It’s Peak Safari Season - what are we doing here?
No kidding! The safari season has hit it’s full stride, the Great Migration is in full swing as the herds cross from Serengeti to the Mara, in Botswana the flood waters of the Okavango are filling the dry channels, and the weather is just glorious just about everywhere (even here at time of writing), I know where I’d rather be 😉
It’s not too late though, I have some great late availability - read on!
I’ve only been back from Tanzania a few weeks and I’m already craving big blue skies and wide open spaces and thinking about my next trip. I came back to reality with a bang as the biggest trade event for the African Travel Trade - Experience Africa - took place last week in London where i met up with lots of old friends and made some really interesting new contacts as well. More on that later.
In this blog I’m writing a bit more about where I stayed during June’s Tanzania trip, and what I thought made them special. I’m also reviewing where’s good for the rest of the year, including October half term, bring you some new special offers and late availability, and take a look at what you should, and shouldn’t take on safari!
It’s good to have you here, and thank you for reading - please let me know what you think!!
📸 As usual all photos - good, bad and fuzzy - are my own.
Tanzania Recap Part II - The Lodges
Virtually all Northern Tanzania safaris start in Arusha and necessitate an overnight stay. On arrival I stayed at Katambuga House, which has comfortable accommodation in a quiet location with a nice pool for families. On departure from Arusha we stayed at Rivertrees Country Inn, closer to Arusha but still in a leafy suburb, busy and buzzy with arriving safari travellers, it had a nice atmosphere and a good restaurant.
On the way to the crater we stayed at Gibbs Farm which was an absolute highlight of the trip and has joined my short list of ‘keepers’. I loved everything about Gibbs Farm, its an old coffee farm which still has 30 acres of organic garden producing 80% of the lodges food. It’s a poster child for sustainability and environmental respect. The accommodation is in bijoux cottages dotted throughout the lushest of lush gardens which are filled with beautiful flowers. The views are epic. There is a huge range of activities almost all of which are included, you can tour the farm, feed the pigs, collect the eggs, hike the mountain to Elephant Caves (exhausting but highly recommended). The hospitality is peerless, food is delectable, i could go on. You could very easily stay here for a few days and use it as a base from which to explore the Ngorongoro Crater.
At the crater itself I stayed for two nights at Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp. I wanted to stay here as it’s close to one of only 2 descent roads, so easy to get into the crater early and avoid the crowds. It was a great camp, with simple en-suite tents set under trees with views over the surrounding forest. The food was great and the hospitality team were great fun and took good care of us. It has 10 tents available as double or twins, and no family tent so it’s not suitable for families with younger children. For families with younger children I’d recommend Nomad’s Entamanu Camp because I’m now a big fan of Nomad, more on that below.
Onto the Serengeti - 5 Camps in 7 nights!! First stop was Asilia’s Dunia Camp. It’s located in the Central Seronera area but just far enough off the beaten track to avoid the crowds. I had long wanted to stay here as it’s entirely run and staffed by women and is a flagship for Asilia’s policy of female empowerment, and although we were only here for a night it didn’t disappoint. We were welcomed with exuberant song and dance and walking into the mail area found it surrounded by elephants. The 8 rooms (7 Double or Twin, 1 family tent) are comfortable and stylish with outside decks overlooking the plains, and the food and drink were very good indeed. I wish we could have stayed longer, the staff were lovely, confident and ambitious, and I think we would have had a lot of fun.
Cherero Camp set in a secluded area to the West of the Central Serengeti area boasted some of the swankiest tents I’ve ever stayed in, boasting a massive bed and gorgeous en suite shower rooms. The food at Cherero was delicious and exceptionally well presented and it’s priced very competitively so definitely worth considering including in a Serengeti itinerary.
Nomad’s Serengeti Safari Camp was a firm favourite and another highlight. It’s a ‘Mobile Expedition Camp’, so it moves location to follow the migration. Tents are really comfortable with en suite bathrooms with (great) bucket showers. Meals and drinks are served in the mess tent which has comfortable seating areas to relax between game drives and views are out over the plains. The best thing about this camp was the team, from our exceptional guide, Edward, to Kanaeli, the Camp Manager and our hilarious waiter Joseph. Of all the camps I stayed at this felt like the most well-oiled machine, and I guess that’s because they have to up sticks and move the whole thing together at least twice a year.
Next we hit the heights at Asilia’s Namiri Plains Camp. This is located in a remote area which had been closed off to visitors for 20 years for cheetah conservation before being handed into Asilia’s care. The camp has 11 ‘tents’ which are huge suites, with indoor/outdoor shower, a bathtub on the deck for the truly decadent and a gigantic bed from which to admire the view. One of the things I love about Asilia is the confidence and warmth of it’s staff and Namiri Plains was no exception. We had a brilliant and very funny guide, Innocent, and a spirited and feisty ‘Butler’ Zawadi, who had her eyes set on a role in camp management and I’ll bet you anything that she achieves that in short order.
Finally our last stop in the Serengeti was Wilderness’ Usawa Camp. This is another mobile migration camp, but in a very modern style which I really liked. The tents were quite funky with nice design details whilst keeping a very lightweight footprint with mobile camp features like bucket showers. The food and drink offering was very well done with attention paid to quality wines which went down very well with me!
Where’s good for October Half Term?
October is a brilliant time to travel! East Africa - Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique all enjoy great weather at this time of year. If you love the heat then Zambia and Malawi are also good destinations at this time and have better availability being slightly more off the beaten track. South Africa is a great October half term destination too - it’s coming into Spring and new life is everywhere as impalas give birth to leggy fawns.
