Selous Game Reserve at a glance
The Selous Game Reserve lies in the south-east of Tanzania, in the regions of Lindi and Coast. Today it is a reserve of 18,020 square kilometres run by the wildlife authority TAWA. In 2019 the northern part was separated and became Nyerere National Park, which TANAPA manages. The old name stayed in three places: on the reserve itself, on the UNESCO World Heritage listing and on many safari offers.
That is why the name needs care. Boat trips on the Rufiji River and the airstrips used by visitors are part of Nyerere National Park. A trip sold as a Selous safari does not by itself tell you which park you enter, so ask before you book. Flights to the Selous airstrips leave Zanzibar in the morning and take about 75 minutes. From Dar es Salaam the flight takes about 45 minutes.
What this guide covers
Trips, names, history and status.
You will find the practical side first: how a Selous safari works, what a day trip from Zanzibar looks like and what to expect from fees and weather. Then the background: Frederick Selous and the grave near Beho Beho, the German and British years, the World Heritage listing and why it is on the danger list, and what the elephant counts say. The guide also looks at the Niassa corridor towards Mozambique and at where people sleep today.
For the camps, fees and boat safaris of the park along the Rufiji, see the guide to Nyerere National Park. It covers what this site only touches.
Our picks: safaris in the former Selous
A day trip by plane from Zanzibar, a two-day fly-in, a three-day camp safari by road and a five-day trip that adds Kilwa. Most go to Nyerere National Park, the national park carved out of the old Selous.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Five-day safari and Kilwa heritage tour
- Boat, drive and walking safari
- Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara
- Lodges, full board
By road from Dar es Salaam to Nyerere National Park (formerly part of the Selous), then on to the Kilwa sites on the coast. Ask whether park fees are included before you book.
Check availability →
Three days with boat ride, game drive and camp nights
- All fees and park entry
- Two nights in a tented camp
- All meals
Overland to Nyerere National Park (formerly part of the Selous), with a Rufiji boat ride, a full-day game drive and a bush walk or a Maasai village on the last day.
Check availability →
Two-day fly-in safari with a bungalow night
- Return flights
- Park and landing fees
- Full board, one night
A jeep game drive in Nyerere National Park (formerly part of the Selous) with a driver-guide. The Rufiji boat ride belongs only to the boat option, so check which one you pick.
Check availability →
Day safari with flights from Zanzibar
- Domestic return flights
- Park fees
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
A shared game drive in Nyerere National Park (formerly part of the Selous) with an English-speaking driver-guide, a picnic lunch and water. You fly back the same day.
Check availability →Selous safaris and fly-in trips
Day trips from Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam, boat safaris and overnight stays, with live prices and availability.
Explore the Selous guide
Pick the page that matches your question.
Selous safari
Game drives, boat trips and fly-in days, and who runs what.
Trips from Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam
One, two and three day formats with flight times.
Selous and Nyerere
What changed in 2019 and how the two areas differ.
Frederick Courteney Selous
The hunter, the explorer and the man behind the name.
Beho Beho and the grave
Where Selous is buried and what the landscape is like.
World Heritage status
Why the site is listed as in danger.
Elephants and poaching
Counts from 1976 to 2022 and what they mean.
Animals
Wild dogs, lions, hippos and the habitats they use.
Niassa corridor
The link between Selous and northern Mozambique.
Weather and best time
Dry months, rains and what changes on the ground.
Accommodation
Where camps are today and what stays in Nyerere.
Getting there
Flights, roads and the limits of the railway.
History of the reserve
German years, British rule, hunting and today.
Selous in key dates
From the first protected areas to the 2026 listing decision.
1896 to 1922
German protected areas come first, with early reserves from 1896 or 1905. The Selous Game Reserve itself dates to 1922.
History of the reserve →1974 and 1982
The reserve receives its legal status in 1974 (GN 275). UNESCO lists the Selous as a World Heritage site in 1982.
World Heritage status →2014
The site is placed on the list of World Heritage in Danger, at that time because of poaching and the sharp fall in elephants.
Elephants and poaching →2019
The northern part is separated and becomes Nyerere National Park (GN 923), covering 30,893 square kilometres.
What changed in 2019 →2025 and 2026
All nine turbines of the Julius Nyerere dam are running by April 2025. A 2026 UNESCO decision keeps the Selous on the danger list.
A few things to know before you go
The facts that change plans.
Selous still exists
The reserve covers 18,020 square kilometres. It is not a former name for Nyerere. The two areas have different managers and different rules.
Selous and Nyerere →The visitor infrastructure is in Nyerere
Rufiji boat trips and the tourist airstrips are part of Nyerere National Park. Ask which park your Selous trip enters.
How the safaris work →The World Heritage name is Selous
UNESCO lists the site as Selous Game Reserve, in danger since 2014. A 2026 decision keeps it on that list. The Julius Nyerere dam has all nine turbines running since April 2025.
The listing explained →Elephant numbers need a year and an area
The figure of 20,006 elephants is a 2022 estimate for the wider ecosystem, not for today's reserve alone.
Counts in detail →Fees differ by area and change
The park fees of Nyerere are set by TANAPA and the reserve fees by TAWA. Check the current amount before you book.
Fees on the safari page →The railway has changed in 2026
Do not plan around an old TAZARA timetable. Check current services before you travel by train.
Ways to get there →Selous Game Reserve: frequently asked questions
Is this the official Selous website?
No. This is an independent travel guide. It is not run by TAWA, TANAPA, UNESCO, a camp or a tour company. For fees, permits and closures, ask the operator you book with.
Is the Selous Game Reserve now called Nyerere National Park?
No. In 2019 the northern part became Nyerere National Park, managed by TANAPA. The remaining Selous Game Reserve is run by TAWA and covers 18,020 square kilometres.
How do I get to the Selous?
Short trips use a flight. The flight from Zanzibar takes about 75 minutes and from Dar es Salaam about 45 minutes. By road, Kingupira is 288 km and Miguruwe 366 km from Dar es Salaam. Details are on the getting there page.
Can I do a safari from Zanzibar in one day?
Yes, day trips by air exist. One format combines the flight, a game drive, a boat trip on the Rufiji and lunch in a single day. See the trips page for flight times and what to ask.
Is the Selous a World Heritage site?
Yes, since 1982. It has been on the list of World Heritage in Danger since 2014, and a 2026 decision keeps it there.
Who was Selous?
Frederick Courteney Selous (1851 to 1917) was a British hunter, explorer and ivory trader. He fell in the East African campaign of the First World War, and the reserve carries his name.