We stayed here for 3 nights in September as the last leg of our trip (the other two lodges were Lamai Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater Lodge.) We decided to stay here because of the variety of activities offered which were different from what's available in many other places. Namely, boat safaris and walking tours.

The lodge itself is in a breathtaking location - it's right along the banks of Rufiji River, and the views from both the main lodge and the rooms are stunning. The lodge is very classy and tastefully constructed, allowing it to blend itself seamlessly into the environment.

The rooms are very spacious and comfortable. The one thing that may freak out first-timers is the fact that the front and back of the rooms are completely open. No doors, no windows, no shades, no verandas.. nothing. You're completely "exposed" to the elements. The bed itself has netting, so no worries about mosquitoes or other creepy crawlies. We also had monkeys show up in the morning - while they're playful, they WILL try to snag anything they deem edible.

Others here have stated that wildlife is far less pervasive here than elsewhere in Tanzania, and that is true. That said, the landscape is far different and beautiful in its own right, and the quantity of animals is still quite abundant. Also, unlike in most other areas, you can take boat safaris (do the one in the early morning, which allows you to have breakfast at the beautiful Stigler's Gorge) and walking tours as well - many parts of Tanzania forbid people from getting out of the car, let alone hike in the bush. We several hours one morning on a guided hike, which we definitely want to do after several days of being on boats and on bumpy game drives. There's nothing like walking to take in the sights and smells. Don't worry, we were accompanied by an armed bodyguard in our trek so there was no fear of being ambushed.

The food at Sand Rivers was very nicely prepared - it's European-style but with local ingredients. Lunch was buffet-style, while dinner came with a choice of several entrees. Everything was delicious, and we never felt the quantity lacking at any time during our stay.

This would not be the first place I'd recommend to anyone who is only planning to visit ONE lodge. But given that most people stay at multiple locations (and they should!), if you want an experience that's uniquely awesome from the rest, Sand Rivers Selous should definitely be on your short list.

If paradise exists the I can only say that management of this fabulous Nomad camp tries to bring it to you out here.
You can really feel that it is a steady team in this camp, working together already for a couple of years. The management though was quite new, but experienced in business. There were some misunderstandings during our check in but this was solved more than accurate. The villas in the camp are astonishing, completely open in the front and back, so the bushbabies and monkeys can enter and will definitely when you leave something to eat. Force yourself not to do that... because they will leave their droppings all over the place.. and that is not funny when you go to the bathroom at night...;-)
Food is very tasty and good, a lot of salads, served in the bush when you go out for day drives and in the evening you have the choice to join the community table or dine with your own family. Do nt expect to see as much wildlife as in the Serengeti... this part of Tanzania is still a hunting concession so the game is much more shy than elsewhere... We were lucky tot see the elephants digging for water in the riverbed, but the wild dogs were hiding during our stay.
All in all it has been one of our most astonishing experiences in the years that we have been on safari. We would like to go back to explore Selous more thoroughly.

My 26 yo daughter and I stayed here for 3 nights on our recent tour of Tanzania. This is a tastefully classy place. Beautiful setting, right on a major bend in the Rafiji River. Our hut (#3) had a great view up the river, with hippos right outside our door - yes they do make noise!

After spending 3 nights in a very nice tent camp, the step up in quality here was instantaneous. Of course the cost was also higher too.

We were met by our guide/driver Ian when we landed at Kebi airstrip. Ian was immediately likeable and proved himself a very knowledgeable guide. He saw things that we would never have seen! We went on a boat safari up the river, seeing 100's of hippos, crocs, elephants.
Later we did a walking safari, coming within 50m of a young bull elephant. You can smell elephants long before you'll see them!

The lodge served extremely well prepared continental styled food. And tons of it. For some reason, we were always hungry after coming back from a safari activity. Chloe and Mark (managers) ate dinner with us each night. Delightful. As you'd expect, high quality wines came with the deal.

All of the facilities are obviously high end and blend into the african setting. The Land Rover we used was unstoppable with Ian driving.

We enjoyed our time at the Sand River and recommend the lodge for those who are seeking (and willing to pay for) a premium lodge experience.

We stayed at Sand Rivers as part of our trip to Katavi and Mahale, and this camp pales by comparison in terms of its ambience. The camp accommodates similar number of guests but it actually felt crowded. The rooms, although quite nice, are very close to each other and we could hear people talking next door.

For wildlife... the morning river cruise (longer than the afternoon sunset cruise) is highly recommended. It took us all the way upstream where we had a picnic breakfast and the guide was very patient and knowlegeable. However, the game drives were less productive then we expected, as compare to Selous Safari Camp where we've stayed previously.

Overall, although it was a pleasant experience, I felt that it fell short on my expectations both for a Nomad camp and for Selous. It's definitely not a camp I would recommend for "seasoned safari goers'. I would go back to Selous again if we have the chance, but probably to another camp.