebeests, as well as numerous elephants (supporting half of the total population of elephants in Tanzania), and the healthiest pack of Wild-Dogs which sadly are in danger of extinction on the planet. Furthermore a successful project is running to look after the rhinos living in the Reserve in an attempt to restore their numbers after they where harshly poached in the 1970s and 80s.
Weather and Climate of Selous Game Reserve
The climate of Selous reserve can be regarded as warm or hot and also humid. Since it is located near re equator crossing, its temperatures are usually consistent all year round. The Nights are normally warm, not like in the northern parks, where it becomes really cold. From October up to March is the dry season while the wet season begins in June until the finish of August. Even though the areas accessed by tourists are mainly on low altitude, this park has a wide altitude range across the park (ranging from 36 meters to 1461 meters / 118 feet to 4793 feet). For each 100 meters you climb, the temps drop by approximately 6.5°C 3.5°F or each 1000 feet by 1000ft).
Selous experiences a continuous wet spell that starts in November up to May without a dry season in-between. This is extremely different from the coastal parks as well as those found in the north. In the afternoon, expect thunderstorms for most of the days, however it hardly ever rains the entire day.
Dry season (June to October)
June, July, August, September and October – the majority of the days are sunny and the skies are very clear, with the Afternoon temperatures being around 27°C or 81°F. At Night, the temperatures drop to around 19°C or 66°F.
Wet season (November to May)
During the wet season the temperatures are normally high and the humidity is high as well. Afternoons temperatures are around 29°C or 84°F and at night they drop to 22°C or 72°F.
November and December – November marks the start of the wet season, however it is not easy to predict when exactly it will start. The rains are occasional and brief, usually falling in the afternoon so this will not in any way affect your safari. Temperatures during the day are about 30°C or 86°F and in the early mornings and nights the drop to 22°C or 72°F.
January and February – this is as well within the rainy season so you will experience many days of short rains normally falling in the afternoon. The temperatures during the day are about 29°C or 84°F and then at night and in the early morning drop to about 22°C/72°F.
March, April and May – the months of March and April receive the most rainfall. The majority of the days are wet; however, it barely rains for the whole day. On average, the maximum temperatures are about 28°C/82°F while the minimum are 21°C/69°F.
Selous Game Reserve was gazetted by the German colonial administration, and after seventeen years, four wildlife reserves were joined to form the current Selous Game Reserve. This reserved was actually named after Selous Courtney Frederic a British explorer , who was unfortunately murdered and also buried within this Reserve.
The wildlife sanctuary
This sanctuary is one of the world’s largest wildlife protected areas and it extends over nearly 5 regions Tanzania which are: Ruvuma, the Coastal region, Mtwara, Morogoro as well as Lindi and covers an expanse of approximately 50, 000 square kilometers. It is located in southeastern Tanzania. Today, this Selous Game Reserve is the largest wildlife reserve in the whole of African and may be on the planet.
Selous Game Reserve Safari
Getting To Selous
When To Visit Selous
Birding in Selous
