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Destinations

Discover Africa from some of the world’s premier safari camps, where natural wonders abound and wildlife is plentiful. This is Wilderness.

Explore pristine, untamed Africa

From the waterways of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, to the plains of the Serengeti in Tanzania, the wild rivers and savannah of Zambia and Zimbabwe, the vast desert beauty of Namibia, and the lush rainforests of Rwanda, Wilderness brings you here. Explore our collective of camps in 8 African countries, and discover Africa’s most thrilling, wildest, safari experiences.

Let’s plan your next journey

When we say we’re there every step of the way, we mean it, literally. From planning the perfect circuit, to private inter-camp transfers on Wilderness Air, and easing you through Customs. We’re with you on the ground, at your side, 24-7, from start to finish. Ready to take the road less travelled? Contact our Travel Designers to plan an unforgettable journey.

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• The Okavango
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One week Classic Wilderness Safari

A powerful combination of luxury Okavango camps come together to create a superb 7 night itinerary, one of our most popular. Importantly, this itinerary delivers great game viewing and both land and water activities all year round. Following a triangular route through the south, east and west Okavango the magnificent diversity of the delta is experienced. Wonderfully varied game viewing and activities keep every day fresh and exciting. These are some of Botswana’s most popular camps, a winning combination offering a diverse range of habitats and wildlife encounters. Ballooning and Helicopter rides can be included too.

This is an ideal safari for those looking to explore some of the Okavango’s best private concessions at top (but not over the top!) camps. All the ingredients for a brilliant safari are here – exclusive concessions, prime game viewing, diverse activities, stunning landscapes and beautiful accommodation. Excellent guiding tops this off to ensure a superb week

Chitabe, Little Vumbura Camp and Kwetsani are sister camps and designed to complement each other perfectly, offering a diverse range of habitats and wildlife encounters.

Little Vumbura is one of the most charming camps in the Okavango, set on a delightful little island in the east of the Okavango on the private Vumbura concession, this lovely little camp is one of the most popular in the Okavango- with good reason. Year round water guarantees a classic Okavango water safari while access to the vast plains of the Vumbura concession which boast some of the best 4×4 game viewing in the region means that the land safari experience is top notch here too.

Chitabe Camp lies in the south east of the Okavango on a private concessions which is home to impressive resident predator numbers. The game viewing here is explosive, lion, cheetah and wild dog are regularly seen here, Even rhino. The focus here is on 4×4 game drives and explosive game viewing. Chitabe is a smart but friendly camp with a superb team of guides from the local area who deliver exciting game viewing experiences.

Kwetsani is a small luxurious camp with just 5 tree-house style rooms set on a beautiful island in the remote western Okavango. The experience varies with the arrival of the annual flood, where the focus may be more on water or land activities – though days are always varied and productive. A special camp and the most luxurious in the itinerary, ensuring you end your safari on a high.

All camps are operated by Wilderness Safaris, widely acclaimed as the continent’s foremost ecotourism operator. Founded in Botswana in 1983, Wilderness Safaris has grown to be the largest ecotourism operator in Africa.

Day 1 - Chitabe Camp

On arrival into Maun Airport you will be met by a representative and assisted onto your flight to Chitabe Camp, a flight of about 20 minutes. Your guide will be waiting on arrival to transfer you to camp, a game drive of about 30 minutes, depending on sightings along the way.

Chitabe Camp is built on a pretty island in the southern Okavango Delta, in a private concession bordered on three sides by the Moremi Game Reserve. The animals roam freely between the reserve and concession, ensuring superb game viewing. This area receives flood waters later in the season and is markedly drier than the areas visited later in the itinerary, offering an interesting contrast. This area has some of the most exciting game viewing in Botswana.

Game viewing is excellent, look out for regulars like Buffalo, Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Reedbuck, Lechwe, Impala, Zebra and Hippo. And more. Wild dogs are among the major attractions of this area and a long-standing program to study the Wild Dogs is based nearby Chitabe Camp.

