Selous safari & Mafia Islands diving holiday

Description of Selous safari & Mafia Islands diving holiday

Discover Tanzania’s wildest, most off the beaten track areas, with this Selous safari and Mafia Islands diving holiday. It’s a perfectly paced mix of wildlife spotting and island relaxation, with four nights in Selous Game Reserve in the south of the country, followed by six nights on the Mafia Archipelago, where remote sandy beaches are perfect for relaxation and the clear seas are a diver’s paradise.

Selous is Africa’s largest game park, just a 40 minute flight from Dar es Salaam. It’s home to huge populations of buffalo and lion, and is one of the few places in Africa where you have a good chance of spotting rare wild dogs. In addition, you’ll come across masses of wildebeest, zebra and impala, and it’s possible to see herds of 50 or more giraffe drinking from lakes during the hottest part of the day.
As well as game drives in the morning and evening, there’s the option to take a walking safari and boat trip on the Rufiji River and lakes. You’ll be accompanied by an expert wildlife guide and you have the freedom to choose what you’d like to do each day – they are all included in the price.

After your safari, take a short 40 minute flight to the remote and almost unknown Mafia Islands in the Indian Ocean. The islands are covered in rainforest and grasslands, with tiny villages dotted here and there, and barrier reefs out to sea. A large part of Mafia Island itself is a protected Marine Park and you can explore its biodiversity by snorkelling and scuba diving, through coastal forest walks and bird watching. Learn about Swahili village life and traditional culture, too, by visiting its villages.

The best time do this itinerary is mid June to late October. This is the dry season, game viewing is good and the climate is comfortable.

Departure information