The Asilia Edit, our collection of set departure, small group tours, currently features four carefully curated safari itineraries. Each Edition of The Asilia Edit encourages total immersion into the experience of the journey and is enriched with thoughtful extras to further elevate the unique safari offering.
With four different options to choose from, there may be some uncertainty around which Edition is best suited to you, or what it is that sets each Edition apart from the others. In this series of blogs, we will unpack each Edition, providing insight into the experience, the regions and camps it covers, and what can be expected from the itinerary.
The Untamed Edition
Why is it Untamed?
Appealing to adventure travellers searching for authentic connection to the land through off-the-beaten-path experiences, The Untamed Edition delivers wildlife encounters far from the crowds. Return to the roots of the traditional East Africa safari experience with ample opportunity for exploring the landscape on foot and the waterways by boat. Sleep under the stars and enjoy meals prepared over the open fire, in Africa’s wildest landscapes.
Who is it best for?
If you are looking for an adventurous safari experience, then The Untamed Edition is for you. This immersive southern Tanzania experience is perfect for the traveller that has either already experienced the northern parks or is looking for an activity-rich adventure in a more exclusive environment. From the unexplored wilderness of the Usangu Wetlands and the pared-back authenticity of Kokoko Camp, the rugged beauty of Ruaha National Park is perfectly captured, before plunging into the water-based wilderness of Nyerere National Park.
What to expect from the experience?
The Untamed Edition begins with a night in Dar es Salaam, before flying into the wilderness of the Usangu Wetlands for adventurous activities such as night game drives using thermal imaging cameras, rigging camera traps, sleeping in star cubes, walking safaris, and boating safaris. Continuing in Ruaha, the adventure shifts to the exclusive Kokoko Camp on the banks of the dry Mwagusi riverbed where walking safaris take centre stage. The watery wilderness of Nyerere awaits, offering exploratory boating safaris between crocodiles and hippos, and amidst an astonishing array of birdlife.
Unpacking The Untamed Edition
The Untamed Edition focusses on the vast and exclusive wilderness areas of southern Tanzania, known for offering rewarding wildlife encounters, often enjoyed without another vehicle in sight.
Dar es Salaam: Four Points by Sheraton
Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam is the primary gateway to Southern Tanzania and the coastal islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, offering daily connecting flights to the surrounding parks and reserves. Four Points by Sheraton provides a comfortable and centrally located accommodation option, perfect for recovering from the long-haul flight ahead of your safari adventure.
Ruaha National Park: Usangu Expedition Camp
Larger than the Serengeti National Park and yet receiving just a fraction of the number of visitors, this is a wilderness destination offering true exclusivity. In the far south of the park, the remote Usangu Wetlands amplifies this experience. Usangu Expedition Camp offers a variety of activities designed to allow for exploration of this untouched ecosystem, from game drives and boating safaris to walking safaris and star cube sleep outs under the East Africa night sky. Camera trapping and night game drives using thermal imaging allow for a unique view of Usangu’s wildlife. Enjoy meals prepared over the open campfire and an authentic safari experience that truly connects with the exploratory essence of the Usangu Wetlands.
Ruaha National Park: Kokoko Camp
On the banks of the dry Mwagusi riverbed, this seasonal camp offers a return to the traditional roots of the East Africa safari experience, without compromising on comfort. With just 4 tents, Kokoko offers an intimate and curated safari experience, where exploration on foot is the primary activity, supported by both day and night game drives. The unique tent design allows for the roof to be retracted in clear weather for a night beneath the stars with just a mesh in place to keep the insects out. This is wild and untamed Ruaha at its finest.
Nyerere National Park: Roho ya Selous
Roho ya Selous sits on a peninsula jutting into Lake Nzerakera, allowing for water-views in almost all directions and incredible camp-based wildlife sightings as animals come to the water’s edge to drink. The wetland wilderness of Nyerere National Park brings contrast and diversity to any safari itinerary. The already established theme of exclusivity continues in Nyerere, while the focus shifts to the water for activities, supported by options on land. Early mornings and late afternoons are best spent on the water either fishing or exploring the waterways and shorelines, spotting wildlife in the shallows and enjoying the abundance of birdlife, whilst enormous crocodiles bask on the sandbanks, and hippo argue over territory. Interspersed with walking safaris and game drives, this is a landscape made for adventure and exploration.
What does The Untamed Edition Include?
Walking safaris in the Usangu Wetlands, Ruaha, and Nyerere
Exploring the wilderness on foot is the pinnacle of adventure, offering a close connection to the landscape and the opportunity to absorb the finer details of the ecosystem in the classic style of a traditional East Africa safari.
Game drives in the Usangu Wetlands, Ruaha, and Nyerere
Game drives are the staple ingredient of a safari experience, and these areas offer a diverse variety of landscape and location. From grass plains to palm trees, and from floodplains to dry riverbeds, exploring by vehicle allows you to go that much further and see more of the exceptional wilderness of Southern Tanzania.
Boating safaris and fishing in the Usangu Wetlands and Nyerere
Explore the narrow waterways of Usangu and the wide lakes of Nyerere, spotting wildlife on the shoreline, navigating past hippos, and enjoying the array of birdlife. In the late afternoon, try your hand at catch-and-release fishing in the calm waters.
Star cubes and night game drives in the Usangu Wetlands and Ruaha
From Usangu Expedition Camp, spend a night in a star cube, with just an insect proof mesh as the walls and ceiling, allowing for unobstructed views of the night sky. Or explore the darkness of the Usangu Wetlands on a night game drive, assisted by a thermal imaging camera and screen to locate wildlife without the use of any spotlights – a truly unique experience. From Kokoko, embark on a more traditional night game drive, with the assistance of a red-filtered spotlight.
Positive Impact
Your stay with Asilia directly contributes to the conservation of wildlife and key wilderness areas in East Africa. Each night spent in an Asilia camp generates US$20 for conservation initiatives, while park fees contribute to the employment of rangers and ongoing anti-poaching initiatives.
The Southern Tanzania Elephant Program (STEP) operates around the fringes of the national parks, working closely with local communities and farmers in the pursuit of human-elephant coexistence. They work to protect age-old migration corridors that are under threat from human encroachment, which results in human-wildlife conflict. STEP practices monitoring and research into behaviour, movement, and ranges to combat crop-loss, while working with communities to create education and awareness around best practice, improved elephant deterrents, and the importance of conservation.
In Kokoko Camp, enjoy the opportunity to connect with a researcher from STEP for an in-camp presentation on the important work and research being performed in the surrounding area, deepening your knowledge and understanding of the challenges faced by both wildlife and local communities.
The Untamed Edition has been specifically crafted to offer an immersive and adventurous safari experience through the wilderness of Southern Tanzania. Focussing on exploration and exclusivity, this itinerary provides an authentic close-to-nature experience without compromising on comfort or the service levels for which Asilia is renowned.
If you are looking for an activity-filled adventure of a lifetime or have been on safari before and are not interested in following the crowds, The Untamed Edition is for you.
