The Selous National Park in Tanzania is the largest protected area of it's kind in Africa. Covering an area the size of Belgium, Selous is a UNESO World Heritage Site. Running through Selous is the Rufiji River and it is along its banks that many of the safari camps of Selous are located. The river is fed by lakes and lagoons all of which are focal points for safaris in Selous.
Most of the safari camps in and around Selous Game Reserve offer their guests of choices of three types of safari; game drives, boat safaris and walking safaris. Boat and walking safaris are both excellent options but it is the traditional game drives that are most popular.
Open safari vehicles are driven by an experienced guide who points out various animals that you almost certainly wouldn't even notice. The guide will also give you the names of the colourful birds and other animals that you come across. The "Big Five" (leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo and rhino) can be found in Selous Game Reserve but remember that this is wild Africa, not a zoo so it is by no means certain that you will see all of the "Big Five".
Unlike Europe where we have 4 distinct seasons, Selous has a wet and a dry season. The dry season starts in June and lasts until November and it is during this period that game viewing is at its best. The water holes have dried up so wildlife makes for the lakes and lagoons and there is also less foliage which mean that spotting game and birds is much easier. It is also the best time to see the larger predators.
The wet season covers the rest of the year and although the early part of the wet season between December and February, game viewing can still be good but it can feel very humid. For bird watchers, January to May is the best time to visit the Selous although the rains can make some roads impassable and many lodges and camps are closed between March and May.
Selous Game Reserve also boast around a third of the African Wild Dog population. The Wild Dog is critically endangered with around 1,300 of them living in Selous. Also known as "Painted Dogs", they are social animals and hunt as a pack.
The lakes in Selous attract a wide range of birdlife with the majestic Fish Eagle being the favourite of many people. Its call is as distinctive as is white head and can be seen perched high in the trees close to the lake or soaring high in the sky. As well as storks, heron and other wading birds, the lakes are also home to crocodiles and Africa's most dangerous animal, the hippo. Occasionally, you will see hippo out of the water during the day but usually they are resting with their heads bobbing on the surface.
Visitors really need a minimum of 3 nights to ensure they have the opportunity to see the magnificent wildlife that the Selous Game Reserve has to offer.
Rob Atherton
Explorer Travel
http://www.big5.explorertravel.co.uk/SelousGameReserve.htm
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น