The Camp
Selous Impala Camp is well positioned overlooking the impressive Rufiji River. This grand East African river flows from south-west Tanzania through two national parks and spills into the Indian Ocean. The camp has wide access to the landscape in Nyerere National Park where you will discover nature, at its finest. Our camp is simple in its aesthetic, yet stylishly and thoughtfully designed to bring you closer to nature.
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Sit back, relax, and enjoy the serenity of our breezy lounge and dining areas. The elevated wooden decking offers spectacular views across the river. Elephants, buffalo, antelope, and birds are regularly seen on the water’s edge.
Admire the touches of African art on display, spend some time relaxing in our hand-crafted seating, be inspired from within the pages of photographic journals and coffee table books, or simply enjoy the calm and quiet of our view.
Around the corner, a wooden walkway takes one to the riverside bar and swimming pool. This relaxing area is perfect for enjoying an evening drink alongside an old Ngalawa (a dug-out canoe), in our comfy sofas or around a crackling campfire. Interesting small nocturnal mammals like bushbabies and genets can also be seen around the camp at night.
Just a short walk through the acacia woodland will bring you to your private home away from home. Raised on decking, each of the six Meru-style tents has a veranda with two chairs and a table from where you can enjoy the sanctuary of the Rufiji River and all the land that extends beyond. For those traveling with family, we have two family units, consisting of two en-suite tents sharing a single platform.
The magic that goes on behind the scenes, is something that we are very proud of and would be delighted to take you on a 30-minute tour of our back-of-house facilities. With a dedicated water treatment system and solar panel power set up, we ensure that we live off the grid, off the land, and with Mother Nature in mind. We are also consciously and proudly 100% plastic-free.
The Team
We pride ourselves in having a diverse Tanzanian team. Some hail from the nearby local villages and southern towns, others from the coast at Dar es Salaam and some from further afield in northern Tanzania. Many have been the backbone of Selous Impala Camp since its inception. Having our team live on site in the park means they are more in tune with the environment we aim to share with you.
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The owners are Marie and Michael Valstorp, Deograsias Shirima and Bianca Thielke. Each has a passion for Africa and Tanzania in particular. These shareholders come from very different backgrounds, yet each possesses a love of nature, and a desire to develop and sustain local communities with a dedicated slant towards eco-tourism. A sound relationship with Tanapa enables them to showcase the unique diversity of Nyererer National Park.
Michael Valstorp is the CEO of Piffany Copenhagen, a Danish company manufacturing bespoke interior furniture. Marie Valstorp has a background in psychology coupled with a deep interest in biodiversity, animal conservation, and community support through various NGOs in South Africa. Marie first visited Tanzania at 10 years old, she fell in love with the scenic beauty, the abundance of wild animals, and sleeping in small tents!
Shareholder Bianca Thielke was born in India and raised in different countries, finally settling in Germany for her school years. With her husband, Thilo Thielke, an African correspondent, they spent many years in Africa and South East Asia. In 2012 Thilo decided to say goodbye to decades of working for Der Spiegel and bought a lodge
on Mount Kilimanjaro, Kaliwa Lodge.
Deograsias Erastus Shirima aka Deo is the majority shareholder of Selous Impala Lodge and is the first Tanzanian to own a camp in the Nyereye National Park. Deo began his career as a driver guide in Africa visiting Ethiopia Uganda, Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. He is the owner of Furahia Tanzania, a tour operating company that passionately pursues the best guest experience.
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