| Lodge Safaris in Tanzania - I will try to avoid the | | | | Southern Serengeti. It is small, luxurious, and in the |
| travel clichés of 'unique', 'off the beaten track' | | | | ideal spot from the end of December until March, as |
| and 'renowned for...' These tired expressions are used | | | | the great migration is in this area at this time. |
| over and over again for almost every destination in | | | | However, the rest of the year this camp is a little |
| Africa! The lodge safari in Tanzania is by far the best | | | | isolated and animals may be harder to see. A problem |
| way to see this lovely country. Tanzania has so much | | | | with planning a safari round the migration is that the |
| to offer, including many parks that have few visitors | | | | migration follows the rains and the rains are |
| and high concentrations of game animals. Some | | | | notoriously unpredictable. Your camp may end up |
| National Parks boast just one lodge in a million | | | | being in the wrong area of the Serengeti. At times of |
| hectares. Your Lodge safari in Tanzania can truly | | | | little rain the migration can remain in the Northern |
| offer a taste of what the early explorers | | | | Serengeti at a time of year when normally the |
| experienced. When choosing your lodge safari, do so | | | | animals have crossed into Kenya. Many safari |
| with care. Many visitors want to see the great | | | | expeditions in a season of little rain may find |
| migration and the Serengeti. Some lodges are in fact | | | | themselves in the wrong country! This is a headache |
| hotels and although very nice; they do not contribute | | | | for safari operators, as a disappointed client is not |
| to that 'out of Africa' experience. What is called for is | | | | good for business. However, this can be solved with |
| a camp experience and the private camp is ideal for | | | | a 'mobile camp' and this is not only the best option |
| a special experience. When you look to plan your trip | | | | but also by far, the most expensive option. To get |
| try not to go for the 'lodge safari' but the private | | | | around the high costs of the mobile camp there is a |
| camp safari. Your choice of lodge or camp is a very | | | | new breed of camp emerging, a semi-permanent |
| important part of the whole safari picture. These | | | | camp. This is a tented camp that moves perhaps |
| camps are usually made up of a small number of | | | | three or four times per year. It will follow the |
| tents. Not the two man tent with no standing room | | | | migration, ensuring that whilst the migration is in the |
| and sleeping on the hard and sometimes damp | | | | Serengeti, the camp will also be in the mist of the |
| ground, nor is there the cooking over a stove and | | | | animals. One such camp I have heard good reports |
| eating grass and sand with your tinned food. No, | | | | about is EMC [Exclusive Mobile Camp - Serengeti]. It is |
| these private camps have tents that have large | | | | friendly, knowledgeable, embraces fair trade tourism |
| comfortable beds, a bathroom en suite and some | | | | and best of all, the camp is very good value for |
| even boast a butler service. The cuisine is of the | | | | money. They have a web site and an office in |
| highest quality and you dine from bone china and | | | | Arusha which will give out details of the migration and |
| drink champagne [or beer] from crystal glasses. If | | | | the position of their camp. This is great, both for tour |
| you want to listen at night to the song of the | | | | operators and for people wanting to plan a safari. |
| African bush with the occasional distant [or | | | | This is where the internet can help in a positive way, |
| sometimes close] roar of a lion; if you want to open | | | | to help you plan a safari that will truly be a holiday of |
| your tent in a morning to be greeted by Impala and | | | | a life time. There is no need to hope your travel |
| Zebra grazing so close to your tent that you could | | | | agent will do a good job in planning your vacation. |
| almost touch them, then choose one of the tented | | | | Take some of the responsibility your self and plan |
| camps. If you want to be in a remote part of the | | | | your safari; check out your destination and |
| park but close to the animals; if you want to stand in | | | | accommodation. If your travel agent or tour operator |
| the open plains of the Serengeti and not be joined | | | | is not cooperative or flexible, ask around and go to |
| by a caravan of twenty other safari vehicles, then | | | | someone who is willing to earn their commission. |
| the private camp is your option above the mere | | | | Bethel Adventure cares about responsible tourism; |
| mass-market tourist lodge. There are several such | | | | we use tourism to improve lives. - We believe |
| camps scattered throughout the Serengeti. Your | | | | responsible tourism should give back to the |
| choice of camp will depend on what time of year | | | | communities that tourism relies upon. |
| you visit Tanzania. A good camp is Kusini Camp in the | | | | |