| Lodge Safaris in Tanzania - I will try to | | | | throughout the Serengeti. Your choice of |
| avoid the travel clichés of - 'unique' - | | | | camp will depend on what time of year you |
| 'off the beaten track' and 'renown for...' | | | | visit Tanzania. A good camp is Kusini Camp |
| these tired and overused terms are used over | | | | in the Southern Serengeti, small luxurious, |
| and over again for almost every destination | | | | and in an ideal spot from the end of December |
| in Africa! The lodge safari in Tanzania is | | | | until March, as the great migration is in |
| the best way to see this lovely country. | | | | this area at this time. However, the rest of |
| Tanzania has so much to offer, so many parks | | | | the year this camp is a bit isolated and |
| that have few visitors and high | | | | animals may be harder to spot. |
| concentrations of game animals. Some | | | | |
| National Parks boast just one lodge in a | | | | A problem with planning a safari round the |
| million hectares. Your Lodge safari in | | | | migration is that the migration follows the |
| Tanzania can truly offer a taste of what the | | | | rains and the rains are notoriously |
| early explorers experienced. | | | | unpredictable. Your camp may end up being in |
| | | | the wrong area of the Serengeti. This year |
| When choosing your lodge safari, choose a | | | | the migration was in the Northern Serengeti |
| lodge with care. Many visitors want to see | | | | at a time of year when normally the animals |
| the great migration and the Serengeti. Some | | | | have crossed into Kenya. Many safari |
| lodges are in fact hotels and although very | | | | expeditions finding themselves in the wrong |
| nice; they do not contribute to that 'out of | | | | country! |
| Africa' experience. What is called for is a | | | | |
| camp experience; these private camps are | | | | This is a head ache for safari operators as a |
| ideal for the intimate African experience. | | | | disappointed client is not good for business. |
| So when you look to plan your trip do not go | | | | This can be solved with a 'mobile camp' this |
| for the 'lodge safari' but the private camp | | | | is by far the best option but also by far the |
| safari. Your choice of lodge or camp is an | | | | most expensive option. |
| important part of the whole safari | | | | |
| experience. | | | | There are a new breed of camps emerging, the |
| | | | semi-permanent camp. This is a tented camp |
| These camps are usually made up of a small | | | | that moves maybe three or four times per |
| number of tents; not your two man tent with | | | | year. It will follow the migration ensuring |
| no standing room, sleeping on the hard and | | | | that whilst the migration is in the Serengeti |
| sometimes damp ground. Not the cooking over | | | | the camp will also be in the mist of the |
| a stove and eating grass and sand with your | | | | animals. One such camp I have heard good |
| tinned food. No, these private camps have | | | | reports about is EMC [Exclusive Mobile Camp - |
| tents that have large comfortable beds, | | | | Serengeti]. They are friendly, knowledgeable, |
| bathroom en suite and butler service. The | | | | embrace fair trade tourism and best of all |
| food is of the highest quality and you dine | | | | the camp is very good value for money. They |
| from bone china and drink champagne [or beer] | | | | have a web site and have an office in Arusha |
| from crystal glasses. | | | | and will give out details of the migration |
| | | | and the position of their camp. This is |
| If you want to listen at night to the song of | | | | great for tour operators and also for people |
| the African bush with the occasional distant | | | | wanting to plan a safari. |
| [or sometimes close] roar of a lion; if you | | | | |
| want to open your tent in a morning to be | | | | This is where the internet can help in a |
| greeted by Impala and Zebra grazing so close | | | | positive way; to help you plan a safari that |
| to your tent you could touch them; then | | | | will truly be a holiday of a life time. |
| choose one of these camps. If you want to be | | | | There is no need to hope your travel agent |
| in a remote part of the park but close to the | | | | will do a good job in planning your vacation. |
| animals; if you want to stand in to open | | | | Take some of the responsibility your self |
| plains of the Serengeti and not be joined by | | | | and plan your safari; check out your |
| a caravan of twenty other safari vehicles | | | | destination and accommodation. If you travel |
| then the private camp is the option above the | | | | agent or tour operator is not cooperative or |
| mere mass tourist lodge. | | | | flexible change them to someone who is |
| | | | willing to earn their commission. |
| There are several such camps scattered | | | | |