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If you've dreamed of taking a safari, but the thought of sleeping in African tented camps has stopped you, let me just tell you that this isn't your childhood camping experience.
Tented camps in Africa can range from hotels that just happen to be canvas... to a few tents in a camp in a national park... to a mobile camping safari.
You'll share the camp with lots of other people in the larger camps.... they're like safari lodges except that the rooms are tents to give you that "old time" safari feeling. It will have all of the amenities of a hotel or lodge... There will be a reception area, a dining room, a bar and a pool. You'll probably have wooden or paved walkways from one area to another.
Smaller permanent African tented camps are more intimate. There may be only 4-10 tents.
There will probably be one common area that serves as the dining area, bar and maybe game viewing over a water hole.
Paths to and from your tent will most likely just be dirt paths lined with stones.
You may have solar lights and hot water or you may have kerosene lanterns and a bucket shower. Either way, we assure you, you'll be more comfortable than you can imagine.
The tents are large and roomy. They have real beds in them. The bathrooms are attached or very close to the tents and they are private... yours alone. You will have a shower with hot water... sometimes from solar panels, so it may not be hot in the morning, but you'll be up early looking for animals and that shower will feel good at the end of a dusty morning drive.
You didn't think we'd really show you the real shower experience did you? This is a family site.
You may need an escort to get from the dining area and lounge to your tent because some camps are truly in the middle of the bush and the animals. Others are fenced.... to keep you in... not to keep the animals out. Though I have to tell you monkeys and baboons don't really pay attention to fences.
In smaller African tented camps, they may heat water right outside your tent or deliver it from a central location to a "bucket shower". One thing we will say is that you should conserve water, no matter what kind of shower facilities you have.
Even in really remote camps where you have to fly in, you may have tents with Persian carpets and full size beds, there will be sundowners in stunningly beautiful locations, and the dining will be great whether in a tent or al fresco.
African tented camps give you the feeling of being an explorer.... you will hear the lions roaring, the hyaenas "woo-upp, woo-upp" and the "ah, ah, ah" of the hippos as they come out of the water at night to feed.
If you hear something thrashing around close by in the middle of the night, get up and sneak a peak... it could be something small that just sounds big, or it could be an elephant. We've been in camps where elephants did wander in. If that happens, the staff will be aware of it long before you are. You'll be safe in your tent, and they'll make sure you're safe if you leave your tent. A wild elephant in camp is exciting, but nothing to mess around with!
We've only taken one mobile safari we can tell you about. Your tour operator will move the tents along with you. It may seem a little more adventurous, but they will make it every bit as pleasant.
I've only shown you some of the tented camps we've stayed in. There are more added all the time, and from what we've read they are all wonderful..... so go ahead... book that safari... and celebrate if a few of your nights will be in African tented camps!<
Happy travels... even if you don't travel the world... just remember that life is a journey... embrace and enjoy it! Judy and Mark
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