Want to hear lions roar as you sink into a feather pillow? Look no further – as you will see from our Lodge Library we have dozens of options for experiencing the true African wilderness.
Permanent camps are, as the name suggests, able to operate all year round in the same location – although a handful do close if they are inaccessible during the rainy season. Mobile camps only operate for part of the year in that location then will be packed up and moved out leaving very little trace of its existence. Mobile camps are often regarded as the most environmentally friendly option as they are run on solar power and use very little in the way of natural resources and have a very low impact on the surrounding environment.
In a permanent camp you will have a spacious tent with en suite bathroom traditionally built on a large wooden deck with great views over the surrounding scenery. The camps tend to have a central mess building where meals and drinks are served and reception is located. Some even have swimming pools for some rest and relaxation during the heat of the day. The tents are usually spread out over the property to allow some privacy between tents and make the most of the location. Some of the permanent camps are beautifully stylish and very luxurious considering you are in a tent! Some have roll top baths, four-poster beds and top of the range bedding to ensure you sleep like a baby whilst you are there. There are windows with mesh to let the cool breezes blow through and lanterns so you can read at night. A permanent tented safari camp will give you the full romantic Out of Africa experience that you just cannot get elsewhere – where else can you fall asleep listening to the lions roar?
Mobile safari camps vary in their levels of luxury and style but some of the top of the range camps are incredibly luxurious – amazingly when you think they have to be dismantled at the end of the season. Many are built from local materials at the start each season. Most offer private washing facilities and comfortable beds so you can have the best of both worlds without giving up your home comforts. The big advantage to mobile camps is that they tend to be smaller and more exclusive, usually only 4 or 5 tents at a time, and they are often in the most remote locations giving you a chance to experience the real wilderness and its incredible wildlife.
Mobile camps are limited in number and can be found in Zambia and Botswana in particular. In contrast permanent tented camps can be found pretty much everywhere. Some of the best mobile camps are in the Okavango which offer a chance to explore remote parts of the delta on horseback or by canoe. Travelling to these camps is part of the adventure and in Zambia you can even explore the South Luangwa National Park on foot. We offer the Zambian bush camps as part of a Norman Carr walking safari so that when you arrive you find everything set up for you in advance. Some of these bush camps are mobile camps and are dismantled at the end of the season.
Some of our favourite permanent tented camps are Governors Camp which offers traditional tented luxury in the Masai Mara, Sarara Camp in northern Kenya, Mbuzi Mawe in the heart of the incredible Serengeti and the elegant Garonga Camp in the Kruger in South Africa. We offer many different tented camps; from small and exclusive to large and luxurious – please take a look at our Lodge Library to find out more. If you prefer to talk to someone about which camp might suit you then why not give our sales team a call – they all have their favourites!
Posted by Ruth