Southern National Parks - Accommodation

Selous - Accommodation:

Rufiji River Camp
Rufiji River Camp is based in Selous on the banks of the mighty Rufiji River. The camp has 20 safari tents all with fantastic river views and guaranteed hippo wake-up calls. The safari tents are shaded by makuti roofs, have twin or double beds with mosquito nets, writing desks, shelves and are solar powered lighting. Each tent has a permanent structure connected at the back with a flush toilet, bidet, hand-basin and shower. Be aware - no hot water though!

Rufiji River Camp has a pleasant open-air restaurant with a bar and lounge area, again with fantastic river views. Their meals, a mix of international and more local cuisine, are served three times a day to fit in with the safari activities.

Every morning the camp manager check with you what kind of safari you would like to do. You can chose from either daily riverboat safaris, jeep safaris or walking safari with an experienced and armed ranger. For the more adventurous traveller, you can spend a night fly camping on the shore of Lake Mzizimia in very close proximity of the bush, but with a certain amount of comfort (an additional charge applies). Fishing is also available, but must be booked at the camp.

Price: 3 nights full board in Rufiji River Camp starts from £700 per person (based on 2 people sharing), including National Park fees, two excursions per day, internal flights and airport transfers.

Sable Mountain Lodge
Sable Mountain Lodge is a little bit further west into Selous Game Reserve, in the Beho Beho Hills. With just 8 stone cottages and 4 luxury tented bandas, all spaced out across the hillside, it offers intimate and personal service in the midst of a vast wilderness. The stone cottages are all en-suite, have spring water supply, solar lighting and a private veranda with wonderful views. The luxury tented bandas are located on top of one of the hills, each provides full en-suite facilities and has outstanding views from a private balcony. Two are specialised honeymoon bandas, have their own private plunge pool - the ultimate romantic bush experience.

There is a new open-air restaurant and bar area serving an international cuisine. They even have a completely new swimming pool fed by natural springwater (!), only completed in November 2002. On the west side of the camp there is a treehouse overlooking a waterhole attracting regular evening visitors such as elephant, buffalo, leopards, sable antelope and wild dogs.

In terms of wildlife safaris, you will visit parts of Selous even further away from the more frequented Eastern sector. Hence, it will be more than likely that you will not to see any other vehicles on your safaris! Sable Mountain offers a good choice of half- or full-day game drives, walking safari with an armed ranger, boat safari on Lake Tagalala, early morning predator hunt, night time drives and cultural visit to a Masaai village.

Price: 3 nights full board in Sable Mountain's Stone Cottage starts from £570 per person (based on 2 people sharing), including National Park fees, two excursions per day, train journey to Selous, internal flight back to Dar and station/airport transfers.

Mikumi - Accommodation:

Foxes Safari Camp
Foxes Safari Camp offers personalised and exclusive African-style camping in 8 custom designed tents. Don't worry, their tents allow for all your creature comforts, i.e. comfortable beds, furniture, en-suite bathroom and running hot & cold water. The tents are all raised upon wooden decks set around a rocky kopje overlooking the Mkata river floodplain. Your veranda allows uninterrupted panoramic views across the plains with herds converging to drink at the Mwanambogo waterhole - some of the best game viewing in the Park. Camp fires and warm hospitality create a relaxing ambience, also reflected in their safari style restaurant/bar area.

Foxes Safari Camp arrange daily guided wildlife excursions in this north-eastern part of Mikumi National Park, including walking safaris at different times of the day and classical game drives in specially adapted open 4x4 vehicles. Your host is a professional guide, who will personally ensure that your stay is addictive adventure.

Price: 3 nights full board in Foxes Safari Camp starts from £575 per person (based on 2 people sharing), including National Park fees, two excursions per day, return transfer by Safari Express train from Dar to Mikumi and station transfers.

Vuma Hills Tented Camp
Vuma Hills is a more luxurious and permanent tented camp, perched above the trees strecthing over the seemingly endless wilderness in the south west of Mikumi National Park. Vuma in Swahili means 'a good rumour that is spread with the blowing wind', but with their 16 large and comfortable tents this is now more reality than rumour. The tents have rather old fashioned colonial decor, en-suite bathroom facilities and lovely shady verandas. The dining/bar area overlooks the swimming pool, creating an oasis of transquility in the generally hot climate of the lowlands.

As most other safari camps, Vuma Hills offers daily guided wildlife excursions, including walking safaris and classical game drives in 4x4 vehicles with expert naturalists & drivers and radio backup.

Price: 3 nights full board in Vuma Hills Tented Camp starts from £575 per person (based on 2 people sharing), including National Park fees, two excursions per day, return transfer by Safari Express train from Dar to Mikumi and station transfers.

