1 Day Selous Safari Tour from Zanzibar
Day Trip to Selous Game Reserve
Selous Game Reserve is a huge, protected area that has stayed natural for thousands of years. You can visit this park on a day trip from Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam.
It’s the largest game reserve in Africa, covering about 54,600 km² (21,081 sq. miles), which is nearly 6% of Tanzania’s land. It’s four times bigger than Serengeti and as large as Switzerland. The reserve is mainly shaped by the Rufiji River and is home to over 2,000 types of plants, more than 430 bird species, and 60 mammal species, including lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, hippos, and crocodiles.
Highlights
- The park is home to the largest population of baboons on the planet.
- The varied vegetation ranges from lush forests to open grasslands.
- The best Tanzania National Park to see a full display of high-flying avians with more than 400 documented species of birds.
- The Rufiji River, which flows past Mafia Island
- A unique amount of animals (there are about 30,000 elephants, 200,000 giraffes and 420 different species of birds)
Tour Summary
Duration
1 Days
Vehicle Type
4WD Safari
Tour Type
Languages
Places to Visit
Tour Itinerary
Day to day Best of Tanzania Safari Itinerary
Day 1:
Travel from Zanzibar to Selous – Explore Wildlife All Day – Return to Zanzibar in the Afternoon
Your adventure starts in the morning in Zanzibar, where you’ll take a small plane to the Selous Game Reserve, a famous wildlife spot in Africa. When you arrive at Mtemere airstrip, our friendly guide will greet you and explain the day’s plan.
You’ll go on an exciting safari drive through the wide savannah and along beautiful rivers and lakes, where you can see all kinds of wildlife, like elephants, buffaloes, and lions. If you’re lucky, you might even spot the rare African wild dogs that live here.
At midday, you’ll stop for a picnic lunch with a stunning view of the park. After lunch, the safari continues deeper into the wild. The day wraps up around 4:00 PM when you head back to the airstrip for your flight back to Zanzibar.
Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous) Photos
OVERNIGHT & MEAL PLAN
We've got you covered
Our tours are top-notch but give you great value. The price we tell you upfront covers most of the costs for one person, like flights and all transfers.
Includes
- Park fees
- All activities (unless labeled as optional)
- All accommodation as stated in the itinerary
- A professional driver/guide
- All transportation (unless labeled as optional)
- All Taxes/VAT
- Roundtrip airport transfer
- All Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section)
- Air Ambulance Service by AMREF Flying Doctors;
Excludes
- International flights (from/to home)
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- Tips to your safari guide ($30-50 per day per car).
- Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
- Alcohol drinks
- Visas and visa fees where relevant
- Additional activities not offered as scheduled by the accommodation
- Lunch and dinner in hotel (only before and after safari);
Popular questions about Day Trip to Selous Game Reserve
A day trip from Zanzibar to Selous Game Reserve typically lasts around 12 to 14 hours. This includes an early morning departure and a return to Zanzibar in the evening.
The best time for a day trip to Selous Game Reserve from Zanzibar is during the dry season, which usually falls between July to March.
Selous Game Reserve is home to the Big Five: lions, elephants, leopards, buffalo, and rhinoceros. While seeing all of them in a single day is less common, it’s possible to spot several of these iconic animals during your visit
Pack comfortable clothes. It can be hot during the day and cool at night. Bring sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun. A hat is good for keeping the sun off your face. A camera is great for taking pictures. Binoculars help you see animals that are far away.
Selous Game Reserve is renowned for its diverse wildlife, including giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, hippos, crocodiles, and a wide range of bird species. The reserve’s expansive landscapes and the picturesque Rufiji River are also common attractions.
Yes, it is safe if you go with a good guide and a trusted safari company. They know the area and the animals. Always follow the guide's instructions.
A good safari lasts 5 to 10 days. This gives you enough time to see different animals and visit different places without feeling rushed.
Day trips to Selous Game Reserve are generally suitable for participants of various fitness levels and ages. However, be prepared for a long day of game drives in the wild. If you have more than two children, we recommend considering a private vehicle for your trip.
