The Selous National Reserve, Tanzania
The largest wildlife reserve in Africa: one of the most unique East African Safari destinations
Located on the banks of the Rufiji River, in the heart of this world-famous reserve, the Rufiji River Camp is a tented camp with swimming pool, central dining room, bar and library. Rufiji River Camp offers just 20 tents, each with a private verandah, comfortable beds, classic safari furnishings and an ensuite bathroom (hot and cold running water, flushed WC and shower).
The Selous National Reserve
The spectacular Selous Reserve, a World Heritage Site and the largest expanse of game reserve in Africa, covers a massive 55,000 square kilometres of rolling savannah. About four times the size of Serengeti and larger than Switzerland, this East African Safari destination is home to the largest concentration of elephants in the world. The Selous is named after Frederick Courtenay Selous, naturalist, conservationist and hunter, who was killed in World War 1 in the Beho region of the Selous.
Despite its abundant array of hippo, buffalo, crocodile, lion and rhino, this magnificent East African Safari reserve remains virtually untouched by man. Irrigated by the meandering network of lakes and tributaries that make up the Rufiji River, the Selous also offers some unique boating safaris. One of Tanzania's most glorious East African Safari destinations, the Selous is renowned for its bird-watching, game drive opportunities, Tanzania safari lodges and wide range of East African Safari wildlife and ornithology.
East African safari location: Rufiji River Camp
The luxury Rufiji River Camp stands at the heart of the Selous National Reserve. The reserve lies in south-east Tanzania, south of Mikumi National Park.
By air: the flight takes around 45 minutes from Dar es Salaam International Airport and most tented camps have their own airstrips.
By road: the reserve is 145km from Dar es Salaam via the Kibiti-Mkongo road (which is only partially surfaced), a usual journey of 7-8 hours to the tented camp. The reserve is 350km from Dar es Salaam via the Morogoro-Matombo-Kisaki road, which enters the northern section of the reserve (4WD required): a usual journey of 8-9 hours to the tented camp.
Tanzania luxury tented camp safari
One of the last untouched gems of Tanzania's reserves, the Selous offers a unique opportunity to see Africa the way the early East Africa Safari explorers found it - pristine, alive with game, empty of tourists and utterly awe inspiring. By virtue of its immense size, the Selous protects vast numbers of animals: it contains the largest buffalo concentration in Africa (more than 110,000) and over half of Tanzania's elephants (57,000).
Rufiji River Camp Selous luxury Safari: East Africa safari wildlife highlights:
This East African Safari reserve offers most representatives of East African safari wildlife, including 200,000 buffalo, 57,000 African elephant, 100,000 impala, 80,000 wildebeest and the country's largest populations of crocodile and hippopotamus. 440 species of birds have been recorded.
When to visit this East African Safari tented camp
The best time to visit Rufiji River Camp is in July-October. The East African Safari camps and lodges are often closed in this East African Safari reserve at the peak of the Tanzania wet season from Easter-June, when the rains render many of the roads impassable.
Tanzania luxury tented camp safari: accommodation
Rufiji River Camp offers just 20 tents, each with a private verandah, comfortable beds, safari furnishings and an ensuite bathroom (hot and cold running water, flushed WC and shower).
Tanzania luxury tented camp safari: dining and bars
Rufiji River Camp has a central bar and dining area, with lounge and library nearby.
Conference and event facilities at Rufiji River Camp
Rufiji River Camp does not offer specific conference facilities but will be happy to quote for small meetings and social gatherings.
Weddings and honeymoons at Rufiji River Camp
This Tanzania tented camp makes an ideal Tanzania honeymoon destination. The Selous makes the ideal honeymoon choice. Pristine, undiscovered and the last of the great safari frontiers, it offers a multitude of unique experiences ranging from river safaris to wilderness picnics.
Tanzania luxury tented camp safari: Child-friendly
Rufiji River Camp welcomes children, provided they sleep with their parents. Children over 15 only are permitted to walk in the Selous.
What to see and do on your Tanzania luxury tented camp safari
The Selous is unique among Tanzania's game areas because it is a game reserve, and not a national park. This means that a wider range of activities are permitted such as; luxury boating, walking and camping safaris. More controversially, large parts of the south of the reserve (90% of the total) are reserved for professional game hunting.
Rufiji River Camp offers skilled and knowledgeable guides who lead the game drives, boat trips, walking excursions and fly camping. Fly fishing is also offered.
The choice of things to do and see at Rufiji River Camp includes:
• Spectacular game drives around the stunning Selous ecosystem
• Boating safaris down the Rufiji River
• A full safari breakfast, cooked in the bush
• Bush dinners overlooking the river
• Atmospheric ‘Sundowners' in the wilderness
The boating safari
Utterly unique, the Rufiji River game-viewing experience promises abundant sightings of hippos (both in and out of the water), basking crocodiles and elephants. It also offers the rare chance of seeing a lion come down to the river and drink. Offering a profusion of water birds, the river is typically lined with thousands of African skimmers and is one of the few places in Africa where one can spot the rare Pel's fishing owl. In the dense Borassus palms that line the banks, huge numbers of African palm swifts whirl, while the dense tree cover offers sanctuary to black and white colobus monkeys, vultures and African fish eagles.
Tanzania luxury tented camp safari experiences in the Selous
Typical Tanzania safari experiences at Rufiji River Camp include: safari game drives in especially adapted 4WD safari vehicles (with professionally trained Tanzania safari guides), safari bush breakfasts, lunches and dinners; cocktails around the tented camp safari campfire and guided safari walks through the reserve. Rufiji River Camp also offers East African Safari ornithological tours, cultural performances and visits to the local Maasai people of Tanzania. In the Selous, a particular feature of the East African Safari tented camp experience are the boat safaris down the Rufiji River, offering a unique opportunity to see elephants, lions, and the entire East African Safari wildlife cast at very close quarters.
Rufiji River Camp • Selous National Reserve • Tanzania Safari Tented Camps
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