In MIKUMI and SELOUS, Southern Tanzania (June 2024)

Hi everyone,

I’m a newbie to this forum, passionate about wildlife, the landscapes of East Africa, and Tanzania in particular. This June 2024 trip/safari is our 7th visit to Tanzania and our 5th in the south, which has drawn us more than the north ever since we discovered it in 2015.

In 2024, the entrance fees for the reserves and services have gone up again since our last visit. I chose to return first to Mikumi Reserve, which was the very first one we visited in the south. Then, we’ll head to Selous (J. Nyerere N. P.) as usual. Initially, we wanted to spend 2/3 days on Mafia Island at the end of the trip, but it made the total cost too high, so we gave up... We usually go to Ruaha and Selous, but I wanted to mix it up a bit—also to save some money...

As for the timing, June is a new experience for us. I thought it might be interesting to come just after the lodges reopen... hoping for some great wildlife encounters??

The trip starts in Marseille with our first flight on Ethiopian Airlines to Addis Ababa, then continues to Dar es Salaam, where we’ll finally set foot on Tanzanian soil again.

In Addis... "our" A-350.



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After arriving in Dar, we spent one night at a hotel near the airport. The next morning, we headed to the domestic flights terminal, which hasn’t changed in years.

By mid-morning, we boarded a Cessna 208B Caravan with Safari Air Link, heading to the Kikoboga bush airstrip in Mikumi, which we reached 45 minutes later. Fun fact: the pilot was the same one as on our return flight two years ago.

Welcome on board:



Of course, a driver/guide team from our chosen lodge was waiting for us upon arrival:



I was surprised to see so many aircraft parked there... even twin-engine Embraer Brasilias?? As a fan of vintage planes, I loved it...



On the other hand, the light was incredibly harsh.....!! Our guides only speak English. We knew that in advance. In the south, it’s very rare to find someone who speaks French. This’ll force us to dig into our high school English memories... from 60 years ago... at least.

It’s noon, and we head toward the lodge. Near the airstrip, next to the Mikumi rangers’ base, there are quite a few herbivores. They find a bit more peace here—the big cats don’t venture this way...

Our first encounter was a group of Masai giraffes.





Rarer (for us), a savanna monitor lizard basking in the sun right in the middle of the track...??



A large gathering of impalas (mostly males) along with a few blue wildebeest:





Also unusual: a African crowned hornbill taking a dust bath in the middle of the track...!!



When it comes to identifying mammals or birds, I don’t know everything... so I might make mistakes. Please forgive me. I’m counting on my friend Blesl’s active participation... 😉

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Small clarification: I’m not a huge fan of classic uniform formats for presenting images. My photos are often in 16:9, square, or "pseudo-panoramic" formats... Sorry to those who don’t like it!!

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Mikumi is a reserve that’s split in two by a (very) busy road. When choosing lodges, I’d wanted to stay at "Stanley Kopje Camp" in the northern part of the reserve. We’d stayed at this camp (which I recommend for its charm and location) during our first trip. Unfortunately, a bridge over a stream is no longer passable, and the lodge was still closed in June.... In May 2024, East Africa experienced extremely heavy rains and a tornado, causing significant damage and hundreds of casualties.

So that plan didn’t work out, and we were transferred to another camp from the same group (FOX): "Vuma Hills Camp". The downside of this change is that we had to cross the infamous road, and there’s a good twenty-minute drive through a rather dense forest in the southern part of Mikumi—where we didn’t see... anything. However, this stretch of the journey was "infested" with tsetse flies that *love* me... I could’ve done without them!!

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The access track to Vuma Hills camp:



Our Driver and Guide team, along with the Maruti 4x4 (a vehicle we’d never tried before).



Our stilted bungalow with a double thatched roof, which is especially nice for keeping cool in the heat... Even though it was on stilts, we found a snake on the terrace one morning. It slithered away when it saw me!!



- Back on safari in the morning with a group of warthogs.

Then we spotted impalas with eland antelopes this time:





And a really heartwarming scene of a zebra mom and her foal 🙂



These don’t seem to be Burchell’s zebras or Grevy’s zebras... Without being certain, I’d lean toward Grant’s zebra... !??





Encounter with a Southern ground hornbill on the prowl:

Puma2A

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Hi Alain,

Thanks for this new travel journal that’s off to a great start! See you soon for the next part 🙂 The zebra mom and her baby are stunning, and I’ve always had a soft spot for giraffes

Hi Alain,

I’m thrilled to embark on this adventure! 🐘

Hi there, I'm really excited to be heading off!

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Hi to the three of you, and thanks for your input on this topic.

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Venturing deeper into Mikumi, a few winged encounters:

- Superb starling.



- Long-tailed fiscal.

- Lilac-breasted roller, which I’ve long nicknamed "my buddy"....



- Blue-eared starling.



