Overall Impression The name Tanzania derives from two states, Tanganyika and Zanzibar that united in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which later that year was renamed the United Republic of Tanzania. The largest country in East Africa, it is just over twice the size of California, with a population of 42 million people, 99 percent of them Africans, with the remaining one percent Asians, Europeans and Arabs. Tanzania is one of the world’s poorest economies in term of per capita income (2010 estimates are around at $1,500 per year), with agriculture as its main source of employment and revenue, followed by tourism and gold mining. Unemployment and poverty are commonplace; crime and petty theft said to be rampant, especially in urban areas.

With the exceptions of two overnight transits in cities, my four-week visit around Tanzania was spent solely in game parks and game reserves, where I had only positive experiences. All the locals I had a chance to speak with, Tanzanians and foreign worker residents (mainly from charitable non-governmental organizations), were warm and welcoming. I recall only two mildly disconcerting incidents, both involving low-level officials. At the entrance to one of the southern parks the ranger in charge of admitting tourists had a diffident attitude bordering on hostility. After a 15 minute exchange with my guide (in Swahili) during which she periodically cast suspicious looks in my direction, papers were vigorously stamped and we were allowed to proceed. I never found out the cause of the hold up, although my guide repeatedly assured me this was nothing unusual and that I should not concern myself about it. The second episode was a more direct although ultimately benign confrontation with a uniformed policeman. My guide, ranger and I were returning to the Serengeti National Park Western Corridor gate after an excursion that had taken us outside the park to visit a local community school and from there to the nearby shore of Lake Victoria (Africa’s largest lake). As we were slowly driving in our open game-viewing vehicle through a village with a busy market in full swing on both sides of the road, we were stopped by a uniformed policeman. My camera, which I had not used in the past few minutes, was hanging around my neck. The policeman addressed himself directly to me in fluent English and proceeded to sternly lecture me about taking his picture and that of the people in the market (I hadn’t), and that I had “no right and could get arrested for this.” Not wanting to make an issue of this and concerned about my companions who were visibly startled by this outburst, I merely listened to his tirade, after which he motioned us on. This incident was a reminder to me that there were in fact two Tanzanias, the tourist-oriented wilderness that cover over 25 percent of the country, and the far less idyllic remaining 75 percent.

All the parks and game reserves I visited were superb, each in its own way, and the abundance of game exceptional. However, while enjoying a day on the Rujifi River in Selous, Southern Tanzania, one of the largest faunal reserves in the world, which covers over 5 percent of the country, I was reminded of the constant and growing danger to the wilderness throughout the country. I was watching elephants drinking in the river when my guide remarked that while we were within the northeastern corner of the reserve dedicated to photographic safaris, the remainder of Selous is a hunting reserve. Tanzania has long been considered the ultimate hunting destination in Africa, and is to this day a big draw for safari hunters. Small wonder, considering that more than sixty species can legally be hunted here, including four of the famous Big Five: elephant, lion, buffalo and leopard. Now severely endanger, the rhino escapes the list, but not the poachers. Poaching incidents are frequently reported in the international press for illegal elephant ivory, rhino horn and bush meat traffic. Then there is the threat of the planned Serengeti Highway. In spite of growing international pressure on the Tanzanian government, construction is still scheduled at the time of this writing to start in early 2012. If the project continues as planned, a two-lane highway will slice directly through the annual migration route of over one and a half million wildebeests and zebras, effectively destroying the life cycle of these species.

In spite of the conservation and social issues in the country, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to its premier wilderness areas. An additional pleasure were the internal flights that afforded me a great opportunity to view the country from above. While on approach to Arusha, I even had an eye-level glance at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro with a narrow cap of snow.

Cost Of Visiting On the high side, mostly due to the cost of the bush flights necessary to get around the country, and park fees which were some of the highest I have come across in Africa.

Currency The national currency was the Tanzanian shilling (TZS) with an exchange rate of TSZ 1,425 per U.S. dollar at the time of my visit. The properties and other businesses catering to tourists I visited accepted U.S. dollars. Even the entrance visa (obtained on arrival at the airport) and park fees were assessed and paid in dollars.

Electrical Current Tanzania ran on 220 volts. A NW-135C adapter was necessary when using electrical outlets (the kind used in the U.K.).

Health And Vaccinations Since all of the places I visited (other than the Ngorongoro Crater) were malaria zones, I took the usual daily malaria medication. Precautionary vaccinations recommended by my local travel medicine clinic were hepatitis A and B, tetanus, typhoid and yellow fever. Interestingly, although only recommended by the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.), yellow fever vaccination was required for entry in Tanzania. I was asked at the visa desk whether I had yellow fever immunization. I answered in the affirmative but was not required to show my international vaccination records.

Tap water was said to be unreliable throughout Tanzania. Since all properties I visited, in urban centers as well as the bush, provided bottled water for drinking and oral hygiene, I took my cue from them and used solely bottled water for these purposes during the entire trip.

How To Get There There were no direct flights from the United States to Tanzania when I visited. I flew via Europe where there were non-stop flights from several cities including London, Amsterdam and Frankfurt. I took a flight from Amsterdam, which arrived late in the evening and required an overnight stay in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s business capital, before making my connection to Mikumi the following morning. For travelers to Northern Tanzania, Kilimanjaro International Airport, located 45 kilometers (28 miles) by well-maintained paved road from Arusha, the gateway city to the northern safari areas, was a more practical option.

Location In Eastern Africa. Tanzania borders the Indian Ocean to the east, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, and Kenya to the north.

Measures Metric system

Money Issues An entrance visa had to be paid in cash. Starting March 1, 2011, a program was being rolled out by the National Park Department to accept only Visa and Mastercard payments for park fees. At the time of this writing, this was in effect only in Mikumi, Ruaha and Udzungwa National Parks, with more to come at an undisclosed latter date. In these parks, cash payments are no longer accepted. Visitors who do not use credit cards were able to purchase special smart cards in urban areas from designated branches of CRDB Bank of Tanzania.

Most sources I consulted advised against carrying much cash because of the incidence of crime and petty theft, especially in urban areas. However, ATMs were rare to inexistent outside of metropolitan areas. Since I was planning to visit safari destinations almost exclusively, I carried credit cards (which I knew would be accepted at all the properties I visited) and small denominations of hard currencies, which were readily accepted for small purchases anywhere I went. All the properties I visited had large state-of-the-art electronic safes in the guest rooms. I made sure I used mine and didn’t encounter any problems.

Technology In Dar es Salaam and Arusha I found electricity, running water, television, Internet, and cell phone access. In both cities, my hotel offered modern conveniences customary in luxury properties worldwide, including WiFi access from my room, although speed was moderate to slow and complimentary only in Dar es Salam. The Arusha property charged a steep hourly access fee. On the return flight, I had a layover of several hours at Dar es Salaam International Airport. There was a cramped Internet café there with a reliable and moderately priced WiFi connection. In the safari camps of the Southern Circuit, Internet access was limited, mostly due to the fact that electricity, and therefore router operation, was available only in the late afternoon and evening. Service was slow and occasionally erratic. Once in the Northern circuit, the properties I visited had electricity and WiFi access throughout the day and evening. The connection was reliable with moderate speed. Outside urban areas cell phone service was available but unpredictable.

Time GMT/UTC plus 3 hours

Transportation Due to my late evening arrival in Dar es Salaam and my relatively early departure in the morning, I pre-arranged airport transfers through my hotel and was glad for it, as the midnight journey from the international airport through the poorly lit city, although fast and uneventful, was a rather gloomy ride. On the other hand, the mid-morning drive back to the domestic airport was slow and chaotic.

With less than 5,000 kilometers (3,000 miles) of paved roads in the country, the best travel option between parks was flying. Flights could be arranged directly by the properties with several bush airlines serving the various safari areas. All those I experienced ran 13-seater, or occasionally smaller, planes that were clean, in good repair and ran on a reliable schedule. The ground and flight staff were pleasant and efficient. Most flights made stops to pick up or drop off passengers in various parks along the way.

The distance from the airstrip varied from camp to camp, from 15 minutes to over one hour. However, transfers usually took longer as they were a great opportunity for a first and often most rewarding game drive. One drawback was that these various local airlines each served a specific area of the country and did not have synchronized schedules. When I left the Southern Circuit, my flight from Selous to Arusha arrived mid-morning, too late to catch the 90-minute flight to the northern part of the Serengeti. I had to overnight in Arusha before entering the Northern Circuit.

Facilities There were markets and supermarkets, pharmacies, Internet cafés and curio shops. Health care facilities and hospitals were very limited, even in urban areas. Some safari properties required guests to have mandatory emergency evacuation insurance.

Shopping And Souvenirs Shopping was unremarkable and limited to the souvenir options available at the airport, hotels and camps. There was nothing of note in the southern camps. The choice was much better in the Northern Circuit were all the properties carried at least a small inventory of quality property branded safari wear, local crafts and trinkets. Additionally, a couple of the lodges had attractive gift boutiques that also offered a good choice of quality local woodcarvings, textiles and jewelry.

Tourism Highlights I made overnight stops in Dar es Salaam and Arusha and the little I saw of both cities did not make me wish for longer stays. While I didn’t visit Zanzibar, I flew through it twice during transfers around the country. The sight of the small island within the shimmering turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, its white sand beaches outlined by swaying palms, made me vow to return. For this trip however, my focus was on the little visited Southern Circuit, and the famous destinations of Northern Tanzania. In the Southern Circuit, in addition to Selous, I visited Mikumi, a lovely park only half a day’s drive west of Dar es Salaam via paved road and yet unaccountably little visited; then Ruaha with its rolling hills covered with groves of millennia-old baobabs. I then went on to Katavi, the third largest park national in the country and a quasi-deserted Eden in the far reaches of Western Tanzania, just east of Lake Tanganyika.

I then moved on to the Northern Circuit starting in the northern most part of the Serengeti Plain, along the Grumeti River, also known as the Western Corridor. From there I went on to one of the most celebrated safari environments in East Africa, the three million year old Ngorongoro Crater. I completed my visit with the intimate Lake Manyara National Park, a narrow strip of land between the Rift Valley escarpment and the large soda lake filled with flamingoes.

Date Of Visit 2007 2011

Reviewers Article and photos by Josette King

Would You Visit Again? Yes

Overall Impression Located in the far northern reaches of the Serengeti National Park, Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp delivered everything I had imagined a safari in this legendary park to be, and more. Foremost of course was the open grassy plain known to the Masai as Siringitu (“the place where the land goes on forever”) with its omnipresent herds of zebras and white-bearded wildebeests; and lions nonchalantly awaiting dinnertime under the meager shade of an occasional thorn acacia. But a few minutes’ drive from the edge of the endless plain, this intimate luxury camp revealed a more verdant face of the Serengeti. It was nestled into a strip of lush riverine forest on the bank of a permanent oxbow pan of the Grumeti River. Here the rare pied colobus monkeys darted through the treetops, and large pods of hippos noisily claimed the river under the malevolent glare of huge crocodiles.

The camp was designed to make the most of the active wildlife of the river. The makuti (palm frond) covered lounge and dining areas morphed into sprawling decks that reached out to the water. An oversize circular plunge pool overlooked the hippos’ favorite bathing spot. Bright deck furniture complemented the cheerful interior décor for an inviting indoor-outdoor living experience. Barring one evening when a sudden dinnertime thunderstorm dictated otherwise, I enjoyed taking my meals on the deck. My own accommodations, a luxurious tent on a concrete slab under a high makuti canopy, had a comfortably furnished veranda facing the river. I loved to settle there with my early morning cup of tea and observe the rich birdlife around me, and the frequent territorial arguments of the hippos.

But when I think of Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp, beyond the great game viewing experience and the superb accommodations that are de rigueur for a luxury safari property in this renowned corner of Tanzania, I remember most the whimsical atmosphere of the camp and the enthusiasm of its staff. This rare combination made it very special indeed: a fun place to be. There were bursts of vibrant colors and quirky decorating elements throughout the camp, such as a collection polychrome woodcarvings of bygone bush explorers from pocket size to life-size, gathered in a corner of the lounge and paired with a display of jewel-like Kenyan hand-blown glass pieces. Nods to local artistry popped up in unexpected places. Bright, finely beaded light fixtures recalled the work of Masai women, as did the primary colors and naïve design of wall hangings in the lounge and suite. There was local metalwork everywhere, from the large mirror frame in my bathroom to the intricately cutout tin backdrop of the bar in the center of the common areas. There were so many tongue-in-cheek details scattered about that they invited a treasure hunt. I kept noticing new surprises until the moment of my departure.

