I’m super excited to share with you my experience camping in the Serengeti! In truth, this was the part of the trip I was simultaneously looking forward to the most and the least. You see, I am not an outdoorsy person and certainly not a camper. So, when I saw camping on the itinerary, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. It did say that it was “glamping” but let’s be serious…. glamping is still camping in my mind. On the other hand, I knew that it would be an experience of a lifetime. After all, how many people can say they camped in the Serengeti?!

But first! We had to get to the Serengeti. The trek from Ngorongoro to the Serengeti is about a 4-hour drive.

A quick stop at the top of the Ngorongoro Crater on the way to the Serengeti

Along the way, we made a quick stop at the Olduvai Gorge Museum, the site of the earliest known human beings on earth, dating back 17,000 years ago. Discovered by Mary Leake and her husband, the museum sits on one of the most important paleoanthropic sites in the world. While not the most exciting museum I’ve been to, it is certainly humbling to know that I walked in the same spot as the earliest known humans. We were able to walk around the museum, reading all about the earliest life forms and we had a lesson about the Gorge from a local. If you’re making the journey from Ngorongoro to the Serengeti, I highly recommend stopping at Olduvai Gorge. It is an important part of all our histories.

After Olduvai Gorge, we still had about 2 ½ hours to drive. I had initially planned to watch TV or read but I was so captivated by my surroundings that I didn’t even put on music. I simply sat in our safari vehicle, taking it all in.

We kept the windows open except when passing other vehicles. When they say the Serengeti is dusty, they mean it. I brought a scarf along with my as well as baby wipes to help protect me from the dust. I highly recommend bringing both items. You can check out my Tanzania & Zanzibar packing post here to see what else I brought on my trip.

Pulling into Kati Kati Tented Camp, I wasn’t sure what to expect. As I mentioned above, I am not a camper, so I was equal parts nervous and excited. The idea of camping in the Serengeti was thrilling but also…where the hell do you go to the bathroom? I am NOT a hole-in-the-grounder. Nope, no thanks, I’m good. Thankfully, Kati Kati is more of what the youth call “glamping.” It has just about all the basics you could need:

Tents (2 people per tent), our tent had 2 single beds and a solid wood floor
1 toilet section (closing zipper piece for privacy) with toilet
1 shower section (closing zipper piece for privacy)
- Bucket shower, enough hot water for 10 min shower
  - Pro tip: wait for the water to warm up! I didn’t and had a rough first few minutes before I realized that the water could be hot.
  - Move fast. You’ve only got a certain amount of water. I was able to wash my hair twice with shampoo, condition, and clean as normal but it certainly was rushed and quick.
  - They can bring you a second bucket, but you’ll feel weird asking for one. Essentially, a random guy (whom I later became friends with but hey, it was day one!) walks behind your tent and calls out if you want more. It’s awkward and as someone who is incredibly jumpy, it’s a bit unnerving. Just use your one bucket and keep it moving! Also, yay environment!
1 sink area with running water
They provided a tea kettle of filtered water each day for drinking and brushing your teeth
Clothing rack
Windows are zipped fabric, obviously no air or heat. They have warm blankets on the beds and the fabric windows are great if it’s warm outside. I’d say it got down to the high 40s at night. I’ll chat more about the windows below.

Arriving and unpacking I almost immediately had a “holy shit I’m camping in the Serengeti” moment. I wanted to run around and completely absorb everything around me. We were truly in the middle of the Serengeti National Park. I settled in as quickly as I could and began running around like a kid in a candy store. Kati Kati is nestled in a valley deep within the Serengeti. Looking around, there’s no sign of human life for miles. While on the game drives, you can see other lodges and resorts located within the Serengeti, but Kati Kati is a little private piece of camping paradise.

There’s only about 10 tents total, equally flanking a communal hangout tent in the center. The center tent is where you eat your meals, have a nightcap, and plug in your electronics. You see, there’s no electricity in your private tent, outside of a few lights. Charging your phone, camera batteries, etc. happens in the main tent with someone watching over 24/7. There is also a nightly bonfire outside the center tent just before dinner.

