Amara Luxury Tented Camps Ltd.

October 2011

Xavier

Hi Vee, thanks for this wonderful 'home' place. When you feel that, this is the right way of travelling. Asante Sana!

Michele & Xander

Dear all, thank you very much for taking such good care of us! Words are not enough to express our "dankbaarheid".

Glynn Williams

Wonderful place, wonderful people, wonderful food. I hope to return with extended family some day.

Sophie

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
I loved it here at Amara Selous. There were so many things to do and they were all very kind and friendly. The food was delicious and being able to wake up with a hippo right outside your room was an amazing expereince. I will definately be telling all my friends and family to come here. I Loved it all :)

Praful & Anjana Patel

Amara Selous was our best camp experience anywhere in the world. The camp is spectacular and lets people experience nature as it shall be. The staff team is absolutely the best - catering the every need. Not pushed, just as we wanted is. The game views were spectacular. Our thanks for a wonderful overall experience. We shall return.

Marijke & Willy

We spent some days in Paradise. What a wonderful location! What nice tents. So many footprints around the tent! The staff was very freindly. The food was very good and nice to see!  Happy we all were - sad also as it comes to an end.
Many thanks! Hope to come back!

Michael, Constanze Jakob (8)

It's hippo paradise here, and also paradise for us and especially for Jakob -
Thanks for hospitality, kindness and generosity, we will always remember.

Christian

What an experience! This place is simply amazing: spectacular environment, lovely hosts, excellent guides and a 5 star cuisine. I spent three wonderful days here that I will never forget. Thank you so much for making this experience possible, who would have thought that you can walk into lions...I didn't But I think since this morning my heart is beating a little bit faster :-)
What was missing? The rest of my family to share these special moments, next time.
Thank you again!!!

September 2011

Vicky & Greg
Many thanks to the Amara team for a wonderful first leg to our honeymoon. Our time here has been magical & will never be forgotten. Staying so close to nature has been both a fantastic experience an an immense learning curve. We can now proudly say we can sleep through the hippo noises at night. Best wishes, hopefully we'll be back!

Evie
Asante Sana to Anita, Peter, Philip, Calson, Rajabu, Ibrahim, Omari, John, the chefs, Celine, Robert, Kingo & the other staff whom I didn't meet. You all gave me a wonderful week at your beautiful camp & a view of the Selous & it's animals. I will miss you all but will always have memories.

Inga
To Everyone at Amara,
Thank you, Asante sana, danke!
It has been a wodnerful visit & start of my trip to Tanzania. A great welcome back to Africa!!

Sameer
To the Amara family,
What a wonderful experience. The room, food, facilities and staff were out of this world. But what I really appreciated was how every small detail was meticulasly taken care of. A truly super break

Vishva
Most memorable experience, have done many a safari but this one takes the spot, the service was excellent, the food delicious, the views stunning, the rooms A1. I cannot fault Amara and wish your team the best. Thank you.

Mahesh Chandra
Thanks for the mind blowing African experience. The camp is absolutely out of this world, coupled with amazing service, food and hospitality makes this an untouchable place to visit in Africa. Thanks for creating an unforgettable memory.

August 2011

Tanuj, Nishma, Rupan, Siddh, Sushila, Hita and Adit
A big thank you to Anita, Peter and the fantastic Amara staff team.
We had the ultimate African Safari Experience and it was only possible because of Amara.
Many Thanks!! See you Again

Patel family
Amara Team
Thank you to Anita & Peter for being wonderful hosts and giving the wildlife experience a personal touch.
The guides Isaiah & Carlson were amazing from day one. Waiter were always welcoming and always warm, enjoyed our stay as it was adjusted to our timings. Simply amazing and a very warm atmosphere. Dinner on the banks was the highlight & unforgettable experience. Outstanding service 24 hours.
Thank you all for making this an African jungle experience, unforgettable. Loved the little compliments at night.
Thank you

The Larles
Our stay at the Amara Lodge was a real pleasure. The hospitality, staff, lovely meals by the river, amazing cloudy beds...., made us feel at home for three delicious days!
Thank you

Buenaventura family
Amazing camp, amazing Anita & Peter, lovely place, everything was so amazing, thanks for all.
We have spent a lovey time here. The team was friendly and really our stay was fantastic. We saw lions, elephants, zebra, giraffe etc. We have been to other African countries and if we come back, surely we'll visit Anita & Peter. Thank you very much and see you soon.

