The road lead us west to Frederick Selous’ grave and then south to our next camp. This was my fourth trip to Africa. On two prior occasions, both in Zimbabwe, I had seen wild dogs, but not under conditions conducive to good photographs. This drive to Sand Rivers Camp changed that.

As we rounded a curve near a lake, much to our surprise, on the lake bed under the shade of a tree lay a pack of 15 wild dogs. We immediately drove out to view them. Instead of leaving upon our approach, they generally ignored us, and for the next 30 plus minutes we were treated to a wonderful display of pack behavior.

The dogs left the shade of the tree to lay down in and around puddles of water, apparently to cool off. The younger dogs played continuously while the older dogs stood watch or administered discipline to a youngster when it became too rambunctious with its elder. One of the older dogs had a radio collar around its neck, the remnants of a study which had recently concluded. This was a pleasure difficult to describe. Reluctantly we left the pack behind, driving on to our next destination.

Sand Rivers Camp featured some of the nicest accommodations that we enjoyed on all of our safaris. Our spacious bungalow, with its towering thatched roof, stone walls, wooden floor and ensuite shower and toilet facilities, looked out upon the Rufiji River. A king size bed and strategically positioned comfortable chairs allowed for hours of relaxation. A swimming pool next to the main lodge offered a welcome respite from the day’s oppressive heat. The main lodge provided an excellent place to enjoy sundowners and gaze upon the Milky Way, a fitting end to a day in the African bush.

Sand Rivers Camp offered three safari excursions, boat rides on the Rufiji River, hiking through the bush and game drives. Each offered unique experiences of Africa. The Rufiji River attracted numerous animals to its waters, easy viewing of which was provided from the confines of our small john boats. Hippos grazed on the bank or submerged themselves in the water. African fish eagles soared overhead, searching for fish. Lions basked in the sun on the rocks high on the River’s bank. Waterbuck warily approached the River’s edge for a drink of water. All of this would have been missed had we not floated the River at Sand Rivers.

The Rufiji River purportedly has the largest concentration of crocodiles in Africa. These crocodiles, a curious color of yellowish-green, could be seen everywhere on the River. Even at night, red eyes could be seen lit up by my torch. On our boat excursions, numerous crocodiles were sighted on the banks. At one location, two crocodiles lay on the rocks some 20 feet above the River. As we approached, they suddenly leapt forward and scurried into the safety of the waters, leaving a trail of dust behind. I did not realize crocodiles could move that quickly on land

Our early morning hike was another “3 t” experience. Five of us were lead by a member of the camp staff and an armed ranger. Our travels took us through thick trees, open areas and dense vegetation. Ebony, tamarind and leadwood trees were quite common, as were the signs of hippos, who left the waters of the River at night to forage for food. We found several hippo molars and numerous instances where an animal had marked its territory. (1) Elephants walked around but appeared to give us little notice. As the temperature of the day increased, smells from the African dirt began to waft upwards, providing more of a “total” experience in the African bush. On this particular day, our camp staff had set up breakfast in the bush, providing us with juices, coffee, tea, eggs, sausage and breads at the end of our hike. We were joined by the remainder of our group which had opted for a game drive that morning, and we all enjoyed a wonderful hot meal out in the open “wilds” of Africa.

On our last evening at Sand Rivers, only four of us ventured out on a game drive. The sun was very low when we came across a herd of cape buffalo. Startled by our sudden appearance, they quickly moved away. However, when we approached the second time, they allowed us to do so without fleeing, although many of them kept a nervous eye on our vehicle. The herd was a wonderful sight, lit up with the soft glow of the setting sun. After a few minutes, we indicated to the driver that we could move on. Apparently the driver misunderstood and, to our surprise, drove the land rover into the middle of the herd. Buffalo scattered everywhere, kicking up a cloud of dust in their haste to escape. We followed them until they settled, but this time the entire herd was wary of our presence. Almost every buffalo turned toward us, obviously not comfortable with this experience.

The memories of our days spent in one of the most pristine nature areas in Africa will remain with us for years. Even though the heat was stifling at times, and even though we worked harder for animal sightings, these minor inconveniences were greatly outweighed by our overall experiences. Walking in the African bush and riding in a small boat on a river amidst the hippos and crocodiles are unlike anything we have done anywhere else. And how do you describe sitting in the middle of 15 wild dogs who were gracious enough to allow us to share a part of their day? These are all part of what an African safari to the Selous brings.

Footnotes
(1) Which was done by a splattering of feces on a shrub.