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If holidays to you are
about seeking out secret places, undiscovered by all but
a handful of independent and inquisitive people who are
willing to pay for a truly absorbing and exclusive bush
adventure, then Sand vers Selous is an African gem that
you can’t afford to overlook.
There are eight large and airy double or twin-bedded
cottages, each with its own spacious bathroom. Beds are
four postered with soft mosquito netting which ties back
during the day. Each cottage is open-fronted with an
expansive veranda set on stilts, giving a stunning,
private view over the river. Electric lights, overhead
fans and hot water are solar powered The central
building is large and airy with plenty of space to sit
and relax on comfortable sofas and armchairs, or in the
shade of the Tamarind tree on the veranda. The building
is open fronted onto the Rufiji and has stunning views
across the endless flow of water. The bar, complete with
a mass of bottles, fresh juices, mixers and ice is
tucked into the corner of the sitting room where you are
free to help yourself at anytime. The polished mahogany
dining table at one end of the room - the harvest of an
enormous tree washed down the river by a storm - is the
focus for lunch and dinner. Generally breakfast is a
moveable feast with guests either
eating early in the lodge or having a bush breakfast
later, under the shade of a tree. There is a bird and
animal reference library, along with a selection of
African books and novels Outside the central mess area
is the swimming pool, set into the rocks on the river's
edge and shaded by
an ancient Baobab tree, thought to be more than 1500
years old. Here there is a veranda and soft chairs to
relax in. WalkingHere you have the most rare opportunity
to walk in the largest untamed wilderness on earth,
using skill, stealth and all your senses to creep up on
creatures large or small and discover the intricate
workings of bush life, impossible from a car or
boat.BirdsYou can sit in the evening sun on a lake-side
with your binoculars, watching kingfishers hovering
above the water, long legged waders sifting the mud for
morsels, and fish eagles calling.The Rufiji River You
can float silently down the mighty Rufiji River, past
pods of shiny hippos and sunbathing crocodiles, the
riverbank lush with palms and rich with the call of
monkeys.ComfortsYou can savour the sunset on a ridge
over the river, icy drink at your elbow, or breakfast in
the bush, table set in the shade of a tree and laden
with tropical fruits, cereals, eggs and
bacon.RelaxingYou can tuck yourself into an armchair on
a veranda overlooking the river and doze, or busy
yourself with book, binoculars, or sketchbook. You can
lie in the cool waters of the swimming pool shaded by an
ancient Baobab tree, or take a fishing rod onto the
rocks and spend a leisurely hour tempting tiger fish, or
luring catfish (which make delicious pre-dinner
bitings).Diverse LandscapesThere are thick riverine
forests heavy with palms and creepers; wide expansive
grasslands; the waters of the Rufiji itself, teeming
with life;
hardwood ‘miombo’ woodland carpeted with grasses and
wild flowers; soft hills and ridges hiding oases of hot
springs and pools; marshy wetlands; a myriad of lakes
and streams fed by the river, and the dry meandering
sand rivers themselves after which the lodge was named –
each habitat home to a huge diversity of
wildlife.Flexibility & IndividualityYou can do and
see bits of all of these things every day if 100% action
is what you’re after - on foot, by boat, in a Land Rover
or a mix of all three. But the point is that Sand Rivers
has a diversity of landscapes and game that knows no
bounds, and is run to give you the utter flexibility to
do what exactly what you want, when you want. You can do
nothing or everything, on your
own or with kindred spirits. Your only additional
companion will be your guide, and the only constant will
be the comfort of the lodge – the barladen with bottles,
juices and buckets of ice; your luxurious bed; a hot
steaming shower; and an evening spent across the
polished mahogany dining table recounting your day’s
stories and adventures. |
