BEHO BEHO – SELOUS GAME RESERVE

Beho Beho is a luxury camp in a remote part of the Selous Game Reserve with just 7 Bandas and was the first camp to be sited in The Selous Game Reserve – not on the banks or the flood plains of the Rufiji River – but in the cooler highlands so as to enjoy the ‘cooling breezes’ from which its name derives.

The camp enjoys uninterrupted panoramic views over the Rufiji river flood plain and is unique in that it sits in the centre of five different eco-systems – riverine; mountainous; water systems; open and lightly wooded savannah; and mixed to miombo woodland. Located 145 miles south west of Dar es Salaam, the camp is 3 miles from the grave of Frederick Courteney Selous after whom the reserve is named

Beho Beho also offers a private house – Baileys banda – and the chance to sleep in a unique Tree House!

LOCATION

Beho Beho is located in the Selous Game Reserve in southern Tanzania.

CAMP

Beho Beho is not really a camp in the true sense of the word, as it has individual bandas or stone built, palm-leaf thatched cottages.  The  7 bandas are spacious and airy and have been designed to capture even the slightest breeze – at seven degrees south of the equator this is an important consideration – and are furnished with king-sized beds, Zanzibari day beds, writing desks and comfortable ‘suite’ furniture. The front of the banda is totally open and extends on to a spacious veranda – the banda can be secured for the night with ‘tented curtains’ or left open. Bandas can be either double or twin and some can also accommodate additional beds. Each banda has a separate dressing room leading into an en suite bathroom with twin basins, high flush WC and an ‘open air’ shower. All bandas are supplied with Charlotte Rhys toiletries and hair driers. In 2019 individual plunge pools were added to each banda.

The main area is furnished in the style of a spacious private house, with comfortable seating, bar and dining areas and even a billiards room with a full-sized billiards table. The most noticeable thing is that there are few walls ensuring fantastic views over the reserve.

The swimming pool is small but has magnificent views along the Kipalala Valley and is a pleasant place to cool off, but now that all bandas have their own plunge pools is not as central as it once was. There is a pool house with comfortable furniture, and a number of sunbathing/ shade options for relaxing.

The Treehouse is a wonderful experience that will certainly enhance your safari and give you an even greater fund of stories to take home.  Just for two people, The Treehouse is an optional extra available to all guests who stay for a minimum of four nights at Beho Beho.  The Treehouse experience starts in mid-afternoon when you will leave the camp on foot accompanied by an armed guide to walk for approximately two hours through the splendid isolation of the Selous wilderness until they arrive at your home for the night – The Treehouse.

The Treehouse is within a giant ancient leadwood tree overlooking a dry riverbed and comes with a proper ‘four poster’ double bed swathed in mosquito netting and an ensuite bathroom complete with hot and cold water and a flush toilet. The whole platform is shaded and protected from the elements by a canvas pavilion – the bed has fine bed linen and a comfortable duvet – in fact everything you could wish for when sleeping up a tree in the middle of the African wilderness.

ACTIVITIES

There are three main components of a Beho Beho safari each guided by highly trained and experienced wildlife guides:

Game Drives – these are taken in the specially adapted 4WD open sided vehicles which offer shaded raised seating for better game viewing. Game drives are taken early in the morning or late afternoon and are conducted by our driver/guides.

Game Walks – only permitted accompanied by an armed guide, the walks start directly from the camp and can last between two and five hours depending on the time of day and weather conditions. Sensible shoes (walking boots not required) and a sun hat are required. White is not a suitable colour to wear on walks.

Lake Tagalala  – all guests will do this activity during their stay. Lake Tagalala is about 45 minutes’ drive (longer whilst game viewing) across the reserve, the shaded boat trip on the lake  takes approximately one and a half hours. Very good, close up sightings of hippos, crocodiles and water birds. Breakfast is taken on the lake shore.

BEHO BEHO IS CLOSED FROM 21^ST MARCH – 12^TH JUNE EVERY YEAR

BEHO BEHO WELCOMES FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AGED 12 YEARS – PARENTS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THIS IS A VERY ‘ADULT CAMP’ ESPECIALLY AT MEAL TIMES