Selous

TANZANIA | SELOUS NATIONAL PARK

The remote and little-visited Selous Game Reserve covers more than 5% of Tanzania’s total area and is the largest of its kind in Africa. At an unbelievable 55,000 sq km it is almost twice the size of Belgium and four times larger than the famous Serengeti in the North.

The landscape here has remained almost as it was before tourism began and the massive park has only a few accommodation options. The Great Rufiji River and its tributaries are the lifeblood of the reserve, creating a network of forests and woodlands around the lagoons, sandbanks and lakes with tall palm trees adding to the scenic splendour.

Because of its size and remoteness, the reserve has over 2,100 species of plants, 350 species of birds, 60,000 elephant, 108,000 buffalos and an estimated 1,300 of the worlds’ roughly 4,000 remaining rare wild dogs, giving guests an opportunity to glimpse all of these exotic animals in true unspoilt wilderness. Boating, walking safaris and fly camping are all available in the Selous.

REGION HIGHLIGHTS

Head out with your guide on 4x4 to spot the wildlife on the area.

The best way to focus on the details of bush life, is to walk. We can bird-watch, stalk insects, find medicinal plants. It helps that our guides are walking encyclopaedias. It’s not just the little things though, we can even stalk elephant this way - working through the bush, suddenly emerging at secluded waterholes.

If you slow down to Nature’s pace, you get a truer sense of the wild. We love drifting on a river boat, the waters swirling brown beneath us. Beast and fowl are never far away of course, hippopotamus dip and crocodiles do slide from the banks like the movies, white chested fish eagles watch you go by.

ACCOMODATION

These are a selection of lodges that we feel combine well for this journey. However we do also have a range of options to consider in each region, and can tailor them to you preference.

Sand Rivers Selous

Sand Rivers is situated in the northern part of the Selous Game Reserve which is the second largest protected wilderness area in the world. Sand Rivers offers stylish, luxurious safari accommodation on the banks of the Rufiji River. This comfortable and stylish lodge features an outdoor pool, an open-air dining room, bar and lounge which have been beautifully constructed on a sweeping curve of the great Rufiji River, offering stunning views across the water. Sand Rivers Selous has just 8 stone and thatched cottages, all are open-fronted and raised on decks overlooking the river. There are 5 Riverside rooms - with en-suite bathrooms, hot and cold running water, flush toilets and powerful showers - and 3 Hillside Suites. The Suites all have the same amenities as the Riverside rooms, but with the added extra of a large living space and a small plunge pool.

Roho Ya Selous

The real magic of the Selous lies in the variety each day on safari brings. Whether you’re exploring on a game drive in search of leopard lurking in the shady boughs of a fig tree, or out on foot tracking wildlife that’s ventured close to camp during the night, this reserve is full of surprises. With just eight canvas tented rooms, each with air-cooling systems over your bed to ensure a peaceful night’s sleep in the hotter months, Roho ya Selous strikes the perfect balance between comfort and adventure.

Siwandu Camp

Sheltered in a grove of palms on the shores of Lake Nzerakera, part of the watery byways of the Rufiji River system, Siwandu is perfectly situated within the prime game area to fully experience the abundant wildlife of Selous Game Reserve. Explore the breathtaking landscape by foot on our morning game walks, by 4WD vehicles with our expert driver guides and on the water with boat cruises on both the river and on the lake. Broadly spaced along the lakeshore, Siwandu’s superbly appointed accommodation ensures maximum privacy and every opportunity to soak up the sights and sounds of the purest African bush. The ten spacious octagonal tents allows guests to observe animals as they saunter past while reclining on the majestic king sized bed under the overhead fan or from the open-air stargazer showers which adjoin the en-suite bathrooms.