Sand Rivers by Gemma Pitcher

Sand Rivers, a tiny luxury lodge built of stone and ebony on a cliff high above the enormous Heart of Darkness style expanse of the Rufiji river, the main artery of the Selous. The Selous Game Reserve is one of the earth’s last great wild places: 55,000 square kilometres of uninhabited bush, untouched forests, crocodile-filled lakes and emerald green floodplains. That’s slightly larger than Switzerland, four times as big as the Serengeti, and the second biggest protected natural area in the world.

The eight cottages at Sand Rivers are thatched, with the front wall removed to allow you to wake up, push back the mosquito net, and gaze from your bed at a yellow, green and blue expanse of river, bush and sky. The mess area is stunning, with a sunny terrace overlooking the river and a small lagoon swimming pool.

During your stay at the lodge you’ll explore the vast wilderness around you by vehicle, as well as taking a boat ride down the river with a picnic on the banks, accompanied by the grunting of hippo from the water. Walking safaris are at the heart of a stay at Sand Rivers - and for Boys Own fun, no Land Rover can compete. Evening fly camps are another speciality - the orange flare of hurricane lamps and a burgeoning fire in the descending blue twilight, and a neat row of mosquito net squares set against the rolling hills and pink, lowering clouds.