The sun dips, and warm hues light up the scene. It’s time for our first encounter with a small elephant family. There’s the matriarch, with three youngsters—including the youngest, a calm girl, and a straggling teen.... We spend a good half-hour in their company. They’re on the opposite side of a wide, deep ditch.



The slope is steep, but there’s water at the bottom...





The youngest would prefer mother’s milk, but mom isn’t having it...



The matriarch decides to climb up—on our side, just a few meters from our vehicle!! She’ll haul herself up on her knees, using her trunk... I really didn’t think she’d make it.



Eventually, the whole family follows, ignoring us completely... except the teen, who comes right up to us.



He’s too close to frame with the DSLR, so I have no choice but to use our smartphone...

No sign of aggression from him—just curiosity! The engine was off, we didn’t say a word, and moved as little as possible.

Time to head back to camp. End of this first half-day of safari in Mikumi. We’re fully in the "vibe"... that indescribable safari vibe that makes you forget all your aches, worries, and the world’s troubles.

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Hi Alain,

I’m heading out too—it’s always a pleasure to rediscover the atmosphere of Africa (well, East or Southern Africa, as far as I know).

We’re fully immersed in the vibe... that indescribable safari atmosphere that makes you forget all your worries,

Exactly! 😉

That elephant’s proximity is incredible!

I'm boarding too—it's always a pleasure to experience the atmosphere of Africa again.

Hi Muriel, Thanks for stopping by this corner of East Africa! We’ll have to squeeze in a bit since there’s not much room in the Maruti (max 4 passengers). Just to clarify: the lodge also had Toyotas, which seat 6 or 7 people.

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About the Lodge "Vuma Hills": the staff were smiling, polite, and attentive, but a bit distant.

On the other hand, no "possible" contact with other guests at meals. All the tourists we crossed paths with in the lodge’s dining area avoided interaction, and some didn’t even respond when we said "Hello." It was a bit shocking. We must’ve just had bad luck... Fortunately, it’ll be totally different at the Selous camp we’re heading to later.

Otherwise, the food was high quality, with very pleasant flavors. For those interested, there’s free Wi-Fi available around the bar and dining room.

We chose to have breakfast during the morning safari and left quickly after just a coffee. Lunch and dinner were always at the lodge.

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The night was filled with the calls of galagos in the nearby trees and a few distant howls... At the start of our first morning in Mikumi, the sky was gray, and the light wasn’t great for taking nice photos...

- The first sighting of the day was a side-striped jackal on the prowl.

A little later, the driver spotted a lone lioness at the end of a dead-end track.



According to our guides, she likely had one or more tiny cubs hidden in the tall grass nearby...





She was beautiful and cooperative. I thought she had a lot of presence.



Barely a kilometer farther... A lioness with a male kept us occupied for a while. They were young, and we wondered if it was a romantic encounter or just siblings. ??



The male, whose short mane showed his youth.





The female...





After a long while, we got the feeling we might be disturbing them (especially since two other vehicles had arrived), so we left.

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If you're interested in the reserves of southern Tanzania, I’d like to share the story of our first discovery of this region: it was in September 2015. We first went to Mikumi, then to Ruaha, and finally to Selous.

You can find it below, spanning 26 pages, on a specialized nature and photography forum. (No prior registration is required to simply read the thread) https://forum.image-nature.com/viewtopic.php?f=162&t=57569

Best regards.

Puma2A

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After leaving "our" Lions, the sky clears up a bit, but there will still be quite a few cloudy patches blocking the sun... always at the worst possible moment, of course!!



The grass is tall in some spots, but the driver is always very attentive, and his eagle-eyed gaze ** spots something at the edge of the track in a water-filled hole... - A Nile Monitor.



Actually, there are two Nile Monitors in that hole...

( ** Many people like to compare the vision skills of safari drivers/guides to those of lynxes... After doing some research on the topic, it turns out that lynxes have pretty average eyesight and detect their prey through their particularly sharp hearing... )

Further on, we reunite with some Blue Wildebeest.







- A solitary Elephant isn’t happy about our passing... and makes sure we know it!!



Then it takes off, quick as a flash???



This beautiful hollow Baobab is known for having been a poachers' hideout.... It now marks a picnic area in the reserve. When we arrive, there are people finishing up breakfast, but they pack up quickly.

Finally, I spot one of my "buddies" R.L.B. (= Long-tailed Roller)



To be continued...

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When we arrived and landed on the bush airstrip in Mikumi the day before, I was surprised to see so many planes parked—about ten that day!

At these bush airstrips, it’s very rare for planes to stay parked. They usually just pass through, drop off their passengers, and head to another reserve within the next 15 minutes.





For the past 2-3 years, a new type of safari has been developed from Zanzibar: -- DAY SAFARI --

Lots of people vacation in Zanzibar. Once there, in hotels and on the beaches, touts and agencies offer this package. Since Mikumi is the closest reserve to Zanzibar, day safaris naturally head in that direction.





