Sand Rivers by Nomad — Hotel in Pwani Region

We ended up at Sand Rivers Selous as a last-minute pivot when the original property on our itinerary did not work out. And when I say “last minute,” I mean literally. When it came time to chose our alternative, we selected Sand Rivers on the fly because we had just departed five glorious days chimp trekking at another Nomad property in Tanzania, so we trusted the “brand.”||We feel so grateful that when the Sand Rivers camp manager got the call from our travel agent in the dead of night, she stepped up and solved a logistical nightmare to accommodate two unexpected guests who were to arrive in mere hours.||Lucky for us that original property on our itinerary was so dreadful, because we can say now that Sand Rivers is a magical place we never would have had the good fortune to experience otherwise.||The energy of this place nourishes the soul, from the soil beneath our feet, to the water beneath our boat, to the animals who allow themselves to be seen and most of all, to the staff, who offer service so earnestly and hospitably.||It’s almost an aside to mention that the animal sightings were phenomenal — lions mating, warthog brothers doing “zoomies” and spinning joyfully as they play-sparred. We had unforgettable experiences boating: An elephant family with a protective bull tossing his trunk and massive ears as he stood on the bank just meters from our little boat, untold numbers of hippo with their distinctive honking laughter. And I caught my first fish on my first cast — a tiger fish who put up quite a fight. I would be remiss if I did not mention the bush walks, which were fabulous in an entirely different way. Gerald’s granular knowledge of the landscape is astounding and captivating. Who knew that Whistling Acacia trees communicate with each other, warning fellow trees of approaching hungry giraffe, which prompts the acacias to emit protective toxins that render their tender leaves unpalatable.||This was my 15th trip to Africa, and I can say that the two Nomad properties where we stayed on this trip have been once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I always have depended on the animals and the land to provide a mental “re-set” for me. This time, my “re-set” came from the relationships I formed with staff, led so ably by Camp Manager Sarah Kibambazi. Gerald, our guide, took on the task of teaching new aspects of the bush to an experienced safari-goer, and he succeeded brilliantly. I’m thrilled that I taught him something as well (“detritus”). One of the hospitality staff, Andrew, stands out as a warm and inviting presence who will make a wonderful guide if he chooses to pursue that passion. And then there is Sarah…I am honored and gratified by all that she shared with me. We met in one capacity, and parted ways as sisters of the heart.||Five Stars. I...

We ended up at Sand Rivers Selous as a last-minute pivot when the original property on our itinerary did not work out. And when I say “last minute,” I mean literally. When it came time to chose our alternative, we selected Sand Rivers on the fly because we had just departed five glorious days chimp trekking at another Nomad property in Tanzania, so we trusted the “brand.”

We feel so grateful that when the Sand Rivers camp manager got the call from our travel agent in the dead of night, she stepped up and solved a logistical nightmare to accommodate two unexpected guests who were to arrive in mere hours.

Lucky for us that original property on our itinerary was so dreadful, because we can say now that Sand Rivers is a magical place we never would have had the good fortune to experience otherwise.

The energy of this place nourishes the soul, from the soil beneath our feet, to the water beneath our boat, to the animals who allow themselves to be seen and most of all, to the staff, who offer service so earnestly and hospitably.

It’s almost an aside to mention that the animal sightings were phenomenal — lions mating, warthog brothers doing “zoomies” and spinning joyfully as they play-sparred. We had unforgettable experiences boating: An elephant family with a protective bull tossing his trunk and massive ears as he stood on the bank just meters from our little boat, untold numbers of hippo with their distinctive honking laughter. And I caught my first fish on my first cast — a tiger fish who put up quite a fight. I would be remiss if I did not mention the bush walks, which were fabulous in an entirely different way. Gerald’s granular knowledge of the landscape is astounding and captivating. Who knew that Whistling Acacia trees communicate with each other, warning fellow trees of approaching hungry giraffe, which prompts the acacias to emit protective toxins that render their tender leaves unpalatable.

This was my 15th trip to Africa, and I can say that the two Nomad properties where we stayed on this trip have been once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I always have depended on the animals and the land to provide a mental “re-set” for me. This time, my “re-set” came from the relationships I formed with staff, led so ably by Camp Manager Sarah Kibambazi. Gerald, our guide, took on the task of teaching new aspects of the bush to an experienced safari-goer, and he succeeded brilliantly. I’m thrilled that I taught him something as well (“detritus”). One of the hospitality staff, Andrew, stands out as a warm and inviting presence who will make a wonderful guide if he chooses to pursue that passion. And then there is Sarah…I am honored and gratified by all that she shared with me. We met in one capacity, and parted ways as sisters of the heart.

Five Stars. I...

From the moment I made contact with Nomad last June to the day my husband and I left the Sand Rivers property last week we were treated with a warm professionalism which was truly impressive.||We flew from Pemba to Dar and then onto the airstrip near the resort. There we were met by Deo who would be our guide for the following few days. We were treated to an impromptu game drive where we saw the first of the wonder wild life - impalas and elephants. Over the following days we learned so much from Deo and it was plain to see how much he loved the reserve and the wildlife. |On arriving to the lodge we were greeted with an energetic song performed by the staff members and this set the tone for the rest of our stay. |The camp itself is situated on the banks of the majestic Rufiji River- the view is majestic hard to describe it really. |Our accommodation was so special - spotlessly clean, comfortable and opened out to a view of the river and so we were stranded to sleep by the sounds of the animals and birds.|The food was out of this world - we were treated to a huge variety of foods most of which was produced/grown in Tanzania.|We had a river safari where we caught tiger and cat fish - released back to the water most of the time. We had 2 relaxing afternoons in the ‘hide’ watching the zebras, elephants, wildebeest,impalas and buffalo. We saw beautiful Lions lazing in the morning sun. We saw eagles, vultures and countless other varieties of birds.|The camp manager Bernedette was gracious and efficient, she is clearly proud of her team and well she should be. We were lucky to have dinner with her one evening. And then with Sarah and then Deo - we heard their wonderful stories and felt privelged to be in their company.|I cant remember everyone but shout out to Sarah, Charles, Elias and...