Activities focus on game drives in open 4×4 vehicles during the day and at night accompanied by an experienced guide, as well as nature walks. Chitabe is strictly a land activities only – no water activities are offered here.

Having met the team, settled into your room and enjoyed some refreshments you will then set off on your first game drive as the heat of thee day begins to subside and the animals begin to stir. Stopping in a scenic spot to toast the setting sun with a drink, you celebrate your first day on safari before returning to camp. A camp fire will be roaring and dinner follows shortly. You then retire for your first night in the Okavango, enjoy all the wonderful sounds of the nocturnal animals going about their business, safely tucked up in your lovely room.

Day 2 - Chitabe Camp

This morning you wake early, before sunrise. After a light breakfast you set off on your first morning game drive. This is generally the best time to see predators before they settle down to rest in the shade for the day. Beginning by tracking the movements of the night before, your guide will interpret the ‘news’ from the tracks as you explore the roads around camp and deeper into the concession. Perhaps there were unidentified sounds in the night which you will now follow up on…

Morning game drives usually last around 4 hours, depending on sightings, with a coffee break along the way. Returning around mid-morning for a hearty brunch you will then have a few hours to yourself to relax in your room or in the communal areas of the lodge. Most animals rest in midday heat and so will you! There is a pool that provides cool sanctuary in the heat of the day, a great spot to relax between activities.

Around mid -afternoon you will meet your guide for high tea and then set off on your afternoon drive, perhaps following up on the sightings from earlier or tracking new movements. Your guide will find another lovely spot to enjoy the beautiful sunset with some drinks before returning back to camp. As its gets dark – a spot light comes out to search for the nocturnal animals as they begin to emerge. Most predators hunt at night so you will be looking out for the big cats, but also the smaller cats such as servals, genets, African wild cats as well as civets and bushbabies- always a delight to see them leaping between branches.

This evening over dinner your guide will advise your flight time for your transfer to the next camp tomorrow, and you will plan your morning activities accordingly.

Day 3 - Little Vumbura

Another early start to the day with a morning game drive and breakfast before your flight to Little Vumbura Camp, a flight of about 20 minutes. On arrival you will be met by your guide who will transfer you to camp, a short drive from the airstrip to the boat jetty, where you will take a stunning 20 minute boat ride to Little Vumbura- your Okavango home for the next 3 nights.

Little Vumbura is situated on a wooded island in the same region as its sister camp, Vumbura Plains. Designed to blend in with its surroundings, the camp is a beautiful six bedroomed tented camp shaded by the canopy of an ancient Okavango forest. Each tent is ensuite, large and roomy with an open-air shower and views of the surroundings. A plunge pool and reading area overlooks the floodplains and a star deck leads off the dining area.

Your guide will discuss your particular interests and activity preferences and work these into your schedule across the next two days.

Day 4 and 5 - Little Vumbura

Your days will follow the same routine with early morning and late afternoon activities, planned and discussed beforehand with your guide.

Surrounded as it is by water and lying close to large rivers, water-based activities are a highlight here. Mokoro rides see you gliding through the floodplains under the guidance of experienced polers and motor boats explore the deeper permanent channels.

Game drives in open Land Rovers explore the savannah areas on the concession which are noted for their diversity and concentrations of plains game. Leopard stalk the woodland areas while cheetah are often spotted peering across the open plains. Lion and buffalo interactions are also a highlight. Walks (on request) around the island are an opportunity to enjoy Africa from a different perspective. Wildlife viewing and birding is consistently good all year round in this area.

Helicopter safaris and Hot Air Balloon Safaris can also be arranged from here, but must be pre-booked. Please speak to us for more information.

Day 6 - Kwetsani Camp

This morning you enjoy one last activity on the Vumbura concession before flying west to your final camp. This is a beautiful flight over the heart of the Okavango, including Chief’s Island, the largest land mass in the Okavango. You fly above glistening lagoons, palm tree islands thick forest and open savannah plains. The true beauty of the Okavango is spread out below you.

