Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
has improved considerably in recent times, but is still sometimes impassable during heavy
rains and a 4WD plus a good tolerance level for bumpy, adventurous roads is required at
any time of the year. From Dar es Salaam, the road is good tarmac as far as Morogoro.
Once in Morogoro, take the Old Dar es Salaam road towards Bigwa. About 3km or 4km
from the centre of town, past the Teachers' College Morogoro and before reaching Bigwa,
you will come to a fork in the road, where you bear right. From here, the road becomes
steep and scenic as it winds its way through the Uluguru Mountains onto a flat plain. Allow
at least five to six five hours for the stretch from Morogoro to Matambwe, depending on
the season. If you are coming from Dar es Salaam and want to bypass Morogoro, take the
unsignposted left-hand turn-off via Mikese, about 25km east of town on the main Dar es
Salaam road that meets up with the Kisaki road at Msumbisi.
Coming from Dar es Salaam, the last petrol station is at Kibiti (about 100km northeast of
Mtemere Gate), although supplies aren't reliable (otherwise try Ikwiriri - there is no fuel
thereafter). Coming from the other direction, the last reliable petrol station is at Morogoro
(about 160km from the Matambwe ranger post). Occasionally you may find diesel sold on
the roadside at Matombo, 50km south of Morogoro. If you plan to drive around the Selous,
bring sufficient petrol supplies with you as there is none available at any of the lodges, nor
anywhere close to the reserve.
Train
The train is an option for the adventurous, especially if you're staying on the northwestern
side of the reserve, and with luck, you may even get a preview of the wildlife from the
train window. All Tazara trains stop at Kisaki, which is about five to six hours from Dar
es Salaam and the first stop for the express train, and ordinary trains stop at Kinyanguru
and Fuga stations (both of which are closer to the central camps) and at Matambwe (near
Matambwe Gate). All the lodges do pick-ups (usually combined with a wildlife drive) at
varying prices. For schedules,
Click here
.
It works best to take the train from Dar es Salaam to Selous, though be sure you have a
pick-up confirmed in advance, as there's no station, and the train usually arrives after night-
fall. Going the other way around, be prepared for delays of up to 20 hours. The lodges can
help you monitor the train's progress with their radios.
Kilwa Masoko
Kilwa Masoko (Kilwa of the Market) is a sleepy coastal town nestled amid dense coastal
vegetation and several fine stretches of beach about halfway between Dar es Salaam and
Mtwara. It's the springboard for visiting the ruins of the 15th-century Arab settlements at
Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara, and as such, is the gateway into one of the most signi-
ficant eras in East African coastal history. The town itself is a relatively modern creation,
with minimal historical appeal.