Typically, the service includes a taxi picking you up from your accommodation to take you to Stone Town Airport. Then, a flight to Mikumi (30-45 minutes). From what I gathered, the planes only take off when they’re full for profitability. After that, they cram 8 or 10 people into a 4x4 with a driver/guide. Breakfast and lunch are picnics at a reserved site with tables and benches. Around 4 PM, the planes head back to Zanzibar.

We came across quite a few of these during our stay in Mikumi and Selous. Usually, the drivers speed around to try and maximize wildlife sightings...

I have no idea how much a day like this costs. But if you have even a little passion for animals, I wouldn’t recommend this option.

What really amused us was seeing so many people in these packed 4x4s, dressed in white, with tiny shorts and deep necklines—outfits *so* suited for safari! There must be quite a few sunburns by the end of the day...

What do the giraffes of Mikumi think about all this...???



Additional info: In Mikumi, Selous, and apparently Ruaha too, Chinese companies are building new, paved airstrips—wider and longer—to accommodate medium-sized aircraft, including jets. These companies are also constructing proper airport terminals to replace the current run-down shacks.

Soon, there might be "a lot more people" in these reserves.

Puma2A

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Continuing our exploration of Mikumi after that well-deserved breakfast!!

- Crowned Lapwing.



- Yellow-throated Longclaw.





They’re in the tall grass, but the driver spotted them from far away..... And there’s some "little ones"!! How many babies?? ...





Two sisters with two little ones....



Plus two more stragglers...!!





The kind of encounter where you keep one hand on the ignition key.... A group of Buffalo...



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Some amazing wildlife encounters even though this park is getting more and more crowded 🙂

Some wonderful wildlife encounters even though this park is getting more and more crowded 🙂

Yes, we had some great opportunities in Mikumi, even though I didn’t see what had motivated me to return to this reserve!!! Africa is unpredictable... isn’t it!

As for the crowds, it’s true that I appreciate when we don’t come across any other vehicles... but we can’t really say it "bothered" us. Though those day-trip safari-goers aren’t exactly discreet in the picnic areas, for example. You can tell for them, Disneyland or Mikumi—it’s all the same....!!

That said, as long as I’m there myself (on safari), there’s no valid reason others shouldn’t be too....

A little anecdote: At one point, we crossed paths with a Toyota carrying 10/12 people (on a day safari) that stopped so our drivers could exchange info about their latest sightings. A French passenger, cigarette in hand, turned to me and explained he’d forgotten his lighter...!! No luck with me—I don’t smoke, and I’m... anti-smoking.....!!

I was still shocked to imagine this person intended to smoke in a vehicle packed with other passengers, in the middle of a reserve where smoking is forbidden (to my knowledge) for fire safety reasons.

Puma2A

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We’re back on our journey in Mikumi. In the morning, I asked the driver to stop by the watering hole near the airstrip. I have a memory from 2015: we saw a herd of buffalo—around 500 heads, according to the guide—which really impressed us.

This time, there’s... nothing to see!!



We turn around and pass by the rangers’ camp again. Someone seems to be playing hide-and-seek...



This elephant is accompanied by a tiny one...









A little further on, we encounter some impalas: We know that in two weeks of safaris, we’ll probably see thousands of them, but it’s a beautiful animal I really like, and it always deserves a few photos.









One thing really surprised me in Mikumi (only here) during this trip: Large groups of impalas, made up of females and young (both male and female), accompanied by many adult males??

Normally, impala harems with females and their young are only accompanied—and exclusively guarded—by a single adult male... who always chases away any other males that get too close! And usually, you also find large groups made up entirely of bachelor males... but not here!!

Have impala behaviors changed in Mikumi...??

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The afternoon stretches on, shaped by the shifting light from passing clouds...

Him, I don’t call him "my boyfriend"—he’d had to fight, and he was probably brooding as much in his head as in his gut...



Much friendlier: some Cape elands (young and adults).





You don’t get to choose what shows up in a safari travel journal... I would’ve loved to show you that bird perched on a branch... But it (or she) decided otherwise!!

- Golden-collared widowbird.



On our way back to the waterhole, we notice a bit more activity: - Cattle egrets, egret, red-necked francolin.



This time, the light is nearly gone, the sun completely hidden behind the clouds on the horizon...





From what we can tell, this is the mother and her little one we saw earlier this morning—she’s also the matriarch of a herd of elephants...



🙂 🙂

A quick stop on the way back to "Vuma Hills camp".



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A new full day begins in the MIKUMI reserve, and this time under the sun....



The track leading from the Lodge to the main road is (unfortunately for me) infested with tsetse flies, whose bite is so unpleasant. This insect is very territorial: it settles in "small zones" well known to the authorities, who try to eradicate it by setting up traps like the one below. The tsetse fly is naturally attracted to very dark colors, like blue and black. These "traps" need to be regularly coated with a powerful insecticide specific to this fly... but to be effective, it should be done regularly... and that’s not the case at all.... (For the public, there is NO effective repellent against this fly.)

