Travel reviews by Mr D. from London
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
1
Lodges stayed in
3
Excursions taken
0
My Oct 2018 trip
Tanzania between 17 Oct 2018 and 29 Oct 2018
The time of year (October) was perfect and a significant consideration for us as in the dry season the two rivers here provide the only water in this arid area, becoming an exciting hot spot for prey and predators alike. Sightings got better as the days passed and I wished we could have stayed much longer to enjoy every opportunity that would have undoubtedly presented itself before the rains. However, I was more that satisfied with our sightings and wildlife encounters.
Selous was exiting in different ways. We were spoiled with animal sightings around Lake Manze and also around the camp which was set amongst beautiful lush clumps of palms along the lake shores. However there were far fewer sightings away from the main body of water. Surprisingly we found that the zebras and eland that we came across were extremely skittish, but the lake itself was the biggest and best delight of all. As the water in the lake diminished and became very shallow it attracted thousands of waterbirds congregating for a fishing bonanza. The bird life was diverse and spectacular, from pelicans to yellow billed storks, spoonbills, marabous, numerous egret species, kingfishers, skimmers and lots of crocodiles, each using their own technique to catch the unbelievable amount of fish, which at times jumped out of the shrinking muddy water. I've never seen so many fish eagles in one place and watching them dive in succession gave me plenty of photo opportunities to try and get the perfect shot.
The walking safaris in both locations felt like a bit of an afterthought and certainly not consistent with the high standard of bush-walks in places like Zambia and Botswana. The walks were very short with few route options if you wanted to do more than one walk."
Arranged By Lyndsey Marris

Ikuka Safari Camp
"Luxury lodge, very comfortable and friendly"

Buffalo
3 sightings

Elephant
10+ sightings

Giraffe
10+ sightings

Hippo
2 sightings

Leopard
1 sighting

Lion
3 sightings

Roan antelope
1 sighting

Spotted Hyena
1 sighting

Zebra
5 sightings

Mwagusi Safari Camp
"Excellent location in the heart of the bush"
We really enjoyed our time here and we were very fortunate that Jimmy was our guide throughout our stay. His intimate knowledge of the bush and the wildlife at Ruaha made a huge contribution to our overall very positive experience in this exceptional wild and remote area."

Buffalo
6 sightings

Cheetah
1 sighting

Elephant
10+ sightings

Giraffe
10+ sightings

Hippo
5 sightings

Leopard
3 sightings

Lion
8 sightings

Spotted Hyena
3 sightings

Zebra
4 sightings

Lake Manze Adventure Camp
"Good location, less wildlife than Ruaha"
Sean and Millie were friendly and helpful and we hope they manage to renew their contracts next year to continue running this camp.
We would have scored this camp higher had the accommodation been better but the water flow in the showers was very poor and also stone-cold most of the time. It is disappointing that even though we stayed for 4 nights and spent hundreds of dollars per night, they still charged us $2 for shampoo... it leaves a bad taste and seems unnecessarily mean."

Buffalo
5 sightings

Eland
1 sighting

Elephant
10+ sightings

Giraffe
10+ sightings

Hippo
8 sightings

Lion
6 sightings

Spotted Hyena
3 sightings

Wildebeest
3 sightings

Zebra
4 sightings
Owner run lodge which makes a big difference and gives that important personal touch.
Whilst the location was stunning with its views from the escarpment it did feel rather removed from the wildlife."