Trish & Brian - Sydney Australia
Great location, excellent game drives, wonderful hosts Peter & Anita & Veronica. Fantastic staff & extremely knowledgeable guide Carlson who made our drives memorable. Love the sound of the river & the night noises of the hippos is something we will both remember forever.
Night dining un the bush under the stars was fantastic.
Amara such a beautiful setting,peaceful & serene, it was a pleasure to visit & difficult to leave.

Louise & Nik Brooks
When I arrived I had died and gone to heaven, after 3 days I realised I was in Nirvana
Thank you all for a blissfull stay

Holly, Lydia (twins age 10), Stephanie, Paul
We have enjoyed the hospitality, lovely location, the range of activities and the wonderful wildlife!
Thank you for a great experience and lovely memories.

Simon & Jessica
What an amazing start to our honeymoon! This is without doubt the most idylic setting we have ever been to, with hospitality not found anywhere else in the world! We will surely miss you all and this great lodge. Take care and hopefully see you again!

July 2011

Martin Schubert
It was a wonderful experience to be in the Selous and the Amara camp!  I felt welcomed like a friend and want to thank everybody, especially Anita, Philip, Emmanuel.  I learnt so much about nature during the long walks, how animals and plants 'live together' - a divine experience opening the eyes for the beauties of nature.

Rich with experiences, images my heart will remember - not only the adrenaline shocks - but the  beauty of this magnificent nature.  Asante Sana.  I loved it!

Nicole, Florence and Rosalie
Just the pleasure of writing with that amazing pen, let’s say a big thank you one more time to the entire staff!  We're now leaving that place with wonderful memories (and some survival tips as well), great pictures even though next time we'll bring better cameras and new photographic skills and new knowledge (like 'what's the sound a hippo make when it gets out of the water?"...;-))  )  So again Merci

Annie & Oli
Thank you to Anita, Peter and the whole team at Amara, we had an incredible holiday and a perfect first time experience in Africa.  Asante Sana, hope to see you all again soon! 
PS Special thanks to Isaiah for being the most amazing guide!!  Love from,

Shiraz and Masuma Jesani - Manchester - UK
Predictably enough....the stay was not long enough!  Yet predictably again .... it was an exhilarating experience!
Thanks Peter, Anita, Philip & the rest of the crew Great hospitality....fantastic food....eerie noises.  A lap of luxury....in the lap of nature!!

Sanjiv, Tina, Ruhan and Alisha
“Let my doing nothing when I have nothing to do, become untroubled in its depth of peace, like the evening in the seashore when the water is silent.” Rabindranath Tagore
Thanks,  

 The Merchants
Our first true Africa Experience as a family.
It was a great experience overall with so much to take back.  But thank you Amara for making the final league such a relaxing, truly rich and enjoyable experience.  We shall miss everything, from the service, to the people, food, ambience, personal touch etc.  We shall be back soon and thank you Peter & Anita for your personal touch. Regards,

The Merchants (this is the 2nd Merchant family)
Thanks you for everything!  We had a fantastic time, in every way :-)  

Noordin and Shemina - Vancouver - Canada
Our most memorable three days at Amara camp.  Many many thanks Peter, Anita and the staff for such wonderful welcome and hospitality.  Our guide Isaiah was just superb, we had very good game drives, so many wildlife and learn a lot about the animals.  A beautiful camp, definitely worth coming back.  Thanks once again.  Best wishes, fondest regards and good luck.

