Kokoko Camp
Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
Kokoko Camp offers an exceptional safari experience focusing on exploring a prime wildlife area with an expert guide.
ABOUT KOKOKO CAMP
A camp that puts the focus entirely on the experience rather than the accommodation. Kokoko Camp is located in the prime wildlife area of Ruaha National Park, offering exploratory walking safaris with one of Asilia's top guides, game drives and night drives, star gazing and dinners surrounded by lanterns in the riverbed. The camp is booked on an exclusive use basis for up to 6 guests, and this intimate experience means that by the time you leave, you'll know the camp crew by name. Watch as meals are cooked over an open fire, and remember the true essence of safari: being out in the wild, exploring, discovering, and making memories.
Kokoko Camp offers an exceptional safari experience focusing on exploring a prime wildlife area with an expert guide. Booked on a private basis, and hosted by one of Asilia's top guides, you can spend your days exploring the Mwagusi river region of Ruaha on walking safaris, game drives and night drives.
Accommodation AT KOKOKO Camp
Take a look around
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Kokoko's design allows you to pull back the tented canopy for a night beneath the glittering stars
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Ruaha's iconic baobab-studded landscapes
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Kokoko Camp offers a pared back experience without compromising comfort
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Kokoko Camp: Explore the wilderness in search of wildlife with your private guide
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Our well-trained and knowledgeable guides will craft your experience in this untamed wilderness, helping you to see as much wildlife as possible
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Memorable wildlife moments in Ruaha
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The wider Ruaha area hosts 10% of the world’s lion population and has been a Lion Conservation Unit since 2005
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Kokoko's design allows you to pull back the tented canopy for a night beneath the glittering stars
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Ruaha's iconic baobab-studded landscapes
-
Kokoko Camp offers a pared back experience without compromising comfort
-
Kokoko Camp: Explore the wilderness in search of wildlife with your private guide
-
Our well-trained and knowledgeable guides will craft your experience in this untamed wilderness, helping you to see as much wildlife as possible
-
Memorable wildlife moments in Ruaha
-
The wider Ruaha area hosts 10% of the world’s lion population and has been a Lion Conservation Unit since 2005
Featured Offer
Accommodation
Accommodation & Amenities
Our classic, expedition-style tented camp offers an intimate, exclusive safari experience in this vast land of towering baobabs and dense forests.
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Exclusive-use camp
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3 double or twin tents
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Wi-Fi (limited)
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Hosted by a top Asilia guide
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Prime wildlife location
accommodation
Rooms
There are just three guest tents, each simple in their design, made of mosquito net mesh to maximise the outside-in views. Each has an en-suite bathroom with a flush toilet, bucket shower and hand basin, and a weatherproof cover which can be folded back on clear nights to sleep under the stars.
LOCATION
Location of Kokoko Camp
Kokoko Camp is set on the edge of the forest, surrounded by rain, fig, sausage and jackalberry trees, overlooking the dry Mwagusi River bed. Its proximity to the Mwagusi River makes it one of the best locations in Ruaha National Park for game viewing. Wildlife gather at waterholes dug by elephant, while predators lie in wait ready to spring an ambush.
Ruaha National Park is one of the largest national parks in Tanzania, located in the country's centre. It forms a transitional point between the landscapes of East and Southern Africa, with golden plains of sun-bleached grass, ancient baobabs and palm forests.
Cheetah — and even the occasional wild dog or leopard — are seen hunting on these plains, too. You might also spot greater and lesser kudu, sable and roan antelope, elephant, giraffe, bat-eared fox and any of the area's 570 bird species.
Experience
A typical day on safari at Kokoko Camp
We aim to be out in the bush at the coolest times of the day — early morning and late afternoon — when the animals are at their most active. The exact times may differ slightly with the seasons. As the camp is booked exclusively, you can plan a schedule that suits you with your guide.
A typical day at Kokoko Camp starts bright and early with a wake-up call and tea or coffee. Enjoy breakfast at camp, or have it packed as a picnic and get a head start on your morning walking safari before the temperature starts to climb. Return to camp in the late morning to relax before lunch.
The afternoons can get really hot, an excellent opportunity to relax and read a book or nap before afternoon tea. After refuelling, we'll depart for your afternoon game drive, accompanied by sundowners. In the evening, have a drink and a chat around the campfire before enjoying a well-deserved dinner.
If you have a particular interest, such as birding or geology, let your guide know so they can tailor your experience to your tastes.
Experiences
Game drives
Game drives are enjoyed in open-sided vehicles. The canvas roofs and sides give an unobstructed view but can be rolled down if it rains. All vehicles have fridges and power points to keep you and your camera fully charged. In between wildlife sightings, we'll stop at a picturesque spot for coffee in the morning or sundowners in the evening.