As for the staff, they were a well-trained, attentive team, obviously proud of their camp and eager to ensure that I would enjoy every instant of my stay with them. I did. The welcome dance from the assembled staff that greeted me on arrival set the tone. As soon as May Kobero, the camp manager, ensured I was satisfactorily settled in, my personal butler, Stanley, took over. He had a table ready for me under a market umbrella on the deck, and within minutes he appeared from the kitchen bearing a tray laden with a scrumptious three-course lunch of cucumber soup, fresh pasta, warm rosemary bread and a green salad, to be followed by fresh mango sorbet. Later that evening, after a breathtaking sunset drive, my guide, Killian, delivered me to an open area near camp, marked by a circle of glowing oil lamps and a roaring campfire. After a lavish barbecue dinner, the entire team broke into a chorus of traditional African chants. Soon the singing evolved into a dance and an invitation to join in for a celebration of the starlit Serengeti night.

With its cheerful staff, playful atmosphere and intimate luxury setting in a rare riverside location, Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp was the place for an unforgettable first encounter with this leading safari destination. I will consider it a mandatory stop on any future East African safari.

Camp Manager May Kobero

Children Children over the age of seven could be accommodated by prior arrangement

Class Of Accommodation Luxury safari camp

Communications My GSM 900/1800 compatible international cellular phone service was fully operational at the lodge and intermittently throughout the park.

Connectivity There was WiFi service in the lounge and dining room throughout the day and evening. The connection was reliable, with moderate speed.

Handicapped Access No

Length Of Stay Three nights

Location In the western corridor of the Serengeti National Park in northern Tanzania

Owned-Managed &Beyond Africa, previously known as Conservation Corporation Africa (CC Africa), with headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa, owned and managed the property. At the time of this writing &Beyond itself is owned by two major shareholders, Capricorn (the Enthoven family, originally from South Africa) and the Getty Family Trust.

Power The camp was powered by diesel generators. Electricity was available from 6 a.m. to midnight. There was a convenient outlet in my room that could be used to charge my camera, phone and computer batteries.

Other Although the camp did not have a dedicated spa facility, there was a licensed masseuse on staff who offered a range of massage options in the guest tents. The camp closes for yearly maintenance from the end of March to the second week in May. &Beyond was voted Africa’s Leading Responsible Tourism Company at the 2010 World Travel Awards, and was honored with the prestigious Africa’s Leading Responsible Tourism Award.

Size The property consisted of 10 guest tents. It could accommodate a maximum of 23 guests and employed a staff of 40, including five guides and rangers. There were four game viewing vehicles.

Year Open-Renovated Originally opened in 1994, the camp was fully renovated in 2007. It receives thorough yearly maintenance and refurbishing.

Lobby And Common Areas Rough pillars of local stone marked the entrance to a partial enclosure that separated the common areas from the bush while keeping them open to the river. To the right of the entrance, the lounge was a makuti-roofed space with its rear and far walls made of copper-color adobe, while the front and near sides were open onto a large deck. The burnished concrete floor was covered with large tribal throw rugs in shades of beige and brown. Contemporary sofas, matching armchairs and hassocks upholstered in lime green canvas with vivid blue and orange toss pillows were grouped around dark carved coffee and end tables. At the far end of the rear wall, a tall chest of drawers held several hurricane glass candleholders and a collection of brightly painted woodcarvings of men dressed in costumes of the colonial era, with larger sculptures standing in the corner. Between the entrance and the chest of drawers, a series of long beaded wall hangings in primary colors was lined against the back wall. Centered on the far sidewall, a rustic shelf held an assortment of mouth-blown glass pieces. On the low adobe ledge separating the lounge from the deck, bright red cushions provided additional seating. Pairs of wooden armchairs were lined around the exterior deck facing the river.

To the left of the main entrance, a second makuti-covered space with a rear wall of rough stones and burnished concrete housed the dining area. A long serving buffet with a mirror chard mosaic front and a metal top occupied the rear wall. Dining tables were square distressed wood tops on roughly welded metal tubing bases. Coordinated metal chairs had high backs with tin inserts and thick seat cushions. On the deck, large market umbrellas shaded square wooden dining tables surrounded by director chairs. Throughout the dining space and lounging decks, seat cushions, director chairs inserts and umbrellas were covered in bright purple canvas. In the center of the common areas, the stand-alone bar stood under an adobe dome held by four rough stone pillars and topped by whimsical metal sculptures. The bar counter, shelves and backdrop were made of sheet metal with cutouts of ethnic shapes.

Bathroom There was a set of storage shelves and clothes hanging rods behind the headboard partition. Along the side wall, a long wood and rope bench served as a luggage rack. On the opposite side of the tent, a freestanding shelf held bright metal boxes made of bottle tops holding insect repellent spray bottles, stationary and other tent necessities. The sink occupied the rear center of the tent. It was a white porcelain basin set into a sheet metal inverted cone bolted to the floor. Next to it, arched tubing supported a large metal tray with bathroom supplies. A rectangular framed within a scalloped metal frame hung above this unconventional vanity. There were sconces with beaded shades on both sides of the mirror. Two doors flanked the vanity. One led to an adobe-walled water closet with flush toilet under a thatched roof, the other opened onto a covered walkway to a walled-in, open-sky shower for al fresco ablutions. In the walkway, built-in shelves held a generous stack of fuchsia bath and hand towels.

Tent My 430 square foot (40 square meter) tent, Number Nine, had a large front veranda overlooking the river. It stood on a burnished concrete base under a peaked makuti roof. The veranda had two lounge chairs with bright purple cushions and two matching director chairs at a round metal dining table. The tent had the usual zippered front entrance and sidewalls with three sets of net-covered windows. In front of the entrance, two contemporary violet canvas slipper chairs with bright red pillows faced each other across a round carved occasional table on a red tribal rug. A king size bed of pale Tanzanian cypress stood in the center of the room under a ceiling fan. The extra tall headboard divided the sleeping area from the bathroom at the rear of the tent. Reading lights with metal curlicue bases and beaded lampshades were attached to the headboard. Bedside tables were tooled metal cubes with glass tops.

Food The cuisine was pan-African with continental touches, every dish delicious and well presented. Breakfast began with a table-side buffet on a tray holding personal size decanters of milk and freshly squeezed orange juice, granola, yoghurt, fresh cut fruit, sliced salami and cheese, and a small loaf of freshly baked bread, followed by a full English breakfast menu cooked to order. Lunch was served at individual tables, each set with assorted meat dishes and salads and freshly baked bread, followed by home-made sorbets or other tempting light desserts. The three-course plated dinner usually started with a scrumptious soup (my favorite was chilled mango soup). It featured two main course choices, followed by a positively sinful dessert. Special dietary requirements could be accommodated by prior arrangement. Vegetables and fruits were purchased from selected local growers who followed chemical-free farming practices.

Amenities Room amenities included carafes of water for drinking and oral hygiene, votive candles, a large electronic safe, golf umbrellas, rubber boots, walking sticks, emergency horn, high-density flashlight, room and body insect repellent spray, assorted stationary, a Serengeti Primer booklet and a “gym in a box” with a yoga mat, jump rope, Pilates elastic rope, and sets of one and two pound free weights. Bathroom amenities included cotton bathrobes, slippers, hair dryer, shower cap, glycerin facial soap, laundry soap, pump bottles of high quality shower gel, shampoo, hair conditioner, body scrub, moisturizer and citronella lotion.

Meals, bottled water, soft drinks and house alcoholic beverages were included, as were daily game viewing activities and daily laundry service. Top brand alcoholic beverages such as vintage wines, French champagnes and luxury whiskies were available for an additional charge.

Facilities There was a dining room, lounge, bar, swimming pool and gift shop.

Gift Shop A small cottage located a few steps from the main public areas carried a limited assortment of chic camp-branded safari wear, as well a few local craft items, mainly wood-carvings, antique trinkets and jewelry.

Pool At the far end of the lounge, a 13 foot (four meter) in diameter plunge pool was set in a deck overlooking the river. It was surrounded by seven lounge chairs with the trademark purple cushions and umbrellas. Peach pool towels were folded at the foot of each chair.

Game Viewing Game drives took place in one of the camp’s custom-designed, canvas-topped, open-sided vehicles. Although there were three tiered rows of seats that could have comfortably accommodated up to six guests, I was fortunate that I never had to share a vehicle during my stay. My guide Killian and ranger Anton were knowledgeable and focused on ensuring that I experienced all that the western corridor of the Serengeti and the Grumeti River had to offer.

Game I sighted included olive baboon, buffalo, bushbuck, Nile crocodile, Kirk’s dik-dik, eland, elephant, Grant’s gazelle, Thomson’s gazelle, giraffe, hippo, spotted hyena, impala, black-backed jackal, lion, colobus monkey, banded mongoose, dwarf mongoose, ostrich, reedbuck, topi, vervet monkey, leopard turtle, warthog, white-bearded wildebeest and zebra. Birds included kori bustard, white-bellied bustard, fan-tailed cisticola, Klaas’s cuckoo, white browed coucal, fork tailed drongo, battelier eagle, tawny eagle, grey-backed fiscal, dark chanting goshawk, hammerkop, gray heron, African crested hoopoe, grey hornbill, common kestrel, grey lourie, marsh harrier, African Scops owl, lilac-breasted roller, secretary bird, superb starling, Ruppell’s long tailed starling, Abdim’s stork, lappet-faced vulture, white-headed buffalo weaver and golden weaver.

Activities In addition to twice-daily game drives and game viewing on the river from the common area decks or my private veranda, a whole day excursion could be arranged within the park, or outside to Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake, located 31 miles (50 kilometers) west of the camp.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Visit February 2011

Reviewers Article and photos by Josette King

Service My tent was serviced twice daily. My personal butler was pleasant, prompt and thoughtful. Every member of the staff was friendly and efficient. My guide was knowledgeable and attentive.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes

Overall Impression Lake Manyara Tree Lodge was the ideal finale to a lengthy safari trip that had taken me to the farthest reaches of Tanzania. By now, I felt travel-weary and a bit jaded. After all, other than the welcome opportunity to relax in the secluded luxury of the Tree Lodge, what could this tiny park offer that I hadn’t already enjoyed several times over in some of the most famous safari destinations in the country? I couldn’t have been more mistaken. The lodge, the only one within the boundaries of the park, was a gem.

A small, intimate luxury property of understated contemporary design, it integrated so seamlessly within its exuberant forest surroundings that it did feel like tree-house living, albeit with an infinity edge pool shimmering in a clearing a few steps away. The main lodge was completely open onto a circular boma (fenced enclosure) with a central fireplace. During the day, the occasional elephant came to peer over the rough wooden fence, without missing a chomp at the foliage beyond. At night, the enclosure was dotted with a dozen oil lanterns. Tables were formally clad in white linen and set for romantic fireside dinners under the stars. From the shaded path, guest accommodations were unassuming shingled retreats under thatch perched on high wooden platforms within the boughs of giant mahoganies. Once inside however, my spacious room revealed itself a stylish minimalist haven of modern conveniences, fully opened to a sprawling deck for optimum indoor-outdoor living.

The park delighted me for its striking scenery and the abundance of its varied wildlife. Lake Manyara is unique in that although its size can fluctuate somewhat with the seasons, approximately two-thirds of this 330 square kilometer (127 square mile) national park is covered by a shallow soda lake. Within the narrow strip of land between the Rift Valley escarpment and the water, the environment goes in the space of a few kilometers from marshes and open savannah grassland with rocky outcrops to acacia and mahogany woodlands; so that it supports an astonishing range of game and birdlife. Since the only entrance is at the north end of the park and the Tree Lodge is located in its southern reaches, I rarely saw other vehicles during my stay.

On the first day of my visit, I opted for an early morning start to catch the dawn over the lakeshore (a mere 10 minute drive from the lodge). I was treated to one of the most spectacular sunrises I have seen anywhere in Africa. I had then planned on a laid-back morning of birding at the edge of the lake, home to huge flocks of flamingoes and other waterfowl. But at Lake Manyara, it was impossible not to see game. Even as we stopped for a bush breakfast, hippos trotted out of the forest toward their favorite mud hole and large herds of buffalos and zebras paraded by our vehicle. And we spotted a leopard dozing high in a tree on our way back to the lodge.

Although the Tree Lodge was quite busy at the time of my visit, the staff was attentive and friendly. I enjoyed personalized service throughout my stay, especially from my butler and my guide. This thoughtful service coupled with intimate luxury accommodations and exceptionally easy access to game made the Tree Lodge a great place for one last glorious experience of Africa while relaxing before the long journey home.

Camp Manager Scott Tineji

Children Children over the age of seven could be accommodated by prior arrangement.

Class Of Accommodation Luxury safari camp

Communications My GSM 900/1800 compatible international cellular phone service was fully operational at the lodge and throughout the park.

