Reviews of Impala Camp

"Excellent!

Comfortable accomodation, great food, beautiful location and well informed guides. Brilliant attention to detail in many aspects of the camp.

Only thing was that we were taken straight out on Safari from being picke up from the Selous airstrip - we were knackered! couldn't really appreciate our first sight of the Selous since we were so tired (overnight flight etc.). We were staying for 5 nights and so were not pressed for time - would have much preferred to have been taken to the camp to get a couple of hour's sleep. I suppose it might have been different if our stay was shorted and we were trying to fit as much in as possible! Would have been nice to have been given the optionb though...

Also - provision of drinking water when on safari during the day was not great - would have been nice to have been given a flask each rather than constantly having to ask our guide for a cup every hour or so. Hot weather = lots of water needed!

Two very small points in what was an otherwise excellent stay though! Well done Impala Camp." See all these reviews: 7n in Zanzibar; 5n in Tanzania

"There are plenty of comments on how stunning the setting is for this camp; we can only echo them (although some tents have slightly more panoramic views over the river than others). Gazing at and listening to hippos is a magical experience. The location makes this an immediate reward - from the giraffe, hippo and elephant on the camp through to the activities on the river. A particular highlight must be sitting in our boat at sunset watching a herd of a dozen elephants swimming across the river.

The guides are excellent and knowledgeable, and the opportunity for a walking safari adds to he range of experiences you get here.
Service is very attentive- in fact over solicitous at times, but that would be nit-picking.

The food was of a much higher quality than we had expected from the brochures - Mohammed is a wizard with soups and you certainly eat well. Evenings a bit quiet and not a great deal of contact with other guests, but we were able to share our adventures - such as catching catfish and tiger fish despite never having been fishing at all in the Uk.

Please note the camp does not accept travellers cheques, so ignore the suggestion that this is a safe and convenient way to pay." See all these reviews: 7n in Tanzania; 7n in Zanzibar

"It was a beautiful camp with the most wonderful staff.

The food was excellent - a rare treat for us as we're all vegetarian.

The guides were extremely informative and interesting and good company on all the game drives/ boat safaris.We saw a huge variety of animals/ birds, far more than I expected.

The tents were comfortable with great views. Nothing seemed too much trouble for any of the staff. We would all love to go back!" See all these reviews: 7n in Tanzania; 7n in Zanzibar

"Cannot praise highly enough the staff at Impala from Mpogo the driver who was assigned to us for the whole time (excellent idea so dont get repetition) who was informative and always keen to find animals for us (especialy the leopards!), Chloe and the staff at the camp who were friendly, flexible and were especially good with the children. The facilities were excellent without being intrusive to the feeling of being out in the bush we wanted. The food was better than you could possibly have expected under the conditions and the kitchen was flexible to the demands of the children - including cooking the catfish they caught.

The variety of opportunities with the game drives and river safaris meant we left the camp wanting to stay longer and fearful that nothing would live up to it..

The game was plentiful and varied, saw everything we hoped to see (bar the wild dogs who no-one could find) and I developed a fascination for the enormous varieties of birdlife which was eye opening to someone who has never understood it before.

The children found the whole experience as thrilling as they had thought and we never felt unsafe. Would recommend the camp to both new and experienced at safaris." See all these reviews: 12n in Tanzania

"Gerard met us at the airstrip with refreshments and cold towels - a very good welcome. We were then transferred by river launch to the camp which was much more luxurious. Our tent on stilts had a river view enhanced by the visit from an elephant who cleared much of the brush that night. We also had electricity. We had more choice of food and separate tables in a dining room.

On our last night we had a barbecue where they put all the tables together and we dined together. We thoroughly enjoyed the food. We took one river safari, a walking safari and a couple of game drives. We found that the game was not as plentiful at Impala [Ed: as it was at Mdonya Old River Lodge, their previous stop] as most of the activity was by the river.

We did manage to see a pride of lions at close quarters and a small pack of wild dogs which we hadn't seen at Mdonya which made our visit. Again the camp was run very efficiently and the staff were both friendly and knowledgeable. We didn't seem to stick with the same guides but were escorted by the best available guide for that medium.

I think I preferred the intimacy of Mdonya where we were able to form a relationship, however brief." See all these reviews: 7n in Tanzania; 1n in Zanzibar

"We visited Selous Impala for a four night stay at the end of June. Wewere surprised at the amount of water in the river and surrounding lakes which added greatly to the variety of wildlife seen compared with a normal safari.

