About Mivumo River Lodge
Owned and run by the well-known Serena property chain, Mivumo River Lodge is the sister camp to Selous Luxury Camp.
Set up on the banks of the Rufiji River, not far from Steigler's Gorge, it is a high-quality, well-finished lodge which has all the creature comforts that you would expect from a hotel. As a result of this, however, it lacks the wilderness feel offered by many of the other camps in the Nyerere National Park (previously known as the Selous Game Reserve).
The location of Mivumo River Lodge is very striking, with superb views both from the rooms and the communal areas. The lodge is finished to a high quality, too, although the excess of 'facilities' can lead it to feel slightly detached from its surroundings. Travellers who are after a wilderness experience will be disappointed here, but it would suit those who don't mind travelling a bit further to find game, in return for plenty of modern conveniences.
Our view
The location of Mivumo River Lodge is very striking, with superb views both from the rooms and the communal areas. The lodge is finished to a high quality, too, although the excess of 'facilities' can lead it to feel slightly detached from its surroundings. Travellers who are after a wilderness experience will be disappointed here, but it would suit those who don't mind travelling a bit further to find game, in return for plenty of modern conveniences.
Accommodation
12 rooms
Children
Best for 6+
Open
Seasonal
Activities
4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Boat trip
Fishing
Guided walking safari
Private activities

















Expert Africa's gallery
When we travel we take lots of photos ourselves to give you a real and un-edited view of the safaris. See our 49 pictures of Mivumo River Lodge to get the candid view.
View galleryMivumo River Lodge: Our full report
Owned and run by the well-known Serena property chain, Mivumo River Lodge is the sister camp to Selous Luxury Camp.
Set up on the banks of the Rufiji River, not far from Steigler's Gorge, it is a high-quality, well-finished lodge which has all the creature comforts that you would expect from a hotel. As a result of this, however, it lacks the wilderness feel offered by many of the other camps in the Nyerere National Park (previously known as the Selous Game Reserve).
The style of the lodge is sophisticated and elegant, the natural browns, beiges and creams of its décor in tune with the surrounding bush. Expect polished wooden flooring, plenty of dark mahogany wood – and the odd 'Serena' branding here and there.
Mivumo's central area is spread across three levels, with views of the slow-flowing waters of the Rufiji River and of baboons playing in the trees on the opposite bank. The top tier is the main lounge/dining area – a large thatched open structure, with a number of leather sofas, many of them facing the river. Drinks are served from a small bar to one side, while to the other, tables and comfortable chairs are set out for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
This area overlooks a large and impressive pool on the level below, surrounded by wooden decking and a number of comfortable sunloungers and umbrellas – offering welcome relief from the heat of the day. Just below this, a few more loungers enjoy uninterrupted views over the river.
The 12 spacious rooms at Mivumo River Lodge, including a 'presidential suite', are widely spaced in the forest along the river. With glass windows and air conditioning , these are far from typical of a safari lodge. Each also has a private plunge pool and an impressive outdoor shower with views down the river, while the presidential suite comes with private plunge pools and its own kitchen. (Read more about the rooms…)
The lodge is located some distance from the areas of high game density, so full-day game drives are recommended. You'll take a picnic lunch with you, giving you a chance to explore deeper into the richer game areas around the Rufiji River.
Geographics
- Location
- Nyerere National Park, Tanzania
- Ideal length of stay
- Stay for 3 nights to take advantage of full-day game drives into the more game-dense areas of the reserve.
- Directions
- Steigler's Gorge airstrip is a 45-minute flight from Dar es Salaam, followed by a 45-minute road transfer to the lodge.
- Accessible by
- Fly-and-Transfer
Food & drink
- Usual board basis
- Full Board & Activities
- Food quality
- When we were last at Mivumo in July 2010 the food and service were generally of a very high standard.
Breakfast consists of a selection of fruits, cereal, juices and tea and coffee to start, and you can then order hot items from a vast menu that includes cooked meats, eggs, toasts, waffles and pancakes.
In the evening, guests choose from an à la carte dinner menu. We enjoyed pea soup to start, followed by a main course of roasted pork with dauphinoise potatoes and a fruit-based dessert. It was well presented and very tasty! - Dining style
- Individual Tables
- Dining locations
- Indoor Dining
- Further dining info, including room service
- Yes
- Drinks included
- Most drinks are included except for premium wines, champagnes and spirits.
Children
- Attitude towards children
- Mivumo does not encourage children to stay
- Property’s age restrictions
- Children must be above the age of 6.
- Special activities & services
- Mivumo can provide additional beds for children.
- Equipment
- There are a few board games that children can play.
- Generally recommended for children
- No
- Notes
- Like virtually all safari lodges, we recommend this for mature children with an interest in wildlife only.
Communications
- Communications
- There is intermittent cellphone reception at the lodge, but it is not reliable. Wifi is available in the main area, and there are plans to put it in the rooms in the future.
- TV & radio
- There are internal phones in the rooms. They hope to allow external calls soon.
Health & safety
- Malarial protection recommended
- Yes
- Medical care
- Mivumo River Lodge and Selous Wildlife Lodge share a doctor between the two properties. For more serious emergencies patients are flown to Dar es Salaam.
- Dangerous animals
- High Risk
- Security measures
- There are guards patrolling the lodge.
- Fire safety
- There are fire extinguishers dotted around, and the lodge has a fire safety plan.
Activities
4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Boat trip
Fishing
Guided walking safari
Private activities
Extras
- Disabled access
- On Request
- Laundry facilities
- Full Laundry Service - Included
- Money
- There are safes in the rooms for valuables.
- Accepted payment on location
- Mivumo accepts all major credit cards, as well as GB pounds, US dollars and euros for any extras.
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Mivumo River Lodge's location
Look closer at the environment and surroundings of Mivumo River Lodge.
Other lodges in Nyerere National Park
Alternative places to stay in this same area.