This morning, the first encounter is this poor impala, whose head is covered in biting insects.... 😕



Then we come across these two warthogs, having their breakfast, undisturbed by our presence.

(Can you imagine a cigarette butt on this terrain...?)



"Hey girls, slept well!!!"





We cross paths with a herd of blue wildebeest, which, of course, start galloping as soon as the vehicle stops....



And just as "logically," they come to cross the track in front of us.... (that’s wildebeest logic!!)



This morning, I asked our guides to head north into the reserve. I read somewhere—I can’t remember where—that you can sometimes encounter roan antelopes in this reserve, and with a lot of luck, "painted dogs" (African wild dogs). It would be very rare, but it’s worth moving away from the crowded areas to look for them....

We’re going to cross a denser vegetation zone.



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To be continued!

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For sure, with such dense vegetation, we might not see much! Oh well, I stand by my choice. We still come across a herd of Elephants, peaceful ones, who magnificently ignore us. Since no other vehicle passes by, we end up staying with them for a long time. Engine off, we hear as much as we see their movements in the vegetation, when they pull up grass or leaves... a peaceful slice of life, like safaris sometimes offer!









This Zebra (Grant’s, maybe?) loves living dangerously: alone in a dense vegetation area with no visibility...??



We reach a more open area, "healthier" for the safety of large herds of herbivores:



Here, the three (four) musketeers...



And we arrive at the waterhole we visited the day before, without success... A group of Hippos now occupies the spot...



They’re making the day for a group of "day-safari goers."



Here, back in 2015, we saw a huge Crocodile, at least 5 meters long! Its successor is more modest in size and avoids showing itself too much ;)



To be continued...

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In the surrounding trees ...

A Grey-headed kingfisher.



By the pond, Spotted thick-knees are nesting:





Throughout our stay, we didn’t see many flowers, but here in Mikumi, on three occasions, this one: - Erythrocephalum (if I’m not mistaken)



Later in the day, a pair of lions looking exhausted... Neither of them moved or even opened an eye...



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And then... one of the most beautiful encounters of the entire safari (Mikumi + Selous)...

From really far away, the driver spots and points out: 2 leopards and prey in a lone tree... A mother and her cub.... As we approach, the mother climbs down from the tree and runs off to distract us and protect her little one.



It all happened very quickly because the cub climbed up and hid in the high branches...





The last glimpse of its little face. We didn’t push it to preserve its peace.



The driver searched the area, but the mother had hidden well.

Long after, I still wonder how the driver managed to spot those leopards in that foliage. (I know it’s often the long tail hanging down that gives away the cat’s presence!!)

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You’ve probably noticed—I’m following the chronology of encounters, almost hour by hour. It’s easier for me that way, but it also better shows those who’ve never been on (or couldn’t go on) a safari the diversity and unpredictability of the encounters. One thing this account can’t convey is that sometimes several monotonous hours pass between two sightings...!!

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The leopard remains my favorite animal in Africa (though I’ve never seen a cub or a young one 🏴‍☠️).

Hi Muriel,

Thanks for stopping by again! My wife and I also have the leopard at the top of our "wish list" for wildlife encounters. But Africa is unpredictable...!!!

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That afternoon in Mikumi turned out to be full of interesting scenes.

We came across the two lionesses with their four cubs (well, the driver spotted them) again, the ones we’d seen the day before. Unfortunately, the light was really harsh at that moment. There was too much contrast between the shaded areas and the sunny spots—sorry, you can’t choose the conditions, so you just have to make do!

It was time for the cubs’ big grooming session by their mom. Her sister was sleeping a little farther away....





The four cubs were *very* rowdy, and their mom had to show *a lot* of patience...







We could tell the mom’s patience was wearing thin...



And sure enough, a short growl—perfectly understood by the cubs—rang out, calming the four little troublemakers down!



After their mom left, the cubs quickly went back to playing... and roughhousing.



Off to the side, the sister/aunt...



And the mom, hoping for a little rest...



🙂 🙂

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Thanks Alain for this travel journal—it’s definitely of interest to me! My wife and I are planning an 8-night trip to Southern Tanzania in February 2026 (4 nights in Selous and 4 nights in Ruaha). We’re currently reviewing 5 proposals from 4 different agencies.

Great photos and narrative. To be continued! Loïc Lolodetoul

Hello,

Thanks for your comment. 🙂

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The Ruaha and Selous reserves are my two favorites in the south.

Watch out, in February the streams can't be forded. You absolutely must cross via the only bridge over the Ruaha River. So, choosing the right lodge in Ruaha is crucial for a safari/trip without wasting too much time.

Soon, I’ll cover the Selous part of this trip, but probably not right away.

If you’d like to get an idea of what we saw in Ruaha and Selous during previous trips, I can recommend two travel journals from 2020 and 2022 on another forum (no registration required):

Lots of pages and photos (nothing fancy...), from two different times of the year.

https://spottingaviation.forumactif.com/t14678-safari-photo-in-southern-tanzania-february-2020

https://spottingaviation.forumactif.com/t15265-photo-safari-in-southern-tanzania-nov-dec-2022

For the agency we chose, I can let you know in a PM.