Connectivity There was a reliable WiFi connection in the lounge and dining room throughout the day and evening. Speed was moderate.

Handicapped Access One tree house had an access ramp and was wheelchair friendly.

Length Of Stay Three nights

Location In Lake Manyara National Park in northern Tanzania. The entrance to the park is 127 kilometers (80 miles) west of Arusha.

Owned And Managed &Beyond Africa, previously known as Conservation Corporation Africa (CC Africa), with headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa, owned and managed the property. At the time of this writing, &Beyond itself is owned by two major shareholders, Capricorn (the Enthoven family, originally from South Africa) and the Getty Family Trust.

Size The property consisted of 10 tree houses scattered around a 3.25 hectare (eight acre) site. It could accommodate a maximum of 20 guests. It employed a staff of 45 including six guides. There were five game viewing vehicles.

Year Open-Renovated The property was built in 2002. It is extensively refurbished every April.

Lobby And Common Areas The main lodge was a split-level structure with hardwood floors under woven palm ceilings. The rear wall was wood-paneled, while the front of the structure was open to a large boma with a built-in brick oven and barbecue. A few steps up, a vast open kitchen and dining area occupied the right side of the lodge. Cooking ingredients, implements and small appliances were stored against the back wall. A long curved preparation counter with a built-in six-burner gas cook top faced the dining area where square bleached wood tables were surrounded with molded plywood and chrome chairs. To the left of the dining area, a short flight of stairs led up to the lounge, bar and open deck. Contemporary sofas upholstered in taupe cotton and wooden armchairs with matching seat cushions were arranged around coffee tables made of distressed African benches and stools. Bright green toss pillows added touches of color. Behind the sofas, credenzas made of thick polished wood planks over tree trunk bases held circular parchment table lights. The bar was built into a long nook in the rear of the room. Throughout the dining and lounge areas, the rear wall was lined with groupings of life-size ethnic carvings and tall, whitewashed wooden candlesticks with pillar candles. At the front of the lounge, on the deck overlooking the boma, two pairs of wooden armchairs with green canvas cushions faced each other across a large square coffee table. A small gift boutique was located at ground level beneath the lounge.

Bathroom The bathroom was a continuation of the room style with a deep freestanding bathtub set on wood blocks in front of screened panels opening to the veranda. A bamboo ladder holding bath towels leaned against the divider that separated the bedroom from the bath. On the rear wall, a long wooden countertop held two white porcelain washbowls, each with a narrow window behind it. A rectangular mirror hung between the two windows. Next to the vanity, a screened door led to an outdoor shower. There was a fully enclosed water closet with a flush toilet at the rear of the bathroom.

Room My 73 square meter (785 square foot) room, Number Five, was built on a large platform under thatch, raised high within the lush forest canopy. The side entrance and the full length of the room were outlined by a wide L-shaped veranda with natural branch railings that seemed to melt into the trees beyond. The walls separating the interior accommodations from the veranda were made of screened panels with rolled up natural canvas shades. Under the peaked, woven palm ceiling, the interior décor was a harmonious blend of rustic simplicity and contemporary elegance. The far side and rear walls of the room were covered with wood paneling and the floor was distressed hardwood polished to a soft gloss. At the entrance, a loveseat covered in taupe cotton and a rectangular bleached wood pedestal coffee table holding soapstone boxes sat on a natural woven straw area rug. In the corner, a large weathered clay urn with a circular glass top held basic bar tools. Next to the sofa, a series over oversized chains with straw-covered links formed a visual divider between the sitting and sleeping areas. A king size platform bed stood in the center of the room. Its wide, credenza-style headboard held two reading lights with tall pewter bases and natural linen lampshades. There was a ceiling fan above the bed and mosquito netting hanging from a wooden frame. In the far wall of the sleeping area, a built-in storage unit and a writing desk with a molded plywood and chrome chair were separated by a wide walkway leading to the bathroom. A framed mirror hung behind the desk; bright green silk toss pillows punctuated the sofa and bed.

Meals The food was delicious and well prepared, with a strong pan African influence. Breakfast choices included a generous buffet of fresh and dried fruits, yogurt, cereals and freshly baked breads, and a full English breakfast menu cooked to order. Lunch was served at individual tables, each set with assorted meat dishes and salads, followed by a light dessert. Dinner was served in the boma and made the most of the brick oven and barbecue with irresistible just-out-of-the-oven flat breads, and grilled meats and fresh vegetables. Special dietary requirements could be accommodated by previous arrangements. Vegetables and fruits were purchased from selected local growers who followed chemical-free farming practices.

Amenities Room amenities included bottled water for drinking and oral hygiene, a cooler stocked with an assortment of soft drinks and beer, an ice bucket filled with ice, stone boxes with nuts and dry fruits, assorted stationery, large electronic safe, flash light, votive candles, golf umbrellas, rubber boots, walking sticks, room and body insect repellent spray, a “gym in a basket” including yoga mat, jump rope, Pilates elastic rope and sets of one and two pound free weights. Bathroom amenities included terrycloth bathrobes, slippers, hair dryer, shower cap, loofah sponge, hand-milled facial soap, pump bottles of hair wash and conditioner, body wash, scrub and moisturizer.

Meals, soft drinks and house alcoholic beverages were included, as were daily laundry service and daytime game viewing activities. Optional nighttime game drives were available for an additional charge, as were top brand alcoholic beverages such as vintage wines, French champagnes and luxury whiskies.

Facilities There was a dining room, lounge, bar, gift boutique and swimming pool

Gift Shop A small gift boutique carried a limited assortment of chic camp-branded safari wear, as well a few local craft items, mainly wood-carvings, antique trinkets and jewelry.

Pool The free-form pool was long enough to comfortably swim laps. It was set in a deck surrounded by seven lounge chairs with taupe cushions, and shaded by matching market umbrellas. Beach towels were folded at the head of each chair.

Activities In addition to twice daily game drives, Lake Manyara Tree Lodge was one of the rare places in Tanzania where guests could enjoy night game drives.

Game viewing The park offered excellent viewing conditions both in the quantity and variety of birds and game along the lake and in the forest. I enjoyed several sightings of the rarely seen blue monkeys (my first ever).

Game I sighted included: olive baboon, buffalo, bushbuck, Kirk’s dik dik, elephant, giraffe, impala, spotted hyena, black-backed jackal, klipspringer, leopard, lion, banded mongoose, blue monkey, vervet monkey, warthog, waterbuck, wildebeest and zebra.

Birds included: cinnamon-chested bee eater, little bee eater, Augur buzzard, emerald-spotted wood dove, fork-tailed drongo, bare-faced go-away bird, long-tailed fiscal, greater and lesser flamingo, grey flycatcher, African hawk eagle, crowned hornbill, striped kingfisher, grey-headed kingfisher, Pangani longclaw, red-billed oxpecker, blacksmith plover, Isabelline shrike and saddle-billed stork.

Other The camp was powered by diesel generators. Electricity was available from 6 a.m. to midnight. There were convenient outlets in my room that could be used to charge my camera, phone and computer batteries. Although the camp did not have a dedicated spa facility, there was a licensed masseuse on staff who offered massages in the guest tents. &Beyond was voted Africa’s Leading Responsible Tourism Company at the 2010 World Travel Awards, and was honored with the prestigious Africa’s Leading Responsible Tourism Award. The camp closes for yearly maintenance from the end of March through April.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Visit February 2011

Reviewers Article and photos by Josette King

Service Every member of the management and staff I met was attentive, enthusiastic and eager to please. My personal butler was quick to remember my personal preferences and made sure they were indulged. My breakfast and luncheon table were always set in my favorite spot, and my sundowner drink materialized as soon as I settled on the deck before dinner. My guide, Malley, was knowledgeable and infinitely patient.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes

Overall Impression Well aware that in recent years, the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge figured on some of the most sought-after “best” magazine lists, I approached it with high expectations. But no anticipation could have measured up to the magnificent setting and no-indulgence-barred luxury of this unique property.

First there was the lodge itself, the work of Silvio Rech, an award-winning South African architect said to have been inspired by nearby Masai mud and brick mayattas (homesteads) when he created what is arguably one of the most spectacular safari lodges in Africa. Taking in the organic shapes of the suites, perched on stilts on the very edge of the rim to better peer down 600 meters (2000 feet) into the silvery mirror of Lake Magadi on the crater floor, I suspected he may have also reached farther afield, to the Dogon villages precariously clinging to the hills of Mali half a continent to the west. But any primitive references stopped at the door. Inside, under the asymmetric domed ceilings of woven banana leaves, noted designer Chris Browne had created a Victorian-inspired extravaganza of cascading crystal chandeliers reflected in antique mirrors, oriental carpets, cut velvet overstuffed sofas piled with jewel-toned pillows, and miles of raw-silk draperies; and armloads of freshly cut roses at every turn.

However, the true luxury of the Crater Lodge was in the service. The polished, pleasant and ever attentive staff, and the over-the-top details. Morning wake-up tea was delivered to my suite in a gleaming sliver tea set; with freshly baked cookies in a small cut glass cookie jar. Daily laundry was returned wrapped in a crimson satin bundle, a long-stem rose tied into its bow. Gourmet meals were served in the dining room with the flair of a multi-starred restaurant. And when I returned from dinner, a cheery fire had been lit in my suite; a crystal decanter of superb cherry was set on a silver tray, along with a carved box filled with homemade fudge, Turkish lokum and white chocolate almond bark. The list of lovely treats and thoughtful attentions was long.

The game drives were astounding. My guide, Edwin, produced a cheetah sprinting for the kill within a half-hour of our descent into the crater; and 28 lions in a single morning (half of the known resident population), with two pairs of black rhinos thrown in for good measure. The density of game was exceptional, but as could be expected, so was that of tourists. Yet, even in this much visited 260 square kilometer (100 square mile) environment, there were roads less traveled. Edwin knew them well, and he made sure that I was able to enjoy my time in the crater in relative solitude.

With its unique location at the edge of one of the premier safari destinations in Africa, its outstanding staff and fairytale luxury setting, the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge was my most glamorous safari experience ever. While I know I will enjoy the memory of it for years to come, I think I should plan a return visit, just to make sure I was not dreaming the first time around.

Camp Manager Danel Pruissen

Children Children over the age of six could be accommodated by prior arrangement.

Class Of Accommodation Luxury safari lodge

Communications My GSM 900/1800 compatible international cellular phone service was fully operational around the lodge.

Connectivity There was a reliable WiFi connection in the lounge throughout the day and evening. Speed was moderate. There was no Internet service in the guest suites. However due to the proximity of mine to the main lodge I enjoyed a connection from my room, albeit a bit weak and occasionally erratic.

Handicapped Access No

Length Of Stay Three nights

Location On the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, at the eastern edge of the Serengeti National Park in northern Tanzania.

Owned-Managed &Beyond Africa, previously known as Conservation Corporation Africa (CC Africa), with headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa, owned and managed the property. At the time of this writing, &Beyond itself is owned by two major shareholders, Capricorn (the Enthoven family, originally from South Africa) and the Getty Family Trust.

Size Located on a one square kilometer (250 acre) site, the lodge consisted of 30 suites distributed in three separate camps. The North and South Camps had 12 suites each, and the Tree Camp had six. Each camp had its own sitting and dining room, outdoor dining area and viewing deck. The property could accommodate a maximum of 60 guests. It employed a staff of 155 including 11 guides. It had 10 game viewing vehicles.

Year Open-Renovated The property was built in 1997. It is the object of rigorous on-going maintenance.

Lobby And Common Areas The common areas of the North Camp were located at the highest point of the property, affording guests there a panoramic view of the entire crater. A flight of wooden stairs led to the viewing deck and the main entrance foyer where a large 19th century mirror in its elaborately carved frame served as a backdrop for an antique pedestal side table holding bowls of fresh roses. An oriental rug in shades of black and gold covered a polished mahogany floor. A contemporary velvet side chair with a hot pink silk pillow was a witty counterpoint to the period mood. To the left of the foyer, the lounge was a large circular space under a soaring woven banana-leaf ceiling. An elaborate crystal chandelier hung from the center of it, reflected in a gilded mirror strategically angled above the fireplace. The walls were covered with geometric Zanzibar-style wood paneling enhanced by tall windows draped in amethyst silk. This created a sumptuous backdrop for the opulent Victorian furniture. Rolled arm sofas, bergères, slipper chairs and ottomans upholstered in rich velvets and silks were arranged around walnut coffee tables on a room-size Persian rug. Coffee tables held stacks of leather-bound reading material and crystal decanters of port and sherry. Guéridons bearing bronze statuettes were scattered around the room. At the far side a bar was built around a picture window, with mirror-backed shelves holding a generous assortment of whiskeys, brandies, cordials and the appropriate glasses. The wide window ledge acted as bar top to hold a silver ice bucket, shakers and other bar necessities.