Landing in the western corner of the Okavango you will be met by your guide who will transfer you to camp by boat, or 4x4, depending on water levels. A warm welcome awaits at your final stop of the safari. Kwetsani is a beautiful luxury camp set high into the canopy of the tree line which overlooks a pretty floodplain. It has an intimate and very friendly feel. A relatively new camp, it boasts a fresh luxurious feel . Eyes are always drawn to the open floodplains which see a number of animals crossing in front of camp. The large glass fronted rooms make the most of these wonderful views.

This is a particularly pretty area of the Okavango, and the perfect spot to end your safari with a very spoiling camp. Activities here focus on the rise and fall of the annual flood. Game drives are always offered on nearby Hunda Island, the largest island in the area with good game viewing. When the floods arrive (around April/May until around September) boating and mokoro excursions are offered as well.

Having settled into your beautiful tent you will have some time to relax before setting off on your afternoon activity with your guide.

Day 7 -Kwetsani Camp

Your last full day on safari, make the most of it! Perhaps an early morning game drive to explore this new ecosystem. A final chance to cross off any missing animals from your check list! Though by now you will have realized this is so much more than a checklist safari, relish the freedom from the daily grind and enjoy your last day in true wilderness.

Between activities the sparkling pool and elegant sun-lounging deck offer a lovely location to relax during the hotter hours of the day.

Day 8 - End of Safari

The time for your flight to Maun will be finalized the day before departure and your guide will advise you what time you will be leaving camp. The flight will always be scheduled to connect with any onward travel arrangements. Depending on the time of departure, as discussed with your guide, you will enjoy one final morning activity and a delicious brunch before bidding farewell to the Okavango. The flight to Maun will take approximately 20 minutes, depending on stops along the way. On arrival a representative will meet you to ensure you connect to your onward travel arrangements.

Chitabe Camp

Little vumbura, kwetsani camp.

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Extensions to this safari

DumaTau is a top luxury camp with a spectacular setting on the magnificent Osprey lagoon in the remote wilds of northern of Botswana. It has a prime location to experience the famous elephant mega herds and good all round game too. Following an extensive rebuild in 2020 Duma Tau has reopened as a premier luxury camp offering a sumptuous safari experience. The Osprey retreat features a wellness centre, gym and lap pool. Activities include game drives, walking and boating.

Toka Leya Camp

Set within the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, Toka Leya Camp is one of the best safari style accommodation options in the area, a stylish sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of the falls, with an excellent range of safari and adventure activities. Upstream from Victoria Falls on the banks of the Zambezi River lies Toka Leya – a luxurious safari camp named in tribute to the indigenous inhabitants that once lived here.

• Duration 7 Nights
• Rates Jan 2024 USD 11,220 Feb 2024 USD 11,220 Mar 2024 USD 11,220 Apr 2024 USD 12,990 May 2024 USD 15,521 Jun 2024 USD 20,384 Jul 2024 USD 20,384 Aug 2024 USD 20,384 Sep 2024 USD 20,384 Oct 2024 USD 20,384 Nov 2024 USD 13,150 Dec 2024 USD 20,384

Featured Properties

Chitabe Camp has some of the best game viewing in the Delta. This is no surprise as the Chitabe concession is bordered on three sides by the rich Moremi Game Reserve; thrilling predator sightings are common though the game viewing is interestingly varied. Chitabe is a classic tented camp offering a traditional safari with a strong reputation for excellent guiding.

Little Vumbura is a Classic Wilderness Camp well known for its spectacular and diverse wildlife sightings. Shaded by a forest canopy, Little Vumbura camp offers a perfect all-round experience that affords the safari enthusiast the opportunity to enjoy both water and land activities on the concession floodplains. Six luxury tents with private decks boast incredible scenic vistas and together with a well - situated star deck make this particular camp well worth visiting.

