Tanzania is a case of success regarding Nature conservation and endangerous species protection. The country soon understood that they have been presented with some of the greatest natural wonders to be found on Earth. And quickly they learned how to conserve them and take good care of them.

In fact, many conservation works have been done here, specially those related with fighting Elephant Hunting and saving one of the most endangerous species in the world, the Black Rhino. Jane Goodall also become famous for her pioneer work with the Chimpanzees at Gombe Stream National Park.

Blessed by nature with 14 national parks (there are even more, but these ones are the most famous) one can found everything in Tanzania. Tanzania is what comes to your mind when you think of Africa. There are parks that are as large as many european countries like the Serengeti National park and Selous Game Reserve. There are parks, like Katavi National Park or Ruaha National Park that are so untouched by humans they reassemble the descriptions of Africa by white hunters and missionaires who came here centuries ago. Parks where you can have a million of acres just for yourself and see more lions than people. There are parks like Gombe Stream National Park or Mahale Mountains National Park where you will be able to see large groups of Chimpanzees and Gorillas. There are parks like Saadani National park where you can join pristine beaches and the wild bush. Other parks, such as Ngorongoro Conservation Area with its Ngorongoro Crater have a beauty that is so stunning, so breathtaking that it is impossible to put into words. And what about Kilimanjaro National Park? Where you can see giraffes with the world's tallest free standing mountain, the roof of Africa, in the background? Well, there are really parks for every taste and interest and we haven't even spoke about Zanzibar, with world class beaches of white sand and turquoise warm water. Tanzania is definitely one of the top destinations of the world.

In the following map, you can see the 14 national parks. To learn more about each one and see what we recommend, move your mouse over the map and click in one park.

Selous Game Reserve

Description

Selous, with more than 45.000 square kilometers, is the largest game reserve in the whole Africa and even larger than many European countries.
This park offers one of Africa's remotest and wildest destinations with very few lodges. The river Rufiji, runs through the reserve from west to east and divides it into two.
There are some interesting facts about Selous that make it unique: lions are different from the others (darker coats and less hirsute manes) and have a peculiar hunting strategy making it the best place in the world to see a lion kill; to spot very rare animals like the black rhino; walking safaris are possible; to observe the large crocodiles and hippos you can take a boat ride .


Wildlife

It is extremely abundant, as thousands of giraffes, elephants, zebras, sable, roan, impala, bushbuck, waterbuck, wildebeest, greater kudu, puku, hartebeest, eland, buffalos and large predators like the leopard, lion, wild dog and the spotted hyena occupy this territory. Hippos and crocodiles crowd the rivers.
Birdlife is also a highlight in Selous Park and some species like the white-crowned, the spur-winged plovers, fish eagles, various small waders, yellow-billed storks, pled and malachite kingfishers, carmine and white-throated bee-eaters, african skimmers, palm-nut vultures, purple-crested turacos, trumpeter hornbills and malgasy squacco herons live in the area.


When to go

This Reserve is inaccessible during the rainy season, so the best time to visit it would be between June and February.


What to do

4x4 game safaris, boat rides along the Rufiji river, walking safaris and fly camping.


What we suggest

The tough decision will be between visiting the Serengeti and other Northern parks or Selous and other southern parks. The advantage of Selous over the Serengeti has to do with its wilderness and to the fact that it is less crowded, still offering great wildlife opportunities.