To the right of the foyer, the dining room was a long, cheery space with whitewashed plaster walls. On the crater side, French doors draped in jade silk opened onto the viewing deck. The ceiling was cleverly designed to create a feeling of intimacy, with three domes of woven banana leaves, each holding a crystal chandelier, separated by white wooden arches with copper trim. The back wall of each domed area held an eye-level rustic plaster and brick fireplace that enhanced the cozy atmosphere of the room. The ceiling arches were held by rough-hewn tree trunks set in a whitewashed adobe ledge that also served as display base for a collection of contemporary African carved figurines scattered about the room. Square dining tables which could be grouped into banquet tables to accommodate parties of varied sizes, were draped in floor-length white linen and formally set with silver carvers, cutlery, napkin rings, and crystal stemware. The high back chairs were fully upholstered and skirted in cream damask with taupe medallions. In the evening, pillar candles lit on all the tables complemented the light of the chandeliers and the concealed indirect lighting to bathe the room in a romantic glow.

Bathroom The bathroom added yet another layer of luxury to the opulence of the suite. As I entered the room my eye was immediately drawn beyond the oriental area rug in the center of the space to the deep freestanding bathtub under its own crystal chandelier. Behind the tub, a clay urn overflowing with red roses was reflected in a period mirror in a heavily carved frame hanging from the far wall. But no less grand was a circular open shower with an overhead rain head and deep elaborate mosaic-tiled base that would have seemed at home in an antique Roman palace. On either side of the open shower area, two white porcelain pedestal sinks were topped with oval mirrors bracketed by pewter candlestick sconces with silk shades. Dual closets were concealed behind the carved doors separating the bathroom from the bedroom. A windowed alcove held a contemporary makeup table with a black velvet ottoman seat and a magnifying mirror. At the far end of the room a paneled door led to a water closet where a flush toilet boasted its own stunning view of the crater.

Suite My 600 square foot (54 square meter) suite, Number Five in the North Camp, was a lavish retreat where no detail had been overlooked to bring safari glamour to new heights. A crystal chandelier hung in the center of the domed woven banana leaves ceiling. The walls were a harmonious blend of cinnamon adobe and rich Zanzibar wood paneling that started with the double doors of the entrance and followed the front half of the room to include, on the opposite side, the matching doors leading to the bathroom. In the center of the rear wall, a king size bed had a ceiling-height backdrop of saffron silk brocade stretched in a carved frame. Bedside tables made of natural tree trunk cylinders held silver and crystal candlestick reading lights, their silk shades trimmed with a fringe of crystal beads. The bed faced a full height glass wall draped in heavy burgundy silk held back by gilded ropes and tassels, which opened onto a balcony with a spectacular view of the crater. Two leather armchairs with raspberry mohair throws faced an eye-level corner fireplace. Oriental area rugs enhanced the mahogany hardwood floor. In a corner of the room, a writing desk with a high-back chair held a box of stationery and a top-of-the-line docking station for personal MP3 players.

An especially thoughtful architectural detail was a small enclosed foyer that buffered the suite from the exterior entrance door. A counter-height semi-circular shelf was built into the paneling where my butler could deposit my morning tea, or collect used serving items while ensuring total privacy within the suite. It was also a good place to check before stepping out for the occasional elephant or buffalo that may have wandered onto the lawn.

Food The menu offered a sophisticated balance of continental and pan-African cuisines, with dishes beautifully prepared and presented. Breakfast choices included a generous buffet of fresh and dried fruits, yogurt, cereals, freshly baked breads and breakfast pastries, and a full English breakfast menu cooked to order. Lunch was served at individual tables, each set with assorted meat dishes and salads, followed by a light dessert. Dinner was an elegant three-course plated dinner that usually started with an imaginative soup or consommé, followed by a choice of two main courses and a deliciously decadent dessert. Special dietary requirements could be accommodated by prior arrangement. It was a measure of the skill and attention at play in the kitchen that I consistently enjoyed my morning egg poached to perfection, and that the magrets de canard of my dinner entrée arrived exactly à point as ordered.

Amenities In addition to fine sherry and luscious assortment of sweets, room amenities included dual control heated mattress pad for chilly nights, assorted stationery, large electronic safe, votive candles, golf umbrellas, rubber boots, walking sticks, room and body insect repellent spray, bottled water for drinking and oral hygiene, and a “gym in a box” including yoga mat, jump rope, Pilates elastic rope and sets of one and two pound free weights. Bathroom amenities included terrycloth bathrobes, slippers, hair dryer, shower cap, hand-milled facial soap, pump bottles of hair wash and conditioner, body wash, scrub and moisturizer.

All meals, soft drinks and house alcoholic beverages were included, as were game viewing activities and daily laundry service. Top brand alcoholic beverages such as vintage wines, French champagnes and luxury whiskeys were available for an additional charge.

Facilities There was a dining room, lounge, and viewing deck in each of the three camps, and a common gift boutique.

Gift Shop There was a large well-stocked gift shop located just inside the main entrance of the property. It carried a good selection of local sculptures and other ethnic arts, crafts and jewelry, as well as high-quality, lodge-branded safari wear. Basic toiletries and personal necessities were also available there, gift-wrapped and complimentary, as I discovered when I ran out of toothpaste during my stay.

Game Viewing Game drives through the varied environmental microcosm of the Ngorongoro Crater were a unique experience for the abundance of game as well as the splendor of the site. However, as the centerpiece of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is managed by its own supervisory body, which has established a protocol for visitors that varies somewhat from usual game drive practices elsewhere. Visitors may enter the crater only once a day, any time between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. although once inside, they are welcome to stay until the 6 p.m. closing time. Visitors must be in closed vehicles, although windows may be open. Pop-up roofs are allowed, but can be extended only once the vehicle has reached the bottom of the crater; and visitors may not leave their vehicles except in designated rest areas. With the crater an enormously popular destination for the game-watching public, I was all the more fortunate to have an exceptional guide, Edwin Osujacki. He was not only an expert in the fauna and flora of the area, but also a veteran of the crater, intimately familiar with the habits of the game, and that of the tourists. He was able to maximize our time in close proximity to the former while frequently avoiding the latter altogether. We spent an amazing half hour in the far reaches of the crater, the only witnesses to the moves of a pride of lions getting in position to hunt an approaching herd of wildebeests. The wildebeests got away in the end.

Game I sighted included: olive baboon, bushbuck, buffalo, eland, elephant, Grant’s gazelle, Thomson’s gazelle, Coke’s hartebeest, spotted hyena, black-backed jackal, golden jackal, lion, black rhino, vervet monkey, warthog, waterbuck, blue wildebeest and zebra.

Birds included: kori bustard, tawny eagle, grey-backed fiscal, lesser flamingo, African crested hoopoe, ostrich, pink-backed pelican, lilac breasted roller, superb starling, Ruppell’s long tailed starling, Abdim’s stork, white stork and lappet-faced vulture.

Activities In addition to daily game drives into the crater, guided nature walks around the lodge were available, as were day-long excursions to Olduvai Gorge two hours away. The Gorge is considered one of the most important prehistoric sites in the world (excavation work was pioneered there in the 1950s by noted archeologists Louis and Mary Leakey).

Other The camp was powered by diesel generators which provided electricity round the clock. There were convenient outlets in my suite that could be used to charge my camera, phone and computer batteries.

Although the camp did not have a dedicated spa facility, there was a licensed masseuse on staff who offered a range of massage and spa treatment options in guest suites. &Beyond was voted Africa’s Leading Responsible Tourism Company at the 2010 World Travel Awards, and was honored with the prestigious Africa’s Leading Responsible Tourism Award.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Visit February 2011

Reviewers Article and photos by Josette King

Service Every member of the staff I met was well trained and friendly, with any query or request promptly and cheerfully handled. My personal butler was attentive. I returned from game drives to find a bath freshly drawn, rose petals floating on the water. The room was serviced twice daily, with fresh cotton mats laid out by the bed during evening turndown, the electric blanket switched on and fresh bottled water set on the beside tables. Most staff members with whom I came in contact ranged from conversant to fluent in English. My guide was knowledgeable, pleasant, and proactive in finding out my special interests.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes

Overall Impression Serena Mountain Village was a welcoming haven of tranquil elegance on the outskirts of Arusha, the bustling gateway city to the famed safari destinations of northern Tanzania. Set on a slope overlooking the shore of Lake Duluti in the verdant foothills of Mount Meru, the Mountain Village was designed to recall its previous incarnation as a colonial era coffee plantation. At the highest point of the property, the lodge, a gracious country manor built of pale local stone, held all the public areas. In every room, French doors opened onto a covered terrace that ran the length of the façade and led to the tree-shaded lawn a few steps below. From the lodge, paved walkways ran through lush gardens down to clusters of stone and thatch roundavels in the style of African villages, which held the guest accommodations.

I arrived in Arusha after two weeks spent in the remote national parks of southern Tanzania. I was on my way to the northern parks and lack of coordination between the schedules of various small airlines that serve the two areas had necessitated an overnight stopover. Aware that such quick transitions from the bush to an urban setting can be jarring, I especially appreciated the serene environment of the Mountain Village. The interiors of the public areas had the quietly luxurious atmosphere of a private home, with lovely antique accents and large vases of fresh roses throughout. My own room was equally welcoming, with contemporary facilities that included a Wifi connection, a tiled bathroom with enough water pressure for a gratifying shower, and a view of the wooded lake shore.

The smiling, attentive staff treated me like a welcome friend whose comfort was foremost on their mind. I especially appreciated the inviting country setting, modern comforts and helpful staff of the Serena Mountain Village, all within an easy 20 minute drive of the Arusha airport. I plan to revisit it whenever an itinerary requires a transit through Arusha in the future.

Children The Mountain Village welcomed children of all ages.

Class Of Accommodation Luxury hotel

Communications My GSM 900/1800 compatible international cellular phone service was fully operational at the property.

Connectivity WiFi service was available in my room at an hourly rate of approximately $4.

General Manager Gerald Macharia

Handicapped Access Guest accommodations included one wheel-chair friendly room.

Length Of Stay One night

Location The property was 12 miles (20 kilometers) from Arusha and 37 miles (60 kilometers) from Kilimanjaro International Airport in northern Tanzania.

Owned And Managed Tourism Promotion Services Eastern Africa, Ltd (TPS). The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) was the majority shareholder.

Pets Allowed No

Size The 14 acre (6 hectare) property had 42 guest rooms that could accommodate up to 84 guests. It employed a staff of 105.

Year Opened-Renovated The Mountain Village opened in 1989. TPS Serena took over the management of the property in 2000 and engaged in an extensive renovation program. Reconstruction of the common areas was completed in 2003 and the renovation of guest accommodations in 2008. TPS Serena assumed ownership of the property in 2010.

Lobby And Common Areas A main building housed all the common areas, which included a reception foyer, lounge, bar and dining room. The décor showed a strong English Regency influence, starting on the terrace where a period pedestal table held a large blue and white porcelain vase filled with fresh roses. The foyer had white plaster walls that provided an effective contrast to the dark wood-paneled ceiling. The floor was covered with clay tiles buffed to a soft shine and accented with mellow oriental rugs. A tall mahogany-paneled reception desk faced the entrance. Behind the desk a matching armoire held an arrangement of peach roses. To the left of the reception area, a credenza holding a similar floral display separated two groupings of persimmon-color leather sofas and taupe damask Queen Anne armchairs. An antique grandfather clock stood in the back corner. To the right of the foyer, a few steps led up the lounge and bar.

The lounge was a vast space with a coffered ceiling held by white plaster pillars with mahogany wainscoting. The floor was covered with cinnabar wall-to-wall carpeting. Groupings of rolled arm sofas upholstered in faded cinnabar and taupe damask, with matching armchairs covered alternately in plain red or royal blue velvet were arranged around walnut coffee tables throughout the room. A long mahogany-paneled bar with a mirrored backdrop occupied the rear wall. Six high chairs with green and taupe velvet seats and backs were lined in front of the bar. In addition to brass chandeliers and sconces, table lamps with crystal and porcelain bases and silk shades gave the room a warm glow that enhanced its cozy atmosphere. A stone fireplace stood in the center of the left wall, topped by a walnut-framed mirror. To the left of the fireplace, a few steps led down to the dining room.