Small, exclusive and luxurious, Kwetsani Camp is suspended high in the tree line of a palm-fringed island on the pretty Jao concession. The beautiful surroundings here offer a complete immersion in a classic Delta landscape. Water and land activities are conducted, though vary with the transformation of the flats with the arrival of the annual flood. Kwetsani Camp is sophisticated and yet understated with smart rooms which make the most of the fabulous views of the floodplains.

Experience the Okavango Delta

Contact us for more information and to start planning your Okavango safari

Compare Our Trips in Namibia

Our flagship safari, Namibia Expedition , explores wildly varied regions, from the salt pans of Etosha, where wildlife gathers in huge numbers around waterholes, to the surreal sand dunes of Sossusvlei—the highest in the world. We give you special access to private concessions and wildlife reserves, a wonderful diversity of activities, accommodations as unique as Namibia itself, and logistics that make the most of your time in ‘the vast place’. Our Namibia Private Journey offers you the chance to experience this magnificent and memorable country in a very personal way—for most of the trip, you’ll have your own private experienced safari guide/driver who will enhance your enjoyment of this unique country and ensure you have an experience of a lifetime!

On our Giraffe Conservation and Safari , highlights include joining field biologists of the Giraffe Conservation Center for two special days of tracking and GPS tagging giraffes in the wild. And In the Realm of the Desert Lion , finds us in the wilds of Kaokoland, in the magnificent Kunene Reserve, where you’ll have the opportunity to see the work of Dr. Flip Stander, the world’s leading authority on the elusive desert lion.

Namibia Expedition

Trip Length

From $9,195

• Track leopard and rhino at Okonjima
• Experience world-class game viewing in Etosha National Park
• Track desert-adapted black rhino on foot in Damaraland with the Save the Rhino Trust
• Climb and photograph Sossusvlei Dunes at sunrise
• Hike the Tok Tokkie Trail, sleep under an incredible night sky

Apr 29, 2024 – May 12, 2024

May 27, 2024 – Jun 9, 2024

Jul 23, 2024 – Aug 5, 2024

Jul 25, 2024 – Aug 7, 2024

Aug 22, 2024 – Sep 4, 2024

May 15-28, 2025

May 17-30, 2025

Jun 15-28, 2025

Jul 14-27, 2025

Aug 11-24, 2025

Sep 12-25, 2025

Ultimate Namibia and Botswana

From $11,595

• Leopard tracking at AfriCat
• Rhino, leopard, lion, and elephant in eastern Etosha
• Cultural experiences with San hunter-gatherers on their ancestral lands
• Safari in the remote Caprivi Strip and pristine northern Okavango Delta

May 1-13, 2024

May 14-26, 2024

Jul 13-25, 2024

May 14-26, 2025

Jun 4-16, 2025

Jun 17-29, 2025

Namibia Private Safari

• Climb one of the world's highest free standing dunes in Sossusvlei
• Scenic flight along the Skeleton Coast viewing shipwrecks, seal colonies, and giant sand dunes
• Track desert-adapted elephants
• Walk among pre-historic rock art at the World Heritage Site at Twyfelfontein
• Gameviewing at renowned Etosha National Park

Namibia: Green Season Safari

From $9,795

• Safari in the company of one of Namibia's best naturalist guides
• Enjoy spectacular lodges and remote camps that get you close to the wildlife
• Search for big game in UNESCO-listed eastern Etosha National Park, go for a game walk with the park's anti-poaching team
• Stay at spectacular Onduli Camp, with its optional roll-out “star beds” under a canopy of stars
• Safari in the wild Hoanib River Valley, home to rare desert-adapted elephant, giraffe, lion, and rhino, visit a remote Himba settlement
• Explore the wonder of the Skeleton Coast from stunning Shipwreck Lodge

Jan 23, 2025 – Feb 5, 2025

Mar 6-19, 2025

Namibia: Desert Lion Conservation Safari

From $8,795

• Exclusive safari—just 6 participants—with expert tracker and naturalist safari guide Jason Nott
• Go behind the scenes at AfriCat for close encounters with leopard
• Track rhino on foot, meet with field staff of Save the Rhino Trust
• Search for desert lion with Dr. Flip Stander, the world's authority on this unique population
• Walk among prehistoric rock engravings at Twyfelfontein
• Special bush breakfasts, lantern-lit dinners

