Selous Game Reserve safari from Zanzibar: Full-day game drive

A full day in Selous without the overnight: game drive, river, and back to your hotel

A one-day safari tour from Zanzibar to Selous Game Reserve combines a morning and afternoon game drive through the reserve with a boat safari along the Rufiji River and picnic lunch, departing Zanzibar at 07h00 and returning by 17h30. Your guide meets you at the airstrip and drives the full day in an air-conditioned vehicle, with flights and all park fees included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full day safari and return flight

• Depart Zanzibar airport at 07:00
• Arrive Selous Mtemere Airstrip at 08:00
• Meet safari guide at airstrip
• Start full day game drive in Selous
• Enjoy boat safari on Rufiji River
• Have picnic lunch with park view
• Return to airstrip by 15:00
• Fly back to Zanzibar at 16:00
• Arrive Zanzibar at 17:30

The experience

The day starts with a 07h00 departure from Zanzibar airport. You arrive at Selous Mtemere Airstrip at 08h00, where your safari guide meets you and you begin immediately with a game drive through the reserve. The morning and early afternoon take you across savannah, along rivers and lakes, where you watch for wildlife moving through the landscape. Around midday you stop for a picnic lunch in a location with clear views across the park.

After lunch the game drive continues, exploring deeper into the African bush. Around 15h00 your guide drives you back to the airstrip. You depart Selous at 16h00 and land in Zanzibar at 17h30. The full journey (flights, vehicle, guide, lunch, drinks and park entry) is included. You bring only yourself and whatever you want to photograph.

The boat safari along the Rufiji River is built into the day, giving you a second vantage on the reserve's wildlife and water. Ten hours sounds long, but the flights compress what would otherwise be a two-night trip into a single departure, so you keep your evening free and your hotel booking unchanged.

What’s included

• Roundtrip flights from Zanzibar to Selous.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
• English-speaking safari guide.
• picnic lunch.
• soda, water and fresh fruit.
• all park entry fees and taxes.
• hotel or airport pickup in Zanzibar.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 04:00 and 05:30

AgesAdult (25 to 74 years) · Senior (75 and older) · Youth (12 to 24 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 2 years): free

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by mango travel & tours ltd

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English, so you follow the commentary without translation. If you speak another language or travel with someone who does, confirm the guide's language when you book, since the tour is built around live narration during the drive.

Traveler reviews

4.60★★★★★★★★★★

5 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 24 years); Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 2 years): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What animals might I see on the Selous game drive?

Selous Game Reserve is home to elephants, buffalo, lions, leopards, giraffes, zebras and numerous antelope species, as well as hippos and crocodiles along the Rufiji River. What you see depends on the season and where the wildlife is grazing or drinking on the day you visit.

How much time do I spend actually driving versus sitting at the airstrip or in transit?

The game drive itself runs from 08h00 (when you arrive at the airstrip) through 15h00, with a lunch break in the middle: roughly six to seven hours of driving and wildlife watching. The remaining time covers the two flights and the drive to and from the airstrip.

Is the picnic lunch enough, or should I eat before I leave Zanzibar?

Picnic lunch is provided during the midday stop. The tour also includes soda, water and fresh fruit throughout the day, so you will not go hungry, though a light breakfast before your 07h00 flight is a good idea.

What happens if my flight back to Zanzibar is delayed or I miss the 16h00 departure?

The tour is timed to the scheduled 16h00 flight back to Zanzibar. If your return flight is delayed, contact your guide or the operator as soon as you know. They can advise on options. Arriving late to the airstrip would mean missing your flight, so plan to be there by 15h30.