The dining room occupied the far corner of the building, where exterior walls were lined with oversized French doors draped in pink and green flowered chintz. The room had a dark hardwood floor and white plaster walls under a beamed ceiling. A large stone fireplace was centered on the right wall, with a portrait of an 18th century military officer hanging above it. An assortment of ladder and lyre-back chairs with seats covered in pink and green Bargello needlepoint surrounded a mix of round and square dining tables clad in taupe and white linen. Against the back wall, antique vaisselliers displayed a collection of white and blue china.

Bathroom The bathroom was entirely tiled in light taupe ceramic with cocoa brown trim. The brown ceramic vanity held a white porcelain set-in sink and two towel rods with bath and hand towels. A mirror in a wooden frame hung above the vanity, flanked by a pair of opaque glass sconces. Shelves with a mirrored back were recessed in an alcove above the commode. A glass-enclosed walk-in shower occupied the opposite wall.

Room My 162 square foot (15 square meter) room, Number Three, was an inviting circular space decorated in contemporary pan-African style. The floor was covered with cocoa brown ceramic with blue and taupe throw rugs. The walls were painted in pale taupe. The queen size bed had an ornately carved headboard with built-in bedside tables and a bright blue bedspread. Next to it there were wall-hung reading lamps. A dressing table and mirror were fitted in an alcove beside the bed, along with a wrought iron bench with a persimmon velvet cushion. This sleeping area, which also featured a ceiling fan, could be enclosed draw-drape style in mosquito netting. A curved built-in desk with a black wrought iron and persimmon leather chair sat under a leaded glass picture window that overlooked the gardens and the lake. The window was draped in taupe and gray ethnic print cotton. On the wall opposite the bed, an armoire held storage drawers and a television.

Food And Restaurants The restaurant featured a varied menu with European and Indian influences. Everything I sampled was fresh and well prepared. I especially enjoyed the assortments of grilled vegetables and fish. All fresh vegetables and fruits were sourced from local organic growers.

Amenities Room amenities included electric kettle with coffee and an assortment of teas, bottled water for drinking and oral hygiene, golf umbrella, electronic safe, hair dryer and insect repellent room spray. Bathroom amenities included shower cap, cotton balls and swabs, mosquito repellent towelettes, and personal size shower gel, shampoo, body lotion and facial soap by Taylor of London.

Business Center Basic business services (fax, copier, computer for web access) were available.

Facilities There was a lounge, bar, restaurant, business center and gift shop

Gift Shop The gift boutique featured an assortment quality local crafts, ethnic jewelry, books and t-shirts, as well as basic personal hygiene products.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Review February 2011

Reviewers Article and photos by Josette King

Service Every member of the staff and management team with whom I came in contact during my stay was consistently attentive, friendly and professional. My room was serviced twice daily. When my dawn departure time turned out to be earlier than the scheduled start of the morning dining room service, I was firmly assured that my suggested quick cup of tea and breakfast pastry in my room would not do. A cozy corner of the dining room was set for me, where a cheerful server was standing by with a selection of breakfast beverages at the ready. He promptly produced a full English breakfast menu and returned with my beautifully prepared order before I had finished my first cup of coffee. After this hearty start, I was efficiently handed over to an awaiting driver who took me back to Arusha airport for my flight to the Serengeti.

Would You Stray There Again? Yes

Overall Impression Katavi Wilderness Camp delivered the ultimate safari experience, a pristine African environment unchanged for millennia, teeming with game and mine alone. The camp was an intimate enclave of comfort and gracious hospitality deep within the Katavi National Park, in the far western reaches of Tanzania. It took determination to reach Katavi, its main link to the 21st century being a twice-weekly light airplane connection with the Ruaha National Park. Road travel, for the daring souls who might consider it, was assessed in days. Which explains why despite its reputation for pristine wilderness and exceptional game viewing the 1,7270 square mile (4,471 square kilometer) park, the third largest in the country, only receives a few hundred visitors per year. The privilege of being one of them was obvious to me by the time I reached the camp.

Nestled in a grove of venerable marula and tamarind trees right at the mouth of the Katuma River, Katavi Wilderness Camp was so seamlessly integrated as to all but disappear within its breathtaking surroundings. The spacious tents under thatch that stood on either side of the lodge, each shielded from its neighbors by lush underbrush, were raised on large wooden platforms to overlooked the endless expense of the Katisunga Plain and the outline of the Lyamba-lya-Mfipa escarpment in the distance. The lodge itself, a vast open space of understated rustic elegance under a high thatch roof, featured an upper level lounge for the ultimate viewing perspective. The camp was one of these rare properties where every detail has been thoughtfully considered to ensure my comfort and optimum enjoyment of this exceptional environment, yet nothing was superfluous, so as not to detract from it. But as always in even the best-planned properties, the tipping point is the staff, and at Katavi it clearly tipped to the side of perfection. From Dick Ashcroft, the efficient and attentive camp manager, to Young Henry, the eager to please young Masai dining-room server and bartender (not to be confused with Chef Henry who worked wonders in the kitchen), every member of the friendly staff was personally committed to making my stay with them an unforgettable experience.

I visited Katavi at the start of the green season, usually considered a most favorable time for bird watching, but when game viewing takes more effort than in the dryer months, because ready access to water keeps animals scattered throughout their habitat. My guide, Apollo, a knowledgeable veteran of the park, proved different. Although birding was indeed excellent, Apollo treated me to some of the most leisurely, closest-range game viewing I have ever encountered. He made his way through the lush vegetation encroaching upon the already narrow trails to spots where the animals, unconcerned by a rare human presence, went about their daily life as they have for time immemorial. In the forest, large families of elephants came to browse within an arm’s length of our open-sided vehicle. Herds of zebras unhurriedly made their way across our path, and giraffes came to drink in the puddles on the road. Even the most diffident of antelopes carried on grazing with no more than a cursory glance in our direction. And best of all, not once during my stay at Katavi did we encounter another vehicle, which made for an especially intense wilderness experience.

With its charming accommodations, warm and attentive staff, and its unequaled location in one of the most unspoiled wilderness areas I have visited anywhere in Africa, Katavi Wilderness Camp has become one of my most treasured safari destinations ever.

Camp Manager Richard (Dick) Ashcroft

Children The camp welcomed children of all ages on a case-by-case basis by prior arrangement

Class Of Accommodation Luxury tented bush camp

Communications My GSM 900/1800 compatible international cellular phone service was erratic around the camp and in the park.

Handicapped Access The camp was fully wheelchair accessible. All guest tents as well the entire first floor of the lodge, including the dining room, lounge and bar had ramp access.

Internet Connectivity The camp had a WiFi connection in the manager’s office that could be used to check mail and place internet-based calls. The connection was slow but reliable.

Length Of Stay Three nights

Location In the Rukwa region in western Tanzania, east of Lake Tanganyika

Owned-Managed The Fox family

Pets Allowed No

Size The property consisted of six guest tents that could accommodate a maximum of 12 guests. It employed a staff of seven including two guides. There were three game-watching vehicles.

Year Open-Renovated Katavi Wilderness Camp opened in 2004. It was fully renovated in 2009.

Lobby And Common Areas The lodge was located in the center of the camp. It was an airy open-side structure under a high thatched roof held by rough-hewn tree-trunks over a platform of dark polished hardwood. A central staircase led to an upper lounge that doubled as a viewing hide. To the rear of the first floor, a partial wall served as a backdrop for a mahogany-paneled bar. There were doors on either side of the bar, one leading to the common washrooms, the other to the service kitchen. The lounge décor featured two clusters of brown leather Victorian-style rolled arm sofas and matching wingback armchairs with red cotton toss pillow, and hexagonal occasional tables on taupe cotton rugs. The upper lounge had a similar seating arrangement. Bright tribal rugs with bold geometric designs hung from the staircase. At the front of the lodge, the dining area extended toward the plain. It was furnished with a long rectangular wooden table with pale green and white woven cotton place mats and a central runner over a white linen tablecloth. The table was surrounded with director chairs with tan canvas backs and thick green and white seat cushions.

Bathroom The bathroom occupied the rear third of the tent. The room dividers separating it from the sleeping area were fitted with storage shelves and a clothes-hanging rod. A central masonry wall held a vanity with twin white ceramic sinks set in a wood countertop. Wood-framed mirrors separated by a toiletry shelf and a light fixture with a circular parchment shade hung above it. Behind the wall, there was a doorless water closet on one side and a shower stall on the opposite side. A towel rack holding an ample supply of dark green bath and hand towels stood on the floor next to the shower stall.

Room My 375 square foot (35 square meter) tent, Number One, sat on an oversized platform that also included a large front veranda. A high peaked thatched roof shaded both tent and veranda. The tent had the usual zippered front entrance and sidewalls with three sets of large netting windows with outside canvas panels that could be zipped down for privacy. The sleeping area occupied the front two-thirds of the tent. Although the furniture was in rustic safari style, the layout and accessories gave the room a relaxed contemporary feel. A king size bed sat in the center of the room. Its headboard was a long credenza with a dark polished wood top that served as bedside table. It held two small reading lamps with natural burlap shades. Bedding was white cotton with silver gray trim and two ornamental toss pillows covered in multicolored striped velvet in shades of crimson, tan and fuchsia. At the foot of the bed a mahogany-stained chest provided storage and a convenient luggage rack. A writing desk and a folding wooden chair with a red seat cushion sat in the right front corner of the room. There were taupe cotton throw rugs next to the bed. At the rear of the sleeping area, two partitions covered in light brown canvas stood on either side of a central doorway leading to the bathroom. One partition held a large carved mask, the other a contemporary oil painting with an African theme in shades of red.

Meals The food was wholesome, plentiful and well prepared. All meals were served plated. Breakfast started with a plate of cut fresh fruit, freshly baked rolls and crepes. Having noticed on the first morning that the latter were my favorite, Chef Henry made sure to prepare them for me each morning thereafter. There was a full English breakfast cooked to order. Breakfast beverages were tea and coffee and assorted fruit juices. Lunch consisted of an assortment of salads, cold meats, savory and sweet pies and turnovers and dessert served family style. The three-course dinner started with an elegant cream soup where the flavor of fresh vegetable really came through, followed by a main course of meat, poultry or fish with vegetables, and tempting desserts such as caramel cheesecake and flourless chocolate cake. A vegetarian meal option was available by prior request. In addition to scheduled meals, complimentary coffee and tea were available throughout the day in the dining area, with cake served at teatime.

Amenities Room amenities included early morning wake-up tea or coffee delivered to my tent, daily laundry, bottled water for drinking and oral hygiene, insect control room spray, flashlight, golf umbrella and electronic safe. Bathroom amenities included bath and hand towels, face cloths, individual size bottles of house brand shower gel and hand soap.

All meals and daily game viewing activities were included. Other than the water provided in the room, which was replenished daily, soft drinks, bottled water and alcoholic beverages were available at the bar and priced individually.

Game Viewing Birding and game watching were unique at Katavi in their abundance and variety as well as in the quality of the viewing opportunities. The animals were amazingly unfazed by my presence. On the day of my arrival, I was treated to a spectacular close-up performance of gray crowned cranes engaged in their mating dance. One early morning, a small herd of the notoriously skittish elands came grazing by my tent, while I sat on the veranda enjoying a cup of tea. All my game drives took place in one of the camp’s custom-designed, canvas-topped, open-sided vehicles, with the undivided attention of my guide Apollo.

Game I sighted included: buffalo, elephant, lion, hippo, warthog, zebra, impala, black-backed jackal, side-stripped jackals, Kirk’s dikdik, giraffe, eland, vervet monkey, reedbuck, topi, waterbuck, Grant’s gazelle, impala, greater kudu, yellow baboon and Nile crocodile.

Birds included: yellow-winged bat, European bee eater, white-browed coucal, grey crowned crane, knob-billed duck, adult and juvenile fish eagle, long-crested eagle, adult and juvenile martial eagles, Verreaux’s eagle-owl, cattle egret, great white egret, grey-backed fiscal, Hildebrandt’s francolin, Egyptian goose, spar-winged goose, Montagu’s harrier, squacco heron, African jacana, sacred ibis, hadeda ibis, ground hornbill, woodland kingfisher, pied kingfisher, blacksmith lapwing, longtoed lapwing, red-billed oxpecker, speckled pigeon, broadbill roller, lilac-breasted roller, magpie shrike, wire-tailed swallow, woolly-necked stork, open-billed stork, palm-nut vulture, white-back vulture and lesser masked weaver.

Activities In addition to twice-daily game drives, an all-day game viewing option with a picnic lunch was available.

Other Electricity was provided from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. by a diesel-powered generator. My tent had a convenient outlet that could be used to charge my camera, phone and computer batteries. There was a powerful flashlight in the tent for use when electricity was not available during the night.

