The Mobile Serengeti Camp

T he great migration across        luxury of a lodge. They have       the Serengeti plains is an      double beds, bathrooms and all     annual - ongoing - event.       the trappings of the five star     Triggered off and following rains     lodge combined with the intimacy   it is unpredictable; because the      with the bush that only camping    rains are notoriously late, early     can offer. The emphasis is on      or even fail. The animals may         luxury, remoteness and game        fail to be in the part of the         viewing.                           Serengeti you have book. You find                                        yourself booked into a lodge to       The semi-permanent camps give up   see this great marvel to find out     just a little luxury in order to   it is a five hour drive at 20 km      be mobile. They generally move     per hour along very bad roads...      three or four times per year and                                         follow the great migration. If     This is compounded by the fact        you book your safari and the       the Serengeti stretches across        migration is important for you to  the Kenyan border into the Maasai     witness then a few days at one of  Mara. You may find you are in the     the semi-permanent tented lodges   wrong country and unable to cross     is a much safer option.            the border - legally - to witness                                        the million plus animals              There are a few to choose from.    thundering across these endless       They are not cheap but offer a     plains.                               safari off the beaten track, away                                        from the crowds of tourists and    One attempt at solving the            this alone makes them value for    problem of the unpredictability       money. The atmosphere is relaxed.  of the precise location of the        The newer camps are less stiff     migration is to book into the         and formal that the more           semi-permanent camp. These are        established [permanent based]      tented camps offering all the         tented camps. I prefer a more      relaxed atmosphere with my luxury     people tend to move around and be  - I don't want it to be hard work     at a camp for only one night. If   - I find some of the permanent        you can afford to stay for a few   camps to take away from the           nights at these camps you will     enjoyment of the safari by being      not regret it. The slower you      too formal.                           take your safari the more                                                appreciative you will become of    The camps are small and intimate      your surroundings.                 which is great unless you find                                           yourself trapped with a group of      The private camps are the way to   people who are set on giving each     a successful safari; that will     other a hard time, or are so self     keep you coming back for more      centered they don't care about        year after year. Tanzania is not   the rest of the camp. This can        a cheap destination but well       happen. The only consolation is       worth the extra expense.           About the Author: For a more comprehensive guide to the Mobile Camp, the Serengeti and Tanzania contact Ian through http://www.betheladventure.co.uk Using responsible tourism to change lives. Source: www.isnare.com