With its 50 000 sq. km Selous Game Reserve is one of the world's largest protected wildlife areas. The reserve is one of  the UNESCO World Heritage sites famous for its large elephant population. There are about 60 000 elephants in the area which they share with 150 000 buffaloes, 40 000 hippos, over 3 000 lions and many hundred thousand antelopes. There are about 440 different bird species in the reserve.

It has only about 5 000 visitors a year so here one has the African bush and wildlife to oneself. There are a number of small safari camps in the reserve. The area South of the Rufiji river is reserved for hunting and provides the reserve with 90% of its income. It costs US $15 000 to hunt an elephant or lion. For a buffalo one has to pay US $21 000.