Reviews of Mdonya Old River Camp
Wildlife sightings and reviews
131 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Mdonya Old River Camp and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa

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"Mdonya Old River Camp"
Luckily the 'lads' coped really well under the circumstances. However, maybe because of lack of leadership, everything had to be asked for and was not automatically provided.
This could be an excellent camp, but new management is needed. We would not suggest that you recommend it to any clients until this happens.
To add insult to injury: we knew we had to pay for drinks at this camp BUT we were charged for water on all game drives!!" See all these reviews: 14n in Tanzania
We are now recommending very strongly that travellers end their trip with Beho Beho rather than starting there – even if they have visited there before!
"Mdonya Old River review"
Food limited and feel there should be gas backup to solar heating water for showers.
Roads, guides, drivers are very good.
Nick, Manager was understress as camp was busy and he was managing alone. Seemed unusual that he was not able to stay with guests during dinner or present during departures." See all these reviews: 7n in Tanzania
"Despite limitations of the Mdonya Old River Camp, this site had more atmosphere and is probably the one we would chose to visit again, if we went back to Tanzania. The hills, river valleys and varied vegetation made game/bird viewing here pleasurable and very interesting."
"Mdonya Old River review"
I have put "No comment" for location, but I do have comments. Unfortunately, this camp was in the wrong place for the time of my visit. Due possibly to (a) drought and (b) a fire started by poachers, most of the animals had shifted to the area of the Ruaha and Mwagusi rivers. This meant that game drives and walks really started on arrival in these areas. The magical couple of hours in the early morning and late evening were generally taken up driving to/from the Ruaha river area (through a tsetse belt where I provided a banquet for the flies). Game viewing took place mostly in the heat of the mid-day sun.
The food was unimaginative. For example, on a full-day drive packed breakfast consisted to 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 hot dog sausages, one bread roll and an apple. Lunch was the same, except a deep-fried bun replaced the roll. There was little or no provision of veggie food. This is not a complaint. Merely at statement of fact that at this camp veg. is difficult to obtain - understandable when one bears in mind the circumstances under which the camp is supplied.
I was in this park about 11 years ago and I noticed a marked decrease in the number of some animals. My first visit was when the Ruaha river had just started drying up at this time of the year. I was taken to a pool on the Ruaha where crocodiles were packed in like sardines. Also large concentrations of hippo. This year at the same place I could count only half a dozen of each animal. Nick, the manager at Mdonya, said this is entirely due to the cumulative effects of these annual dryings up of the Ruaha river. The animals just cannot survive in the dry season. He said there has been a similar, huge reduction in the numbers of buffalo. Further downstream the Ruaha provides hydroelectric power and Dar has suffered power cuts because the river dries up. There is some hope that the government may take action to restore the flow of the river in order to safeguard Dar's electricity. The side effect may be to benefit the animals in Ruaha. The problem is that the headwaters are used to irrigate rice farms and water large numbers of cattle. It will not be easy to persuade the people concerned to reduce their water consumption.
In the interests of accuracy, would it be a good idea to state that the Ruaha River does dry up completely at certain times of the year?" See all these reviews: 21n in Tanzania; 5n in Zanzibar
"Mdonya River Camp review"
There were also several species of small mammal and reptiles that I found equally, if not more, fascinating. The bird life here is impressive, perhaps not quite as many species as Selous but most of them different to there so that the combined total would have been huge, were I expert enough to have identified them all.
The food was excellent especially considering that this is as close to the middle of nowhere as anywhere can be and there was always more than you could eat. The staff were very friendly and the management helpful. The guides seemed to vary a little in their knowledge but the best of them were excellent ecologists, not just wildlife spotters; on the subject of wildlife spotting I am used to watching wildlife yet I was amazed how the guides would be able to pick out animals hidden in the landscape that I would have completely missed.
A slight drawback with Mdonya was that activities were largely confined to game drives. This gets a bit repetitive and as vehicles are, quite properly, not allowed off road anywhere you take your chance as to what you see but then that is part of the experience, this most definitely wasn't a zoo.
There was an opportunity to do a walk near the air strip with a park ranger but, while there is nothing like having your feet on the ground for making you feel part of the surroundings, I felt that more could have been made of the experience. I understand that Mdonya will be allowed to do their own guided walks next year from the camp itself which should improve this aspect and be an experience not to be missed.
Mdonya is so much part of its surroundings that part of the experience is just to sit in the camp and watch the wildlife around you; I don't think I've ever felt so much a part of nature as there." See all these reviews: 7n in Tanzania; 5n in Zanzibar
This traveller’s comments on the walking (‘I felt that more could have been made of the experience’) were intriguing, and we ask him to elaborate to us. He commented that after walking at Impala Camp, where they ‘stopped a lot more and looked at tracks and signs in some detail’ – he felt Mdonya’s walks had room for improvement.
We put these comments to Mdonya’s team, who confirmed that the walks do start near the airstrip – but they are usually quite substantial bush walks, taking two or three hours. On this occasion, the guide who accompanied this traveller had started to feel unwell just before the walk – and this was the reason that the walk was not up to the camp’s usual high standard.
The team at the camp thought that our traveller was aware that the guide was feeling unwell. They had not understood that he was disappointed with the walk – or they assure us that they would have done something to make it up.
"Mdonya Old River review"
All the staff too were nice and chatty. We had a very good guide and were happy with our daily safaris.