Best regards,

Puma2a

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Hi Alain,

There you go—I’ve caught up on my backlog, and like Muriel, when you love Africa, you just have to follow along...

I love watching the little lion cubs play-fighting; they’re just like kids, really! 😊

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Hello Isabelle, and thank you for stopping by this travel journal and leaving a little message. If I read correctly, Tanzania isn’t on your safari list yet… what a shame! Maybe I can tempt you?

Best regards,

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After spending 3 nights at "Vuma Hills Camp", we cross the entrance gate to the northern part of the MIKUMI reserve for the last time. By midday, we’ll be taking a flight to SELOUS.

(I know that "Selous" has been renamed "Julius Nyerere National Park", but the first two times I visited this reserve, it was still Selous…. Plus, I once had the chance to pay my respects at the grave of Captain SELOUS in this reserve. So for me, this reserve will always be SELOUS!)

The morning encounters of this half-day:















And then, this fleeting glimpse of a small bushbuck…



So shy that it didn’t give me time to capture its profile. (During our previous stay in Mikumi, we saw them more often. But this time… a unique encounter… 🤪)



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I’m wrapping up this trip/safari in MIKUMI with some "birdies"—as Blesl (and his partner) would say—shoutout to them!

A Crowned Lapwing.



Black-casqued Hornbill (male in the first two images)



Black-casqued Hornbill (Female, unless I’m mistaken...)





Unfortunately, it’s severely backlit :/ ... A Slate-coloured Boubou.



We don’t remember ever seeing one of these on any of our past safaris...?! A Bare-faced Go-away-bird.



And honestly, I’m so happy I managed to capture the following scene step by step!! My Pal R.L.B. at the "McDonald’s of the bush"...







For lunch today, we’ll be having a lunch box prepared by Vuma Hills Camp, enjoyed in the "airport" ruins of Mikumi’s airstrip (a plane ended its landing against the building a few months ago). Then boarding a Cessna Caravan bound for SELOUS.

- So, what to say about this stay in MIKUMI?

Actually, I chose Mikumi (instead of Ruaha, like previous times) to switch things up a bit, trying to save some money... And mainly because I’d read somewhere—I don’t remember where—that you could spot Roan Antelopes and African Wild Dogs there... with a lot of luck!!

In 3 days, we didn’t get that lucky, but we still saw some amazing things, accompanied by a really friendly guide and driver.

And then, we forgot about personal troubles and, most importantly, forgot about the world’s violence—in France and even in our region... And that does a LOT of good!!!

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After a smooth 45-minute to 1-hour flight, we’ll be landing on the bush airstrip at Mtemere, the gateway of the same name leading into the vast Selous reserve.

Not long ago, every lodge or camp in Selous had its own airstrip, just 15 minutes from the camp. That era is over... Only the Mtemere airstrip has been kept by the Tanzanian authorities. Some of the bush airstrips had ground that wasn’t hard enough, and some were flood-prone, which obviously raised safety concerns.

After landing at Mtemere, we’ll have a little over 2 hours of overland travel to reach our next camp: "Lake Manze Camp," a place we LOVE!!

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Hello everyone,

This is our fifth trip to the southern Tanzania reserves, and each time the SELOUS Reserve has been part of our itinerary.

After staying at the "Rufiji River lodge" (too close to the reserve entrance and the airstrip for my taste), then in 2022 at the "Impala Camp" (not bad), we’re returning for the third time to "Lake Manze Camp".

We fell in love with this camp at first sight back in 2018. Compared to the two other camps mentioned above, it’s more rustic but much better integrated into the preserved nature. Rustic, but we sleep very well there (with quality bedding) and eat EXTREMELY well (with a notable trend toward very tasty and well-prepared vegetarian dishes).

But what truly defines this camp is the general atmosphere created and maintained by the managers: Shaun and Millie, a particularly friendly, passionate, and charismatic South African couple.

It’s a camp where an "Out of Africa" vibe reigns...!!! (Rest assured, I’m not pretending to be Robert Redford, but our first safari—in Kenya 39 years ago—was decided after leaving the cinema where we’d seen that famous film).

I’ll share more about the camp and its unique features later.

For now, its emblem and totem is a magnificent baobab located a few hundred meters from the central part of the camp.



After leaving the main track that crosses Selous, the last 8/10 kilometers of the access road to the camp were particularly "rough" and "jarring" for my old arthritic vertebrae...!! The entire region experienced torrential rains in May 2024, with floods that affected the camp, which only reopened to the public three weeks ago. (These floods and a tornado caused significant damage and... many casualties across East Africa). Some of the flooded tracks will be very rough to traverse...

When we arrive at the camp, it’s late, and we won’t be going on a safari this afternoon. We settle quietly into our assigned tent and take some time to rest.