The camp was small and personal. All of the staff were ultra friendly and obviously happy. They worked superbly as a team, ably led by Chloe. Food was varied and consistently of a good standard. Tents were well equiped, spotlessly clean and contained a three pin plug suitable for battery charging. One minor irritation was that the two deckchairs outside on the platform were almost horizontal and could not be adjusted so there wasn't anywhere ideal to relax apart from the main eating area which was superb. As the camp was open, we had to be careful when moving around as giraffe and elephant moved freely about. At night, we were led to and from our rooms by Massai which added to the sense of adventure.

Game drives were well conducted and the drivers went to a lot of trouble to position the vehicles for great photos. Guides were knowledgeable and great fun. The chance to partake in boat trips was a new safari experience for us and a highlight. We managed three including a visit to Bird island which was a twitchers paradise. Abdullah, the boatman, was expert at spotting and positioning his craft for photos and I still can't believe how close he got us to a variety of kingfishers and bee eaters.


The highlight of our trip was spotting three hunting dogs with whom we stayed for half an hour. However, this sighting was a real bonus as they hadn't been seen for the previous two weeks.


We are always sad when we leave a camp, but this was especially so at Impala where there was a genuine warmth and interest in our visit and where we shared many happy and humorous moments." See all these reviews: 9n in Tanzania

"Food fantastic - but too much!

Would have personally preferred to have a more cosy homely atmosphere - the camp felt a little 'corporate'

Guide slightly aloof and although very knowledgeable/professional did not seem fully enthusiastic" See all these reviews: 9n in Tanzania

"For our family Impala Camp was an unforgettable safari experience. The setting high on the bank of the river is perfect and the camp offered the perfect balance of comfort and wilderness outdoor living. The management of the camp was excellent and it ran smoothly at all times. Chloe we felt is doing an excellent job.

Our guide was Ezra and one of the factors that made our stay at Impala so memorable and we can't speak highly enough of him. - nothing was too much trouble and he was great fun to be with. He was supported ably by our excellent driver Rajabo. One of our most memorable experiences was the fishing - the setting was spectacular and we all had a great time. Abdullah our boat driver was particularly helpful on this occasion.

The food was superb and considering where we were quite miraculous. Mealtimes were a real treat and we enjoyed having the same waiter for every meal, Mufta, who was extremely helpful with our apalling attempts at Swahili.

We really appreciated the personalised service and the incredible attention to detail without affectation." See all these reviews: 7n in Tanzania; 7n in Zanzibar

"Lovely location, willing/helpful staff, excellent food/choice - the promotional leaflets do not do justice to this camp, we feel they are underselling themselves.

Camp should not become any more luxurious otherwise the feeling of camping in Africa would be lost.

Roads were tricky due to rain and some areas of the reserve were inaccessible but there was still plenty of animals to see. Highlight was definitely seeing a pack of 12 wild dogs.

The river cruise was a new experience but definitely worth doing, despite the river being in flood." See all these reviews: 7n in Tanzania

"Contrary to the impressions given in the Expert Africa brochure this is definitely wet season in the Selous. The tracks were very difficult to drive and on some days it was touch and go for flights to land at the local airstrip. Most of the rain was at night so our daytime activities were not affected, but the weather did seem to have a dampening affect on the animals - we saw plenty but it was slow going. Birdlife was, however, spectacular, especially all the bee-eaters and kingfishers, and storks, herons and egrets along the river.

The camp itself was brilliant. For us the best feature is that with only 8 tents they nevertheless have six vehicles, plus boats. This means that you effectively get your own driver and guide for the whole time, unlike other camps where you would have to pay extra for such exclusivity. Our guide was a South African who was very knowledgeable and passionate about conservation. The walking safari was well worth doing.

There was one afternoon when inexplicably all guests were sent off in two groups of six for boat safaris (with just a pilot and no guide in each boat). This was out of character from the way all other activities had been organised and we did point this out to the managers who were apologetic but did not have a real explanation.

The camp management and staff were very friendly and approachable. You can mix with other guests over drinks but generally we had separate tables for meals and were not forced all to eat at same time. This is very good.

The camp itself is a beautiful location perched on the river bank and we found our tent perfectly comfortable. Masai guards escort you to and from your tent after dark.

As with all other places this camp lacked maps and basic information on local geography/ecology. The bird checklist provided was pretty comprehensive but had a few errors which would annoy serious birders but is a minor point overall." See all these reviews: 13n in Tanzania; 3n in Zanzibar