Siwandu - Activities

While our guests find that game viewing and communing with nature can readily be achieved without moving from the camp itself, we offer full opportunities to get out into the bush to explore more of the Selous Game Reserve, its intriguing topography, its fascinating flora and its teeming wildlife.

Siwandu (formerly Selous Safari Camp) offers an exceptionally large array of activities to choose from be it by boat, vehicle or foot, your guides will personally taylor all activities to suit the guest so that they get the most out of the Reserve in the time they have available. All Selous activities generally go out after breakfast, quite different to other places due to the topography of the land and the animals dependance on drinking water. The main game movements in Selous occur a little later in the day as most animals make their way down to the lakes to drink only after the sun has come up, before this time most of the animals are far inland where there is little road networks for driving. In this way our guests can relax and after a nice leisurly breakfast embark on a drive or boat with a full stomach and then can stay out in the reserve all the way until lunch. After some more food and a small siesta, guests can then go out again in the late afternoon from about 16h00 when animals generally come back to life again providing more interesting game viewing. All activities must return to camp after sunset for about 19h00 as this is the rule of the park. Night Drives are not allowed in Selous.

Game drives 

For drives there are open four-wheeled drive vehicles, specially adapted for close-up game viewing, which make for exhilarating early morning and evening forays into the surrounding bush. Each vehicle is in the charge of expert well trained guides who are on hand to explain everything from unusual animal behaviour to rare and elusive species of birds and even the life cycle of termites. This is the most common activity and lets you get nice and close to some of the most spectacular animals which walk the earth.

Boat safaris 

The boat safaris are conducted in sturdy metal boats with a powerful outboard motor on the back and a covered canopy. Each boat safari is guided by a boatman who has grown up on the river and knows all the little nooks and crannies where a boat can sneak through like the back of his hand. They are also well aware of hippo and crocodile behaviour having spent so many years safely guiding people between them. The boat safaris provide some of the best water birding in Africa as well as getting up close and personal to hippos and crocs which swarm through the river system, be they wallowing in the water or basking on the banks.

Game Walks

Another unique opportunity the Selous has to offer is the possibility of doing a walking safari through the bush. These guided walks are the only activity which leaves very early due to the need to avoid the sun and the heat of midday. Walks leave at 6:30 am accompanied with a watchman and a fully qualified armed guide. The pace is not fast and the ground covered is nothing great. It is a gentle stroll through the wilderness with emphasis more on the little things which are very much neglected from vehicle. The possibility of seeing lions or wild dogs on foot is greatly reduced however elephant sightings are very common and to walk relatively close and safely with these animals is one of natures greatest thrills. The walking concentrates more on ecology, tracking, dung identification, medicinal uses of trees, birds and generally interpreting the bush giving guests a much greater, broader understanding of nature. Not to be missed!!

For the exercise orientated or more adventurous, please enquire about the possibilities of a one or two night walking safari where one or two nights are spent "roughing it" in the bush accompanied by your own walking guide.