3 Reasons Why You Should Stay at a Mobile Tented Camp

Like luxury tented camps, mobile camps predominantly feature walk-in tents more than high enough to comfortably stand in and comfortably, fitted with luxury beds, a side table and gas lamp. Delightfully intimate and wonderfully exclusive, mobile tented camps epitomize the wild immersion of an African safari and cater to a high-end market, providing the comfort demanded by discerning guests.

A common dining tent or cozy seating around a central fire, these features round up your mobile camping experience. Service is attentive yet discreet, allowing a group to savor their environment with limited human interaction. By definition, mobile camps move, some every few days, others a week at a time and often in response to the needs of guests on handcrafted multi-day safaris. They provide accommodation for one or two groups then switch to a new location.

Sustainable tourism and treading lightly wherever we go have become a key factor for many safari outfits. Those embarking on a mobile camping adventure can rest comfortably knowing they are indeed achieving this. Tents are carefully erected in a clear space with minimal impact, and knowing they will be moving within a few days or weeks, the light tread blends well with the earth around them.

Service levels are by no means compromised, and the subtle presence in the bush means that setup and breakdown are easy for the fantastic safari team on the ground. Another enticing aspect of this form of safari is the stillness and quiet of the bush. It is alive with wildlife, yet between the symphony of night sounds, a thrilling silence fills the air, and sleep comes quickly. Moving from place to place also allows the ground to recover and animals to roam freely through previously occupied space.

The night comes alive with sounds of the wild perforating the canvas walls, accompanied by regular visits from a park's wildlife. Escapism is usually associated with beaches and tropical islands, but a camp in the heart of the African bush is equally resplendent in its notions of getaway. There's nothing around, but the silence is never absolute as you sit back and take in the sights and sounds of your surroundings.

Some mobile tented camps move with the seasons, tracking migrations or following the rains, much like hyenas constantly seeking out the most abundant landscapes. Inhabiting their space, animals will continue to hang around the area the camp is in while keeping their distance during the day when the camp is usually alive with human chatter. A mutual respect is created as the fascination from both sides creates an incredible safari experience.

Mobile camps are about location and can be found in a variety of safari park scenarios. Solitary in the heart of untrammeled grassland, hidden beside a small river in the forest or tucked into a desert oasis, they shift the dynamics of their environment for just a moment while maintaining their place within the landscape. Subtle in design and stature, they blend well with the bush and are an ideal way to sink your teeth into an adventurous safari.

You'll find these camps all over Africa, although they're best suited to areas receiving relatively few visitors. Private concessions and reserves offer these camps as an intimate alternative to their main lodge while a select handful of outfits obtain permission to erect mobile camps in large national parks. The emphasis is on staying away from standard tourist trails, so they're often found in the lesser-visited sections of a park or reserve, away from the main gate and a park's daily visitors.

A mobile tented safari is unique in experience, size, and design. Explore more than one area of a park or reserve as your camp moves over a few days, or have a front-row seat to a seasonal safari spectacle. Work with your Zicasso safari specialist to create your ideal mobile tented safari.

Learn more at our Africa Safari Guide, and explore sample safari itineraries for more inspiration. Whatever your safari needs, your Zicasso safari specialist is a destination expert and ready to answer your questions to help you find the right safari for you. Ready to start planning? Fill out a Trip Request, or call our team at 1-888-265-9707.