June 2011 

Catherine Blanks, Turquoise Holidays, UK
Thank you so much for a fantastic time in the Selous. I will never forget those lion cubs and the sound of hippos! Keep doing what you are doing and all the very best to you.

Theresa Feeney, UK
What can I say! A wonderful stay enhanced by the lion cubs and bush dinner. Thank you!

Leila, Sabrina, Wanja and Joyce - Enchanting Africa team
We had a lovely stay at Amara Selous, from the welcome drinks to the send off, it was all style and pure bush experience, thank you so very much.

Carol and Sheridan Downey, USA
What a beautiful slice of paradise.  We enjoyed the luxurious accommodations, delicious food and viewing of the local fauna from our deck.  Best ever staff!  Many thanks to Peter, Anita, Emmanuel, Isaiah and all.  Very gracious and went out of their way to please.  This was a very social and memorable stay. Celine's massage was yummy!:-) -

Torrey and Keith Turner, USA
Keith and I would like to give a warm thank you to Anita, Peter, Rajabu, Emmanuel, Isaiah and staff for the wonderful stay here at the enchanted Selous. We especially loved our beautiful and private cottage, dipping pool, outside shower, fantastic view, game drives, massage and perhaps most of all the delicious meals. We were disappointed that we could not take a boat ride on the Great Ruaha due to the low water level and that we could not find the wild dogs, but something’s just can't be helped and we know that. We will miss the gifts of chocolate every evening and our dinner briefings! Thanks again to all for taking such good care of us and for making our stay so special and memorable.

Mark & Melanie
Peter, Anita and Amara Selous friends -
Thank you for 4 amazing days and nights - what a mystical, magical place! From the soft, cloud like beds to the sundowners to the bush dinner (with lions calling in the background) plus the game drives, every moment was unforgettable and we will miss our pet gecko!


Sharad Sanghi
It was great to be here in Selous and more so this delightful & wonderful resort. Anita & Peter excel themselves in their hospitality, services & food were the best one could think of. Our whole group of 18 received the best from them & enjoyed ourselves the most here comparable to home in Africa. Our great appreciation and thanks.

Rashida & Noordin
Of all the camps and lodges we have been we found Amara the most beautiful and those that manage it are exceptionally good. We have thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Amara. With best wishes.

Gita Sanghi
Tranquil peaceful and totally relaxing, great food, wonderful hospitality - thank you Peter and Anita!! I love the bush, the sound of the river, the hippos, waterbuck and other animals. Would love to be back, all the best

Peter & Helen Baxter
Fantastic one night stay at Amara. Very well looked after and a lovely set up and setting. Congratulations and thanks to you all

Graham Kayes
"Thanks very much to the whole crew for making our stay so great. It was thouroughly enjoyable and the food was superb! Paradise indeed. Have a great season and tell others on a YPO retreat that they have to go on a game drive next time! This really is unspoilt Africa in all her magnificence. Asante!"

Gina & Bernice, @beyond
Thank you all so much for a beautiful stay in your little piece of paradise, albeit way too short. We'll remember the happy smiling faces, the hippos and the roaring river forever! We will most definitely be sending our guests this way"

Nadeem
Thank you all for an amazing stay! Everything was fantastic from the food to the location but most importantly the service was impeccable. The lion kill was pretty special too bar them being to busy eating to pose for photographs ! Take care and hope to see you all soon!

Dipen Shah, Dar es Salaam
Amazing time! My 2nd time here & just keeps getting better & better. Thanks to Peter, Anita & the whole team. Be back soon.

“An Unforgettable 24hrs in the Selous”
Munira Zavery | March 2011

I had the opportunity to spend 24 hours in the Selous, at the stunningly beautiful Amara Selous camp. And I have come back to the bustling city wishfully thinking if only every Friday afternoon and Saturday morning could be spent in a place so serene…  

It all began with an elegantly executed welcome at the airstrip, what a wonderful surprise it was when we were ushered into the middle of nowhere by a smartly dressed butler serving us cold & refreshing welcome drinks and cookies laid out on a crisp white linen tablecloth. And Peter, one of the managers of Amara Selous, instantly welcomed us to their piece of African paradise with warm smiles and the friendly banter of someone you could have known for a long time.

