In MIKUMI and SELOUS, Southern Tanzania (June 2024) (page 4 of 5)

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Another little marvel of East African nature, a bit rarer, but luckily there’s an area near "Lake Manze camp" where you can find them. 😎 When I say "area," it’s really just a group of 5/6 trees... 😕

For bee-eater lovers, here’s another one...

- The Böhm’s Bee-eater ( https://www.oiseaux.net/oiseaux/guepier.de.bohm.html )





A couple??? Or not!! I have to admit, seeing two on the same branch was my holy grail...





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To be continued

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Still in SELOUS, a summary/compilation of other birds seen during this stay.

- A Grey-headed kingfisher.





At the top of a cliff, overlooking the riverbank.

A colony of Pied kingfishers. (They were very tolerant of me).







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- A Barbican Promepic.





- A Reichenow’s Piculet.

- Two Striped Kingfishers (an adult on the left and a juvenile begging for food).



On the way back by land this time, to the cliff where (from the boat) we had seen a colony of White-fronted Bee-eaters. We can’t get close to the edge of the cliff, but a dead tree nearby hosts a very "noisy" gathering of these birds.





It wasn’t until I got home and sorted through the pictures that I noticed an intruder in this last one... At the very bottom right, it’s a Scarlet Bee-eater...!!

During a previous trip, we had seen dozens of Scarlet Bee-eaters flying around the vehicle, very close, to catch the insects our passage flushed out!!!

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A mix of a few mammals...

Early in the morning, a spotted hyena that must’ve had a tiring night:



The kind of encounter where the driver keeps the key in the ignition...



We wondered if this warthog had just come from the hairdresser??

While these guys were enjoying a jacuzzi session...



We saw very few zebras in Selous, or they were too far away...



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From a distance, the behavior of these Cattle Egrets intrigued us and made us want to get closer...

The birds were surrounding this python, about 4 or 5 meters long... !!! (A first for us since we’ve been going on safaris)



On other occasions, we came across monitor lizards (Nile monitors??).



We’re not fans of reptiles, and after the cobra incident in front of the tent, I don’t think they’ll become a new interest...

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That Böhm’s bee-eater is gorgeous! 🙂

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Yes, tiny, the Böhm's Bee-eater! But really gorgeous!! 🙂

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- An African Harrier-Hawk .....



Strangely, during this entire trip, we saw very few vultures ...???

Here’s an African White-backed Vulture.



Like in Mikumi, this Selous reserve was stingy with flowers ....







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I’ll finish with the ones I love encountering:

The young male impalas:



And my beloved R.L.B. ....



But also this stunning spot where we had breakfasts or waited several times ... for a crossing of elephants. The two Anglo-Saxon couples got to see the show, but not us ... !! (That’s the glorious uncertainty of safari)

And of course, this story had to end with a sunset over Lake Manze 😉 🙂



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On the morning of departure, transfer to the Selous entrance and Mtemere airstrip, then off to Dar es Salaam in a bush plane. After that, with Ethiopian Airways, heading to Addis Ababa. Layover with a plane change, then an overnight flight to Rome (layover without disembarking) and finally Marseille, where we landed in the early morning.



END of the trip ...

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Puma2A.

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Compared to the camps we usually visit, we’d rank this one as luxurious (even though the facilities remain rustic). I checked the rates, and they seem very high... Are there more affordable accommodations in this park, or is this the usual pricing in this area?

Hi Sylvie,

Honestly, I can’t answer the question about the rates!

Over 5 stays in Selous, we’ve been to 3 different camps (lodges).

- The first time (a trip from the "Vie Sauvage" catalog), we stayed at "Rufiji River Lodge", a fairly large upscale establishment by the river: spacious and comfortable canvas bungalows on stilts with a double thatched roof to keep the heat out. Everything was high-end, but it was crowded; every day, we’d head out in a vehicle with 6 people. I don’t remember if there was a pool or jacuzzi...? No complaints, but we realized it’s very close (max 15 minutes) to the Mtemere airstrip, so safaris now likely take place among day-trippers from Zanzibar.... It *might* be cheaper there (no guarantees), but for the reason I just mentioned, I wouldn’t recommend it.

Plus, there are places just outside the reserve, right before the entrance gate, where you don’t pay the overnight stay tax... but you have to queue to get in every morning.

- Another time (2022, I think), we went to "Impala Camp", which is an hour’s drive from the reserve entrance but still well within the area explored by day safari-goers. Another high-end place: large tents on stilts, but no thatched roof (we were *very* hot at night in early November—our tent wasn’t shaded in the morning!). Otherwise, it’s also top-notch service and hospitality (based on my personal tastes and standards). And there’s a pool... very well maintained.

- And then, so far, we’ve been to "Lake Manze Camp" three times—more rustic but comfortable. I’m not comfortable in overly luxurious places... so at Lake Manze Camp, the rustic vibe with just the comfort my old bones need suits me perfectly. The food is great, and the managers are lovely, passionate about nature. It’s also the indescribable "ATMOSPHERE" that draws me back!

We can’t afford to travel every year, let alone multiple times a year, on long-haul trips (for personal reasons, including finances), but when we do go, we try to stay "reasonable" while still going where we want (a tough compromise to strike!).

