An untouched patchwork of rolling savannah plains, riparian woodlands and wild African bush, dotted to the hilt with swaying acacia trees, criss-crossed by meandering river ways and graced by some of the last remaining miombo forests in the Eastern Continent; welcome to the Selous Game Reserve. One of the largest of its kind in the world, this remote piece of wilderness has proved a veritable incubator for flora and fauna since first gaining protected status in the late 19^th century.

Today, it extends over more than 54,000 square kilometres of land in the heart of southern Tanzania, and offers intrepid types a glimpse of untameable Africa at its best. It’s estimated that a whopping 130,000 Cape buffalo currently graze between its borders and more than 40,000 white-bearded wildebeest reside here, joined by considerable contingents of hippos, kudus, waterbuck, giraffes, packs of wild dogs as well as one of the largest elephant populations on the planet.

The kaleidoscopic display of animals aside, Selous Game Reserve tour guides still have plenty up their sleeve. The winding banks of the Rufiji River give way to luxurious safari lodges, secluded ecotourist camps and geological wonders like Stiegler’s Gorge, too.