Experiences
Walking safaris
Head out on foot accompanied by one of our expert guides and skilled local trackers to learn about plants and insects, identify dung and prints, and simply appreciate the experience of walking through the Tanzanian wilderness.
Experiences
Night drives
See a different side of Ruaha with a night drive. It's a unique opportunity to spot shy, nocturnal animals and those that prey on them. With the aid of a knowledgeable guide, keep your eyes out for leopard, genet, serval, honey badger, civet and African wildcats on the hunt, bushbabies, nightjars and owls going about their business. Take a moment to gaze up at the breathtaking night sky.
Experiences
Hot-air balloon safaris
This activity requires a very early start, but the sight of the sunrise over the majestic baobab-studded landscape of Ruaha will richly reward you. See the wildlife making the most of the cool morning hours before the heat forces them into the shade for cover. There are few better ways to appreciate the vastness of this beautiful landscape than from above. (Image courtesy of Serengeti Balloon Safaris)
Experience
Meals and refreshments
All meals are prepared in camp on an open fire. You'll dine in the open air as much as possible to make the absolute most of the incredible surroundings.
For something truly memorable, we recommend a bush picnic, enjoyed in the wild surrounded by the untamed wilderness that makes Ruaha so unique.
Please let us know in advance if you have any special dietary requirements, and we'll be happy to cater to them.
WILDLIFE
Ruaha wildlife
The wider Ruaha area has been a Lion Conservation Unit since 2005. Leopard stalk the thicker woodland areas, while cheetah can be found scanning the plains for prey. The wild dog is endangered, but Ruaha is home to almost 100 of them. Elephants are seen in high densities during the dry season, when they gather around the dry riverbed to dig for water with their trunks and front feet. The park is also home to plentiful buffalo, zebra, giraffe, greater and lesser kudu, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, waterbuck, bushbuck, and impala.
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Leopard
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Lion
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Lesser Kudu
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Greater Kudu
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Elephant
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Impala
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Giraffe
When to go
What to expect during the year
The best time to visit Kokoko Camp is from June to October, when the climate is hot and dry in Ruaha and you’ll find superb wildlife-viewing opportunities. From November to April the rains fall, turning the park’s landscape to a lush green, making it an excellent time for photography. The migratory birds are in Ruaha over the wet season, too. Kokoko Camp is closed from November to June.
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January - June
Camp closed
Kokoko Camp is closed from November until the end of June. In July, the lodge reopens when the park has dried up and the temperature has dropped slightly.
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July - October
Why travel at this time
This is the middle of Ruaha’s hot, dry season. It’s the best time of year to spot animals, as predators and prey gather around the park’s water sources.
Climate
During the dry season, the temperature increases from a high of 26°C/79°C in July to 28°C/82°F in September. The average low ranges from 13°C/55°F to 15°C/59°F.
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Low temp: 17°C / 57°F
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High temp: 28°C / 82°F
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Rainfall: 7mm / 0.3in
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November - December
Camp closed
Kokoko Camp is closed from November until the end of June. In July, the lodge reopens when the park has dried up and the temperature has dropped slightly.
Rates
When would you like to go?
The best game viewing in Ruaha is from June to November when it’s hot and dry.
Rates shown are per-camp rates for up to 6 travellers.
Additional information
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Rate includes
Exclusive-use, full-board accommodation, house drinks (except champagne), private vehicle and guide for game drives, night drives, guided walks, transfers to/from the nearest airstrip, and limited laundry service.
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Rate excludes
Park and concession fees, transfers other than to/from nearest airstrip, flights and airport taxes, gratuities and items of a personal nature, private vehicles.
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Budget factors
Special offers may apply. Contact us for the best available rates. Last minute offers and long-stay rates may apply.
Rates and Seasonality
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High season (1-2 guests): 01 Jul 2024 - 31 Oct 2024 Rate: US$1600
What to expect
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Dry season, high concentration of animals around water, great for cats
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Plenty of elephants and big herds of buffaloes
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Leopards become more arboreal as the grass thins
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Low Temp: 17°C / 63°F
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High Temp: 28°C / 82°F
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Rainfall: none
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High season (3-6 guests): 01 Jul 2024 - 31 Oct 2024 Rate: US$2400
What to expect
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Dry season, high concentration of animals around water, great for cats
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Plenty of elephants and big herds of buffaloes
-
Leopards become more arboreal as the grass thins
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Low Temp: 17°C / 63°F
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High Temp: 28°C / 82°F
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Rainfall: none
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Frequently Asked Questions
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What is a typical day on safari like?
Life on safari has a rhythm of its own, largely dictated by the animals’ movements. Generally, the most rewarding times for game viewing is in the cooler early mornings and also late in the afternoons when the animals are at their most active.
A typical day on safari will vary depending on the camp you’re staying at, but will include early morning and late afternoon game drives, with time during the hottest part of the day to relax in camp. Get a better idea of what a safari with Asilia entails here.
