Mobile Safaris

“The old-school way of safari”

Mobile safaris: The traditional safari way

Imagine laying in bed at the end of a thrilling day’s safari – not in a lodge but in a private canvas tent in the middle of the great African wilderness. Imagine wild animals roaming your camp under the burning night sky, alive with millions of stars.

If this isn’t adventure, we don’t know what is.

The essence of a safari

There are many ways to do a safari, and none of them can be considered the right or wrong way to do it, but there is the most traditional way.

A mobile safari gets you in the thick of things, allowing you to experience Africa and its many animals much more intimately than sleeping in a hotel or lodge.

This is how people in the area have lived and travelled for thousands of years. If you want to go to the heart of what a safari is, then a mobile safari might be precisely what you’re looking for.

What is a mobile safari?

Mobile safaris involve groups travelling to different locations daily and staying in tented camps erected specifically for the group. If you’re looking for a wonderfully old-fashioned way of travelling, this is it.

Key features of a mobile safari:

Tented Camps: The temporary canvas tented camps can be quickly assembled and dismantled, allowing for a flexible and dynamic safari experience.

Explore multiple locations: Over just a few days, you can explore various locations utilising the same mobile camp and crew, making the most of your time in the wild.

Multi-day itineraries: These multi-day itineraries, where the camp is moved to new locations every day or every few days, highlight the essence of a mobile safari.

A journey within the landscape: It’s a journey through the landscape. The word’ safari’, translated from Swahili to English, means ‘journey’ – emphasising that a mobile safari is the purest form of a safari.

The original safari experience: Mobiles are the origin of the incredible safari experience, offering a traditional and authentic way to explore the African wilderness.

The camping safari experience

Delve into the authentic essence of an African safari with our camping safari experiences. As you spend your days amid unspoiled nature, expect accommodations that blend comfort with the raw beauty of the African wilderness. Your daily life on a camping safari includes:

Large, walk-in-sized canvas tents with en-suite ‘bush bathrooms’ and proper beds.

Enjoy essential comforts that ensure a relaxing and rejuvenating stay despite the remote locations.

Engage in thrilling game drives, nature walks, and evenings under the stars, immersing yourself in the African safari atmosphere.

What are the different types of mobile safaris?

Not all mobile safaris are the same, and numerous styles, variations, and luxury levels are available.

Generally, a mobile safari consists of large walk-in-sized canvas tents with en-suite ‘bush bathrooms’ and proper beds. The camp staff carries out all the work of setting up and dismantling the camp, preparing food, and general camp chores.

Beyond traditional camping

Some people get a little nervous because they assume it’s just like camping but near lions. Still, mobile safaris couldn’t be further from that blustery camping experience where you are crammed into the corner of the tent, wondering how long you can hold out before dashing outside to relieve yourself.

Luxury options

The more luxurious mobile safaris even come with large king-size beds, brass showers, and flushing toilets. Still, luxury comes at a cost, and we’re not talking about money. The more luxurious the camp, the more staffing and time required to erect and dismantle it, which can eat into your time spent on safari.

Balancing luxury and practicality

We recommend somewhere in the middle – enough luxury to make your mobile safari an unforgettable experience but small enough that the logistics don’t begin to weigh down the safari. Ask yourself, do I have everything I need and nothing I don’t? The chandelier and the brass bathtub are all well and good, but are they safari essentials for you?

Essential comforts for wilderness immersion

If you can get a good night’s sleep, eat great food, and use a bush bathroom, you have all the creature comforts you need to immerse yourself in the wilderness and enjoy the journey.

Are mobile safaris safe?

We understand that sleeping out in the African wilderness for the first time might seem a little daunting, but rest assured, you’re in the hands of experts.

While it would be amiss of us to say that you are 100% safe at all times (are we ever really 100% secure?), safety shouldn’t hold you back from doing a mobile safari.

The role of guides and personal responsibility

Our guides are not only experts in tracking and interacting with wild animals. You also want them by your side if anything ever happens.