Although the camp was far from the landing strip this was OK in the dry weather that we had and it meant that you got a safari to and from the plane. It also meant that the camp was remote and gave us more of the wilderness experience which we liked." See all these reviews: 14n in Tanzania
"Excellent - Mdonya Old River camp."
The camp itself was very well organized from the sleeping accomodation to the meals. We particulaly enjoyed the meals where all guest eat together & shared expeiences. In 4 days we met British, Americans, Venezualians, Peruvians, Italians and the camp was nowhere near full. The camp manager (Nick) and his assistant were also very good." See all these reviews: 8n in Tanzania; 4n in Zanzibar
"Great Safari at Mdonya Old River"
The game viewing was excellent we went on two full day safaris and it was fantastic - we asked ourselves if there was anywhere else we would have wanted to be and the answer was 'NO'!
The only problem - and it was quite a problem was the tsetse flies. They were vicious and no amount of insect repellent deterred them - they bit through several layers of clothing. We were covered in bites which although initially painful did not itch but left large patches of bruising.
There had been a bush fire around the camp which apparently made the tsetse problem worse that usual. It did mean that we could not view game or take walks near the camp without being absolutely inundated with the flies - and that is the main reason for taking full day safaris.
Much as we really enjoyed the camp the tsetse problem would make us think twice about returning!
Unlike other guests, we had warned by you of the increase in park fees. We were told at Mdonya that the camps would be bearing this cost themselves for guests who had booked before the increase was brought in." See all these reviews: 7n in Tanzania; 7n in Zanzibar
"Lions/Lions and more Lions"
The camp is on the edges of an old dried river course where lions, buffalos, monkeys, impalas and even giraffe walked through the camp. The tents are again comfortable, with the showers under the open skies. It is a bit more as I think of safari camps. (the main reason I picked to go to Mdonya).
Meals were taken together with other guests, evening meals were under the stars. (Couples could also have romantic evening meals served outside there tents). Food as good, simple and plentiful.
Activities mainly full or part day drives. Mostly we seemed to drive back toward the main gate before starting to game view, so usually at least the first hour we were travelling the same route. This may have been due to area around the camp being burnt by honey poachers. It certainly meant that the tsetse flies were much in evidence. The drivers & guides were good, finding a variety of game for us to see. There were a lot of prides of lionesses with many cubs, we only saw 2 lions.
The other activity was a 3 hour walk, which I was told meant that they had to pick up an armed game guard at the gate again at least a 1-2 hour drive." See all these reviews: 9n in Tanzania; 3n in Zanzibar
"Mdonya Old River review"
We were lucky to have the camp all to ourselves for two nights and so hog the company of Nick our superb host and camp manager. He's the salt of the earth and a great guy, despite his failure to get a leopard to sit outside our tent ! The night sky was so clear you could see the Milky Way, planets and constellations with total clarity. The night air was so still that the sound of lions carried far along the dried river valley and every grazing buffalo sounded like it was just around the corner. This, with a cold beer and a warm camp fire, was just heaven.
One negative to the trip was the day that our guide tried too hard to find me a leopard. I hadn't asked, but I'd obviously been heard talking about it, and he had tried his best. We really drove out into nowhere and spent hours seeing nothing but scrub. It was not enjoyable, but it was my fault I suppose. It was typical that the camp staff, drivers and guides would go out of their way to try and make our stay most enjoyable, and barring this day, they succeeded superbly.
The guided walk, (with armed ranger), is highly recommended..we saw horrible sights - lions attacking a wounded hippo several 100m's away; dead baby elephant being eaten by vultures - but also stunning sights of huge crocs, carrion storks etc etc, as well as learning about African toothbrush trees!
The area does have tsetse flies and you are fairly guaranteed to be bitten by some flies that can bite through socks and trousers and sting a little, so take good insect repellent and sting relief cream, and don't wear bright blue. The flies love blue/black colours. The Ruaha park authorities are supposed to put up and maintain anti tsetse fly blankets soaked in insecticide around the drive routes and these are in partial evidence as you drive around.
Overall it is not something that should put you off, but just don't be silly and wear bright blue shorts and T-shirt !! Overall, Mdonya was our idea of the real Africa and we felt genuinely privileged to have had such an opportunity to be there with so many really kind, friendly and helpful people in Mdonya to make it happen." See all these reviews: 14n in Tanzania
"Our favourite camp on the holiday"
We had the end tent, so the animals came right past; we were blockaded in the tent one morning by 4 water buffalo, we heard lions roaring nearby at night, and had a hyena hunting an Impala run straight towards us at dusk, whilst we were sitting outside with a beer!
The round the campfire bar was amazing and it was great to chat to the other guests about the days exploits. I wasn't sure at first whether communal dining would be our cup of tea (we were on honeymoon!), but in the end it proved to be one of the best aspects of the camp. We met some great people who we've stayed in touch with.
Malcolm who runs Adventurecamps was a great host and it was fascinating to hear his stories of life in the bush. (So fascinating in fact that we stayed up til 4am drinking whiskey with him round the fire listening to hyenas nearby - truly magical!). I absolutely couldn't find fault with this camp, though it's definitely for people who want to be close to nature.
During our stay in Ruaha we saw so many animals - including leopard which was a real highlight. The guides / drivers were fantastic - we're convinced they've all got super-human powers of sight. We can't wait to go back - especially if the camps plans to do trekking and fly-camping come to fruition." See all these reviews: 9n in Mozambique; 7n in Tanzania
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