Ruaha - Accommodation:

Mwagusi Safari Camp
Mwagusi Safari Camp is based deep inside Ruaha National Park, nestled onto the banks of the Mwagusi Sand River and overlooking a watering hole. This small & exclusive tented camp is an old-style safari camp run by Chris Fox, who was born and bred in the region. Their 10 A-framed tents are enclosed within thatched bandas, in keeping with the traditional African style, and comfortably furnished with high density mattresses, dressing table, wardrobe, luggage racks, safari chairs and en-suite bathroom with flush toilet and hot shower. Solar powered lights as well as a number of traditional hurricane lamps provide lighting. At the front of each banda is a large covered veranda offering some of the best game viewing. Meals are served in their new spacious and thatched bar/dining area that also holds a library.

You can experience quality wildlife viewing from an open Landcruiser without the disturbance of lots of other vehicles, from the seclusion of your own veranda, or during walks accompanied by a skilled guide - try an early morning bird walk! All open sided 4x4 vehicles are equipped with radios for communication with camp, reference books, bean bags for photography, first aid kits and all the necessities for a day in the bush.

Price: 3 nights full board in Mwagusi Safari Camp starts from £1,100 per person (based on 2 people sharing), including National Park fees, two excursions/day, airport transfers and internal flights.

Ruaha River Lodge
Ruaha River Lodge occupies an unique and priviledged position along the banks of the great Ruaha River. It blends seamlessly into its surroundings with bandas built from natural stone and thatched roofs. All cottages are en-suite with shower facilities and solar powered water heaters provide hot water at any time of the day or night. There is electric lighting until 11.00pm at night and paraffin lamps are supplied for night-time needs. The stone bandas are comfortably furnished with private verandas for some laid-back game viewing with the occasional visiting elephant (see photo).

The Lodge's dining and bar area is set along the river, combining comfort and coolness with unrivaled panoramic views. They serve delicious food made from the produce of their highland farm.

Imagine that in the soft light of dawn, while the bush around you comes alive with birdsong, you enjoy a steaming mug of locally grown coffee, before setting off with an armed ranger and your guide to interpret fresh animal spoor and wonder at the flora and fauna that normally go unnoticed by untrained eyes. At the end of your walking safari, you find a fully laid table under a shady tree and your breakfast is being cooked over a log fire - an unforgettable experience, but quite a normal start of the day for Peter and Sarah Fox at Ruaha River Lodge. Other excursions include morning and afternoon game drives.

Price: 3 nights full board in Ruaha River Lodge starts from £950 per person (based on 2 people sharing), including National Park fees, two excursions per day, internal flights and airport transfers.

Sample itinerary

Sunday start only:
Day 1 - Transfer by Safari Express - a private and luxury train from Dar-es-Salaam to Selous - with freshly prepared lunches served on board (shower facilities available). The Safari Express will give you the opportunity to enjoy the passing countryside and start game viewing from the train. Lunch time, arrival in Selous with transfer to Sable Mountain Lodge, where you will check into one of their Stone Cottages (full board). Afternoon - choice of walking safari or game drive.

Day 2 - All day safari or two half-day excursions in Selous. Overnight stay in Sable Mountain Lodge (full board).

Day 3 – In morning, opportunity for an early morning predator hunt or walking safari. Early lunch time, transfer to train station for the second leg of your journey - Mikumi. Late afternoon, arrival in Mikumi and transfer to either Vuma Hills Tented Camp or Foxes Safari Camp (full board) in time for a shower and your evening meal.

Day 4 – All day safari or two half-day excursions in Mikumi. Overnight stay in either Vuma Hills Tented Camp or Foxes Safari Camp (full board).

Day 5 – Early morning, start the drive from Mikumi to Ruaha National Park - an amazing experience in its own right. Early afternoon arrival at Ruaha River Lodge (full board) in time to grab some lunch. Afternoon excursion into Ruaha.

Day 6 – All day safari or two half-day excursions in Ruaha National Park. Overnight stay in Ruaha River Lodge (full board).

Day 7 – In morning, opportunity for a half-day excursion in Ruaha. After lunch, start the drive back from Ruaha to Mikumi (arrival early evening). Overnight stay at either Vuma Hills Tented Camp or Foxes Safari Camp (full board).

Day 8 - Transfer back from Mikumi National Park via Selous to Dar by Safari Express train. Lunch will be served on board with some game viewing from the train as afters. Late afternoon, arrival in Dar's TAZARA station.

Sample Prices
Your Southern Safari can be fully tailor-made, please conact BAOBAB for advice.
This sample itinerary is not necessarily the cheapest option, but will give you ideas of options available.

Price for sample itinerary: 7 nights Southern Safaris sample itinerary is available from £1,485 per person (based on 2 people sharing), including full board accommodation as in itinerary, two daily safari excursions, National Park fees and all train & road transfers.

Please note that BAOBAB prices do NOT include any bar drinks and international flight.