Chaka Camp – Northern Serengeti
The movements of the Great Migration are yours to witness at Northern Serengeti Chika Camp, a spectacular mobile camp that seeks to put you at the heart of the action, wherever in the Serengeti that may be. Stalking these movements as the lion stalks the zebra, you will have the opportunity to view an expansive variety of wildlife as seasoned guides lead you on a riveting selection of staple safari activities, comprising game drives, bush walks, bird watching, sundowners and stargazing. A sumptuous variety of tasty, freshly prepared meals serve to please all the fine dining enthusiasts, featuring three daily meals which includes a lavish three course evening banquet. A breezy selection of canvas tented suites will leave you residing in lavish comfort, featuring an impressive array of furnishings and amenities for a mobile camp of this type.
Kogatende Airstrip, Tanzania
Situated in East Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, with Kenya to the north and Mozambique to the south, the Tanzanian landscape is defined by an intrinsically diverse array of geography, comprising lush savannahs, arid deserts, stretching wetlands and mountainous terrain. Featuring some of the highest game concentrations on the continent, this vast land is synonymous for the Great Migration, a plethora of national parks and expansive Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) that dot the landscape.
Chaka Camp is situated in Ndutu from December through to March, and then relocates to Kogatende in Northern Serengeti from May to November. Chaka Camp’s location provides easy access to prime game viewing areas around Lakes Ndutu and Masek. In addition to the almost two million wildebeest and zebra that move through the area each year, Ndutu is home to cheetah, lion, giraffe and hundreds of exotic bird species. Chaka’s sister Camp, Kiota Camp, is located in the Seronera region and a combination of these two camps makes for a fantastic Serengeti safari. Both camps remain within a 30-minute drive from either Kogatende or Ndutu Airstrip.
- Comfortable 4-star mobile safari camp
- Fully inclusive rates, including all standard food and beverages
- Breezy canvas tents with al fresco bucket showers and en-suite bathrooms
- Big 5 game viewing and exotic birdwatching featuring over 500 endemic species
- Pristine stargazing amid the unpolluted night sky
- Various safari activities led by experienced guides
- Opportunities to view the Great Migration crossings
- Children aged 8 years and older welcome
Accommodation is comprised of ten light and breezy units, intimately entwined with the essence of the surrounding bush with an interior design that compliments the encompassing wilderness that lies just outside. Furnished in the classic East African style, the furniture is hand crafted by local Tanzanian artisans, presenting a high standard of boutique-luxury for a mobile tent of this kind.
These units feature an en-suite bathroom and al fresco bucket shower with heated water on demand, mosquito nets shrouding either a king, twin, triple, or family configuration, and a veranda with which to soak in the early morning bushland vistas. These units can accommodate 2 guests. Upon request, mobile canvas tents can be interlinked to accommodate larger group sizes.
Amenities Include:
- En-suite bathroom
- Veranda
- Al fresco bucket shower
- Mosquito nets
- Safe
- Tea & coffee
This family unit is comprised of two interleading canvas tents and offers a family sized guest capacity. Furnished in the classic East African style, with handcrafted artisanal furniture, a generous selection of amenities, mosquito nets shrouding either a king, twin, triple, or family configuration, and a veranda with which to soak in the early morning bushland vistas, there’s little room for improvement. Like the standard tents, this unit features en-suite facilities and an al fresco bucket shower with heated water on request.
Amenities Include:
- En-suite bathroom
- Veranda
- Al fresco bucket shower
- Mosquito nets
- Safe
- Tea & coffee
Dining at Chaka Mobile Camp is a delicious affair, featuring a sumptuous and varied selection of food at each meal produced from organically grown herbs, fresh fruits, vegetables and meats. Three meals are served each day, including a hearty breakfast, followed by an atmospheric spot of alfresco bush dining between safari activities. Come the evening, a lavish three-course banquet awaits you, with dishes ranging from light and healthy to lavish and indulgent, prepared from the freshest locally sourced ingredients. With fully inclusive rates, you’re free to indulge at your own leisure, including a refreshing range of locally sourced alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. You’re free to stop by the camp bar any time to grab a refreshing beverage of your choice, as safari is truly the best time to indulge.
