Inviting you to join us on safari and having the pleasure of hosting you in our camps is something that brings us great joy – the happy smiles and wonderful stories shared each day are a wonderful confirmation of the fun our guests have when staying with us.

There are a few safari creatures who enjoy spending time close to our camps too though. Here are our favourite uninvited, but most welcome, visitors that you may get to see on your next safari with us.

Elephants at Oliver’s Camp

Oliver’s Camp calls the beautiful and unique Tarangire National Park home, and so do hundreds of elephants. When exploring the area, you will be spoilt with the most incredible elephant sightings, especially when they wallow in the shallows of the swamps close to camp.

The elephants of Tarangire can always be found hanging around the marshy areas.

Back at camp, elephants are usually never too far away. Many guests are surprised at how quietly they move, they really do seem to appear out of nowhere. While relaxing in your room, keep an eye out for elephant herds passing by your tent or coming for a quick scratch on your outdoor shower wall. They usually don’t stick around for too long, so you don’t need to worry about being holed up in your room while a herd munches on the trees near your room.

The wooden wall of your outdoor shower is a perfect scratching post for our resident elephant.

Mongeese at Encounter Mara

While staying at Encounter Mara you’ll be able to enjoy some of the best game viewings that Africa has to offer while exploring the Mara Naboisho Conservancy.

The camp is shaded by a thick acacia forest, the winding pathways between guest rooms and main areas are incredibly beautiful to walk through and have an additional surprise in store for you as well. Lots of mongoose families decided to build their homes beneath the pathways of Encounter Mara, so you’ll always see them scurrying about, ducking and diving into their burrows and chattering with one another.

The sweet mongoose that can be found scurrying around Encounter Mara.

Sometimes, baboons make an appearance in the field in front of the camp as well. They usually keep their distance and don’t hang around for long but are incredibly comical and fun to watch!

Sitatunga at Rubondo

Rubondo Island boasts one of the most colourful ecosystems andRubondo Island Camp is perfect for those seeking the thrill of adventure in a truly wild area. Our camp is the only lodging available on the island and completely immerses you in this lush and unspoilt ecosystem.

The camp is lucky enough to have resident sitatunga that visit on a daily basis and even drink from the pool!

One of our resident sitatunga having a drink from Rubondo’s pool.

The sitatunga is an amphibious antelope, the only one in Africa, and are a special sight to see. Spend some time lazing by the pool in the afternoons or just hanging out on your room’s deck and you may be lucky enough to have one of our sitatungas pay you a visit. You can read more about these unusual antelopes here.

Bush Babies at Matemwe

Our three exquisite Matemwe properties are situated on the northeast coast of Zanzibar – framed by tall coconut palm trees, white sandy beaches, and crystal-clear blue waters. Matemwe is the perfect location to unwind and relax. It is one of the most peaceful places on the whole island and is ideal for a tropical beach escape or to end off a busy safari in East Africa.

While staying with us at Matemwe, you will have the chance to interact and feed our resident bush babies. They are incredibly cute and provide lots of entertainment as they hop about and climb the trees surrounding Matemwe. We have a feeding station where guests can feed the bush babies delicious, fresh fruits – they patiently hang around each day from about 5 pm in anticipation of the yummy treats they are about to score!

The Bush Baby Feeding Station at our Matemwe properties.

Now For Something Extra Special – Lions at Namiri

Namiri Plains is well-known for its incredible big cat sightings – the area surrounding the camp was closed off to people and tourism for 20 years in order to allow cheetah populations to grow. Today, these eastern Serengeti grasslands are known as big cat heaven, where felines roam the plains freely and are thriving.

One particular story stands out from the rest and shows just how much Namiri’s big cats love our camp. In July 2016, two very large male lions decided to cool off in the shade of our main tent area. Guests were just about to sit down for lunch when two males from the Kibumbu Pride made their way across the plains towards the camp.

We weren’t quite expecting to cater for such a big appetite!

As the lions claimed the dining tent for themselves, guests ate their lunch on their laps watching the boys from a safe distance, enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime moment. Read more about this extraordinary in camp encounter in this blog post.