Apr 21, 2024 – May 8, 2024

Jun 3-15, 2025

Namibia: Giraffe Conservation Safari

From $9,595

• Just 6 participants—and led by Jason Nott, one of Namibia's most respected safari guides
• Hands-on participation in GPS tagging of giraffe with Dr. Julian Fennessy—an incredible experience!
• Track leopard at AfriCat, track endangered rhino in Damaraland with the Save the Rhino Trust
• Stay in gorgeous game lodges and wonderfully remote camps

Jul 30, 2024 – Aug 11, 2024

Jul 30, 2025 – Aug 11, 2025

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• Hotel Reviews

This New Luxury Safari Camp Moves to 9 Locations Across Serengeti National Park During the Great Migration

Wilderness Usawa Serengeti just opened in Tanzania, and T+L contributor and hotel expert Jackie Caradonio was the first to review it.

Jackie Caradonio is a New York–based writer and photographer who specializes in travel, dining, sustainability, and art and design. Her articles and photography have appeared in publications such as Condé Nast Traveler, Bloomberg Pursuits, Afar, The New York Times, and others. 

Food and Drink

• Experiences and Amenities
• Family-friendly Offerings

Accessibility and Sustainability

• How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay

Jackie Caradonio/Travel + Leisure

It was what the guides in Serengeti National Park call a “small crossing” — slight in both the number of animals involved (no more than 100) and the number of humans who witnessed it (just a handful). But it was hardly minor to me. 

The zebras were casual — too casual, I suspected — as they trotted across the Mara River. Murky brown water swallowed up their legs and haunches, yet they remained unhurried. All was peaceful. 

Then the crocodiles came. At first one, then two — then six — and within seconds, they had taken hold of an adolescent. The water splashed and bubbled, the young equine scuttled, the crocodiles worked in unsettling concert. Suddenly, the zebra broke away, bucking its hind legs in one last Hail Mary attempt at escape. But it was too late. At the first sight of red, I put my binoculars down and trained my focus on the distant savannah. 

Noticing the tears welling up in my eyes, Chrisple Sikawa, my guide from Usawa mobile camp, offered the salve of logic. “This is the circle of life,” he said. “You wouldn’t want the crocodiles to go hungry, would you?”

Jackie Caradonio/Travel + Leisure

Heartbroken as I was, I knew he was right. I also knew that such dramatic sightings are precisely the reason one comes to Tanzania’s most famous safari destination: to see the wilderness at its most brazen and brutish, as real as it has ever been or ever will be. 

That’s the promise of the great migration, the mass journey of roughly 2 million wildebeests and zebras, and the headlining act of almost any Serengeti safari. The event is constant and year-round, spanning 500 miles from the southern Serengeti to Kenya’s Masai Mara, just north of the Tanzania border, making it a moving target for the nearly 500,000 tourists who come to the national park every year. 

That transient nature is what enticed Keith Vincent, co-founder and CEO of the hospitality company Wilderness , to create Wilderness Usawa Serengeti , a roving camp that opened on its first of nine eventual sites across the Serengeti on July 26. “In the old days of guiding, you had a vehicle and a tent, and you moved wherever the wilderness went and set up camp along the way,” Vincent says. “With Usawa, I wanted to give that freedom back to our guests.”

Wilderness Usawa Serengeti

• A luxury mobile camp, Usawa travels across the Serengeti National Park, popping up seasonally in nine locations across the national park, all set along the path of the great migration.

• The camp’s six en-suite tents are designed to have minimal impact on the environment, with off-grid power and water systems, and an innovative design that requires only manpower to build and disassemble. 

• The main attraction of any stay at Usawa are the daily game drives and safari walks, during which guests can glimpse the great migration, big five animals, and other wildlife.

• Usawa’s custom-designed tents are decorated with art, furniture, and crafts made exclusively by Tanzanian artisans. 

