Tented camps in the Serengeti aren’t just places to sleep, they’re where the real magic of the bush unfolds. After a few unforgettable activities in Arusha, it’s time to head into the heart of the wild. But here’s the truth: your safari isn’t just about where you go, it’s also about where you stay. Choosing the right accommodation facility can elevate your entire Serengeti experience from good to extraordinary.
Types of Accommodation in the Serengeti
From starlit nights in mobile tents to luxurious canvas lodges that blend into the savannah, the Serengeti offers more than just wildlife; it offers a way to live in the wild, comfortably. So how do you choose the right accommodation? Grab your virtual safari hat and let’s dive in!
When it comes to safari stays, it’s not “one size fits all.” Here are the four main types of accommodations you’ll find in the Serengeti and why each one appeals to a different kind of explorer.
1. Permanent Tented Camps
These are set up in fixed locations year-round, allowing for more developed infrastructure and comfort. Whether you’re after a rustic retreat or a high-end safari haven, there’s a permanent tented camp in the Serengeti to suit every travel style.
Features
- Fixed structures with canvas walls and solid floors
- Raised wooden decking for better views and airflow
- En-suite bathrooms with flush toilets and hot showers
- Outdoor dining areas and lounges
- Often includes luxury touches like swimming pools, spas, or bars
- Reliable electricity, often solar-powered or via generators
Best Example could be: Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge
2. Seasonal Tented Camps
Are set up in allocated camp-sites for several seasons in a row, these camps are designed with the lightest footprint to nature so as when the time come, they will vacate the site and leave it to regenerate within a minimum time. They offer an intimate and immersive experience by being very close to where all the action is happening. This is one of the best authentic East Africa safari experiences.
Features:
- They are open all year round
- Canvas tents with proper bedding and en-suite bathrooms
- Eco-friendly setups with low environmental impact
- Public area tents for meals and socializing
- Excellent wildlife viewing and hearing right from camp
- Often limited to a smaller number of guests for a more intimate experience
Best Example could be: Jackals’ Lair Camp in Serengeti
3. Mobile Tented Camps
Just like the name suggests, mobile tented camps are designed to move from one location to another, often following the path of the Great Migration. These camps offer a more immersive and adventurous safari experience, placing you right in the heart of the action with unbeatable access to wildlife sightings.
Far from being just a “budget option,” mobile camps vary in style from basic bush setups to luxurious canvas suites with full-service hospitality. What they all share is flexibility, intimacy, and a front-row seat to nature’s greatest show.
Features:
- Relocates 2–3 times a year based on wildlife movement
- Intimate and remote camp settings with fewer guests
- Canvas tents with real beds and private or shared bathrooms
- Eco-friendly design, leaving minimal impact on the land
- Bush-style dining and evenings around the campfire
- Ideal for photographers and migration-focused travelers
Best Example could be: Ubuntu Migration Camp by Asilia Africa
4. Hotel-Style Lodges
These are usually permanent buildings with solid walls and conventional hotel-like facilities. While less immersive, they offer consistency, comfort, and are ideal for groups.
Features:
- Permanent concrete or stone structures
- Standard hotel-style rooms with A/C, TVs, and 24/7 electricity
- Large dining halls and buffet-style meals
- Swimming pools, souvenir shops, and conference rooms
- Suitable for groups, families, and package tours
- Easy accessibility and consistent service
Example: Four Seasons Serengeti Safari Lodge
Introducing Jackals’ Lair Camp by Planet Lodges
Introducing our hidden gem: Jackal’s Lair Camp, a Seasonal Tented Camp by Planet Lodges, nestled in the Nyabogati area of Central Serengeti.
Here’s why it’s more than just a place to sleep:
- Part of a trusted brand: Planet Lodges has over a decade of experience in East African hospitality. Service excellence and consistency being our main strength. You are in safe hands from dawn to dusk
- Nature’s front-row seat: Located beside a year-round flowing river, the area attracts incredible wildlife from thirsty zebras to lurking big cats as well as hundreds of colourful water birds.
- Migration route access: This spot is on the path of the Great Migration, giving guests a chance to witness nature’s grandest parade during the season.
- Close to Seronera Airstrip: Only 40 minutes from the airstrip, so you spend less time driving and more time exploring.
- Golden hour magic: As the sun sets, its golden rays reflect off the river—pure postcard perfection.
- Incredible camp’s design: The team behind the camp’s design have decades of experience between them and that is why every inch of the camp has been thoroughly though of and designed to fit in perfectly to the location
What Would You Choose?
Whether you’re drawn to the charm of a mobile tent, the comfort of a lodge, or the serenity of a seasonal riverside camp like Jackals’ Lair, one thing is certain: the Serengeti is unforgettable but how you experience it is up to you.
Planet Lodges believe that your accommodation should feel like part of the adventures so whether you are seeking a serenity of lush garden outside town noise we have Arusha Planet Lodge ready for you or whether you want a place with easy access to JRO Airport we have Airport Planet Lodge for you and on top of it all experience the wild with our new gem Jackals’ lair camp.
For more information contact our reservation team they would be happy to help you