Impala Camp
Impala Camp is a comfortable, excellent-value camp with colourful tented rooms raised on platforms, good guiding and tasty food.

Lake Manze Camp
Lake Manze Camp is a rustic, lakeside bushcamp in Nyerere National Park that offers a great wilderness experience and doesn’t cost the earth.

Beho Beho
Beho Beho is one of the best camps we work with in Africa, with gracious hosts, fantastic food and most importantly, excellent guiding.

Siwandu
Siwandu is a luxurious and smoothly run camp with beautiful rooms and superb service offering great views over Lake Nzerakera.

Sand Rivers Camp
The stylishly put together Sand Rivers has an outstanding reputation, with a wonderful location on the Rufiji River and great guides.

Beho Beho Tree-house
Beho Beho Treehouse is a satellite tree platform for just one couple, managed by Beho Beho and ideal as a one-night honeymoon retreat

Impala fly-camping
While you're staying at Impala Camp in Nyerere National Park, you can enjoy a few nights' fly-camping in the heart of the bush.

Rufiji River Camp
Rufiji River Camp has a lovely location right on the edge of the Rufiji River and while not luxurious, it is one of the lowest-cost camps in the park.

Sand Rivers fly-camp
Sand Rivers fly-camping safaris in Tanzania's Nyerere National Park operate out of Sand Rivers Camp, on the Rufiji River.

Roho ya Selous
Roho ya Selous is a smart tented camp on the west side of lake Nzerakera, close to the park’s best wildlife-viewing areas.

Beho Beho Bailey's Banda
Bailey's Banda at Beho Beho is a luxurious safari lodge in Nyerere National Park which can be booked exclusively for you and your party.

Rufiji River fly-camp
Fly-camping trips can be organised from Rufiji River Camp in Tanzania's Nyerere National Park

