Siwandu Camp

a pretty and productive part of the reserve

Siwandu Camp is located in the Selous area of southern Tanzania.

This property is owned and operated by The Selous Safari Company, a long-established operation based in Dar es Salaam and partly owned by Kenyan expat Charles Dobie.

The camp is set amongst light woodland on the banks of Lake Nzerakera, which is connected to the main Great Rufiji River. This is a very scenic area at the heart of the reserve and in a prime area for wildlife.

IThe property is divided into two portions, known as North Camp and South Camp.

South Camp is the original part, with public areas raised up on decks a little bit like an old sailing ship, with separate lounge and dining areas on the higher stern and aft sections, a seating area on the lower section in between and campfire out front. Back towards the vehicle turnaround there is a decent pool area under a large sunshade and a decent gift shop.

North Camp is much smaller and can be used for private groups. It has a ground-level mess leading out to a decking area under shady trees and with a modest pool to one side.

The camp has some really excellent local staff, some of whom have been around for many years. They really add colour to the place.

We have always been under the impression that Siwandu attracts guests who are perhaps less outdoorsy and safari-focused than would be ideal, largely due to the type of mainstream agencies that promote the property in off-the-shelf package trips.

Rooms

Guest accommodation in Siwandu South Camp is in seven very large and elegant tented rooms, raised up on decks and surrounded by verandahs, with very nice indoor and outdoor bathrooms.

Guest accommodation in Siwandu North Camp is in six tents, which are identical to the ones above.

Activities

Siwandu Camp provides the following guided activities, most of which are usually included in the price …

• Vehicle safari
• Motorboat safari
• Walking safari
• Bush meals
• Night vehicle safari: may not be permitted

The Selous tends to feature in relatively few trips to Tanzania, mainly because it is obliged to compete for nights with the fabulous safari areas of the Serengeti region and the nearby Ruaha. It tends to be used most at the extremes, as a short first-time safari extension to a beach vacation or as part of a longer safari for more experienced safari travellers.

The usual stay duration is 3-4 nights in one camp. Multiple camp combinations here are relatively rare.

Seasonality

The best time of year for safari in Selous is generally considered to be the Jul-Oct dry season, when the wildlife is concentrated along the river, although this is also the period when visitor numbers and prices both reach their peaks.

Getting there

Selous is most commonly accessed by light aircraft, which fly directly into dirt airstrips in the bush. In this case your safari vehicle and guide is provided by the camps in which you are staying.

Selous can also be visited by means of an overland safari, usually out of Dar es Salaam, in which case you would usually undertake your vehicle safari with your private vehicle and guide, whilst the lodge provides your motorboat safari and walking safari options.

popular in safari and beach combinations