Day 32 to 34 -1st to 3rd December - Selous Game Reserve

Point of departure : Morogoro

Point of arrival : Selous Game Reserve

Accommodation: Sand Rivers Selous Lodge (www.sand-rivers-selous.com)

Km travelled today: 210 km Cum: 7 650km (gravel 200kmcum 1 917km)

Countries so far: 5/16

Where to next? Morogoro

Total number of photos taken: 421 (cum 1 783)

The drive from Morogoro turned out to be a bit of a training session for the NFD (Northern Frontier District - the area north of Nairobi towards the Ethiopian border).The road twisted and turned its way through village after village, ranging from fairly decent jeep tracks to rock outcrops where it was impossible to build a proper road.In between, speed humps and axle twisters that would have done some of South Africa's 4x4 trails proud.And, this was before we even got into the game reserve where it got worse (and the Beast cost $50 a day just for this privilege).It took us four and half hours to do the 160km to the park gate and then another two hours to do 45km to the lodge itself.We were met at the gate by our guide, Anaphi and escorted to the lodge.

Selous Game Reserve (a world heritage site) at a massive 50 000 sq km is wilderness on a huge scale and the single largest in Africa - three times the size of the Serengeti and more than twice the size of the Kruger National Park.

The reserve is divided into two disproportionate parts by the Rufiji River (Tanzania's third largest river).90% of the reserve lies south of the Rufiji and is leased out to hunting concession. North of the Rufiji - 5% is also hunting and 5% tourist.

In 1859 Burton and Speke passed through part of what would later become the Selous Game Reserve and noticed a lack of human habitation (due to the abundance of tsetse flies).Another factor was the regular slave raids associated with the Arab trading post at Kisaki.

Selous is named in honour of Frederick Courtney Selous, who left England for Africa in 1871 at the tender age of 18. He spent the next 40 years acquiring a reputation as perhaps the most accomplished hunter of his age.He served as the Great White Hunter to people like Theodore Roosevelt.He is also the author of "A Hunter's Wonderings in Africa".

A staunch patriot, he was Cecil John Rhodes' right hand man in his campaign to annex Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) to the British Empire.He also headed up Rhodes' famous Selous Scouts.

During WW1 in 1914, Selous past the age of 60, volunteered to the British army.With his knowledge of the bush, he was the choice to head up the chase after Colonel von Lettow and the Germany army.On New Year's day in 1917 close to the banks of the Beho Beho River, Selous was shot by a sniper and died on 4th January.His grave lies within 15km of the Sand Rivers Selous Lodge.

Sand River Selous lodge is positioned on a rocky outcrop above a wide curve of the mighty Rufiji River. As we were only 3 in camp (us and a gentleman from the UK, Nicholas Wilson ), we were upgraded to a suite.The suite has a mozi net-draped kingsize bed , en-suite bathroom and "an air of plush yesteryear elegance" - all decorated in local artefacts.In addition, it has its own plunge pool and open air lounge - all overlooking the wide Rufiji River.

On the afternoon of our arrival we went boating on the Rufiji River, past hippos and crocodiles.We spotted giraffe and elephant coming down to drink.We thought the Luangwa River in Zambia had plenty of hippos but nothing prepared us for the Rufiji.They were a dime a dozen.Our guide Anaphi was very skilled at avoiding them along the river.

The sunset from the river was probably the most spectacular we have ever seen, influenced as it was by the river itself, the trees on the edges and the incredible cloud formations which played with the light of the setting sun long after it had gone.

Dinner was served at a table under the stars to the African soundtrack of grunting hippos and buzzing cicadas.

Wednesday morning we went on a game drive past a series of beautiful lakes - Makubi, Segese and Tagalala.The lakes were a birder's paradise.We spotted yellow-billed storks; spoon billed storks; open-billed storks; pelicans; white-crowned lapwings; bee-eaters; pied, malachite and grey headed kingfishers; village and golden weavers; black-winged stilts… too many to name, as well as hippos, crocodiles, elephants, waterbuck, buffalo and giraffe.On the return we visited the grave of Frederick Courtney Selous.In the afternoon a short game drive (the heat here is diabolical, it's difficult to describe) with sundowners on a vantage point above the river then back to the lodge for a lovely dinner on "the beach" beside the river decorated with hurricane lamps and a fire (for ambience).

On Thursday morning we took another boat trip up the river through the ravine called Stiegler's Gorge (after a Swiss explorer who was killed in the area by an elephant in the early 1900's).Along the way we saw an international vulture convention around a hippo carcass.The afternoon game drive was rewarded with a sighting of a beautiful golden manned lion, who too, was battling with the heat - judging by the way he was panting.Then back to the lodge for a G & T on the deck to witness our last sunset on the Rufiji.

Our thanks to Nicola and Peter (the managers), Anaphi and all the staff, at Sand Rivers Selous for a most memorable stay.