Kiba Point
Kiba Point is the private sister camp of Sand Rivers, available on an exclusive basis, with its own private drivers and staff.
When to go to Nyerere National Park
Our month by month guide: What it's like to visit Mivumo River Lodge in Nyerere National Park
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Tanzania in January
January usually marks the start of the short dry season, although the exact timings of this are a little unpredictable. You can expect clear blue skies and sunshine, if the short rains have stopped, and the temperatures will be building. The short dry season is a little less pronounced in Southern Tanzania, and so it can still be wet in these areas. It is an interesting time for avians as resident birds go into breeding plumage and migrant species can be present.
Once the New Year busy period has quietened down, January can offer great value and quieter parks, although the weather can be variable, and in the Selous and Ruaha the wildlife is more dispersed.
- Variable weather: clear & dry or cloudy with some rain.
- Occasional thunderstorms may occur.
- A good time of year for birding as and many migrant species are around
- The wildebeest migration is gathering in the southern Serengeti.
- Busy in early January, quietening down through the month.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in January
Tanzania in February
February is during the short dry season and is one of the hottest months in Tanzania, with temperatures reaching around 33°Celsius. This can be a good time to visit, as some areas of the Northern Circuit are comparatively quieter than during the European summer months, and lodge rates are also a little lower.
The wildebeest will typically be on the southern plains of the Serengeti for their calving season, which tends to occur in a 2-3 week window in early-mid February – although this does vary year on year. This is also a particularly rewarding time for birdlife, as northern hemisphere migrants join the resident species.
- Hot and dry weather.
- Wildebeest migration calving on Serengeti’s southern plains.
- Ngorongoro Crater and southern Serengeti busy for the migration.
- Selous and Ruaha are typically quiet at this time.
- The parks are likely to be lush and green, leading to pretty landscape
Our view
A very good time to visit
Weather in February
Tanzania in March
The heavier ‘long rains’ start in earnest in March although exactly when varies year on year. With no need to stay close to permanent water sources, migratory wildlife disperses, and so game viewing starts to become more challenging. This is most prominently seen in Tarangire National Park. The wildebeest migration may still be calving, or have moved on into the central regions of the Serengeti.
Many of the camps in the southern parks close mid March and mobile tented camps in the Serengeti will wind down towards the end of the month in order to move location or carry out refurbishments, ready for the new tourist season.
- Hot with building humidity, before the rains begin at some point.
- Wildlife viewing is variable depending on the start of the rains.
- Parks are quiet and rates are low.
- Not great for southern or western Tanzania.
- March can be a good time for birding, with many migrant species.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in March
Tanzania in April
April is in the middle of the long rainy season and is the wettest month, with on average 250mm of rain. Temperatures are fairly high and humid in comparison to the rest of the year. Expect the bush to be lush and flowering, and alive with insects, birds and smaller animals. It is however also dense, allowing wildlife to hide, which in turn makes game viewing harder. This is a very quiet time in terms of visitor numbers.
Many of the tented camps are closed in April, however the larger lodges remain open. The rates are significantly cheaper, and so if you are willing to work harder to spot the bigger game, some accommodation bargains can be had.
- Heavy rain expected, with impressive thunderstorms and lightning.
- Many camps closed and roads impassable due to ground conditions.
- Rates are at their lowest all year round, with very few other tourists
- Places that are open are green and vibrant, wildlife more dispersed.
Our view
This is not a great time to visit
Weather in April
Tanzania in May
As Tanzania is close to the equator there is no dramatic difference in climate throughout the year, but temperatures do start to drop a little in May. The rains are likely to still be present, although potentially clearing towards the end of the month. Visitor numbers and lodge rates are still low. The wildebeest migration is making its way through the western regions of the Serengeti, crossing the Grumeti River.
Virtually all camps in southern Tanzania remain closed, and many of the roads and tracks in the Selous become impassable.
- Heavy rains and storms are likely, this can create some dramatic skies
- Blissfully quiet in northern Tanzania, and a good time to avoid crowds
- The parks are likely to look lush and green, with long grass.
- Wildlife is likely to be more dispersed, with fewer sightings.
- The low prices make safaris much more affordable at this time.
Our view
This is not a great time to visit
Weather in May
Tanzania in June
The rains come to an end at some point during the month and migratory wildlife begins to be drawn back to perennial water sources as the land starts to dry up. It’s likely that the parks will still be quite green and the grass high though, so walking and fly-camping may be unlikely. This marks the start of the season with camps reopening, but prices are still more affordable than the subsequent months.
The migration may still be in the Western Corridor, or on the move northwards towards the Mara River. Western Tanzania presents more challenging conditions for chimpanzee trekking in Mahale National Park, as the chimps are higher in the mountains.
- Variable weather: clear & dry or cloudy with some rain.
- A transitory time for the migration – moving from west to north.
- The parks may still be quite green, and grasses high.
- Wildlife may be dispersed still.
- Relatively low visitor numbers and good value, shoulder season prices.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in June
