Rating: Deluxe
Elewana Serengeti Migration Camp is located along the bank of the Grumeti River, raised up on the side of an impressive kopje known as Poacher's Lookout, with broad views north over the undulating Serengeti hills and beyond to the plains of the Masai Mara. The park is teeming with wildlife, including giraffe, lion, elephant, leopard, cheetah and baboon, and nearly 500 different types of birds. In June/July and October/November the annual migration of millions of zebra and wildebeest is usually here, and few places offer a closer view of this magnificent spectacle than Serengeti Migration Camp. There is also good resident game throughout the year, especially lion, leopard and elephant. This part of the park is a quiet backwater compared with the more visited areas to the south; less than 1% of the total visitors to the eco-system of the Serengeti reach this remote corner. Here guests can really experience the wild side of the Serengeti.
Migration camp combines this outstanding game viewing with a luxurious environment, fine food and the special closeness to wildlife that sleeping under canvas provides. It has just twenty stylish, classic safari tents - including a romantic honeymoon suite with hot tub, and a family suite with two tents with connecting bathroom - which are arranged around the lodge. Each of the well furnished tents has a private veranda, an en-suite bathroom, with permanent plumbing and electricity is provided by generator evenings and mornings. Staff turn down guests' beds while the guests are at dinner, and serve them morning tea in their tents. The camp offers a full laundry service, and child minding facilities are available.
The main public areas of Migration Camp comprise a split-level lounge, library and bar area and are built into the side of Poacher's Kopje, from where there are sweeping views to the North and West. The valley resounds regularly with the grunting of hippo from the river below. The food is excellent, and guests often find themselves dining in a different location every night - in the restaurant, by the fire pit or under a large tree, with the table set in elegant bush style.
Game-viewing from the breakfast terrace can be superb. The camp features a swimming pool; a beautiful and relaxing place to recharge your batteries.
Serengeti Migration Camp is 12 kilometres from the Lobo airstrip and 90 kilometres from Seronera, which is a one-hour flight from Arusha.
Activities:
The annual migration passes incredibly close to (and sometimes partly through) the camp. In such a location, it's not surprising that the camp is serious about game, offering superb day and night game-drives in specially-designed open vehicles with the resident game guide, and some excellent short walking safaris, which allow guests to get up close to the wildlife. In addition, elegant bush dinners can be laid on, complete with fine furniture, table linen and place settings, outstanding food and waiter service.
Open: Elewana Serengeti Migration Camp is open year round.
Location: Set hidden in a rocky outcrop right next to the famous Grumeti River.
Rooms: 20 luxurious elevated, spacious tents.
Activities: Game drives, guided walks, sundowners and balloon safaris.
Facilities: The main 'tent' has a split level lounge, a swimming pool, restaurant and a viewing platform that offers views across the river and the rugged landscape beyond. The camp also offers a laundry service.
Dining: Meals are served on the dining platform, either under the canvas or under the stars.
Children: The camp accepts children of all ages. As the camp is unfenced, children need to be supervised at all times.
Health: This is a malarial area.
Communication: There is a limited mobile reception, no direct phone or fax. Cmplimentary WIFI is available in the main areas.
Excellent
2Good
0Average
0Poor
0Terrible
0"An excellent choice, a stunning camp and location. Well managed with excellent staff – helpful and friendly. Approached over a substantial wooden walkway across a seasonal water course the main lodge was on three tiers down the hillside; administration at the top, followed by a lounge, curio shop and boma, leading on to wash rooms, a pool with sunbathing area and the restaurant (with terrace looking out over the river valley below and the bush beyond). Further steps lead down to the camp area where the large tents, each on its own wooden platform (giving a veranda all the way round) and solar water heating unit, were well spaced out over the valley floor, with a further rocky fall to the river below (complete with Hippo pool). Like many camps there was a requirement to be escorted to and from ones tent after dark: for the first time in my experience this was actually necessary. One night two hippos were observed grazing just outside our tent, while another night it was a giraffe, then a buffalo. While for about twenty four hours a couple of elephants wrecked a number of trees as they browsed their way through the camp. The tent were very comfortably furnished and in some style. An extra large bed, desk and chair, sofa and easy chair plus other furnishings all sat well together. Finished off with an excellent shower, double wash basin unit and separate loo completed the facilities. Twenty four hour electricity added to comfort and convenience. Generally the food was good, very good even. The style of cooking was a bit pretentious, and they did not always pull it off. But for me, diabetic requirement apart, I can eat and enjoy anything and I did enjoy the food, the style of cooking was not however quite to my wife’s taste although one meal apart this was not a problem. The homemade soups, the bread, pastries and buns, and the jams and marmalades were all particularly good."