Mobile Camp

Alex Walker’s Serian is an iconic safari outfit with camps in both Tanzania and Kenya which perfectly blends the rugged heritage of safari with effortless style, unobtrusive luxury and fantastic guiding. The mobile safari through the Serengeti tracks the movement of wildlife during the great wildebeest migration.

From mid-June to mid-November, two camps (Serengeti North camp and Serengeti Mobile – Lamai) – along with 1.6 million wildebeest – are situated in the far north of the Serengeti plains. Both are within minutes of major crossing points where the likelihood of witnessing this heart-stopping phenomenon is high. Away from the river, this area of rolling savannah, boulder-strewn hillsides and fig-tree groves, is littered with inconceivably enormous herds of wildebeest, topi and zebra, as well as all the predators that pursue them. Needless to say, the game-viewing is outstanding. Cheetah, lion and elephant especially make for fantastic sightings, but it’s not unheard of to see the Big Five in a day.

Then, from mid-December to May the whole operation moves South and the camps are renamed as Serengeti South and Serengeti Mobile – Kusini camp. The camps are set up on the southernmost extreme of the Serengeti’s short grass plains: prime position to spectate the wildebeest birthing season. Dramatic savannah storms sweep in nourishment and an innate primordial urge pulls the wildebeest to the site of their origins to reproduce. The plains literally come to life as millions of wildebeest and zebra dominate the landscape, looking for the fresh green grass that follows the first rains and a spot to give birth to their young. Perched on the edge of the plains and nestled in a well-watered wood, ancient trails weave the migration right through both camps.

Serian’s camps all strike the perfect balance between authentic colonial camping and elegant style. The ambience is one of unobtrusive luxury and easy comfort – a home away from home where you can unpack, relax and soak up the quietude of you natural surroundings. Each camp is small and intimate with just 6 tents (4 individual units and 2 family suites). Every tent is spacious and lavish with enormous wrought iron beds dressed in sumptuous linens, Moroccan rugs adorning the floors and copper paraffin lamps giving a soft, ambient glow. En-suite bathrooms provide flush toilets and original bucket bush showers. Showering under a star filled sky is an exhilarating and invigorating experience – the very essence of safari!

This part of the world is also remarkable for its sheer mind-boggling immensity: think unending savannah, vast horizons and 2 million wildebeest giving birth to 400,000 calves within a period of 3 to 4 weeks. Given the sheer multitude of plains game and their brand new babies, the big cats are never far behind for an easy meal. This is especially prime cheetah country, and there is ample opportunity to watch these impressive predators in action. Meanwhile watching a crossing is something that is thrilling to the core: the intensity, the trauma and the sheer spectacle, is all-absorbing, and epitomizes the rawness of nature’s character.

Each group at Serian has their own private open-top safari vehicle and their own dedicated guide and spotter giving you privacy, exclusivity and the freedom to spend the day as you wish. Whether you want to spend a full day in the wilderness with a picnic ‘on the go’ or relax with a lazy siesta and sundowners in camp, your experience will be optimized and tailored to you.

In the south, near Lake Eyasi, Hadzabe and Ndorobo guides, who have centuries of bush craft at their fingertips, can open your eyes to the secrets of this beautiful space. Walking safaris are also a beautiful way to explore, setting off with the first light in silence, away from the hum of a vehicle, discovering the intricacies of paw prints in the dust, plant life or the microcosmic universe in a termite mound.

A safari at Alex Walker’s Serian immerses you into the wilderness, no longer a spectator but a participant. This is an exceptional safari outfit with real substance and style.