October is considered shoulder season in many destinations making it better value than peak summer months, although it still sells out quickly so get in touch if you’d like an Autumn break.
Your Safari Questions answered!
What to pack and what to leave behind??
One of the most frequent questions I get asked is what to pack. Because a safari is unlike most other holidays it does require a bit of extra planning, especially if you’re travelling by light aircraft and have a weight limit of 15Kg.
It’s not that tricky though, so let’s look at what’s essential and what’s not! Pith helmet definitely optional
Clothing:
Don’t worry about head to foot khaki! Unless you’re on a walking safari you can pretty much wear what you like. Animals see in grayscale so won’t know or care if you’re in pale pink or beige. There are a couple of rules though - always avoid wearing blue or black if you’re travelling to an area with Tsetse flies as they’re attracted to it, and believe me, you do not want to attract the attention of tsetse flies. Avoid wearing white if you’re planning to take a bush walk; white is an alarm signal in nature so game will see it as an alert and you’re unlikely to get close encounters. If you have beige, green or natural coloured clothes go ahead and take those - they won’t show up the dust as much! I’ve seen Camo patterned fabric worn on safari but it is illegal in many countries so I’d suggest you avoid it.
Comfort is key, you’ll be bouncing around in an open vehicle for long periods, Girlfriends, you’ll be grateful for your sports bras! Climbing in and out of your game viewing vehicle requires a bit of clambering, and is hard to do elegantly so stretchy clothing is helpful. It can be really cold in the early mornings, think warm hat, gloves, down jackets and fleeces. You’ll peel them all off as soon as the sun comes up and you’ll need a wide brimmed hat and a long sleeved shirt. Layering is the way to go!
Take Trainers or walking boots for game drives or walks, and thick soled sandals for down time in camp - that will cover all your footwear requirements. Most camps offer a laundry service so you’ll only need a couple of changes of clothing, and there is no need at all to dress for dinner!!
Kit:
A set of Binoculars will really help you appreciate the experience, as often the guides will spot animals in the distance and our untrained eyes need all the help they can get. Do take a camera, it doesn’t have to have a gigantic telephoto lens, a lot of the time the wildlife is closer than you might expect! If you’d like to upgrade and try your hand as a wildlife photographer you can rent cameras and lenses, but do bear in mind your luggage allowance. Take a power bank for on the go charging and spare camera batteries.
The rest:
My clients get a very handy mobile travel app with relevant travel documentation, but it’s a good idea to take paper copies of your passports and travel insurance documents. Take all your usual personal stuff (contact lens paraphernalia for me) and medication, and be sure to pack essentials in your hand luggage. A few games and books for your afternoon or beach downtime. If you are going onto the beach and are worried about your luggage allowance it’s almost always possible to leave luggage in a secure facility for the next part of your holiday so most importantly don’t get stressed about it!
July’s Safari Specials, just for you
Botswana - Kwando 5 Rivers - just $650 per night Dec - April. That’s over half price!
Kenya - Saruni Basecamp - Stay 4 pay 3 at Saruni Mara, Wild and Eagle View Jan - June 2025.
Zambia - Remote Africa Safaris, take a walk on the wild side. Good availability for August and 20% off!!
Mozambique - beachside heaven at Santorini - stay 4 pay 3, stay 8 pay 6!
Cape Town - 12 Apostles - Stay 3 pay 2 on Luxury Rooms & above through till end Sept.
Ts&Cs apply to all offers - contact me for full details
All previous offers - Namibia flying, Southern Tanzania Honeymoon, and East Africa Flying are still active, see previous blog posts for details or get in touch.
Last minute availability
There are still windows of availability if you would like to upgrade your summer, but you’ll need to be quick.
Elewana Collection - last minute stay 4 pay 4 with availability at Serengeti Migration Camp in late August
South Africa - Morukuru Family last minute availability in 2 bedroom exclusive house in Malaria Free Madikwe in late August!
In an exclusive Conservancy adjacent to the Mara - Wild Villas have August Availability .
Botswana - August availability on group camping safaris.
🎺A little toot on my own trumpet! 🎺
These lovely words from a client just back from a Botswana and Vic Falls trip:
“Lucie created a fantastic trip for us with great lodges, each unique in its own way, with very lovely, friendly staff and excellent food throughout. Highly skilled trackers and guides ensured we saw a lot of wildlife and learned a lot about the bush. We were treated like royalty at every lodge and all our connections were made very smoothly - we didn’t have to worry about a thing.
It really was a dream holiday, a trip of a lifetime. I've always wanted to go to on safari in Africa and Lucie made the dream come true. It was a great experience and I have some marvellous memories and photos. I can’t recommend Lucie highly enough. Thank you Lucie for a superb trip!”
Share the love!
I’m really proud that my business continues to grow thanks to your recommendations and referrals, it means the world to me, so please share this with friends or family who need a safari or an East Africa beach holiday, and don’t forget that if you refer anyone to me and they book I’ll send you a lovely hamper as a thank you.
For regular(ish) doses of inspiration please follow me on Instagram @safari_lucie, or like my facebook page Lucie Thaxter Safaris.
What’s coming up in August’s blog?
Final (phew!)Tanzania recap feat. Manyara and Tarangire and what to do on Zanzibar apart from laze.
Fresh special offers - more what’s hot for the rest of the year and beyond - Safari Q&A
Please don’t forget that I write this for you, so if there is anything you’d like to see more or less of please let me know!!