Sand Rivers Camp

a fabulously relaxing riverside location

Sand Rivers Camp is located in the Selous area of southern Tanzania.

This property is owned and operated by Nomad Tanzania, one of the leading safari companies in East Africa, the owners of which are committed to both an earthy, authentic, high quality approach to safari and a very strong conservation ethos.

This prestigious and long-established property was the original and is arguably still the finest place to stay in Selous (Nyerere).

The location was first discovered by safari legend Richard Bonham and writer Peter Matthiessen, whilst undertaking a pioneering walking safari into this frontier area back in the 1980s. They understandably fell in love with the place and established a permanent camp soon after.

When we first visited the Selous in 1999, we were just about to depart when a little yellow aeroplane circled and landed. The pilot, Bim Theobald, proceeded to hijack us, refusing to let us leave Selous without first staying at Sand Rivers. How he knew quite who and where we were remains a mystery. Needless to say, we were hypnotised by the place.

Sand Rivers is the most scenically located camp in Selous, sitting on the end of a wooded promontory, with superb views west up the broad Rufiji River. There are usually hippos directly in front and a range of other wildlife coming down to drink.

It is a very elegant and comfortable camp, with a central mess stone-under-thatch mess containing lovely lounge and dining areas, leading out to a large terrace area above the river and a small swimming pool.

As tourism in Selous has developed over the years, we have come to deeply appreciate the remote position of Sand Rivers Camp. You rarely see other vehicles in the vicinity.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at Sand Rivers Camp is in eight rooms, which are also stone-under-thatch, stepped up above the river.

• Standard Room : x5
• Suite Room : x3 : lounge and plunge pool

The one thing we’ve always disliked about Sand Rivers Camp is the open nature of the rooms. We do prefer the insect protection provided by a proper safari tent, but that’s very much a personal preference.

Animals in camp

A particular highlight at Sand Rivers Camp is the frequency with which animals come into camp. We have seen vervet monkeys using the vanity mirrors in the rooms and elephants poke their trunks through the windows in the dining area in search of snacks.

Activities

Sand Rivers 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