A brief 2 minute drive away from the Simbazi airstrip, we were whisked away to Amara Selous camp in their impressive open-sided game vehicles and there we were welcomed with enthusiasm by Anita, the other manager, and Kasim our personal butler for the remainder of our stay. After a light & heart lunch, Phillip our guide came to discuss our activities with us and we agreed on going on a late afternoon game drive and early morning walking safari the following day.  

That afternoon on our game drive, we quickly realized that Phillip was not only friendly and funny but he was also full of knowledge and stories about the wilderness. It was evident that he was very passionate about his work and his love for the wild. He showed us several unique birds, including the European Roller & the Lilac-breasted Roller, the latter one’s astonishing colors proving a difficult challenge to capture on our cameras. The auburn & blue-tailed Bee-eaters stood still in the trees, on the other hand, Phillip explaining that they attract bees by appearing like colorful flowers or fruit hanging in a tree. At one point, Phillip got out of the vehicle to pick and bring to us the “sunny-side-up flower” which surely looked like my favorite type of eggs, added with a beautiful natural fragrance. As the afternoon proceeded and we all got more accustomed to the wilderness around us, we all jumped out of the car to closely examine the height & density of giraffe bones, Phillip telling us more about the specialized skills of lions in the area to hunt & often successfully kill giraffe.

Later that afternoon, we caught sight of three lionesses taking their afternoon siestas on a dry section of the riverbed – one of them had two little cubs and instinctively took them deeper into the bush, away from the sight of strangers. The other two lionesses seemed briefly intrigued by our appearance but soon enough decided that we weren’t worth the effort to keep watch on, so they too went back to their lazy stretches and short snoozes. We were the only humans in their presence, watching them from across the river’s edge in utter awe, with the sounds of their pacified breathing and quiet yawns occasionally interjected with the clicks of our cameras. 

As the sun completed its journey across the open African skies, our afternoon of adventure came to a close with a lavish set up for sundowners by the river’s edge. Relaxed & unhurried, we sipped our wine and took in the panorama, breathing in deep breaths of the fresh air and listening to the playful snorts of hippos in the river. Once back at the camp, I went back to my luxurious tent and took a cold shower in the brilliantly-designed, rustic outdoor waterfall shower, closely listening to the evening tune of the cascading river in front of me.

Dinner that night was a sheer delight, elegantly served by the pool’s edge overlooking the wilderness. Quality wine flowing with good conversation over a scrumptious meal quickly led us to sink deeper and deeper into our chairs. After Kasim took our orders for morning tea or coffee wake-up calls, we were escorted to our tented suites. Almost immediately, I slid into my plush, over-sized bed with a soft white duvet under and entered a world of seamless slumber.

The next morning, I woke up to bright sunlight and early morning birdsong, the river that had lulled me to sleep the night before still softly gushing past as it’s resident hippos began making noises to indicate the beginning of a new day. I took my cup of freshly brewed coffee, served by Kasim during my wake up call, and went out to sit by my plunge pool to watch the sun begin its ascent in the bright blue sky…just at that moment, everything around me felt beautiful and flawless, if only this feeling could be somehow captured in a glass bottled to carry around with me wherever I go! But I have this experience preserved in my memories (and my camera!) for me to always look back on as the most unforgettable 24hrs in the serene Selous Game Reserve. Thank you for this gift, Amara!

“So perfect we cancelled other plans & extended our stay!”
Noma & Ash | December 2010

While we travel a great deal & frequently check TripAdvisor for property reviews, we have NEVER felt compelled to write a review of our own... until now. The Amara deserves the recognition beyond any of the 5 star hotels and resorts we've ever stayed at worldwide (which are quite a few). The Amara is an undiscovered gem, which undoubtedly won't stay "undiscovered" for long. 

