Safari in Style > Permanent camps
Permanent camps
Permanent tented camps vary widely in size, standard and the experience they offer, and often are located inside national parks and in more remote areas than lodges. They can be similar to lodges, but permanent camps nearly always have some tentage used in the structure, and often imbibe a more "outdoor" feel, with a campfire near the lounge, and subdued lighting.
Most permanent camps that we recommend are luxurious. They rarely have more than 15 tents (usually no more than 8), and even when that large, will normally have more than one dining room, providing a more intimate atmosphere within your group. All have modern plumbing, shower and toilet facilities with running water, some have a swimming pool, and occasionally (not always) a communication center and perhaps a small gym.
Most permanent tented camps are not exclusive, and so you are likely to meet other groups while staying there. This provides variety to safaris utilising exclusive luxury mobile tented camps or lightweight "fly" camps, and the opportunity to meet other guests and swap stories. While most guests in these places share vehicles with other visitors, we usually book a private vehicle and your Wilderness Africa guide will lead you on drives, walks or other activities while staying here, to ensure activities are varied and interesting.
We stay in permanent tented camps mostly when we want facilities on a par with a modern hotel, but also wish to appreciate the sounds, smells and vastness of Africa. There are increasingly more permanent tented camps available in the main safari countries namely: Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
Below are some descriptions of some permanent tented camps we frequent, although there are many more that we often frequent!
Sayari Camp – Tanzania
Sayari Camp is situated on the south bank of the famous Mara River in the northern Serengeti. This is a remote area which until recently has been little visited by tourists, due to its distance from the central Serengeti and main centres of communication. In the 1990s its isolation led to the land being subject to poaching. However, an anti-poaching campaign has since ensured the land belongs to nature and its wildlife. Sayari Camp plays an important role in the long-term conservation of the area: people from villages bordering the Serengeti are employed in the camp, and income from the camp goes towards educating and providing jobs for the villagers, thereby providing an alternative livelihood to poaching.
Sayari has fifteen spacious guest tents set in two camps – the main camp with nine tents and the smaller camp with six tents. They blend perfectly into the majestic landscape. Each tent is beautifully designed with original and traditional cloth and furniture and has a king-size bed, en-suite bathroom, and a private veranda with a comfortable couch. The dining area, lounge area, and the swimming pool blend beautifully with the surroundings.
Sayari Camp's talented chefs offer guests a fusion of European cuisine with authentic African elements. Sipping sundowners by the campfire, with the vast landscapes of the Serengeti Africa as the backdrop is a phenomenal way to end a days game viewing!
Mombo and Little Mombo Camps– Botswana
Mombo and Little Mombo Camps are situated on Mombo Island in the Okavango Delta. The camps are built in and around the shade of some large mangosteen, ebony and fig trees and overlook a wonderful floodplain that teems with wildlife. Mombo camp has nine, and Little Mombo three comfortably furnished, luxurious tents, raised off the ground. Bathrooms are en-suite, with indoor and outdoor showers. The main living and dining area is under thatch, there is a boma for delicious dinners under the stars and a plunge pool to relax in on a hot day.
The area is renowned for having the best big game viewing in Botswana. The sheer numbers and variety of large mammals in this area, all year round, defy description. As the wildlife is so astounding, activities here are focused on morning and afternoon game drives in open 4x4 Land Rovers in the hope of sighting anything from elephant and buffalo to tiny steenbok, large numbers of herbivores including even both black and white rhino! These are followed by their predators in equal measure: lion, leopard, cheetah and the most sought after predator - wild dog!
Zarafa Camp – Botswana
Zarafa Camp is set on wooden decks overlooking the wide savannas and floodplains of the Zibadianja lagoon, just to the north of the Okavango Delta.
Zarafa camp is named after a young giraffe who appeared at the port of Marseilles in 1826 as a gift from the Viceroy of Egypt to King Charles X of France, a fitting name for such a luxurious and unique place.
The luxurious lounge and dining facilities may be enjoyed under canvas or in the shade of cool Jackalberry trees. There are only four spacious, luxuriously appointed double or twin 'marquis style' tents. Each tent and veranda is positioned under cool and shady trees and comprises a spacious bedroom, en-suite bathroom, a copper bath and shower as well as an outdoor shower.
Wildlife includes herds of elephants, all the major predators: cheetah, wild dog, lion, hyena and leopard and most of the herbivores seen in northern Botswana, including lechwe, kudu, buffalo, zebra and of course, giraffe.
Activities at Zarafa are flexible to suit guests' particular interests and include morning, afternoon and night game drives in custom-built 4x4 Toyota Land Cruisers. It is possible to go for short guided nature walks from camp, providing an opportunity to focus on some of Africa's less prominent wildlife. Siesta time can also be spent in the sunken hide at the waterhole's edge.