Katavi is a seasonal camp that is closed during the rainy season, from March until June

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Last Visit January 2011

Reviewers Article and photos by Josette King

Service My tent was serviced twice daily. Every member of the staff I met was consistently friendly and efficient. Apollo, my guide, was outstanding, both in his knowledge of the park’s fauna and flora and in his attention to ensuring that I didn’t miss a thing, or a picture.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes

Overall Impression Strung along the rocky bank of the river that gave it its name, Ruaha River Lodge was one of only a handful of permanent accommodations within the rugged immensity of the Ruaha National Park, in the highlands of central Tanzania. The 3,980 square mile (10,300 square kilometer) park is the second largest in the country after the Serengeti. It is reputed for its craggy scenery as well as the abundance and variety of the species that can be found there. Yet visitors are relatively few so that the park retains a great wilderness atmosphere.

The lodge made the most of its spectacular setting. Nestled within a grove of ancient riverine trees, it was constructed of local granite and thatch that blended unobtrusively with its surroundings. The common areas and the guest bandas (Swahili for cottage) overlooked the river. My own banda was only a few feet away from the river’s edge. On the night of my arrival, I was dreamily lounging on my deck, watching the moon rise over the Charawindi Hills in the distance, when three adult hippos filed past and with much stomping and snorting proceeded to graze just beneath my deck. By then Ruaha game-viewing excitement was already the norm for me, it having begun before the plane had even touched the ground, with a trio of giraffes disinclined to relinquish their claim on the landing strip. It had taken repeated efforts from the awaiting guides and rangers to convince them otherwise. Then a family of warthogs joined the fun. After a couple of aborted approaches, we did land in the end, and before long Josephat, my guide, and I were happily rocking along a rough trail through some of the most striking landscapes I have enjoyed anywhere in Africa.

Not only was the topography spectacular, a broad undulating plateau framed by high escarpments dotted with colossal boulders, but the entire area was covered with stands of mature baobabs. There had been recent rains, so that the giant trees had lost their familiar skeletal appearance. They now formed huge leafy umbrellas where entire families of elephants came to shade themselves from the midday sun. Some of the most majestic trees looked like they had been carved by artistic titans, their trunks deeply gouged and occasionally hollowed through. The handy work of generations of elephants, Josephat informed me. In times of draught they attack the baobabs for their moisture, and as a source of potassium. But lest I became obsessed with baobabs, Josephat also made sure to produce such treats along the way as a large pride of lions enjoying their afternoon siesta and my first ever encounter with bat-eared foxes lounging near their den.

It was quite late by the time we reached the lodge, where assistant manager Mary was on hand for a warm welcome. A hearty buffet luncheon was waiting for me, which she recommended I enjoy before she showed me to my banda and ensured that I was comfortably settled. A short tour of the common area and a run through of the available activities made it clear to me that Ruaha River Lodge was a casual and laid-back environment focused on the comfort of its guests, as I consistently experienced throughout my stay. The staff and management were unfailingly pleasant and helpful. Josephat, who I was fortunate to have to myself for most of my game drives, encouraged me to set a pace that would best allow me to get maximum enjoyment of my Ruaha safari experience.

The combination of outstanding wildlife in the dramatic environment of Ruaha National Park, the easy-going comfort of the lodge and its superb riverside location made for a memorable safari experience; one that I will recommend to friends looking to venture out from the usual game-viewing destinations.

Camp Manager Matte Erno

Children The lodge welcomed children of all ages. The riverside dining room was designated as adults-only. I did not notice any children anywhere at the lodge during my stay.

Class Of Accommodation Superior river lodge

Handicapped Access No

Internet Connectivity The lodge had a WiFi connection in the manager’s office that could be used to check e-mail. Connection was slow but reliable.

Length Of Stay Three nights

Location On the Great Ruaha River, which outlines the eastern boundary of the Ruaha National Park in central Tanzania; 375 miles (600 kilometers) south west of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s larges and most cosmopolitan city.

Owned-Managed The Fox Family

Size The property consisted of 24 cottages that could accommodate a maximum of 70 guests. It employed a staff of 45 including 15 guides and drivers and 11 game-watching vehicles.

Year Open-Renovated The lodge originally opened in 1979 with only a few of bungalows as the first privately owned facility in the park. It was gradually expanded before being extensively renovated to its current size in 2004.

Lobby And Common Areas The property was divided into two camps of 12 large guest bandas. Each camp had its own common area that included a lounge, restaurant, bar and a panoramic view of the river under a soaring thatch roof held up by rough-hewn posts. One lounge was located on the riverbank, the other at the top of a knoll that overlooked the property. The hilltop lounge offered an especially stunning overhead perspective of rock pools were big game came to drink.

The riverside common area was a vast rectangular space with a light brown polished concrete floor surrounded by a low ledge of local granite. The front and sides of the common area were open to the river. The rear was enclosed with bamboo screens that held hanging tribal rugs and framed antique prints of local game. The lounge featured four groupings of brown leather Victorian-style rolled arm sofas and matching wingback armchairs arranged around rectangular coffee tables sitting on cinnamon-colored cotton rugs. The bar was at the far end of the lounge, its granite base topped with a dark wooden stab. The dining area was furnished with an assortment of round and rectangular tables covered in cinnamon-colored linen. They were surrounded by director chairs with brown canvas backs and seat cushions covered in color-coordinated local ethnic print. The entire space looked in need of a bit of sprucing up. Metta Erne, the property manager, mentioned that it was scheduled to be redecorated in the near future.

The hillside common area looked freshly renovated. It consisted of a series of wooden platforms anchored to the rocky ledge at the top of the knoll, and accessed by two stone stairways. The lounge was furnished with alternating groupings of brown leather Victorian-style rolled arm sofas and matching wingback armchairs and similar pieces covered in bright blue canvas with ecru toss pillows. They were arranged around coffee tables sitting on slate-colored cotton rugs. At the rear of the lounge, the bar was a wooden slab over a granite base built directly into the ledge. The dining area furnishings were similar to that of the riverside dining room. A collection of attractive local carvings and a series of antelope and buffalo horns completed the décor.

Bathroom At the rear of the banda, the bathroom was a large open space with a semicircular outer wall with four small high windows. Set against the back wall, a vanity made of a light brown polished concrete slab over a masonry base held twin white ceramic sinks. Wood-framed mirrors hung above the sinks. The flush commode stood between the vanity and an open shower. In the corner of the room, the shower was a large stone platform with a crimson masonry backdrop. A towel stand sat next to the bathroom door. Lighting was provided by two small white glass globes set high on the wall, one near the shower and the other above the vanity. Overall, I found the bathroom to be gloomy. The electricity only operated morning and evening, and even then, the two small light fixtures were insufficient to be effective in such a large space. In the daytime, the windows provided sufficient airflow and privacy but inadequate light.

Room My 540 square foot (50 square meter) stone and thatch banda, Number 16B, had a large front deck that extended to the river’s edge. The banda had a wood and screening double door with a combination lock. The floor throughout was a slab of light brown polished concrete. The banda was divided into two rooms, with the living area occupying the front two-thirds, and the bathroom in the rear. There were large screened picture windows along the front and side walls of the cottage draped in ecru cotton with prints of the big five (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant). At the front of the living area, a rolled arm loveseat and armchair, both upholstered in bright blue canvas with light brown throws and green toss pillows, and a rectangular coffee table atop a brown cotton rug. There was a writing table with a director’s chair in the front corner of the room, to the right of the entrance door. A long credenza with a wood top over a bamboo base with built-in storage drawers and shelves separated the sitting and sleeping areas. There were two four-poster beds, one queen size and one twin, draped in mosquito netting and separated by a bedside table. They were covered with cinnamon-colored cotton throws with toss pillows and bed scarves that matched the print of the window draperies. A bench that doubled as a luggage rack stood at the foot of each bed. An electric sconce hung on the wall above each bed. Large local batiks hung high in the pitch of the roof above the front door and between the beds.

Meals The food was plentiful and wholesome, prepared using mainly fresh products from local sources. Breakfast was served from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. It featured a full English breakfast menu as well as a plate of cut fresh fruit and a basket of freshly baked rolls. Breakfast beverages were tea, coffee and assorted fruit juices. Lunch was served buffet style from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. It consisted of an assortment of salads, cold meats, savory pies and dessert. Dinner was served from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. It featured a three-course menu starting with a soup that was served at the table, followed by a buffet-style main course that included a variety of meat and vegetable offerings. Dessert was served plated. A vegetarian meal option was available by prior request. In addition to scheduled meals, complimentary coffee and tea were available throughout the day in the dining area, with cake served at teatime.

Amenities Room amenities included daily laundry, bottled water for drinking and oral hygiene, insect control room spray and an electronic safe. Bathroom amenities included bath and hand towels, face cloths, individual size bottles of house brand shower gel and hand soap.

All meals and daily game viewing activities were included. Other than the bottled water provided in the room, which was replenished daily, soft drinks, bottled water and alcoholic beverages were available at the bar and priced individually.

Facilities There were two dining rooms, lounges and bars.

Game Viewing Game sighting and birding were unfailingly superb at Ruaha. In addition being home to over 10,000 elephants, as well as large prides of lions and impressive herds of greater kudus, the park is ideally situated in an ecological transition zone where east and southern African flora and fauna overlap; which makes for an exceptionally varied range of game and birds. All my game drives were in one of the camp’s custom-designed, canvas-topped, open-sided vehicles. Although it had three tiered rows of seats that could have comfortably accommodated up to six guests, I shared my vehicle only once with two other guests. I enjoyed, at my leisure, a lengthy sighting of bat-eared foxes (my first ever), and discovered agama lizards with their amazing jewel-tone colors. I was also able to sight a number of birds unknown to me, with sufficient frequency that I could identify them by the end of my visit.

Game I sighted included: buffalo, elephant, lion, hippo, giraffe, warthog, zebra, impala, bush hyrax, bat-eared fox, black-backed jackal, spotted hyena, slender mongoose, Kirk’s dikdik, Grant’s gazelle, impala, greater kudu, vervet monkey, waterbuck, yellow baboon, Nile crocodile, monitor lizard and agama lizard.

Birds included: buff-crested bustard, cisticola, knob-billed duck, tawny eagle, martial eagle, red-billed francolin, crested francolin, spar-winged goose, Goliath heron, African hoopoe, gray-billed hornbill, von der Decken’s hornbill, woodland kingfisher, yellow-collared lovebird, African Scops-owl, rufous-crowned roller, European roller, lilac-breasted roller, black-faced sand grouse, magpie shrike, Abyssinian scimitarbill, yellow-billed stork, saddle-billed stork and white-headed buffalo weaver.

Activities In addition to twice-daily game drives, an all-day game viewing option with a picnic lunch was available.

Other My GSM 900/1800 compatible international cellular phone service was fully operational at the lodge and throughout the park.

Electricity was provided from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. by a diesel-powered generator. There was a convenient outlet in my room that could be used to charge my camera, phone and computer batteries. Water was solar heated.

Cleanliness Good

Date Of Visit January 2011

Reviewers Article and photos by Josette King

Service My banda was serviced daily. The staff was consistently friendly and efficient. Josephat, my guide, was knowledgeable, attentive and pleasant.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes

Overall Impression Stretched along a bluff overlooking the Rufiji River at the especially scenic eastern tip of the famed Selous Game Reserve in southeast Tanzania, the Rufiji River Camp delivered an outstanding variety of game viewing opportunities. First identified as a protected area over a century ago, Selous expanded over time to become the largest faunal reserve in Africa. In 1982, it was designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for its wildlife concentration and diversity and its undisturbed environment. The profusion of wildlife was obvious even as I made my way from the airstrip, turning the relatively short distance to the camp into an extended game drive.

We detoured to the shores of several oxbow lakes where huge flocks of storks and herons fed before soaring in a great aerial ballet against the cloudless sky. Along the way we met large breeding herds of elephants nudging their calves onward as they foraged through the underbrush. Families of giraffes swayed across our path, pausing to prune the underside of thorn acacia trees into perfect umbrellas while they waited for their wobbly calves to catch up. There were buffalos and zebras and antelopes everywhere, and a large pride of lions enjoying their siesta, with a pair or lionesses patiently nursing their cubs.

The camp’s privileged location on the river, which included its own boat slip and game-watching boats, made for a rare opportunity to enjoy a floating safari. I opted for an all-day excursion with a leisurely cruise along the riverbanks, the islands and oxbow lakes upriver from the camp, and an idyllic riverside picnic. Birding on the river was a photographer’s dream. It allowed me to capture such close-up gems as the instant of realization of a Goliath heron that the fish it had just caught for its breakfast was larger than it could swallow.