I’ll try to tell you a bit more about SELOUS and its features (around Lake Manze Camp).

The Lake MANZE is right there, about 200 meters in front of our tent:



The lake is connected to the RUFIJI River by a long natural channel. Here, you can do classic safaris by car or on foot (book in advance with a supplement), AND, like in many Selous lodges, boat safaris...



During safari outings, we’re often near the water.

Otherwise, it’s forest—sometimes a bit dense, often sparse.

- June 13, 2024, early morning, departure for our first morning safari.



I was particularly happy about this encounter... Just impalas, you might say!!! Yes, but a group of very young males, with their little horns still straight: they’re my favorites (and I hadn’t had the chance to photograph them in Mikumi)...





Of course, in this semi-aquatic environment, we encounter quite a few fishermen and thus African fish eagles:



But not all the birds in Selous are fishermen: A Southern ground hornbill.



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I’m relieved to see that my "buddy" the R.L.B. is still around... 🙂 😉



Sometimes, we even spotted them as a couple.



For giraffe lovers, Selous is paradise... And there were quite a few young ones too...





During our last trip to SELOUS, we only saw "4" wildebeest in 5 days.... ??? This time, things were back to normal with plenty of big herds around.







A Egyptian Goose, perched high up...



A Yellow-billed Stork fishing:



And here too, lots of Crowned Lapwings:



I forgot to mention that we’re staying 8 nights at "Lake Manze Camp". (Actually, in 2024, the agency Essential Destination—the group that owns this camp, among others—offered an extra day/night for every 3 nights booked. The reserve entry fee wasn’t included in the deal. So we booked 6 days and got to stay 8.)

To be continued, if you're interested!

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One of the "peculiarities" of the SELOUS reserve is that you see a lot of palm trees, not just along the riverbanks.

In the image below, right in the middle, the tallest one with a single straight trunk is a Palmier Borassus. All around, the palm trees shaped like a bush, with multiple trunks growing from the same base, are Palmiers Doum.



As mentioned earlier, at Lake Manze camp—like in all the camps or lodges bordering Lake Manze or the Rufiji River—you can go on a boat safari, usually in the middle of the afternoon.

The camps have wide, flat-bottomed boats or small catamaran-like vessels with very little draft, two or three rows of seats, and of course, a motor. This time, the driver also acted as the guide. We were with a couple from Austria who were spending just one night at the lodge and discovering the world of safaris for the first time. There’s still room—you can hop on!

Crocodiles are everywhere and always impressive... If the boat slows down as it passes them, they often plunge into the water!





This one is also impressive, but it often runs away... not always! This guy was pretty bold and confident.



For this Yellow-billed Stork, an astonishing fishing technique: it sweeps the water with its beak open, from left to right, hoping a fish will "swim" right in...



An Intermediate Egret.



As the sun sets on the horizon, the landscape takes on warm hues.



The driver keeps an eye on the hippos and watches them carefully:





For me, this is going to be a highlight of the trip—I’ve dreamed for a long time of this kind of encounter: a cliff full of Bee-eater nests at the end of the day, when they come back to sleep... - White-fronted Bee-eaters.



To be continued if you like Bee-eaters...

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Thanks so much, Alain, for this amazing report! And I’m blown away by your knowledge of wildlife! I’m learning so many new names thanks to you (though I’ll probably never remember them all—there are just too many 😅). Have a great evening! Christelle

To be continued if you love bee-eaters...

I really love bee-eaters—I think they’re even more beautiful than long-tailed rollers ;)

I’m learning so many new names thanks to you (though I’ll never remember them all—there are way too many! 😅)

Hello, fellow traveler from Landes (I’m from Mont-de-Marsan...) Thanks for taking the time to read my story.

After seven trips/safaris—just in Tanzania—you eventually get to know the most common names. When we come across an unknown bird (or mammal), my wife jots down the English name from the guidebook, and we look up the French equivalent later online (Oiseaux.net). Nothing complicated. At the start of our safaris, 39 years ago in Kenya, like all first-time safari-goers, I think, we didn’t pay much attention to birds, but it grew on us over time. They really make up half the joy of discovery. On the other hand, we’re (much) less fond of snakes... though you’ll see more about that later in the story!!!

Greetings from Landes. ...

I really love bee-eaters, I think they’re even more beautiful than long-tailed rollers 😉

Hi Muriel, Thanks for your loyalty to this story, There are several types of Rollers that you can find in Selous, but this time we only saw my "buddy".... I call him that because I’m not exactly "quick" at taking photos, and the L.T.R. is pretty tolerant and patient. He gives me time to react.... Later in the story, there’ll be other types of Bee-eaters, including a rarer one... 🙂

Best regards. ...

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We passed this cliff with White-fronted Bee-eaters twice. (On the way there and on the way back, I asked again to stop) You’ll notice a difference in shade due to the half-hour between the two passes, at the end of the day.





At night, the adults gather on a branch—or here, a root—to sleep. This was the image I’d been dreaming of...!!



