Lodges in East Africa range from permanent tented camps to luxurious stone cottages in the heart of the wilderness. The owners use local materials where possible to ensure a seamless experience between inside and outside. The rooms often face expansive views across dramatic plateaus, rivers and rolling grassy plains. Built into dramatic rock faces or perched on rock kopjes (outcroppings), East Africa has some of the most unique and inspiring lodges in the world.

The three main types of accommodations are larger lodges built in fixed structures, permanent tented camps (usually tents on wooden platforms with fully plumbed bathrooms), and mobile tented camps. The larger lodges are usually located in prime game viewing areas at the centre of National Parks or Reserves. They have many rooms with large public areas, pools and scheduled game drives and meal times (most often buffet breakfast and lunch). The smaller more intimate lodges usually contain no more than 15 rooms or permanent luxury tents. They are often located in the private areas on the edge of national parks and reserves and provide crucial dispersal areas and migration corridors for the wildlife.

In Kenya, 70% of the wildlife live outside the national parks and reserves, so these private game conservancies are an important part of Kenya's healthy ecosystem. Many of them were once cattle ranches that have been converted into game ranches or conservancies and the owners have built beautiful accommodation near their own homes. Commonly known as 'bush home' properties, the hosts tend to offer a wide range of activities that are not possible in the more regulated national parks. Activities such as horseback riding, bush walks, experiences with the local tribes, camel riding, and much more. They also offer the ultimate in privacy and flexibility in terms of food, game drives and activities. The third type of accommodation is ‘Under Canvas', our exclusive mobile tented camps.

Swala

Swala camp is located in Tarangire National Park. The park is 115 Kms from Arusha on an excellent roads and the camp itself is another 67 Kms inside the park. This section of the park is exceptionally private with no neighbouring camps.

Tarangire is noted for its elephant population and spectacular baobabs of every shape and colour. Swala camp itself is located under a canopy of Acacia tortillis, creating a beautiful setting.

Accommodation is offered in nine double tents, each attended by a personal butler and all placed to offer maximum privacy and tranquility. Each tent has en-suite facilities and hot running water. Private balconies with comfortable furnishings extend in front of each unit. The dining area, lounge and library are housed in the main public area, which affords spectacular views from its wooden deck.

Faru River Lodge

Grumeti Reserves is located adjacent to the Western Corridor of the Serengeti, bordering the national park, and encompasses 400,000 acres of unrivalled wilderness. The area forms part of the famous migratory route, which is travelled by hundreds of thousands of animals every year.

Faru Faru River Lodge is built on a gently sloping hill, overlooking a waterhole and the Grumeti River. It is built in the style of a classic East African safari camp, with the suites and lodge areas decorated as a throwback to the timeless Colonial era. Each of the six air-conditioned suites feature a picture window and deck. They each have a Swarovski scope so that you can enjoy the rugged landscape, from the luxurious comfort of your suite. The lodge area offers a lounge and dining room, elevated viewing decks, heated plunge pool, spa and Colonial Trading Post. Walks from Faru Faru along the Grumeti River, with its unrivalled spectrum of fauna and flora, are an unforgettable experience.

Game drives and walks can be enjoyed with our professional guides - the most experienced in East Africa, whilst other activities include archery, lawn croquet, mountain biking, equestrian pursuits, and hot air ballooning.

Sasakwa Lodge, Grumetti

Sasakwa Lodge is on the top of Sasakwa Hill, with awe-inspiring views over the Serengeti plains. The lodge is built in the grand style of an English manor home and comprises seven suites, ranging in size from one to four bedrooms. Each air-conditioned suite features a bedroom, sitting room with fireplace, veranda with your own spotting scope, en suite bathroom with bath and shower, dressing area, guest bathroom, heated infinity plunge pool, direct dial telephone facilities and wireless internet access.

The lodge areas offer a dining room, lounge and bar, garden room, television room with satellite television, DVD player and collection, reading library with internet facilities, billiards room, wine cellar, and Colonial Trading Post, all opening onto wide verandas and sprawling lawns. The lodge also features 2 tennis courts (clay and grass), a gymnasium, spa with steam room, a heated infinity swimming pool and Jacuzzi.

The Equestrian Centre is a few minutes walk from Sasakwa and is home to sixteen horses. The Centre includes a lunging arena, fenced paddock, and a walled 2.7 kilometres riding track. More experienced riders can enjoy outrides onto the Serengeti plains. Tack is English style, and guests have the choice of either English or Western saddles.

Chada, Katavi

Hidden in the trees that flank it are six guest tents, with fine wooden furniture, and large comfortable beds spread with crisp white Egyptian cottons, and floors covered with thick woven rugs. The tents are large, romantic and airy with many shade netting windows to allow the cool breezes through. The bathrooms are bush deluxe, and set just behind each bedtent. And to cap it all, the thoroughly good white wine sitting on your porch table is perfectly chilled.

Although supremely comfortable, the camp neither intrudes upon nor detracts from the majesty of the place itself. Wickedly indulged, watching the elephants head out to water as dusk falls, you feel like one of the great pioneers; with binoculars in your hand, and Africa filling your head.

Loliondo, Serengeti

The Serengeti Safari Camp shadows the wildebeest migration so that wherever the great herds are you're as close to them as you're likely to get. The tents are comfortable, light and simple, but equipped with everything you might need. The bathrooms are en-suite, with traditional safari style bucket showers, short drop toilets, and hot and cold water on demand. All you have to do is arrive in camp at the end of every exciting day, to hot showers, ice filled gin & tonics, and a roaring campfire. The days end with dinner, stars, and fireside safari bonhomie.

The Loliondo Safari Camp has been created to compliment the Serengeti Safari Camp. Similar in design and concept, it operates within the Maasai concession area on the peripheries of the Serengeti National Park. Whilst the landscape and game is stunning, the emphasis is very much on cultural interaction with the Maasai. You have the opportunity for walking safaris, and night-drives. On foot this amazing landscape offers a completely different viewpoint. The Loliondo Safari Camps moves seasonally as weather and game conditions dictate. A safari linking Loliondo and Serengeti Safari Camp is the ultimate Serengeti experience.

Modonya, Ruaha

A small but great Adventure Camp, this is one of the newest and perhaps most exciting bush destinations in Tanzania. With just 11 tents Mdonya Old River is a small camp offering a personal service tailor made to clients’ needs. The dining and lounge tents are under Sycamore Fig trees overlooking the dry river bed which is used by game as a corridor, so that guests can enjoy the game viewing even while having lunch or relaxing outside their tents. Located in the second largest Game Park in Tanzania, Ruaha National Park, a few kilometres from the Mdonya Falls and an exciting 2 hour game drive from the airstrip, Old Mdonya River Camp in its simplicity, lets you feel absorbed in bush life.

The tents, each with its own bathroom, are scattered under the shade of large sycamore figs and Acacia albida. They are simple and comfortable, furnished with double or twin beds with large verandahs where one can relax and observe the wildlife around. The shower is “skylight” – quite open to the sky above, marvellous for bathing under the stars!

Three of the tents have the option of an outer bedroom with twin beds for extra family members or children.