Discover Africa
Where you sleep changes the safari more than the star rating does
A tented camp and a lodge in the same park produce two different holidays. This page explains what each one is actually like, so you can choose on substance rather than photographs.
In short
Position first, then size, then facilities. The star rating is the last thing worth asking about.
A tented camp is canvas, small, close to the bush and often unfenced. You hear hyena at night, staff walk you to your tent after dinner, and it is the most immersive option of the four.
A lodge is a building. Larger, with a pool and more facilities, and considerably easier with children or in cold highland air. A tree hotel is a fixed building above a waterhole where you sit still and the animals come to you.
Most of our routes mix at least two of the three, because the contrast is part of the pleasure. And every route is priced at three levels, with the properties named before you pay.
The four types
What you will actually be offered
Tented camps
Canvas, usually unfenced
Proper safari tents on raised decks, with real beds and plumbed bathrooms. Small and quiet. The option we recommend first.
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Safari lodges
Buildings, larger
Rooms, a pool, a bar and a dining room. More facilities and more people, and much easier for the hot middle of the day.
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Tree hotels
Aberdare highlands
Built above a waterhole, floodlit at night, with a buzzer that wakes you when something arrives. You do not drive at all.
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Coast and islands
For the end of the trip
All inclusive resorts at Diani and along the north coast, plus island properties in the Seychelles and the Maldives.
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Waterhole lodges put the wildlife below your room
How the three levels work
The same route, at three levels of comfort
Almost every package we publish comes with three accommodation options. The route, the vehicle and the driver guide are identical. What changes is where you sleep, and therefore what you pay.
At the value level you get established lodges with simple rooms in good positions, often the Sopa properties and Lake Nakuru Lodge. At mid range, comfortable tented camps and lodges with pools: Mara Maisha, Kibo Safari Camp, Sawela. At premium, small camps in the best positions: Sand River in the far south of the Mara, Tortilis with a direct view of Kilimanjaro, or Serena properties throughout.
On our seven day Kenya route that spread runs from USD 3,190 to USD 5,645 per person sharing. It is the same seven days of game viewing at either end.
The hour before dinner is the one most people remember.
What to ask
Four questions worth asking about any property
01
Where exactly is it?
Inside the reserve, on the boundary, or an hour outside the gate. This decides how much of your day is spent driving to the wildlife.
02
How many tents or rooms?
Twelve tents and sixty rooms are different holidays. Smaller is quieter and more personal; larger has more facilities.
03
Fenced or unfenced?
Unfenced camps are more immersive and require an escort at night. Fenced properties are easier with children.
04
Power, signal and the pool?
Some camps run generators on a schedule and have no signal at all. If you need to work, or you want a pool, say so and we will filter for it.
What we will not do
We name the property, and we do not substitute quietly
Every itinerary we send lists real properties at each of the three levels. If something we have quoted becomes unavailable we tell you and offer alternatives, rather than writing “or similar” and letting you find out on arrival. Vegetarian, halal and gluten free diets are passed to every property at booking.
Properties
Named, at all three levels
Substitutions
Only with your agreement
Diets
Passed on at booking
Meal plans
Stated per day
Questions
Accommodation questions
Are tented camps safe?–
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Yes. Tents have solid zips, staff escort guests after dark in unfenced camps, and the arrival briefing covers the rules. Thousands of people sleep in them every night without incident.
Will I be cold at night?+
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In the highlands and at Amboseli, yes, before sunrise. Camps provide hot water bottles and extra blankets. Bring a fleece even in August.
Can I choose a specific property?+
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Yes. Our packages list named properties at each level, and if you want a different one we will price it.
Is all inclusive worth it at the coast?+
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Usually, because there is often nowhere else nearby to eat. On safari, full board is the norm and drinks are extra.
Do camps cater for special diets?+
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Vegetarian, halal and gluten free are handled well when notified in advance. Tell us at booking and we pass it to every property.
Kenya registered tour operator
TRA registered
Our own 4×4 safari vehicles
In-house driver guides
Westlands, Nairobi
Start planning
Tell us your route and what matters most to you. We will name the properties rather than describe a category.