• The camp’s all-inclusive rates include three meals a day, all game drives and safari walks, and on-the-ground support from the moment your journey starts.

To do so, Vincent first had to strip down the luxury safari camp experience regularly found at other Wilderness camps. There are no plunge pools or spa treatments at Usawa, but rather a wide-open expanse on the crest of a remote hill, where six guest tents and a larger main tent are wrapped 360 degrees in mesh and canvas, giving a sense of near-total exposure to the elements. The entire operation is off-grid, with lighting supplied by rechargeable lanterns and solar-powered lamps (romantic or vexing, depending on your task) and showers fed by buckets of manually heated water that funnel into taps by simple gravity (and, boy, do they feel amazing). 

Still, nothing comes close to roughing it. King-size beds are dressed in crisp white linens, bathrooms are stocked with Inaya Zanzibar’s all-natural products, and décor is a curated assemblage of local design and ingenuity. The greatest luxury of all, however, is Usawa’s connection to nature: the cool breezes that drift through your tent, the sound of raindrops and elephants trumpeting as you drift to sleep, the first sliver of early morning sun as it stretches across the horizon to gently wake you.

“But the real fun of it,” Vincent insists, “is the chase.” Thus, Usawa moves with the great migration — from the south’s calving season, during which hundreds of wildebeests are born every day, to the mass crossings that take place on the Mara River — with Wilderness operating up to three identical camps at any one time, while a fourth transitions to the next site. Guests can easily follow the action, hopscotching from camp to camp. Once the herd moves on, Wilderness packs up and makes for the next location, leaving no trace behind. 

Over five days at one of the camp’s northern locations, I found that, however great the migration itself is, it was only a small part of any experience in the Serengeti, which is home to one of the most wildlife-rich expanses in Africa. Spanning more than 5,500 square miles, it is the quintessential picture of sub-Saharan wilderness, home to an abundance of big cats, as well as the rest of the Big Five animals (including a growing population of rhinos), plus giraffes, elephants, hyenas, and more than 500 bird species. 

But, in the end, it was the great migration that once again beckoned. Though the heartache of our earlier sighting was still fresh in my mind, I agreed to let Sikawa show me what he called “the magic of a big crossing.” And so, we set out for the Mara, tracing its banks until a massive swirl of dust caught our attention — a scuffle of hooves pounding the dirt, Sikawa explained.

We arrived at its source minutes later, just as the first wildebeests were crossing, grunting and bucking all the while, literally running for their lives. One by one, as they made their safe passage across the river, they surrounded our vehicle, their mews nothing short of celebratory to my ears. The crossing carried on for close to an hour, and when the dust finally settled, not a single casualty had occurred. Then, a calf, clearly exhausted, dropped onto its knees to nurse from its mother’s teat. I felt the tears welling up once again, and this time they poured out like rain. It had been quite the journey — for all of us. 

Designed by Luxury Frontiers (whose other hospitality projects include Camp Sarika by Amangiri in Utah and Naviva, a Four Seasons Resort in Punta Mita, Mexico), Usawa’s six en-suite tents are made from overlapping swatches of canvas and mesh to eliminate the barrier between the indoors and the great outdoors. 

Courtesy of Wilderness Safaris

Still, every creature comfort has been accounted for. King-size beds are dressed in luxury linens; minibars are stocked with fresh coffee, tea, and snacks; and toiletries are from all-natural skincare brand Inaya Zanzibar. Interiors throughout the camp showcase Tanzania’s artisans and designers: handwoven baskets, blankets, and pillows are sourced from a local collective that empowers women to achieve financial independence. Glassware, beaded chandeliers, and leather details come from Sanaa, a non-profit that teaches lucrative crafts to those with disabilities. And tables and chairs made from upcycled plastic are the ingenious creation of Arusha-based DuniaDesigns. 