If your question is not listed, please contact us from here.
Seko Tours on TripAdvisor
Read real stories from people who have traveled with Seko Tours Adventures. Our travelers talk about their unforgettable Tanzanian safari trips and explain why traveling with us is special and life-changing.
Unforgettable Kilimanjaro Trek . We hiked Mount Kilimanjaro with Seko Tours and it was unforgettable, thanks to our guide, David. He helped us every step of the way. The hike was hard, but David's help made it easier. We saw stunning views and finally reached the top. It was the best feeling ever. We couldn't have done it without David and the team at Seko Tours. Thank you for this amazing adventure.James2024-07-04Great Safari Adventure . Our safari with Seko Tours was fantastic, thanks to our guide, David. He was very friendly and knew so much about the animals. We saw giraffes, zebras, and hippos in the national parks. David made sure we got the best views and told us many interesting facts. The lodges were nice and the food was tasty. We had so much fun. Thank you, David and Seko Tours, for an amazing adventure!.Navigate S2024-07-03Amazing Kilimanjaro Hike . Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with Seko Tours was amazing. Our guide, Inno, helped us a lot. He made sure we were ready for each day's hike. The views were beautiful and reaching the top was a dream come true. It was a hard climb, but Inno made it possible. This hike was one of the best experiences ever.Darshan2024-07-03We had a wonderful time on our safari with Seko Tours. We had a wonderful time on our safari with Seko Tours. Our guide, Ngoi, was excellent. He showed us many animals in the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. Ngoi was very patient and made sure we enjoyed our trip. The parks were beautiful and we saw so many animals. We highly recommend this tour and thank Ngoi for making it so special.Martelon2024-07-03Amazing Safari Experience . "We went on a safari with Seko Tours and it was amazing. Our guide, Inno, was great. He knew a lot about the animals. We saw lions, elephants, and a cheetah in the Serengeti. Inno made sure we were always comfortable. This safari was the best ever, thanks to Inno and Seko Tours!"Obazee2024-07-02Safari with guide Ezekiel. Ezekiel was a perfect guide and driver. He made us visit and discover the real wildlife of Tanzania. No trouble was too much for him. His knowledge about all the hotspots of the different animals is amazing. Haruna matata, he gets you around.Rony V2023-12-27Unforgettable experience at Mount Meru! We climbed Mount Meru in 4 days with Happyson and his crew from Seko Tours. We had an amazing experience, even though it was quite tough (especially because of the rainy season). We made it to the top thanks to this wonderful crew. They even shared their rain jacket and waterproof gloves with us. The chef prepared delicious meals, and the waiter took great care of us (including water to wash ourselves, tea, popcorn and hot water in a bottle to keep us warm during the night). Happyson and team spared no efforts and we had a lot of fun together. On the fourth day, right before the gate, we were surprised by seeing so many wild animals and the beautiful waterfall. The two giraffes at just a few meters away was amazing. Would definitely recommend!!Romy H2023-11-28Safari with David from Seko tours David was our guide for our 2 day Tarangire and 1 day Ngorongoro safari. We were with a group of 4 friends and David was the best guide we could wish for. He had a lot of knowledge about the area, the animals, the culture, actually about everything. He could find every amimal we wanted to see including the difficult to spot cheeta, leopard and rhino. He did everything to get us the best spot to view and photograph the animals. When viewing, he told us a lot of intersting facts about the animals and the area they are in. Between the safari days David also was our driver to all locations in between, always on time and always with surprises, like beer or a great warm lunch. Thanks David you made our trip really worth it!!Avdb2023-10-28Best Safari guides with a lot of knowledge, friendliness and fun We had a wonderful experience with our guides Shabani (mr walking encyclopedia) and John (mr juice). We went to Tarangiri, Serengeti and Ngorogoro in 2 cars with a family of 7. Both guides learned us a lot on the animals and really were motivated to give us the best time possible. They are friendly, happy and the best guides you could wish for. We saw all animals we wanted to see multiple times and had a lot of fun together.Cindy V2023-07-24
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