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