Sand Rivers is one of Nomad Tanzania’s flagship signature lodges, founded by the legendary Tanzanian guide and conservationist Richard Bonham in the early 1980s on the banks of the Rufiji River the great river artery of the Nyerere National Park (the former Selous Game Reserve). The lodge sits on a broad curve of the Rufiji in the park’s northern sector, at a point where the river is a mile wide and bordered by sandbanks, forest, and open plains that channel an extraordinary concentration of wildlife. Eight open-fronted stone and thatch rooms five standard rooms and three Hillside Suites, each with its own private plunge pool face the river directly, bringing the sights and sounds of the water inside the room at all times. The guiding ethos is barefoot luxury: a proper wilderness experience combined with sophisticated food, attentive service, and genuine comfort in an extraordinary location.
Sand Rivers’ defining activities are as much on the water as on land: boat safaris drift past hippo pods and crocodile-covered sandbanks; a boat trip upriver to the dramatic walls of Stiegler’s Gorge is a highlight of any stay; and fly camping sleeping under the stars at a remote Rufiji River camp with a candlelit dinner and birdsong waking you at dawn is offered as a multi-day expedition. Walking safaris and game drives cover a park that holds all five members of the Big Five, wild dog, and over 440 bird species.
Eight open-fronted stone and thatch rooms: 5 standard cottages on the river bank and 3 Hillside Suites on a rocky rise above the river, each with a private plunge pool and elevated river views. En-suite bathrooms with showers, outdoor bath areas.
Kiba airstrip in the northern Nyerere National Park is the access point, served by scheduled and charter flights from Dar es Salaam (approximately 45 minutes) and Zanzibar. From Kiba it is a 15-minute road transfer to camp. The camp is in the western sector of the reserve, further from the main tourist airstrips, which contributes to its exceptional sense of solitude.
Note: The camp is seasonal, closed from mid-March to early June each year.
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