There are so many wonderful things to say about this place, the people, the food, the service, the location.... that I'm not sure I can concisely fit it all into a brief review - what I will say is that if you are planning on going to Tanzania, the Amara is a MUST. Don't even think twice about it, just book. You won't be disappointed. 

Location: The beauty of the Selous (and especially of the location of the Amara) is that you will witness untouched beauty. Unlike the Serengeti, the wildlife here has had little contact with humans or vehicles. You will get up close to the wildlife - we spent 2 hours with a pride of lions and another 3 hours with a pack of wild dogs. However, the contact we made with them was isolated and felt "real" - we witnessed things alone, without other vehicles or people to disrupt the interaction.

Rooms /Cleanliness /Sleep Quality: The Amara has 12 luxury "tents" (if one can call them "tents"), including one beautiful honeymoon suite. Impeccably clean and generously appointed with luxury bath products, towels, bedding. We both commented on how the Amara bedding hands-down beat the "Heavenly Bed" at the Westin. We've never slept better... once we got used to the chorus of hippos in the river in front of our tent! 

Value: At first glance, the pricing may seem high. However once you experience 5-star dining for 3 meals a day, note how difficult it must be to bring in every single fruit, vegetable, egg, meat product, bottle of wine, etc., you quickly realize the Amara is indeed a bargain. The one thing I would like to note here is that we had contacted another high-end resort in the Serengeti prior to booking at the Amara. It offered a competitive package, however the fine print stated the "full board" accommodation did not juices, soft drinks, game drives, laundry, etc. etc... not even drinking water! Those basics can quickly add up. In comparison, the Amara was a steal - when they say all-inclusive at the Amara, they mean all-inclusive. In a matter of principle, one should not feel nickel & dimed to death once you've paid for an "all inclusive" holiday. 

Service: Truly, in all our travels, we have never come across a team that works so well together, is so passionate about what they do and will do just about anything to ensure you have the experience of a lifetime. Starting at the beginning - Krupa (Sales & PR mgr). Despite booking only 24 hrs before our arrival, things couldn't have gone more smoothly. Krupa made all the domestic flight arrangements, checked in with us upon our arrival in Tanzania & even popped by the airport to have coffee with us when we had a 2 hour layover in Dar. We knew we were in capable hands from the start. She is a delight. The resident managers - Peter and Anita: truly professional, and also warm, kind and generous in spirit. We left not only feeling as though we had had the most amazing holiday, but that we had also made new friends. I cannot say enough positive things about them. Our guide - Phillip: Knowledgeable, friendly and willing to bend over backwards to ensure we saw everything there was to see, including taking unscheduled drives when someone spotted wildlife that we hadn't come across. The rest of the staff - Kasim, Rasheed, John, the nameless chef, etc. etc.: all going beyond the call of duty to make us feel safe, welcome and a part of a wonderful family. 
In summary, we have taken And Beyond safari holidays in India, we have traveled extensively staying at 5-star hotels & resorts in the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bali, Italy, Monaco, the French Riviera, London, Paris, etc., however, we have never experienced ANYTHING like this. The Amara is truly one of a kind. 

PS: Since this wasn't a review of the Selous itself, I didn't put much about the wildlife sightings. Please do note that we saw everything we wanted to see, with the exception of the elusive leopard. The couple that stayed in our tent prior to us had one come by for a visit during their morning coffee. Perhaps you will too!

“Luxury in Selous”
Inez & Santiago | November 2010

We had an outstanding experience at Amara Selous, I honestly cannot find anything to complain about or suggest any improvements. The location is right on the river so you are constantly rewarded with animals coming down to drink and eat by the river. You also have huge families of hippos and a couple of crocs in front of you.