Unfortunately, as is well known, the southern reserves are expensive in every way. But it’s totally different from what you experience in the northern reserves...

For info, when we booked in 2024 through the "Asanterra" agency in Dar es Salaam, we learned that some camps like Lake Manze were offering a promotion: 3 nights booked, the 4th free (excluding the government reserve entry fee). So by paying for 6 days + 2 extra entries, we got 8 days/nights of safari...

The "Vuma Hills Lodge" in Mikumi wasn’t part of that promo... too bad!

Sorry I can’t tell you more about Selous accommodations. Hope my explanations were clear enough...

Puma2A.

I’m also interested in the answer because after our trip to northern Tanzania, I’d considered a circuit in the southern parks (ideally combined with Mafia for whale sharks) ...but I couldn’t find anything within my budget (plus, transfers between Selous and Ruaha apparently can only be done by plane). This was in 2017, and I think prices have only gone up since then 😕.

Hi Muriel, You can fly to Selous (saves time), but you can also get there by road in a vehicle (it’s *very* long). Plus, you’d arrive with your own driver who’d handle the safari outings, without really knowing the area like the camp drivers do... Not sure the client would get their money’s worth. Since I’ve never done it that way, I can only speculate (and maybe be wrong).

We’re all different: our tastes and expectations for a trip (safari or otherwise), our desires, are ALL just as different. Everyone does what they want/can based on their means.

We went to the southern reserves mainly to see African wild dogs (only spotted them on 2 out of 5 trips!!!).

We should also talk about the Ruaha Reserve, which we love just as much as Selous. That’ll be another discussion. If you’ve got the budget, the Ruaha/Selous combo is heavenly. (And there are other even pricier reserves in the south... that I don’t know about.)

Cheers,

Puma

Thanks so much, neighbor, for this amazing wildlife travel journal! 😊👍

Thanks so much, neighbor, for this wonderful wildlife travel journal

Thank YOU, neighbor, for such a kind appreciation. Adishatz

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Thanks Alain for this beautiful travel journal! It was a pleasure sharing your animal photos with you. Too bad this journal is already over :(

It was a pleasure sharing your animal photos with you. Too bad this travel journal is already finished :(

Thank you, Pascale, for such a kind message. I’ve finished it, compressing as much as possible. Some animals probably got left out. The 300-image limit for a travel journal can’t be exceeded. Maybe I should’ve split the visits to the two reserves into two separate journals. Still getting used to the forum rules.

- For those interested in the "extended version" of the story, you can check out this other version: https://spottingaviation.forumactif.com/t15584-en-safari-dans-le-sud-de-la-tanzanie-juin-2024-fin-le-17-08-24

- And for those interested in the Ruaha reserve, here’s a journal from the previous trip in November/December 2022: https://spottingaviation.forumactif.com/t15265-safari-photo-en-tanzanie-du-sud-nov-dec-2022

Greetings to everyone.

Puma2A

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Thanks Alain for this travel journal that allowed us to return to Africa (even virtually, it’s always appreciated). The photos of Lake Manze Camp remind me (with those animals wandering through the camp) of Flatdogs Camp in South Luangwa (one of my best African memories 🙂). I wasn’t familiar with the Asanterra agency—I’ll check out what they offer. Thanks again

Thanks so much, Alain, for this travel journal. Some gorgeous photos of birds and other mammals that really make me want to go there! 😊

Hello, and thank you, Isabelle, for your message and kind words.

When possible (time, finances), the reserves in southern Tanzania like Selous AND Ruaha are—according to my personal tastes—highly recommended. After visiting the northern reserves twice (and even though I loved Tarangire), we were won over from our very first trip to the southern reserves. It’s all about the atmosphere, and that’s not easy to put into words...

But don’t forget: we’re all different. What we enjoyed might not be your cup of tea... (I never use the word "must-see" for that reason.)

All the best.

Puma2A

Thanks Alain for this travel journal that allowed us to return to Africa (even virtually, it’s always appreciated). The photos of Lake Manze camp remind me (with those animals crossing the camp) of Flatdogs camp in South Luangwa (one of my best African memories 🙂) I didn’t know the Asanterra agency—I’ll check out what they offer. Thanks again

Hi Muriel,

Thanks for your feedback. Asanterra is run by a Belgian, and all communications are in French... an important detail to ensure we understand each other well. I’ve often wanted to go to Zambia (after Botswana/Zimbabwe), but what I’d found in terms of offers was unreasonable (financially) for us...!! And at my age, I need to shorten travel times... 😕

All the best.

Puma2A

(I would’ve loved to attach an image to personalize each reply, but the "counter" is stuck at "300"... sniff)

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Camps inside the parks in Zambia are indeed very expensive, and access isn’t always easy. South Luangwa is the exception because there are quite a few accommodations (for (almost) every budget) just outside the park, on the other side of the river—but since the river doesn’t stop the animals, you’ll still see them in the camps! 🙂 That said, it still takes quite a bit of travel time to get there, and I probably won’t go back 🏴‍☠️

Thanks Alain for this travel journal and all these details about the southern Tanzanian camps. Have a good evening.

Thanks Alain for this travel journal and all these details about the southern Tanzanian camps.

Thank you. Hopefully, we might run into each other someday, on a trail in southern Tanzania, or... in Kenya!

Best regards.

Puma2A

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