At the time of my visit, the camp was undergoing a complete restoration. The guest accommodations had been recently replaced and decorated. My new, deck-elevated side-entrance tent under thatch was especially airy and welcoming. It had a wrap-around veranda with two separate lounging areas that gave a whole new meaning to the term “armchair safari.” It overlooked the river with its large pods of hippos, and the far bank where crocodiles lazed in the sun and elephants came to drink. The tent was nestled in a grove of mature trees. Any rustle in the canopy was a bird sighting opportunity, or a visit by a hopeful vervet monkey ready to make a daring dive for any snack I may have left unguarded.

The sprawling new lodge, located immediately behind the existing common area in the center of the camp, was nearing completion. In spite of the commotion created by the construction during the day, the camp ran smoothly. The staff were efficient and friendly and all activities and meals were punctual. My guides and drivers, on land and on the river, were pleasant and knowledgeable.

Rufiji River Camp stood out for its spectacular setting in the heart of some of the best wildlife viewing in East Africa, its laid back atmosphere, and as the only property to offer boat safaris during my visit to Tanzania.

Camp Manager Rudi Goerke

Children The camp welcomed children of all ages by prior arrangement

Class Of Accommodation Luxury river lodge

Handicapped Access The camp was fully wheelchair accessible. Guest tents as well the entire first floor of the new lodge, including the dining room, lounge and bar had ramp access.

Internet Connectivity A WiFi connection was operational in the late afternoon and early evening in the pool area and the bar. The connection was slow but reliable.

Length Of Stay Three nights

Location On the eastern bank of the Rufiji River, in the northeastern part of the Selous Game Reserve

Owned-Managed the Fox family

Size The property consisted of 11 new guest tents with four VIP tents still under construction. It could accommodate a maximum of 44 guests and employed a staff of 28, including seven guides. There were seven game viewing vehicles and three pontoon boats.

Year Open-Renovated The original camp opened on the site in 1982. It was acquired by the Fox family in 2009 and was in the final stages of reconstruction at the time of my visit. Completion was scheduled for June 2011.

Lobby And Common Areas The common area was all that remained from the previous camp. It was scheduled to be demolished upon completion of the new lodge. Meanwhile, it consisted of a high peaked thatch roof held by rope-covered metal posts over a stone terrace. A rectangular bar with a masonry base topped by a hardwood slab and surrounded by six wooden barstools marked the entrance. It led to a long open space with a lounge to the right, the dining area to the left and a panoramic river view. The lounge was furnished with contemporary teak sofas and armchairs with bottle green canvas cushions arranged around a rectangular teak table. A high bookcase topped by a sculpture of a crocodile held a small collection of books on East African safari-related topics and a number of paperbacks in various European languages as well as Afrikaans. The dining room had square wooden tables surrounded by matching ladder-back chairs with green seat cushions. The tables could be placed together to accommodate large groups of guests.

Bathroom In a rear of the bathroom, a masonry half-wall held a vanity made of a brown polished concrete slab countertop with two white ceramic sinks. A framed mirror was propped up between the two sinks. An open shower with a raised stone base occupied the opposite corner. There were wooden towel rods handy to the shower and the vanity. The flush commode was in a separate doorless enclosure.

Tent My 450 square foot (42 square meter) tent, Number 7, was raised on a dark, polished hardwood platform under thatch. It had an L-shaped veranda that outlined the broad side of the tent, where the main entrance, a double accordion door made of a wood frame holding mesh panels, was located. The veranda wrapped around the front of the tent with its additional zipped mesh opening, where it overlooked the river. The bedroom area occupied the front two-thirds of the tent, divided from the bathroom at the rear by a canvas partition. The bedroom furniture was made of casual contemporary teak. There were two king size beds separated by a bedside table that held two reading lamps with parchment shades. The beds were covered with taupe and green-striped cotton throws. On the opposite wall, a drop leaf desk with a wooden chair and a luggage stand occupied the front corner. A clothes-hanging rack and a carved storage chest occupied the rear corner. The beds were draped in mosquito netting.

On the river side of the veranda, a woven rattan Parsons love seat with green cushions and a matching armchair faced each other. The entrance side of the veranda extended gazebo-like toward the bush. The gazebo was furnished with a tan rolled arm leather sofa and matching armchair, and a rattan chair identical to that at the front of the veranda. This grouping was arranged around a small rectangular coffee table. A canvas and rope swing chair hung at the front corner of the veranda, facing the river.

Food The food was plentiful and wholesome, prepared using mainly fresh products from local sources. Breakfast featured a full English breakfast menu as well as a plate of cut fresh fruit and a basket of freshly baked rolls. Breakfast beverages were tea, coffee and assorted fruit juices. Lunch was served buffet style. It consisted of an assortment of salads, cold meats, savory pies and dessert. Dinner was served from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. It featured a three-course menu starting with a soup that was served at the table, followed by a buffet-style main course that included a variety of meat and vegetable offerings. Dessert was served plated. A vegetarian meal option was available by prior request. In addition to scheduled meals, complimentary coffee and tea were available throughout the day in the dining area, with cake served at teatime.

Amenities Room amenities included daily laundry, bottled water, insect control room spray, a flashlight and an electronic safe. Bathroom amenities included bath and hand towels, face cloths, individual size bottles of house brand shower gel and hand soap.

All meals and daily game viewing activities were included. Other than the water provided in the room, all soft drinks, bottled water and alcoholic beverages were available at the bar and priced individually.

Facilities There was a dining room, lounge, bar and a swimming pool.

Pool The 500 square foot (47 square meter) bell-shaped pool was about five foot deep. It was set under a thatched roof in the center of a wide stone terrace that held a dozen lounge chairs, a few of them shaded by the roof, and the others arranged in sunny spots. Pool towels were self-service. As I have often found it to be the case in tropical areas, the thatch cover kept the pool so chilled that it was uncomfortable for swimming.

Game I Sighted Included buffalo, elephant, giraffe, black-backed jackal, hippo, spotted hyena, lion, monitor lizard, Nile crocodile, common duiker, greater kudu, hartebeest, impala, waterbuck, warthog, waterbuck, wildebeest, zebra, yellow baboons, vervet monkey.

Birds included: carmine bee eater, white-fronted bee eater, bubul, Egyptian goose, emerald-spotted wood dove, juvenile and adult African fish eagle, martial eagle, great white egret, black cattle egret, cattle egret, hammerkop, Goliath heron, black heron, gray heron, sacred ibis, hadeda ibis, pied kingfisher, woodland kingfisher, red-billed oxpecker, three-banded plover, white-headed plover, European roller, lilac-breasted roller, marabou stork, saddle-billed stork, spoonbill stock, yellow-billed stork and African golden weaver.

Game Viewing Selous is unique among Tanzania’s most renowned game areas in that it is a game reserve, thus allowing for a larger range of activities than the more regulated national parks. In addition to game drives and boating excursions, there was an opportunity for walking safaris. During game drives, it was possible to go off road for close-up game viewing. Game sighting and birding on land and on the river were superb. All my game drives were in one of the camps custom-designed, canvas-topped, open-sided vehicles, and the river excursions were in open pontoon boats. I was fortunate that I never had to share a vehicle during my stay, which allowed me to set my own pace and focus exclusively on my personal areas of interest.

Activities In addition to twice-daily game drives, boat and walking safaris, all-day game drives and boat excursions with a picnic lunch were available.

Other My GSM 900/1800 compatible international cellular phone service was fully operational at the lodge and intermittently throughout the park.

The camp was powered by solar energy. All tents had solar lighting and solar-heated hot water. There was a convenient outlet in my room that could be used to charge my camera, phone and computer batteries.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Visit January 2011

Reviewers Article and photos by Josette King

Service My tent was serviced daily. Every member of the staff I met was friendly and efficient. Eric, my guide, was knowledgeable and patient.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes

Overall Impression Perched on a rocky knoll in the heart of the Mikumi National Park in southeastern Tanzania, Stanley’s Kopje was a vivid reminder of what compels me to endure endless flights in crowded airplanes and chaotic airport layovers to return time and again to the African bush. It had only been a few hours since the Cessna light plane had delivered me to the tiny airstrip at the edge of the park, but it could have been light-years earlier. I was lounging on the broad thatch-shaded veranda of my tent, taking in the sweeping view of the Mkata Floodplain below as it slowly melted into the dusk. At the far edge of the plain, the sunset sky was ablaze against the distant outline of the Udzungwa Mountains. Now and then, a powerful roar rippled up the hill, and with it recollections of our exciting lion sighting earlier in the afternoon.

When Yusine Kayombo, my guide, had met me at the airstrip, he had thoughtfully given me the option to either go straight to Stanley’s Kopje (a short one hour ride) and settle in, or take a leisurely game drive to the camp. I had opted for the latter, and it had been a worthy introduction to the vaunted game viewing of Tanzania. In addition to the journey of giraffes that welcomed us practically at the gate of the park, followed by a large herd of buffalos still slick from their mud bath, we came across several breeding herds of elephants, a few lionesses, an abundance of the predictable antelopes and zebras and more birds than could be recorded. But it was a pair of tiny lion cubs, less than a month old Yusine noted, that stole the show. Doubtless bored with the hiding place where their mother had tucked them before going hunting, they were frolicking in the grass at the edge of the trail like mischievous kittens.

We eventually made our way to the base of Stanley’s Kopje (a kopje is a rocky outcrop in local parlance; Stanley is a nod to famed 19th century explorer Henry Morton Stanley who visited the area several times). There, I was warmly greeted by Karen Oakes, the camp manager, who promptly gave me a tour of the property before escorting me to my spacious, sun-filled tent. It was built on a large wooden platform raised high on a hill for a panoramic view of the plain and the mountains beyond. Meanwhile, at the very top of the kopje, the vast open-sided lodge offered the ultimate perspective: a circular bird’s eye view of the Mikumi landscape.

Because of its relatively easy road access from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest and most cosmopolitan city, Stanley’s Kopje appeared to be a favorite with self-drive visitors (who were accommodated at the camp on a room and board basis) as well the traditional “all-inclusive” safari guests, who usually flew in and whose accommodations included game viewing activities. This mix of guests made for a laid-back, family friendly atmosphere, with meals served on a more flexible schedule than is customary at most safari camps. As an all-inclusive guest, I was fortunate to have Yusine to myself for all my game drives, which allowed me to set my own pace and thoroughly enjoy the dense game and bird population of the park.

I especially enjoyed Stanley’s Kopje for its rustic comfort, casual atmosphere, friendly and efficient staff and the gorgeous views of its central location overlooking the game-rich Mkata Plain.

Camp Manager Karen Oakes

Children Stanley’s Kopje was a family friendly camp that welcomed children two and older. Three of its tents were family accommodations that featured one double and two single beds.

Class Of Accommodation Luxury tented bush camp

Communications My GSM 900/1800 compatible international cellular phone service was fully operational at the lodge and throughout the park.

Handicapped Access No

Internet Connectivity No

Length Of Stay Two nights

Location In Mikumi National Park, 175 miles (283 kilometers) west of Dar es Salaam.

Owned-Managed The Fox Family

Pet Allowed No

Size The property consisted of 12 guest tents. It could accommodate a maximum of 34 guests. It employed a permanent staff of 15 including two guides. There were two game-watching vehicles. Seasonal staff was added as needed during the high season.

Year Open-Renovated Stanley’s Kopje was entirely rebuilt in 2009 on the site of an existing camp that had been damaged by fire.

Lobby And Common Areas The lodge was a high thatch roof held by rough-hewn tree-trunks over a platform of dark polished hardwood located at the very top of a kopje. It was a vast open space that housed the lounge, dining area and a central circular bar. The bar had a base of local flagstone with a dark wood top. It was surrounded by a few randomly placed barstools. The lounge consisted of three groupings of brown leather Victorian-style rolled arm sofas and matching wingback armchairs. They were arranged around square coffee tables with natural wood tops over woven rattan bases. The dining area had rectangular tables covered in peach-colored linen and director chairs with tan canvas backs and thick black and white seat cushions. The lodge was surrounded by a flagstone walkway that led to a main stairway down the hill to the guest tents and the parking area at the base of the kopje. A few steps away from the lounge a small terrace with a central fire pit was a favorite gathering spot for sundowner cocktails and late evening fireside chats.

Bathroom The bathroom occupied the rear third of the tent. The dividers separating it from the sleeping area were fitted with storage shelves, a clothes-hanging rod and a towel rack. A central masonry wall held a vanity with twin white ceramic sinks set into a wood countertop. A framed mirror and a light fixture with a circular parchment shade hung above it. Behind the wall, there was a doorless water closet on one side and a shower stall on the opposite side.

