Selous Safari Camp is located in the Selous Game Reserve in Southern Tanzania. Generally considered to be the second best lodge in the reserve behind Sand Rivers, this is a very good safari camp, elegantly styled and professionally run. To be critical, the camp is a little on the large side, so slightly lacks that intimacy and fine polish that one gets at the very highest level. We tend to use Selous Safari Camp as a really good option for high-end guests when Sand Rivers is full.

Selous Safari Camp is a very plush and luxurious camp, set back slightly from the shores of Lake Siwando in mixed woodland. The impressive lounge and dining areas are raised up on high stilts – quite a sight when you are approaching the camp from across the lake and you can see the structures standing over the surrounding tree tops.

It is a short walk from the main areas, to the rooms which are very stylish and spacious with an open-plan bedroom and bathroom. They are all private and have views over the river.

Activities at Selous Safari Camp focus on 4WD safaris and boat trips with knowledgeable guides. There are also a few walking trails around the camp, though for those wishing to do lots of walking safaris it might be worth considering a few days fly-camping to avoid repetition - the guides tend to use only a few known routes.

When last visited, walking trips began at 6:30am, and returns at about 10am to avoid the heat of the day. The boat and 4WD safaris started later, at around 08:00 – with a light breakfast beforehand. The safaris then last until about midday (depending on what you find), when you return to camp in good time for lunch at 1pm.

There's then time to relax for a few hours, or take a siesta, before the afternoon safari starts at 4pm, and returns to camp around sunset.

When we were there early in 2007 the management team was a couple named Jill and Claus, who were a lovely and attentive pair with a wealth of experience in the hospitality trade. The team at Selous Safari Camp are very professional and the camp definitely has the air of a high-quality operation that pays real attention to detail.

Next door to Selous Safari Camp, is the separate Selous Private Camp which with only 4 rooms and a separate dining area and pool, aims to be more exclusive.