The tents are total luxury, comfortable beds, two showers, private plunge pools, and little surprise touches. The main lodge is also very well done with plenty of comfortable couches to lounge on. But what makes Amara in my opinion so special was the high quality of every staff. The managers Anita and Peter are extremely knowledgeable and will go out of their way to make sure you are comfortable and happy. Our guide Phillip worked very hard to make sure we got to see the animals we set out to see, including teaching us how to track them. On top of this the general staff were very good, always making sure that we were topped up with drinks and that our private pool was clean. Finally, the chefs Wilson and Wilson cooked up delicious food every day and made sure we had nice picnics when we went out.

Yes probably Selous has less concentration of animals, but we saw them all except Rhinos during our 4 days, but even better we did not come across one other car during our stay. We also had a leopard join us for breakfast one morning which probably wouldn't happen in a crowded park. An amazing experience and I wouldn't waste your time searching for other places, Amara Selous has it all.

“The Wild of Africa”
Dave Southwood | June 2010

I woke up early to capture the sunrise over the Ruaha River. As the first rays of light peeked through my tent verandah a friendly butler arrived with freshly brewed coffee, which tasted gorgeous and shook my sleepy cobwebs aside.

Outside a chorus of birds grew in volume announcing the sun’s inevitable rise.  The thunderous passage of the Ruaha was a constant roar and it had taken a while to get used to this powerful sound so close to my tent but on reflection I grew to think of it as a natural lullaby.  The hippos began huffing and snorting with a little more energy and I rushed out to capture the colors painted across the morning skies canvas.

I headed for the swimming pool area below which is a wide riverbank. Here it consisted of large stone pieces in all sorts of shapes and sizes, with tiny pools of water scattered here and there.  The early sunlight dabbled across its surface and it looked just like a giant, natural jigsaw puzzle.  Millions of gallons of water thundered past and the hippos eyed me cautiously. Nature at its best, I breathed in my surroundings, happy as a hippo in water. No crowds to shatter either the animals or my peace of mind.  Raw nature at its very best and the comforting sight of Amara Selous nestled above. 

Following a tasty and refreshing breakfast of fruit and juices, cereal, tea, coffee, toast, marmalade, cheeses as well as eggs, bacon and sausages; we headed out for an early morning walk. The recent rains had left the vast grasslands a deep, bright and vibrant green as far as the eye could see…so different from the shade of savannah khaki which I have seen in many other parts of this beautiful and wild Africa. My guide, Phillip, told me of a place where he had discovered a few beads, which got me very excited. After trudging through the bush and disturbing a roosting troop of baboons, we came across a clearing alongside the river, where pot shards were jutting out of the river bank. After scratching around a little we found a myriad of beads and pottery shards, and an old gravestone. The Selous Game Reserve has so many secrets.

Later we drove a fair distance from the camp because we wanted to go see the distant mountains. When we stopped our guide opened our eyes to a whole new world. We had the surrounding wildlife’s movements of the previous night explained to us in detail.  Their actions cemented in muddy molds of their footprints.  It brought to light a whole new meaning to game viewing and a potent glimpse into the behavior patterns of the beautiful plains game that was dotted around us.  An Acacia whistling thorn tree was suddenly more than just pretty and abstract but home to thousands of tiny ants that lived in the black pods amongst the tree’s thorny fingers, and the cooling breeze whistled as it blew through the ant’s home, giving light to its name.

We headed to the vehicle and made our way back to camp, via a dense bushy area.  At one point, from the bush came a distant snort, followed by more similar sounds.  Then suddenly we saw the familiar shape of a rhino horn, the face and eventually full profile, as an adult mother with calf approached us from the dense thicket.  Aggravated and alarmed by our appearance the mother began to charge our vehicle.  Head down, angry and determined she aimed straight for us.  Her youngster stayed close to her flank and mirrored her actions.  Galloping, thundering hooves, angry snorts, heavy breathing and their sheer bulk racing towards us dominated our view… then all of a sudden commanding shout from the guide pierced the scene.  The stampeding ‘train’ coming directly towards us hardly stopped but she checked herself on hearing our guide’s unflinching command and the calf next to her teetered before both veered to the right before disappearing into the dense ticket - gone as quickly as they had come into our lives. 