Room My 375 square foot (35 square meter) tent, Number Six, was located a short walk down from the lodge. It sat on an oversized raised platform that also included a large front veranda. A high peaked thatched roof shaded both tent and veranda. The tent had the usual zippered front entrance and sidewalls with three sets of large netting windows which were covered with peach cotton draperies. The bedroom area occupied the front two-thirds of the tent. It was decorated in rustic safari style with two beds, one queen size and one twin size, separated by a purple cotton throw rug and a small bedside table and a reading lamp with a parchment shade. The beds were covered with cotton spreads where purple and brown stripes alternated with prints of the big five (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant) on an ecru background. A writing desk, two director chairs similar to those in the dining room and a luggage bench completed the décor. At the rear of the bedroom, partitions covered in brown canvas and natural woven rattan stood on either side of a central doorway leading to the bathroom.

Meals The food was wholesome and plentiful. Breakfast, served from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., featured a full English breakfast menu as well as a plate of cut fresh fruit and a basket of freshly baked rolls. Breakfast beverages were tea, coffee and assorted fruit juices. Lunch was served buffet style from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. It consisted of an assortment of salads, cold meats and savory pies and dessert. The three-course dinner was served plated from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. It usually started with a flavorful soup followed by a main course of meat, poultry or fish served with vegetable, and cake or trifle for dessert. A vegetarian meal option was available by prior request. In addition to scheduled meals, complimentary coffee and tea were available throughout the day in the dining area.

Amenities Room amenities included daily laundry, bottled water for drinking and oral hygiene, insect control room spray, flashlight and small electronic safe. Bathroom amenities included bath and hand towels, face cloths, individual size bottles of house brand shower gel and hand soap.

All meals and daily game viewing activities were included in my all-inclusive safari package. Other than the water provided in the room, which was replenished daily, soft drinks, bottled water and alcoholic beverages were available at the bar and priced individually.

Facilities There was a swimming pool, bar, a lounge and a dining area.

Gift Shop There were a few local craft souvenir items at the reception office.

Pool The 225 square foot (21 square meter), 4.5 foot (1.40 meter) deep swimming pool was located at the top of the kopje, a few steps down from the lodge, so that the pool area too enjoyed a stunning view of the park. It was set within a flagstone terrace with an open-sided pool house (or banda in Swahili) to one side. Two lounge chairs and four canvas armchairs were arranged around the pool. There were built-in stucco benches in the banda, and a stack of self-service pool towels.

Game Viewing Bird and game sightings were consistently excellent throughout Mikumi National Park. All my game drives took place in one of the camps custom-designed canvas-topped and open-sided vehicles. Although there were three tiered rows of seats that could have comfortably accommodated six guests, I was fortunate that I never had to share my vehicle during my stay at Stanley’s Kopje, which made for a most relaxed and rewarding safari experience.

Game I sighted included: buffalo, bush baby, Dirk’s dikdik, eland, elephant, giraffe, impala, lion, reedbuck, spotted hyena, warthog, blue wildebeest and zebra.

Birds included: northern pied babbler, European bee eater, black-bellied bustard, white-browed coucal, ring-necked dove, red-necked francolin, crested francolin, African hawk eagle, southern ground hornbill, von der Decken’s hornbill, grey hornbill, white-crowned plover, yellow-throated longclaw, lilac-breasted roller, super starling, long-tailed fiscal shrike, red-backed shrike, marabou stork, white stork, open-billed stork, red-billed buffalo weaver and pin-tailed whydah.

Activities In addition to twice-daily game drives, an all-day game viewing option with a picnic lunch was available.

Other Electricity was provided from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. by a diesel-powered generator. My tent had a convenient outlet that could be used to charge my camera, phone and computer batteries. There was a powerful flashlight in the tent for use when electricity was not available during the night. Water was solar-heated.

At the time of my visit Stanley’s Kopje was a seasonal camp that closed during the rainy season from March until June.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Visit January 2011

Reviewers Article and photos by Josette King

Service My tent was serviced daily. Staff were consistently friendly and efficient. Yusine, my guide, was knowledgeable and unfailingly patient.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes

Overall Impression  A two hour morning flight from Ruaha National Park on a Cessna 13-seat plane found us at the Mtemere airstrip, a half hour’s boat ride from Selous Impala Camp. Musa our guide for the duration of our stay, and a boat driver greeted us at the airstrip. After brief introductions and the customary jambo greeting in Swahili we walked to the small motor boat on the Rufiji River banks on which we made our way to camp.

At Impala, the assistant camp manager, Chloe Sandirer, greeted us warmly before one of the staff escorted us to our colorful tent where our luggage awaited. We promptly freshened up and headed back to the main deck for a yummy plated lunch. Impala is a family friendly camp welcoming children 5 and older. The camp was lively and full of children when we arrived.

Meals and activities were punctual and everything seemed to run well in the camp while we were there. Impala was a good point of departure for wild life viewing, especially on the water. We appreciated the attractive setting for the camp and pleasant location, extraordinary view from the main deck which was steps from the water, our water facing comfortable riverside tent, and the savory plated dishes for all three daily meals. We could tell someone dedicated a lot of time and effort to securing fresh ingredients and preparing tasty and varied meals for guests.

Impala stood out during our Tanzania trip as one of only two properties to offer game viewing on foot, boat and safari vehicle. At the same time, we were fortunate to enjoy all our game viewing activities with Musa by ourselves. Some of our favorite outings were by boat on a neighboring lake. Although these lent themselves to bird spotting mostly, the boat rides were relaxing, fun and smooth. There was little of the jarring and jostling we found on the game drives. Thanks to a refreshing breeze we were comfortable and there were plenty of birds, hippos and crocodiles to keep us entertained.

Class Of Accommodation River front luxury bush tents

General Manager Micol Farina

Handicapped Access Yes. During our stay we saw one guest in a wheel chair.

Length Of Stay Two nights

Location On the east bank of the Rufiji River in the Selous National Park in Tanzania

Owned-Managed Adventure Camps (Gillie Zanacchi and Nicola Colangelo)

Size There were 8 tents, including one double, for a maximum capacity between 16 and 20 guests. The day we arrived the camp was full. There were 38 staff including three drivers, four guides, six waiters, three tent attendants, five kitchen, four ground, two laundry and eight Masaai security staff.

Year Opened-Renovated The camp was established in 2003, part of a six year concession

Lobby And Common Areas The common area was an open thatched roof combination lounge and dining area with a west facing deck overlooking the Rufiji River and the Selous National Park beyond it. The deck was sparsely populated with African wood furniture. To one side there was a bar area and beyond it a walkway led to a small open deck with a fire pit in the center. It was easy to observe the African star filled night from any point on the open deck.

On the other side there was a bar area from which the deck extended offering an excellent spot for fireside chats and star gazing.

Bathroom A brightly colored purple and pink striped fabric divided the bedroom area of the tent from the bathroom. The roomy bathroom occupied the back of the tent. It had a wood countertop vanity with twin white ceramic sinks, a doorless water closet, a wood and canvas shelf with hanging space and large doorless shower with hot and cold water. An attractive driftwood shaped towel rack hung next to the doorless shower.

Room Our 350 square foot tent (Number 6) was at the entrance to the camp from the river. It sat on a wood deck and was entered via the usual zippered “door.” Inside, two rustic style beds joined together to form a queen bed. An electric floor fan in one corner cooled the steamy tent, especially at night. There was a small desk with a canvas armchair in the other corner. The bed leaned against a wood armoire with two battery charged lamps and an electric outlet. The other side of the armoire housed two roomy floor level shelves and an electronic combination safe.

A large zippered screen door led to a Rufiji River facing half covered deck with two canvas chairs and a small wood table. A tree provided some cooling shade during the heat of the afternoon. From the deck we spotted birds on a nearby tree on several occasions.

Overall, the tent was comfortable in spite of the stifling heat and most of the team we were out game viewing or in the common areas where there was a breeze, enjoying a meal or relaxing.   us to

Meals We looked forward to meal times at Impala where all courses were plated. The chef, Mohammed, was from Zanzibar and he specialized in Zanzibari, African, seafood and Italian dishes. Although fresh supplies were a challenge, the camp received weekly produce deliveries from a local village and a truck brought in nonperishable goods. The water was filtered and potable. All baked goods were made fresh in the camp.

For lunch we had chicken bits, vegetable quiche and tomato, green pepper and lettuce salad. For dessert we were served a fresh fruit skewer with a light custard sauce. Lunch the following day was green banana soup, spare ribs, pumpkin frittata, and a garbanzo bean, olive and corn salad. Dessert was spice coconut cake with chocolate sauce. For dinner the main course was a choice of tasty prawns with a garlic and chili sauce or beef with pasta. For starters we had onion soup and tomato frittata and dessert was a flan caramel.  

Amenities All meals, soft drinks, water, coffee, tea and house wines were included in the nightly rate.

Facilities There was a swimming pool, bar and indoor dining area.  

Pool An attractive plunge pool (4 x 21 foot) was near the entrance of the camp and faced the water. There were five lounge chairs in the shade and self service towels on a wooded deck. On the afternoon that we visited the pool, a family of 10 had arrived prior to us. They occupied all the furniture and towels with the exception of one lounge chair.

Game Viewing Impala was distinctive in that it offered game viewing options by boat, game viewing vehicle (partial and full day drives were available) and on foot. The day we arrived the staff had scheduled a boat ride on Lake Nzelekela with Musa, our guide, and Gerald, our boat driver. We departed at 4:30 pm and returned at 6:45 pm. The following morning we went on a game walk departing at 7 am and returning at 10:30 am. We were the only two guests accompanied by Musa and a national park ranger armed with a rifle.

The second afternoon we went for a game drive, in a six seat canvas top Land Rover, at 4 pm and returned at 7pm. We were the only two guests on the six seat vehicle. Musa and a driver accompanied us. During our drive we encountered three vehicles from the neighboring camp. One of the drivers which shared the location of two lionesses they had recently seen and we rushed to see them.

Our early morning bush walk with Musa and an armed park ranger was excellent for birding, especially in the wooded area adjacent to the camp. At the end of the walk, they surprised us with a charming waterside bush breakfast under the shade of a baobab tree.

During our visit we saw baboons, bushbuck, elephant, giraffe, impala, Nile crocodile, hyena, two lionesses, warthog, a waterbuck family, zebra and several hippo pods.

The birding was extraordinary.  Birds we saw: African golden weaver, African hoopoe, African pied wagtail, coqui francolin, crowned red plover, Egyptian goose, goliath heron, green backed heron, gray heron, hadida ibis, long tail fiscal, malachite and pied king fishers, open billed stork, white fronted bee eater, little bee eater, white throated bee eater, carmine bee eater, white crowned lapwing, wire tailed swallow, African fish eagle, gray hornbill, African harrier hawk, broad billed roller, hammerkop, common bulbul, dove, open billed stork, greater egret, little egret, African darter, black headed heron, cattle egret, black egret, Diederik cuckoo, red headed weaver, red billed buffalo weaver, collard sunbird, speckled mouse bird, cardinal woodpecker, southern cordon bleu, brown headed parrot, spurwinged plover, blue starling, chinspot batis, Retz’s helmet shrike, black kite, red billed quelea, Von der Decken’s hornbill, long tailed fiscal, coqui, francolin, grassland pipit, snake eagle, yellow billed stork, helmeted guinea fowl, dark chanting goshawk, gray lourie, coucal, and white backed vulture.

Activities In addition to game viewing activities guests could spend time fishing, in the common areas such as the waterside pool, bar, and viewing deck, play board games, and read.

Curio Shop There were a handful of souvenir items, including local arts and crafts, in the office tent.

Other The water for the camp was triple filtered and chlorinated river water. Tap water was potable allowing us to brush our teeth and shower. According to the assistant manager, the tap water had been tested and was European quality. There was a thermos in the tent with cool extra filtered water. Electricity was provided via a generator run at intermittent times of the day (6 am to 10 am, 12:30 to 4 pm and 6 pm to 11 pm). There was an inverter in our tent that converted the 12 volt battery electricity into 220 voltage. There was a convenient plug in our room which we used to charge our computer and camera batteries. At night we had oil lamps and electric lamps in the tent. Security and evening escorts from the tents were provided by colorful Masaai security men.

During our stay there were two large family groups. This meant there were often children running in the dining area, lounge, bar, decks and pool. Sounds carried; from inside our tent we could hear our neighbors and children playing in the pool area.

The camp managed endeavored to be eco friendly. Paper waste was burned and plastic was recycled. Water was heated with propane.

Cleanliness Good

Date Of Last Visit February 2007

Reviewers Article by Elena del Valle

Photos by Gary Cox

Service Our tent was serviced daily. Our server in the dining room was helpful and friendly. Musa, our guide, was patient, knowledgeable and always willing to stop.  

Would You Stay Again? Yes