Best hotels in Nyerere National Park

This intimate, stone and cement lodge is located in the Nyerere National Park ('The Selous') of Southern Tanzania. Set on the banks of the Rufiji River amongst the trees, behold breathtaking views across the water and wildlife in abundance. The outstanding service, luxury lodging and enthusiasm of guiding make for a complete experience. Your days are spent exploring the surrounding wilderness home to an impressive array of animals by driven, walking or boating safari.

Beho Beho was the first accommodation to be built in the cooler highlands of the Nyerere National Park ('The Selous'). It's a private, family-owned camp overlooking a river gorge that carves through the famed reserve and the views are spot on. Sleeping-wise, there are nine spacious palm-leaf and stone cottages (or bandas), spread out to either side of the main house and there's also a treehouse for a more intimate night-time wildlife experience. As well as excellent game viewing, expect to be fed and watered extremely well and your every request catered for.

With two rather lovely camps in Ruaha under their belts, the clever chaps at Asilia Africa have expanded to the Nyerere National Park ('The Selous'). Combining Nyerere and Ruaha make an excellent combination in Tanzania’s slightly more off-the-beaten track southern circuit, and this spangly camp is as good as ever. It’s in a waterside spot in one of the best game-viewing areas in the reserve and you can expect funky, stretch-canvas tents, all with views out to pods of harrumphing hippos, a good array of water- and land-based activities and a healthy dose of that genuine Asilia charm. Sounds good to us!

You can’t talk about Nyerere National Park ('The Selous') without mentioning the Rufiji River, the pulsing lifeblood of the area that virtually dissects the park in two and attracts a mesmerising array of animals. The camp's position on the banks of the waterway is unbeatable and, in our opinion, the best in the park. Its 8 tents tucked within a shady grove of trees are raised on stilts, allowing you a bird's-eye view of the splashing hippo below and the game on the opposite bank. The camp is flanked by two lakes, Mzizimia and Siwandu, which also offer great game and bird sightings throughout the year.

Far from Dar es Salaam's bustling busyness, Nyerere National Park ('The Selous') is a 54,000-square-kilometre game reserve that's both the biggest in Africa and a World Heritage Site. Bailey's Banda lies in its southwest, blending into the landscape on a hill overlooking sister Beho Beho main camp. It's a lovely stone cottage, with just two bedrooms and a touch of oh là là about the atmosphere. Wildlife sightings in the area are splendid, and there's birding to satisfy the most demanding birders. If you're after exclusivity in the wilderness for your family, and some seriously dedicated service, you'll find it here in spades.

Nestled in the forests of the Vuma Mountains that overlook the Mkata Plains of the Mikumi National Park below, Vuma is a cool retreat from the heat of a day's game drive. The sixteen tents are comfortably furnished, so sleeping under canvas at Vuma is a far cry from any ideas of discomfort. Complete with a shaded wooden veranda at the front and en-suite bathroom facilities at the back, you won't be left wanting. The cosy bar area centres around a roaring log fire, opening onto a large decking area from where you can take in the setting sun over the Mkata plains below. Under the same thatch, the dining area enjoys widespread views through the lush trees and overlooks the swimming pool. The Mkata Plains support vast herds of game such as wildebeest, impala, zebra and giraffe with the keys to an outstanding game drive being ever-present - experience, knowledge and a suitable vehicle.