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Sleeping in the tent at "Lake Manze Camp" wasn’t always easy...!! 😕 The bedding was very comfortable, and the tent was well-ventilated to let out the heat. But the neighbors were sometimes noisy—even though the tents were far enough apart to respect guests’ privacy. It was the "locals" that kept us up at night???

During a previous stay, we’d had an Hippopotamus grazing right by the tent every night. This time, it was Elephants passing by on their way to the lake to drink or splash around. One night, there must’ve been about twenty of them... including babies.

At sunrise, 30–50 meters in front of the tent:



Early morning safari by the lake.



- Grey Heron.

- Hamerkop.



- Saddle-billed Stork.





- A colony of Egyptian Geese. (Unless I’m mistaken, with a few reservations...)



... ... P.S.

After zooming in and analyzing the image above more closely, it seems:

- There are indeed two adult Egyptian Geese on the left, but all the little ones on the right appear to be White-faced Whistling Ducks, and behind the two geese, those are probably the Whistling Duck parents of the whole "brood." (Just my non-expert opinion in ornithology...)

Maybe Blesl, if he stops by, can share his thoughts on this analysis....

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Along the clear bays in SELOUS .... 😉



Even backlit (sorry, no other option) it’s an amazing scene ... 😎

A Goliath heron that loves fresh fish!







But yes, it swallowed it whole!!!



And what do you think it did next?? It went right back to hunting for more fish. 😐 😕

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For a while, we leave the water’s edge...



Then, a couple of Elephants: A male in "great shape" and his companion... for the moment!



I told you: "in great shape"!!





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The indifferent female...



While the male comes close to the vehicle... without even glancing at us!?!?



...the couple calmly walks away. 😐

😎



"Hey, you're here!!"



We're on our way back, close to camp. We haven't seen any other vehicles all morning, when suddenly several pass by at an "unreasonable" speed, all heading in the same direction. The driver gets a call...

What's going on??

To be continued... ...

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We follow the same direction as the other vehicles—after all, it’s the way to camp for us... And we emerge into a clearing to a sight we could’ve done without in SELOUS...

About ten vehicles are circling a thicket, surrounding the poor lioness inside. They’re packed with “one-day safari-goers” coming from Zanzibar!!!

“Lake Manze Camp” is at most 1 km away... I really didn’t expect to see this here. The camp owner even came to check, just as shocked as we were!!

The lioness pulls herself out of the thicket to find some peace:





She hasn’t eaten in a while and is moving very slowly... Maybe she’s sick?!





We never saw her again—and worse, we didn’t spot any other lions during our entire stay!! That’s never happened to us in our previous trips here...

We return to the camp’s peacefulness for lunch, shared with a group of impalas calmly grazing just 60 meters from the dining area. 🙂 🙂



It’s very common at Lake Manze Camp. All kinds of animals pass through—from the smallest to the largest, from the friendliest to the most dangerous.

During our first stay here in 2018, we had two lions 50 meters in front of our tent early one morning. Another time, a leopard during dinner... and so on. A few days before we arrived, a pack of African wild dogs chasing an impala ran right through the camp in front of the restaurant!!!

To be continued...

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I’m taking advantage of the previous photo taken from the camp’s dining room to give you a presentation of "Lake Manze Camp": It belongs to the Essential Destination group, which also owns "M'Donia Old River Camp" in Ruaha.



The track leading to the camp ends in front of the main building, which serves as a bar, lounge, and dining room.



From left to right: the bar with its small souvenir shop, and the lounge. The entire right half is the restaurant. This is also where a multitude of power outlets of all types are available for recharging batteries, razors, etc. There’s also a dispenser with fresh drinking water, hot water for making tea or coffee at will, biscuits, and a particularly friendly, smiling, and attentive staff member. When you arrive at the camp, each guest is given an aluminum water bottle, which they can refill with drinking water as much as they want. (No plastic bottles are used here)



View of the lake from the other end of the lounge:



It’s here, between the palm trees and the building, that every evening (unless it’s raining) a large single table is set for all the current guests. The managers also have their evening meal with their guests.



The keyword here is "Conviviality". Shaun, the manager, does everything possible to encourage interaction between the different guests, beyond everyone’s language barriers.

That’s also why there’s no Wi-Fi available for guests (except in cases of force majeure, when Wi-Fi is provided in an office in the technical area: kitchen, workshops, etc.).

It’s the camp’s defining feature, which can be disconcerting (and sometimes unpopular) for some people. Honestly, I fully support this principle and the kind of atmosphere it creates, allowing you to disconnect from the outside world and better enjoy your stay and the surrounding nature.

Shaun, the manager, explained that when the camp first opened, Wi-Fi was available in this building. At dinner, no one talked—everyone was glued to their smartphones... a well-known phenomenon.

But here, we chatted, as best we could, with all the other passing guests. Everyone who knew a few words of French came to see us spontaneously. The atmosphere was completely different from what we experienced at "Vuma Hills Camp".

