Another year has come and gone in what seems to be the blink of an eye! So we decided to recap on our adventures last year and round up our favorite safari camps and lodges in East Africa of 2015. What's important in picking a safari camp? Hosting and guiding, camp location and seamless safari style. So with that in mind and in no particular order, here we go...
1. Serian Camp - Masai Mara, Kenya
It doesn't get better than the smiling faces and warm embrace that you are met with on arrival at Serian Camp. From the moment you step out of the vehicle you get the feeling you are walking into someone's home and you are the guest of honor. The camp is perched on the Mara river, in the Mara North conservancy that borders the reserve and enjoys quick access to both the reserve and a private wilderness concession on the river banks opposite the camp. Rooms are elegantly tucked away along the river so you can soak in the tub and listen to hippos munching their way around your room at night. Top marks!
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| Copyright Serian Camp |
2. Namiri Plains - Serengeti, Tanzania
Namiri Plains looks as though it was plonked in the middle of the open grassland without much thought or care, but once you are in camp you find it is uniquely situated in a quiet corner of the Serengeti (and a quite corner in the Serengeti is a rare find) with epic 360 wilderness views. The camp defines minimalist safari elegance and leaves little mark on the landscape. It is eco friendly, people friendly and very easy on the eye. You could almost say the Serengeti sells itself, with the huge numbers of wildlife, and all those lions - so many lions! But actually, Namiri Plains sells the Serengeti.
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| Copyright Namiri Plains Camp |
3. Kwihala Camp - Ruaha, Tanzania
Another gem in the Asilia property pile, we loved Kwihala because of the amazing people that work here and their superb walking safaris. Kwihala is often used as a base for guide training and it's easy to see why. Guiding is one of our top priorities when it comes to choosing properties for our clients, after all you came to Africa to learn, to discover and most of all to stay safe. Kwihala's league of incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides took top marks from us and we soaked up their knowledge like a dry a sponge. Couple that with a fun, social atmosphere back at camp and you have a winning recipe. Our top choice for an unparalleled, wild bush escape.
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| Copyright Kwihala Camp |
4. Elsa's Kopje - Meru, Kenya
When you think of heading off the beaten track you picture sleepless nights on paper thin roll up mattresses, limited water supplies and yet another bland pasta dinner. We all go to great lengths to find wild places where we can unwind from the daily grind no matter the cost of comfort. Well forget about that! Elsa's Kopje has been around for years and for a long time has been one our favourite spots because it oozes absolute luxury in the heart of an almost forgotten patch of Kenyan bush. There are few other places where you can kick back in an open poolside bathtub with views you never imagined possible. It's wild, it's romantic, it's inspiring and it's Audrey-Hepburn-style timeless elegance.
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| Copyright Elsa's Kopje |
5. Sand Rivers - Selous, Tanzania
It's no secret that we caught the Sand Rivers bug when we visited the Selous last year, but can anyone blame us? Sand Rivers enjoys an absolute premium spot in the Selous with unbelievable views down the river and Nomad's signature effortless interior style. Aside from the tearful perfection of the location and design, we absolutely loved the team here. Excellent guiding with fantastic knowledge not only on the bigger species but on birds and trees.
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| Copyright Sand Rivers Selous |
So there you have it. Our run down of the best bush spots in East Africa. Email
info@african-experts.net or visit
our website to find out more and to book your next East African safari.