Embark on daily game drives amid the sprawling, fertile plains of the Tanzanian landscape to stalk the movements of the Great Migration. Seasoned guides, familiar with the lay of the land and the abundance of wildlife that roams it will lead you on a safari game viewing experience of a lifetime. Exotic Big 5 game viewing awaits your gaze, with regular sightings of all the big cats and predator and prey alike as you survey the landscape in open 4×4 safari vehicles. The Great Migration river crossings, as seen on wildlife documentaries are a spectacle to behold as thousands of wildebeest risk life and limb to evade the hungry mouths of dormant crocodiles.
For all those in search of an authentic, grass-roots great plains safari excursion, a guided bush walk will allow you to soak up the great landscape vistas at a more leisurely pace than other modes of safari game viewing. Knowledgeable guides will discuss with you the features of the land while pointing out local flora and fauna. Watch birds, walk in the footsteps of a lion herd or wildebeest, sit in stillness of the shade of an ancient tree, unravel the stories behind animal tracks or simply enjoy the sights. The choice is yours.
The Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is one of Africa’s Endemic Bird Areas, featuring over 500 exotic species waiting for you to discover. Bird watching in the Serengeti is phenomenal year-round, but at its absolute best during November through April. Not only is this when European and North African migratory birds are present, but it is also nesting time for resident species. Keep your eyes peeled for the likes of the black-headed gonolek, Fischer’s lovebird and Verreaux’s eagle.
Take in the atmosphere of the tantalising Serengeti night sky while gathered around a cosy campfire in the company of friends and family. Untarnished by light pollution, the remote areas of the Serengeti bush provide the perfect arena for a picturesque star-gazing experience. Marvel at the infinite sky, which features the Big Dipper in the northern hemisphere and the Southern Cross and Pointers in the south.
Chaka is a firm believer in giving back to the lands which make these operations possible. All staff at Chaka camps, including guides, catering staff, laborers and renovationists are all local Tanzanians, stretching as far as the local artisans who produce the handcrafted fixtures and furnishings for the tent interiors. By incorporating local talent, craft and knowledge, Chaka ensure that employment opportunities are prioritised for local people, thereby pumping income into local economies and keeping the money where it is needed most.
In an on-going effort to give back to local communities and improve the situations of those close to heart, Chaka’s US-office and guest-alumni regularly organise shipments of supplies and children’s toys for distribution at neighbouring Tanzanian schools.
Chaka Camp is optimised with eco friendly initiatives in mind wherever possible. By utilising the abundance of sun inherent to the land, solar power presents itself as a highly viable and efficient option to meet energy demands without having to resort to conventional diesel-powered generators that are detrimental to the surrounding environment. Solar power is utilised in the heating of water for bucket showers, as well as charging electrical equipment and other miscellaneous components that require an energy source.
Chaka Camp follows the movements of the Great Migration seasonally round the Serengeti and greater Tanzania. As such, logistical capacity must be streamlined and consciously oriented towards the integrity and vitality of the land on which it operates. No fixtures, be it the tented accommodation, indoor dining locations or in-camp facilities are permanent and are meticulously transported with little to no degradation to the land. These location conscious practices ensure that the land on which Chaka operate can naturally restore in a matter of months and is left predominantly untarnished, thereby posing no threats or disturbances to surrounding wildlife and ecosystems.
Municipal solid wastes such as plastics, cans, wood and applicable debris is recycled. The importance of recycling is a theme which needs little introduction, yet the importance of recycling in an ecologically sensitive area such as the Tanzanian bush is paramount. Refuse is sorted accordingly and sent to neighbouring cities for processing.
Chaka’s indigenous tree planting initiative seeks to offset fuel consumption and lighten the collective carbon footprint of operations. Indigenous trees are important as nonlocal species risk offsetting the delicate balance of ecosystems, risking more harm than good. As these trees grow, they will consume the CO2 in the atmosphere and produce oxygen, thereby offsetting the emissions inherent to local operations.
Chaka Camp welcomes families with children of all ages. However, due to the potentially hazardous and sometimes unpredictable nature of the environment, children must be supervised by an adult at all times. Children under the age of 12 must share accommodation with an adult.