Nightly bonfire - every night before dinner the staff hosts a bonfire complete with relaxing chairs and blankets

I loved sitting in the communal tent during the day in between game drives watching storms roll in and out and at night sitting at the bonfire, looking up at the sky. It’s so clear you can see the entire galaxy. Coming from congested New Jersey, where you’re lucky to see 10 stars in one night, this was simply breathtaking. It was also in this tent where I had one of the most surreal experiences of my life.

Communal tent views - storm was rolling in!

You see, we were enjoying dinner when one of the staff members whom I had befriended came up to me while eating and told me to follow him. I was apprehensive at first. I mean, why would he be asking me to leave the meal they so warmly provided for us? I followed him out of the tent about 20 feet away. I was in the middle of asking him what we were doing when he said, “Shhhhh, listen.” Shutting my loud blabbermouth, I immediately heard a course of low “oooooooooooo” sounds coming from what sounded like all around me, although I knew it was directly in front of me. I looked at my new friend with a look of both fear and curiosity. He then took his flashlight and darted it around the brush, lighting up a pride of lions making their way through the camp. HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT. There is no other way to describe the feeling other than an all-encompassing HOLY SHIT. I was standing less than 15 feet from a pride of lions, communicating with one another as they moved gracefully through the dark.

By this point, all my travel companions had joined me and my friend from the dinner table and were having their own holy shit moments. We were all stunned and in awe. I asked my friend if at any point we were in danger being so close to them. What he said next has stuck with me and something I have shared with emphasis when telling this story upon my return home. He said, “No, of course not. If a lion has never had the taste of human blood, it does not want it. You are safe. We respect them, and they respect us. We exist together, in peace.” It’s a simple statement but the importance of it isn’t lost on me. I could go on a huge diatribe of how humans suck and what we do to animals is awful, but I’ll spare you. My only goal is to communicate just how humbling this moment was and how great of a reminder it is of just how important every single piece of this world is. Alexa, play Circle of Life.

I did ask how my friend knew lions were coming through the camp. He let me know they have cameras set up throughout the camp and are monitoring them 24/7 for the safety of the guests, themselves, and the animals. It makes sense, I thought. I felt silly for not even noticing the cameras in the first place. I should also mention, that once it gets dark outside, you are no longer allowed to walk to your tent alone. You must have one of the staff members guide you to your tent. This is to make sure you are safe and don’t come across any animals without protection on your walk.

While on the topic of nighttime and animals walking through the camp, let’s get back to the windows in your tent! It all comes full circle, you see. After hanging out some more in the communal tent and finishing our dinner, we all made our way back to our individual tents (with our guides, of course). My roommate and I opened our window panels to let in the fresh air and settled in for a good night’s sleep. Big pro tip from me here: always, always, always bring earplugs on your travels. I’m telling you; they have saved me so many great hours of sleep. And boy was I happy I brought them on this trip. I woke up the next morning to exhausted faces and everyone exchanging stories of how they didn’t sleep a wink due to animals walking through the camp the previous night. While I was blissfully asleep, lions, elephants, and hyenas walked through our camp. The lions with their low “ooooooo” noises, elephants trampling so loudly it felt like they were 2 feet away, and hyenas cackling around each tent sniffing for food, all kept everyone wide awake and from the sounds of it, terrified. I know I also would haven’t been able to sleep knowing that the windows aren’t really windows and animals could easily make their way through if they wanted to. Needless to say, a few people asked me for a spare pair of earplugs the 2nd night.

Overall, camping in the Serengeti was the highlight of my 2-week trip to Tanzania. Looking back, it’s the piece of my trip that takes up the most space in my heart. The staff at the camp were phenomenal and made sure we were happy, comfortable, and most importantly, safe. The accommodations were perfect for someone like me who isn’t into camping but wants the full experience. The animal and environmental experiences were incomparable. I will cherish the memories of my 3 days there for the rest of my life. While the price can seem a bit steep, I cannot recommend this experience enough. You really can’t put a price on this kind of travel.

I can’t wait to show you some pictures and share some details of our Serengeti game drives. We took early morning, midday, and evening drives and saw so many kinds of animals. Stay tuned!