Sanctuary Kusini, Serengeti

We stayed for three nights at Sanctuary Kusini Camp and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Kusini is sister to Swala Camp in Tarangire National Park, and both permanent tented camps are built to a very high standard.

Kusini is an elegant retreat in a remote part of the southern Serengeti, and therein lies part of its appeal.

It has a rustic charm well suited to its setting among enormous kopjes (rocky outcroppings), including an exceptional view from a huge kopje where sundowners and appetizers are served each evening.

Kusini is managed by Mark and Cornelia, who very competently run all aspects of the camp.

Large picnic hamper lunches and dinners were great, perhaps the best food we had in two weeks. Quite ironic given that this was the remotest place that we stayed.

Other Holiday Hotels, Camps and Safari Lodges Nearby

The large tent was elegant with a king sized bed, a twin for our daughter, all swathed in white mosquito netting.

There is a large bathroom with double sinks and running water, flush toilet, and a rain shower in a large shower room.

Wooden flooring runs throughout, and there is a large, comfortable front porch overlooking the woodlands. Laundry and all drinks are included in the cost.

There is a stretch of road to reach Kusini where we ran into some tsetse flies, but if you close the vehicle, you will be fine. There were no tsetse flies in camp and no mosquitoes.

One evening Mark provided us with a cosmic safari. With no artificial light source around and a billion stars overhead, Mark pointed out the constellations, including the Southern Cross, with a laser light stick.

As Jupiter and Venus passed closely in March, we saw these two planets gleaming like diamonds near the crescent moon.

Wildlife on game drives and in the immediate vicinity is excellent. Resident buffalo lie around the camp routinely and drink from the hollows on the tops of the kopjes after a rain.

The area is full of cats, and we could hear hyena and lion quite clearly in the evenings.

This camp is a very special place in the Serengeti. Highly recommended.

Overall this was an amazing place, incredible experience, the most ideal safari lodge one can dream of.

In more detail:

- The location is so remote from everything that Kusini is practially unaccessible (by car) after a few rainy days. This might affect your safari possibilities as well, probably the dry(er) season(s) is(are) a better bet.

- Because of its remoteness, you feel really disconnected from everything, which is simply wonderful

- The food is delicious every time and the tables are always set in a really pretty/creative/colourful way- I LOVED it!

- Small souvenir shop with carefully selected items- good taste!

- Every day at sunset there is a drink on the top of the rocks next to the lodge- small snacks, sitting on big pillows, watching the sun go down after a whole day in your car- you cant imagine how nice this is!

- There is also a camp-fire every evening, with chairs around, you can enjoy the time before and/or after dinner chatting with other guests

- The tents have recently been redone, they are clean (including the bathrooms), spacious, the mosquito nets are reliable, the beds comfortable, the blankets warm enough

- Wild animals sometimes wander through camp during the night, but you always feel safe as there are 3 masaii watchmen each night

- Very cool way of collecting rain-water on top of the rocks, its worth walking up and checking it out!

- The only thing that I found a bit strange was how the staff was treated... I felt very strong segregation between the managers and the staff (although both managers were very friendly and attentive with their guests).

Its a shame, because this gave the place a bit of a colonial atmosphere and my impression was only reinforced when I took a walk to the staff-quarters and had seen their little wooden huts...