Description
Serengeti Under Canvas is a raw African experience with all the luxuries you would expect from the safari experts. The semi-permanent camps move between various locations, staying off the beaten track and following the herds of buffalo and wildebeest that migrate across the Serengeti.
Each camping site is pre-booked exclusively, allowing for great flexibility in following the sometimes unpredictable movements of the migration. It is ultra comfortable with stylish safari tents, large beds, and en-suite bathrooms with flush loos and bucket showers. The expert team will look after your every need and make sure you have an adventure to remember. Gathering around the campfire each evening is a safari tradition but, when you feel like some quiet time or a romantic evening alone, you can have dinner served in your private dining tent, right next to your room.
The Serengeti is home to literally millions of large herbivores, with more than 35 species of plains-dwelling mammals, as well as the accompanying carnivores and prolific birdlife. The mobile nature of the Serengeti Under Canvas camps means that they are uniquely suited to give guests a close glimpse of the Great Migration, as well as the Serengeti’s numerous other wildlife riches. Each year, almost two million wildebeest, zebra, eland and Thomson’s gazelle follow the annual rains through the Serengeti and the adjacent Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya in search of prime grazing.
As the dense herds of herbivores move across the plains they are shadowed by predators and scavengers. Lion, and hyena, as well as the more elusive cheetah and leopard, mingle with the migrating masses, while vulture and jackal await the scraps of the more powerful predators. The Serengeti is famous for its large lion population and a number of lion prides are present in each of the areas utilised by our camps. The far lighter and faster cheetah are also present. During the migration, the spotted hyena may be spotted wandering among the herds in the plain light of day.
Accommodation
Each of the two semi-permanent wilderness camps have eight Meru style tents complete with en-suite facilities, separate toilets and outdoor bucket showers. The spacious tent interiors boast elegant finishes of Persian rugs and chandeliers and very comfortable beds.
Childcare
Due to the design of the camp and the nature of walking safaris only children over 12 years of age are accepted to stay here. There are no special facilities for children but the guides are very good at adapting the drive or walk to keep their interest flowing.
Facilities
Due to it's 'nomadic' nature, the camp is very simple but there is a dedicated sitting and dining tent with deep sofas and custom made Indian rugs creating an elegant yet very comfortable place to relax. Share stories around the roaring campfire and listen to the African night come alive.
Activities
From Serengeti Under Canvas there is a choice of early morning and afternoon safaris or all-day safaris with picnic lunch. 4 to 6-seater semi-open safari vehicles with generous seating space and legroom. Ballooning safaris (subject to camp being within reach of launch site - at an additional cost).
When to travel
Tanzania is a large country, with a varied climate. Generally, the long rains run from March to May - the temperature is warm and the humidity is high. June to October is the long dry season, and the short rains are in November and December, much lighter than the long rains. January and February are again dry (the short dry season) so this is another good time to visit.
December to March, is the Wildebeest calving season. In April and May, the rut begins and the plains dry out so the herd begin the journey north. June and July, the migration gathers momentum and the herds enter the Serengeti Western Corridor. It's here that the wildebeest and their newborn calves meet their first serious barrier in the form of the Grumeti River and its vast crocodiles. Between August and November, the migration reaches its northern range: the grasslands on either bank of the crocodile-infested Mara River which the herds must cross not once, but twice, as they complete their migration.
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Location and directions
Serengeti National Park, northern Tanzania
Serengeti Under Canvas moves throughout the Serengeti National Park, changing location to follow the movements of the Wildebeest migration (it will not move during your stay). Camp movements are pre-planned in an effort to be within reach of the herds, but this cannot always be guaranteed given the unpredictability of nature and weather conditions.
How to get there
Fly-in to the Serengeti airstrip nearest to the camp (Seronera, Ndutu, Grumeti, Kogatende). Guests will be collected and transferred to the camp.