Outside, my husband and I lounged on our hammock (often with a bottle of South African rosé) or watched the surrounding hills through binoculars from a pair of canvas chairs. We regularly witnessed game drive–worthy sightings right outside our tent, from a family of elephants crossing the hills to the hundreds of zebras and wildebeest that wandered right through camp. 

Usawa is all-inclusive, including spirits and a wide selection of wines from the African continent. The culinary team takes full advantage of Tanzania’s robust farming culture, serving both international and traditional Swahili dishes. Okra takes on heavenly forms in spicy curry, South African syrah sings with fragrant Zanzibari-spiced pilau rice, and creamy mtori soup, made with fresh plantains, is equal parts sweet and savory — and utterly irresistible. 

All mealtimes and menus are customized for guests as they plan each day with their guide. Pre-safari breakfasts are lavish spreads of porridge, fruit, pastries, and made-to-order eggs. Lunch is served overlooking the savannah at the edge of camp, or as a picnic on game drives. Dinners are multi-course affairs served under the starry night sky or in the main tent. 

Experiences and Amenities 

Activities are centered on the magnificent theater that is the great wilderness of the Serengeti. As Usawa travels among nine locations throughout the national park, guests are afforded the chance to witness the great migration up-close in its many phases. From January to March, the southern Serengeti bears witness to the birth of thousands of wildebeests (an estimated 800 calves are born each day). Come July, the herds move north and river crossings are the main event. 

Game drives and bush walks are offered daily. One morning we set out straight from camp on foot, skirting a family of elephants as they broke down an entire acacia tree for an afternoon feast, then catching sight of a cheetah sprinting across the hillside 100 yards away. On a drive the next day, we encountered a mother cheetah and her cubs, the white of their bellies fat and round, the scruff of their chins blood-stained—and vultures circling overhead in pursuit of the remains of their kill. We waited patiently outside a cluster of bushes for a leopard to at last poke out its spotted head; watched a thick-maned lion perch proudly atop a boulder, keeping a watchful eye over a valley filled with prey; and counted the many crocodiles ominously patrolling the banks of the river. 

Family-friendly Offerings 

Usawa welcomes children from six years old. Buy-outs are available for families with members of all ages. All safari activities can be customized to accommodate different ages and abilities.

Wilderness’s greatest ambition in creating Usawa was to create a safari camp that would minimally impact the Earth. Power is provided by solar panels and portable batteries that are recharged at a main power bank. Tents are constructed only by employees, ensuring the least possible disturbance to the native wildlife and enabling the camp to be easily and quickly moved from location to location. “We’ll leave no trace,” Vincent says. “One storm, and the grassland will look like we’ve never been there.” 

To preserve the land, Usawa has forgone constructing sewage systems, employing a series of innovations to stay more eco-friendly. Toilets operate on portable septic systems, with waste routinely removed from the park or used to fertilize the grounds when possible. Filtered cold and hot water are supplied to guests throughout the day. Showers are especially clever in their operation, supplied by heated water that is manually fed into overhead buckets then funneled into taps. Simply pull the chain for a steamy cascade.

Usawa is not ADA compliant, which is typical for safari camps like this one.

To arrive at Serengeti National Park, travelers can fly via Hamad International Airport in Doha to Kilimanjaro International Airport, then connect from Arusha Airport to one of Serengeti National Park’s airstrip. Wilderness plans all itineraries end-to-end with VIP travel perks, including Al Maha service when flying with Qatar Airways. In Arusha, we stayed at Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge, a Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2020 winner set on a coffee farm. 

Usawa’s nine locations stretch from the southern Serengeti National Park to Tanzania’s northern border with Kenya. Up to three camps will operate simultaneously to allow guests to follow the great migration as closely as possible. Wilderness arranges guest stays based on predictions of the great migration path. 

How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay 

Safaris are admittedly costly, but Wilderness’s all-inclusive pricing includes everything: accommodations, unlimited meals and beverages, all activities, and transfers within Serengeti National Park. Wilderness also partners with airlines such as Qatar Airways to offer discounted flights for safari goers. Nightly rates at Usawa start at $950 per person, with a minimum two-night stay.