The guide’s quick action was impressive and all was safe including the protective rhino and her calf. I think we all replayed the action in our minds, silent and revered by the sheer magic and adrenaline attached to that remarkable and humbling moment. 

Back at camp we could not resist going for a refreshing trip on Amara’s boat. Phillip and I rushed off to where the boat was moored and hastily got the engine going. The river was quite shallow due to low rains, so we spent a bit of time finding the right piece of the Ruaha River to edge to boat forwards, hippos ducking in and out, all around us. A Dickinson Kestrel flew overhead and a small herd of elephant were feeding with a group of waterbuck on the far bank. As the sun sank, we pulled up onto a sand bank and toasted another tough day in Africa. Hippos snorting, and the sound of a distant lion grunting.  

That evening before dinner, I retreated to my air-conditioned, luxury tent and collapsed into the comfort of my kind size bed.  Later I went outside with a cool drink a butler kindly delivered to my room, and took a dip in my private plunge pool.  Sipping my sundowner and watching my neighboring hippos in their natural spring pools, I thought over my whole stay and experience at Amara Selous.

I would like to thank those behind Amara Selous’ creation.  What a great concept, seamlessly blending in luxury with the bush and the wild.

AMARA SELOUS…I WILL BE BACK

“A remote haven of peace & solitude in the Selous Game Reserve”
Lynn Talor | February 2010

I knew that I was in for a special treat when we landed at the dusty Simbazi airstrip in the heat of midday. Underneath a sprawling tree on a crisp white linen table stood an ice bucket, frosted glasses and face cloths still crunching with frozen water to wipe our faces and the back of our necks. What a welcome! And the attention to detail, lavish hospitality and sophisticated luxury only got better.

Amara Selous is an extraordinary mixture of rough hewn nature and extravagant luxury. It is unique. It is a bush camp but it is lavish. The designers have taken the bush and made it a major part of the lodge – or have they taken the lodge and made it a part of the bush? The merge is so seamlessly blended; the effect is flawless sophistication.

While the Selous Game Reserve is well known for its spectacular wildlife, one cannot miss its abundant and varied bird life. Isaiah, Amara’s home-grown Tanzanian guide, told me that there are over 440 recorded bird species in the Selous. Well it certainly felt like 238 of those sang gloriously right outside my luxurious tented suite each morning to wake me. Each day of my fabulous stay here, I would step out onto my private patio and look on to the river lit with an enchanting silvery glow by the first rays of the rising sun. Just then, the hippos would start moving into the water and their snorting and grunting adding deep cellos to the music of birdsong.

I visited Amara in February, which is the hottest time of the year in the Selous, and an early morning dip in my own private pool at 6 am did not seem a bad idea. I took my freshly brewed coffee (no instant here!) down to the pool, cast aside my clothes and stepped in. The cold water and the hot coffee were instantly invigorating. I hadn’t felt so keenly alive in ages.

My safari experience with Amara was so much more than I had anticipated! I appreciated the open-sided game drive vehicles thoughtfully fitted with a cooler box to keep my beer cold, and not to forget the clever idea of having plug points in case my camera battery ran out of charge! A late afternoon drift on Amara’s shaded boat was perfect for relaxing, unwinding, bird watching and getting close to hippos lazing in the river. My personal favorite was walking in the bush as it gave me the chance to get up close to nature – identifying animal tracks, smelling the dry grass and the African bush dust and seeing wild animals from ground level. There are also millions of examples of lesser known plant life and colourful insects that stay hidden under the trees and bushes – something you don’t get to experience unless you are on foot.

Each day of my adventure at Amara ended with relaxing sundowners followed by elegantly laid out, scrumptious meals…lingering over dinner with the lanterns twinkling and the mellow sounds of hippos grunting, I couldn’t think of a more peaceful way to not only experience Africa, but also truly live African wilderness.