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Here’s one of the two-person tents with its own en-suite bathroom at the back, complete with shower, sinks, and toilets (just like home):



There’s solar-heated hot water (though it takes a while to arrive...) No electricity in the tents: there are lamps with candles and rechargeable, portable individual lamps that also work as flashlights. This time, a nice new addition: a floor-standing fan powered by 12V or 24V.

I have to say, the tents are kept spotlessly clean every day. I think Millie, the manager’s wife, keeps an eye on that.

We always felt at ease, and even though the comfort is minimal, we didn’t need anything more!! (to each their own tastes and expectations, of course)

As in all camps, no movement to or from the tents happens without being accompanied by a Maasai guard, who’s always present along the shared access path. I think there are about a dozen tents, including one (larger and very secluded) for newlyweds...

At Lake Manze Camp, the vehicles are Land Rovers: nothing to report.





Like in other camps in the Selous, if you wish, you can have breakfast (and/or lunch) in the wild. There are picnic areas in the Selous, but some camps also have permission (paid for by the camp) from the authorities to serve these meals in the middle of nature.

I have to admit, it’s one of the GREAT pleasures of safaris from this camp: those who’ve seen the film will think, like us, of Out of Africa.... 🙂





We always make a point of insisting that the driver and guide join us at the table for these moments.

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I’m picking up where I left off on the safari. After lunch at the camp (nice and cool under the thatched roof), and a well-deserved little nap, we’re back on the road...

This guy eats everything he finds: - Warthog in its signature pose.

And for those who love giraffes: a beautiful, long encounter.









(I didn’t quite figure out what went wrong with my photos this morning, but the light was harsh, and I couldn’t quite handle the issue... Sorry!)

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And on the way back to camp ...

- A Palm-nut Vulture (It's mainly a vegetarian that occasionally also eats insects, small mammals, or snakes)



- A Hadada Ibis

It’s accompanied by a juvenile that would like its parent to keep feeding it ... ???

Final encounter of the day, - A Spotted Hyena





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What happened that evening really left its mark on our stay...

After night (a pitch-black one) fell, we got ready for dinner and stepped out under the terrace awning. Using the beam of our flashlight, we signaled to the Maasai guard to let him know we were ready. We carefully zipped up the tent.

While waiting for him to arrive and check the surrounding area, I swept the edges of our tent with my flashlight... And suddenly, in the light, I spotted a large, black snake heading straight toward us... When it was about three-quarters of a meter away, it reared up—no doubt about it, it was a Cobra. We were paralyzed!!! Not knowing what to do, I kept the light beam fixed on its head. It lowered itself, came onto the terrace, and passed within two meters of us. It tried (unsuccessfully) to get into the tent, then started moving along it toward the shower area (where it could have gotten in without any problem).

Meanwhile, the guard arrived, understood the situation, and... intervened.... In hindsight, I think the flashlight blinded it, which saved us from serious trouble.... 🤪

That moment was the biggest scare of our lives.

After that, every time we returned to the tent—day or night—I inspected every corner (though I’m not sure what I would’ve done if I’d actually found a snake inside).

This snake was probably—though not definitely—a Mozambique Cobra. It was our second close encounter with a snake, after the one at Vuma Hills Camp.

And it wasn’t the last we’d see of snakes..... ???!!! Check out the photos near the end of the story in a few days.

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After all that excitement, we managed to get some sleep and were really happy to set off exploring SELOUS again...



For those who love it, a true African wonder...

- The Little Bee-eater.



Admire the incredibly elaborate facial markings...



And two for the price of one!



Mid-grooming session...



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Confirmation: it’s indeed a Little Bee-eater!

Another Palm-nut Vulture (or Vulturine Fish Eagle).



I don’t need to introduce this one anymore... (no, it’s not a bee-eater)





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Hi Alain

What luck with those amazing encounters (aside from the cobra ;))! The landscapes and all those animals are magical, just like your photos. It’s truly great publicity for Tanzania.

Thanks for sharing this with us—I can’t wait for the next snake!

Hi everyone,

Thanks, Alain, for that detailed description of Lake Manze Camp... I’d already followed your June 2024 adventures in a travel journal you posted some time ago on another site. Still amazed by those snake encounters—after 15 years of safaris, we’ve never seen any that close, luckily!

Great idea for that manager to block Wi-Fi in the dining area if he wants guests to actually talk to each other. Usually, it’s the opposite—little to no Wi-Fi in the tents, but you can connect in the common areas...

For water, we’ve gotten into the habit of bringing our own water bottles over the past few years (and Ben now has a small thermos for his morning tea). The guide has a large 20-liter bottle up front with a small electric pump so we can easily refill our bottles. No more small plastic bottles like we used to bring in the early years.

Compared to the camps we usually visit, we’d rank this one as luxurious (even if the facilities are still rustic). I checked the rates, and they seem really high... Are there more affordable accommodations in this park, or are these the usual prices for this area?

Have a great weekend!