Shrike's Top 10 Best Tented Camps....Immerse yourself in the true African experience you are looking for
Nature is closer than you think...
This is a truly authentic safari experience in the beating heart of Africa. Despite the stylish luxuries of butlers, epicure meals, and unparalleled service and guiding, at the end of the day, we are in a camp out into the wild, with nothing disconnecting us from nature other than a canvas flap...
Quiet, secluded tents with mahogany four-poster beds and dressing tables. Spacious domed rooms of native woods and old stone. Private verandas with stunning views. Double-faced fireplaces stoked throughout the day and night. Colorful Swahili fabrics enveloping beds and soft easy chairs. Claw-footed bathtubs. Sunken showers. Tea service on a silver tray slipped under the tent flap at sunrise. Victorian antiques mixed with hand-hewn furnishings. Cool white canvas slipcovers. Leather chesterfield sofas. Old chests and ethnic artefacts. The warm glow of hurricane lanterns as dusk gently descends over the African plains.
While we often stay at some of the world's most fabulous lodges, our trips many times take us off the well-worn path to explore the wild side of life. Whether it's on safari, deep in the wilderness, or under the savannah skies, there is no better way to complete a safari experience than with an overnight stay in a tented camp. We have found, almost without hesitation, that the below-tented camps have a distinct advantage...
These are ten of our favorites...
Sabora Tented Camp, Serengeti—Tanzania
In the heart of Grumet Game Reserve, adjoining the western corridor of Serengeti, Sabora Tented Camp brings to life an experience that dates back to the 1920s.
For those seeking a nature escape, the Sabora Tented Camp offers superb accommodations with stunning views and ease of access to safari adventures and horse riding. Luxurious suite tents include a swimming pool, tennis court, spa, jacuzzi, and spacious outdoor decks.
Angama Mara, Masai Mara—Kenya
What defines Angama Mara from other safari accommodations is its location on a site almost without equal. Every tented suite shares a 180° view of the Masai Mara
The "Out of Africa back-story adds romance and nostalgia to the guest experience – when you arrive at the lodge you will feel as if you have been here before. Guests can expect a modern safari experience, including candlelit dinners under the stars and an exceptional African experience.
Mara River Tented Camp, Serengeti—Tanzania
The Mara River Tented Camp in northern Serengeti overlooks the Mara River with multiple great migration crossings. This superior tented camp is secluded and exceptionally special ...offering uncrowded game viewing in northern Serengeti.
The camp offers 6 comfortable tents each pampered with modern amenities. Perhaps the coolest scene in Serengeti is chilling on the lounge of its plunge pool overlooking the Great Migration...
Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp, Masai Mara—Kenya
“If you want to track the safari bloodline, you go to Cottar’s... states Travel+Leisure. This camp was established by Calvin and Louise Cottar.
Calvin’s great-grandfather was an American who, inspired by Teddy Roosevelt’s hunting exploits, moved to Kenya in 1911 and established Cottar’s Safari Services. The rest is history—more than 100 years of it.
Kirawira Serena Camp, Serengeti—Tanzania
Designed to replicate the classic hunting camps of famous hunters like Baron Bror Blixen and Denys George Finch Hatton—an English aristocratic big-game hunter and the lover of Baroness Karen Blixen, a Danish noble-lady who spoke about him in her autobiographical book "Out of Africa...
Tucked away in the little-visited western corridor of the Serengeti, Kirawira Serena Camp is crafted for travelers who crave authenticity. The camp reflects the vibrant energy of its natural setting. The tent décor is inspired by a blend of Victorian elegance and African hospitality.
Serengeti Migration Camp—Tanzania
Deep in the remote heart of Serengeti lies an authentic safari camp. Comfortable, classic, and luxurious — the way safaris used to be—Migration Camp has the feel of an old-style hunting camp and is serious about its game.
Under large, shady trees overlooking a floodplain filled with wildlife, Serengeti Migration Camp is spacious en suite tents that feature long verandas and beautiful views.
Oliver's Camp, Tarangire—Tanzania
Oliver's Camp and Little Oliver are often cited by travel gurus as the go-to camps in Tanzania. Located within the Tarangire National Park, both luxury properties offer front-row access to sightings of the Big Five. Elegant, understated, and timeless, these camps embody the classic spirit of the African safari.
At Oliver's camp, each tent has private balconies, en suite bathrooms, and large, comfy beds. Little Oliver is only steps away, an extension of Oliver's Camp, that offers additional privacy.
The Highlands, Ngorongoro Crater—Tanzania
Located right at the rim of Ngorongoro Crater... it's secluded and luxurious and allows you to immerse in nature. Your stay at this camp guarantees you to be the first guest to descend into the Ngorongoro Crater floor in the morning [if you like]...
Today, the Highlands continues this tradition with its modern safari-style tents. Each tent boasts panoramic views of the crater from your private balcony. Enjoy your evenings around a campfire, entertained by local hosts, spectacular night skies, and incredible sunrises.
Namiri Plains Camp, Serengeti—Tanzania
Stay at Namiri Plains Camp, set amid exotic savannah plains at the Serengeti. With the luxurious tented suites, the camp recalls the romantic spirit of 19th-century explorers.
Refurbished to reflect the traditional East African safari style, Namiri Camp features spacious tents with verandas overlooking the endless grassland plains of the Serengeti.
Lemala Mpingo Ridge, Tarangire—Tanzania
Lemala Mpingo Ridge offers luxurious, safari-style tents, each carefully placed for commanding views of the African wilderness. It offers guest tented rooms featuring natural-inspired decor in a fresh, modern tented camp setting.
Each tent boasts a private balcony with expansive views of the Tarangire, spacious indoor and outdoor bathrooms, modern amenities, and swimming pools. ... and a huge four-poster bed(s).