We ask that you pay attention to hosts and keep the tent zipped up at all times. Besides, a mobile safari is no more dangerous than a journey through any lodge or large city – and maybe even a little safer.

How are mobile safaris different from other safaris?

The significant difference between mobile safaris and other safari we offer is that mobile safaris are constantly moving. Camps might stay up for two or three days at most. Still, they are usually assembled and disassembled daily to accompany a location change.

On most other safaris, you will sleep in lodges or hotels that may be remote but are still much closer in style and dynamics to what people are generally used to.

How do I know if a mobile safari is for me?

If the idea of a mobile safari piques your interest, but you still have reservations, that’s perfectly natural. Sleeping in a tent in the middle of the African savannah might sound like heaven to some, but it can be a scary prospect for others.

Considering your safari preferences

Think about what kind of safari you’re looking to do. Mobile safaris are always on the move, so you don’t have a set base per se that you can dump all of your things in when you arrive and return to every evening.

If a base sounds more appealing, a mobile safari might not be what you’re looking for.

Embracing the adventure of mobility

On the other hand, a mobile safari is perfect for you if you love the idea of constantly moving, throwing everything into the backpack each morning, and looking forward with excited anticipation to where the next camp might be.

You can’t go wrong if you love a good journey, uncertainty, and, almost certainly – some of the most exotic animals on the planet.

Why should I book a mobile safari?

A mobile safari is an enriching experience in itself. As mentioned before, it’s a real journey that sees you moving across Africa’s wild landscapes as a small group while sleeping in pristine wilderness areas under the stars, with nothing more than a canvas tent separating you from nature.

Affordability and authenticity

Price-wise, it can also be more affordable to experience an extended ‘serviced’ safari as you are not paying for all those extra luxuries and infinity swimming pools. Instead, you are paying just enough for the excellent service, the comfort, and the access to these incredible locations.

Mid-range vs. Luxury mobile safaris

Mid-range mobile safaris focus on the safari experience while catering to your basic comfort needs. Five-star luxury mobile safaris can become more expensive as the logistical cost of moving such an elaborate camp can include a large team and heavy-duty trucks. 

A price point comes when considering a lodge-based safari, which may make more sense unless you are happy to pay for the novelty.

A continuous safari experience

Essentially, the main advantage of a mobile safari is that when you return to camp from an activity, your safari doesn’t stop – the camp itself, the tents, and the wilderness setting are all part of the excitement of your safari.

Alternatively, with a lodge-based safari, it can be easy to step off the vehicle, connect to the lodge’s Wi-Fi, and retreat to your air-conditioned room – disconnecting you from the African wilderness you travelled so far to experience.

With a mobile safari, you are on the ground and immersed in wild Africa from start to finish. If you want the traditional safari, then look no further.

Discover Africa’s best mobile safari regions

From the majestic plains of the Serengeti to the Okavango Delta’s water-rich landscapes and the Masai Mara’s abundant wildlife, these regions represent the pinnacle of African mobile safari experiences. Let’s explore each of them in more detail below.

The Serengeti’s great migration – Tanzania

Experience the awe-inspiring Great Migration in Tanzania’s Serengeti. This iconic African landscape is synonymous with the annual movement of millions of wildebeest and zebras across its vast plains, offering a spectacular display of natural wonder.

Navigating the Okavango Delta – Botswana

Embark on a serene journey through Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Glide in traditional mokoros through intricate waterways, enjoying close encounters with the rich wildlife that thrives in this unique and lush wetland ecosystem.

Wildlife haven of Masai Mara – Kenya

Explore the rolling grasslands of Kenya’s Masai Mara, a sanctuary for abundant wildlife, including the Big Five. Renowned for its exceptional game viewing, the Masai Mara is an essential destination for any African safari adventure.

Explore our mobile safari options

• See our Set Departure Mobile Safaris here.
• See our Mobile Safari Trip Ideas here.

Frequently Asked Questions about mobile safaris: