Roho ya Selous
Roho ya Selous is a luxury tented lodge located on the western shores of Lake Nzerakera in the heart of the northern game viewing section of the Nyerere National Park.
Roho ya Selous is a great option for travellers looking to combine an exclusive, upmarket lodge atmosphere with a close to nature, tented bush experience in the Nyerere. The location of the camp close to Lake Nzerakera is lovely and you really feel surrounded by nature, whilst you are also close to the core game viewing areas of the park. The accommodation is spread out through the bush and despite the high levels of comfort there is an adventurous feel – at night animals could easily wander through camp. Run by Asilia Africa, there is a slight influence of corporate consistency, but the managers, staff and guides all offer a great service and the camp has a very individual feel.
Rooms
Accommodation is provided in seven standard tents and one family tent, each built on a stone paved platform with enclosed netting enabling you to enjoy the game as it passes through camp. The spacious tents are well spaced for privacy and luxuriously furnished with king or twin beds and an ‘Evening Breeze’ cooling system over the bed. The open plan en suite bathroom is divided into a flush toilet section, indoor and outdoor plumbed showers with hot/cold running water, a large double vanity unit and dressing area. The tents are comfortably furnished with a writing desk, safari style table and chairs, and a ceiling fan. The family tent is larger within which a children’s room is included with two bunk beds plus a single bed and a small additional en suite bathroom with a toilet and shower.
Central Areas
The spacious central areas, also on stone paved platforms under stretched canvas, are accessed along sandy paths and include the bar, lounge and dining area (some meals are taken alfresco when weather permits). There is also a swimming pool and a camp fire area.
Facilities
Wi-Fi – Yes
Power for Charging – Yes
Swimming Pool – Yes
Habitat & Wildlife
The Nyerere is Africa’s largest wildlife sanctuary, covering over 54,600 sq. kms. (almost the size of Ireland). The region is dominated by the Great Ruaha River and Kilombero rivers which join to form the Rufiji, East Africa’s greatest waterway.
One of the world’s last great wilderness areas, the Nyerere is scarcely known even today. It is an inaccessible region, dissected by water courses which become raging torrents during the rains, forcing the animals onto high ground. In the dry season, the rivers wither away to form ‘sand rivers’. Having a poor network of roads, and limited facilities, this wilderness has been virtually ignored in the pilgrimage to see East Africa’s wildlife heritage.
The reserve is formerly named after the famous hunter and explorer, Frederick Courtney Selous, but it was the Germans who first established a game reserve here in 1905. The first warden was an eccentric former ivory hunter called C.P. Ionides (known locally as the ‘Snake Man’) and it was he who helped develop the reserve into its present size. Under the wardenship of Brian Nicholson, the Nyerere became an example of intelligent wildlife management; it is divided into controlled areas and human habitation is prohibited. However, groves of mango trees scattered through the bush are grim reminders that the main southern caravan route from Lake Nyasa passed through this region; they grew from the stones dropped by slaves as they were marched towards the slave markets of Zanzibar.
Local game animals include elephant, buffalo, giraffe, eland, sable antelope, greater kudu, wildebeest, hartebeest, impala, waterbuck, bushbuck, tsessebe, common reedbuck, Bohor reedbuck, zebra, red duiker, blue duiker, common duiker, klipspringer, oribi, suni, grysbok, hippo, lion, leopard, caracal, serval, crocodile, warthog, bushpig, spotted hyaena, wild dog, jackal, honey badger, aardvark, porcupine, mongoose and bushbaby. The birdlife too is superb, with over 350 species having been recorded.
The habitat and scenery varies significantly over short distances: purple rolling hills, rock-strewn plains, ‘sand rivers’ lined with salt bush, swamps and marshes, rocky gorges, savannah bush country and miombo woodland. Tsetse fly are present in the Nyerere but not usually a major issue in the core game viewing areas.
Activities
Game viewing by day is by open vehicles and two boats are available for lake and river excursions. Walks are conducted by an Asilia walking guide and a Nyerere National Park game scout (minimum age 16 years). Fishing can also be arranged at an additional cost.
Seasons
Roho ya Selous is open from June until the end of March each year, though the best game viewing season is from July to October.
Children from five years and older are accepted, though the wilderness of the Nyerere is not a natural destination for very young children. The family tent is however a great option for families as the second bedroom contains a set of bunk beds plus a single bed (and a small en suite bathroom). Triple and quadruples can also be made up in the standard rooms.
Staying at any of Asilia properties, owners of Roho ya Selous, sees guests automatically contributing to community and conservation projects through their guest conservation charge. By staying at Roho ya Selous guests are also supporting their in-house training schemes and responsible tourism efforts.
Asilia’s vision in East Africa is for both the local people and nature to benefit from crucial wilderness areas thriving. They work with local communities and offer primary, secondary and tertiary educational scholarships. Twende Porini, meaning ‘let’s go to the bush’, is an annual project which takes a group of children from their villages close to the areas in which Asilia operates, to one of their camps for several days. Whilst at the camp the children are mentored by Asilia guides and staff as well as local school teachers and engage in a range of activities from lectures to game drives in order to assist their understanding for the need for conservation in the wild areas close to their communities.
Sustainability efforts in Asilia’s camps include banning the use of cling film in their kitchens, using biodegradable lunch packs and providing guests with reusable bottles to reduce plastic water bottle waste.
AsiliaGiving is an online donation platform for their UK and US charities with total annual donations increasing significantly. The projects which AsiliaGiving support are both human and wildlife focussed.
