Beginners Safari - Step 2: The Vast Serengeti

Lisa Foley on 27 March 2019
Step 2 – where the real safari begins! The longest day of the trip started off with a hearty breakfast. One thing that I can’t fault about safari is the abundance of food. Daily breakfasts consisted of a fruit plate, eggs any style with various accompaniments, toast, tea, coffee, juices – all freshly prepared by the chef on camp. There’s no heating up a tin of beans over the campfire!!

After breakfast, we jumped in the jeep and headed over to the entrance of the Serengeti. Whilst the paperwork was being filled out, we enjoyed a bit of wifi. After a few days without wifi (bliss), we were eager to share some of our photos and stories with friends and family. Wifi is available at the camps but you must request it. At all the camps, we just chose to enjoy the environment and switch off completely - highly recommend this.

Within 5 minutes of entering the camp, we were in awe of the wildlife. Honestly, it was amazing that you could see everything so quickly. We were enthralled and were constantly asking the driver to stop so we could take photos, videos and just sit and watch all the animals in their natural habitat.

The drive to the Bush Camp took about 9 hours in total but to be honest, you stop so many times, you barely feel the time pass. We had a lovely picnic lunch en route and there were plenty of toilet stops. The roads are bumpy so be prepared for your ‘African Massage’. We drove through the Western Corridor, central Seronera, and South to the remove Kusini area, where the wildebeest were migrating.

As the sun was setting, we drove into our home for the next two nights – the mighty ‘Bush Rover’ camp. The camp moves every few months, alongside the migration. The camp is made up of 5 working Land Rovers that have been converted into suites. Yes, you read right, Land Rovers! The finish on these is amazing. Our Land Rover had a 14x16ft bedroom with a double bed, wardrobe and balcony (amazing for sunset views). The bedroom is built on top of the Land Rover. The Land Rover itself is converted into the bathroom – the boot has a fully functioning bath & sink. There is a solar powered shower around the side of the jeep and the passenger seat has been converted into a flushable toilet. It is one of the most unique places I have slept and definitely one for your bucket list.

After a tour around our suite, we headed back down to the campfire area to enjoy the last of the sunset and our evening meal. Every night, the chef prepares a 3 course meal for the campmates. The food is plentiful and delicious. All dietary requirements can be catered for. The next morning, we had an early morning game drive to explore the wildlife rich area around the camp. The area we were staying is known for cheetahs and we were lucky enough to spot some. One of the highlights for me was seeing a lion eating a zebra – just fascinating. I could have sat there all morning watching him – the noises, the looks he was giving us…amazing! One tip for the early morning drives – it is chilly so bring layers. I wasn’t prepared for how cold it would be so I was grateful for the blanket provided by the guide.

After the morning game drive, we returned for breakfast and had some time to relax at the camp. We opted to sit on the balcony and enjoy the wildlife from on high. From the Bush Rover suite, we could see giraffe and zebras grazing. In the late afternoon, we headed out again on another game drive before returning for an evening under the stars.

I was sad to be heading off the next day as I wanted just one more day to enjoy the serenity and beauty of the Bush Rover camp.

To be continued…

For more photos and videos, please check the highlights on my Instagram @lisakingtravelcounsellors