Tanzania in July
July is considered to be the start of the peak season, with no rainfall expected and pleasant daytime temperatures. As the parks dry, the wildlife congregates in fewer areas, grass is eaten and trampled by the migration, and game viewing gets better and better. The wildebeest are typically arriving in the northern Serengeti, ready to begin their period of crossings of the Mara River.
In the Selous and Ruaha wildlife sightings can be fantastic, with animals gathering around the lakes and rivers. Great conditions and school holidays mean the parks are at their busiest, with Ngorongoro and the Serengeti particularly crowded.
- Dry and warm daytimes, chilly and windy in the mornings and evenings.
- Great wildlife viewing, as water sources diminish.
- The most popular time of year with very high visitor numbers.
- Prices are at their highest due to the great conditions on the ground.
- To avoid the crowds consider Tanzania’s southern parks.
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in July
Tanzania in August
August is the middle of the long dry season, with clear skies and sunny weather. You can expect some cooler weather at night and first thing in the morning. Remember to pack layered clothing, so you can wrap up warm on your early morning game drives, but remain comfortable as it heats up throughout the day.
August is a very popular time to visit, so accommodation prices are at their highest and advanced booking is necessary. It can get noticeably busier in some of the northern parks – in particular the Ngorongoro Crater and northern Serengeti, as visitors flock to the area in hope of witnessing an exciting migration river crossing.
- Dry and warm daytimes, chilly in the early mornings and evenings.
- General wildlife viewing should be excellent.
- An exciting time of year for the wildebeest migration.
- Certain areas will be very busy and camps fill up fast.
- Great wildlife sightings in the Selous and Ruaha, and fewer people.
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in August
Tanzania in September
September can be an excellent time of year to visit Tanzania. As the parks continue to dry up the wildlife becomes increasingly reliant on the remaining water sources, leading to high densities of animals. Whilst early September can be busy, with fewer families traveling at this time the parks typically become quieter as the month goes on.
You are still likely to see the wildebeest migration in the northern Serengeti, with river crossings occurring on a regular basis. Tanzania’s southern parks are also fantastic at this time of year, generally receiving far fewer visitors than the north, and wildlife sightings can be great. Prices remain high and the weather generally remains good.
- Wildlife viewing in September can be fantastic.
- Whilst still fairly busy, often the parks are typically a little quiet
- The parks will start to become very dry, with little new vegetation
- Cooler mornings and evenings, warming up during the day.
- Prices remain high.
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in September
Tanzania in October
At the tail end of the dry season, the wildlife should be the easiest to spot, although photographers should be aware that it can be a bit dusty at this time of year, as there has been no rain for several months. Great general wildlife viewing throughout as animals are attracted to remaining sources of water. Elephant numbers are particularly high at this time in Tarangire, and Mahale and Katavi are especially rewarding with frequent wildlife sightings close to camp.
There is a chance of rainfall towards the end of the month, if the short rains commence. While prices remain high, visitors numbers are significantly lower than in July-August.
- Mostly dry and temperatures comfortably warm, with the chance of storm
- Great game viewing although the landscape can be a bit barren.
- Much lower visitor numbers than the earlier months.
Our view
A very good time to visit
Weather in October
Tanzania in November
In November you can expect the start of the short rains, although the start date varies every year. The rains are highly localised, and are much lighter and more unpredictable than the long rains that occur earlier in the year. These should not really interfere with your safari – as the game viewing at this time is still good - but you should pack a waterproof jacket and be prepared for some short rain showers!
The majority of tented camps remain open, but some of the mobile camps in Northern Tanzania will close for the latter half on the month. Given the seasonality, camps are charging shoulder season rates so there are often some bargains to be had. Early November can offer great value for money and the weather conditions are likely to be comparable to late October.
- Variable weather: clear & dry or cloudy with some rain.
- Parks are comparatively quiet and prices at the lower end.
- Some camps will close towards the end of the month for maintenance.
- Good wildlife sightings, but animals will disperse when rain starts
- The wildebeest migration is on the move and the location unpredictable
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in November
Tanzania in December
December is also during the short rainy period, but this does not stop Tanzania being a popular destination to spend the festive period. Be aware that many of the lodges book up early, and charge peak rates over this time. Advanced booking is essential over this period, especially if travelling in larger family groups.
Travelling in December outside of the festive period allows travellers to make use of excellent shoulder season rates. Temperatures are pleasant with the averages of 27Celsius, although there is the chance of intermittent thunderstorms.
- Variable weather:clear & dry or cloudy with some rain and thunderstorm
- Good general game viewing in parks with low seasonality - Serengeti.
- Very quiet early in the month, becoming exceptionally busy.
- Prices reflect this – great value rising to the highest they are.
- The wildlife in southern Tanzania is more dispersed.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in December

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