| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 89 | 73 | 0.93 |
| Feb | 90 | 74 | 0.97 |
| Mar | 90 | 75 | 1.28 |
| Apr | 88 | 75 | 4.08 |
| May | 85 | 73 | 6.80 |
| Jun | 83 | 70 | 2.73 |
| Jul | 82 | 68 | 1.95 |
| Aug | 82 | 68 | 1.76 |
| Sep | 83 | 69 | 1.35 |
| Oct | 85 | 71 | 3.37 |
| Nov | 87 | 73 | 2.92 |
| Dec | 89 | 74 | 2.30 |
I saw the streak of gold bolt through the grass. The lion leaped into the air, paws high, and took down the impala. It was over in minutes, but the thrill lasted for days.
Following a well-worn game trail in a mahogany forest, our guide in the lead, we stop short at the sound of tremendous crashing in the undergrowth. Two enormous bull elephants charge from around a massive tree, facing off with the guide at 20 yards. They have scented us in a thicket and are not happy about being startled from their grazing. We watch from a safe distance.
Shaking his arms and making a racket, the guide confidently booms, "Toka! Toka!" which means "push off" in Kiswahili. The front bull, now just 20 feet away, stops short and is almost knocked off his feet as the larger bull runs up on him from behind. Then they both turn and take off, disappearing as quickly as they had arrived.
Our guide, like his assistants, is armed, yet he never unslings his rifle, relying instead on courage and years of experience. He motions for us to continue down the trail, a grin unmistakable beneath the shade of his hat.
Philip Ashby left England for Tanzania in 1991 and has lived there ever since. Qualified to lead both walking and hunting safaris, Ashby is known for his knowledge of the Tanzanian bush and its inhabitants - especially game species. He continuously explores Tanzania's 50,000-square-km Selous Game Reserve, both as a professional guide leading adventurers and on his personal solo walks through the remote interior. An independent safari leader, Ashby also manages a seasonal camp in southern Loliondo in the Arusha Region of Northern Tanzania. Formerly, he served as a special projects manager for Tanzania Big Game Safaris and as field manager for the Friedkin Conservation Fund, setting up anti-poaching and game-population monitoring projects and educating local people in the benefits of sustainable resource utilization.
Arrive in Dar es Salaam, where you meet your guide for an expedition briefing. In the morning, fly to Selous Game Reserve, Africa's largest protected wilderness and a UNESCO World Heritage Site; your safari begins with an afternoon game run. Overnight in a thatched-roof dwelling on the Rufiji River.
Remote and rarely explored, the Selous' huge northern expanse of African wilderness includes the Rufiji River, dense riverine forests, thickets, grasslands, lakes and swamplands interlaced with water channels. The river changes course constantly, creating amazing oxbow lakes fringed with palm trees. Robust populations of elephant, lion, cheetah, leopard, hippo, Cape buffalo, eland and other species inhabit this area, as do the elusive wild dog and some of the region's last black rhino. Crocodiles bask on the riverbank, where you fish for tiger fish, powerful relatives of the piranha. Fish eagle, puff back, bee-eater and about 350 other bird species live here.
Discover this region of the Selous on foot. Led by your guide and accompanied by an armed escort, walk throughout the day and set up camp in the bush at night; meals are prepared by your safari cook over an open fire. The length and pace of your treks vary according to the weather and game movement, but destinations may include Lake Tagallala, Steigler's Gorge and the hot springs.
Return to the Sand Rivers Selous for a final day of game viewing. The next day, return to Dar es Salaam for flights home.
