If you’re looking for a place to stay in the Serengeti, look no further.

Kubu Kubu Tented Camp is hands-down our favourite place we’ve ever stayed!  The lodge alone makes us want to return to Tanzania.

Booking

If you are going on safari then most likely your safari company will be booking your accommodation for you.  You can request that they book you into Kubu Kubu Tented Camp for your Serengeti stay.

However, if you are planning your itinerary on your own, you can book yourself directly on Kubu Kubu’s website.

Location

Kubu Kubu is located right in the heart of the Serengeti.  It is perfectly located to allow you to explore the rest of the expansive Serengeti National Park.

The lodge sits on the edge of a hill overlooking the endless plains.  It is perfectly situated to allow you to watch the passing wildlife right from your tent.  The views are breathtaking.

 

Tents

Don’t get put off by the word tent – these are no ordinary tents!  If there were a perfect definition of glamping this would be it!

Kubu Kubu consists of 25 tents which are actually quite large.  Each tent is named after an animal in Swahili.  Ours was called nyumbu which is Swahili for wildebeest.  The tents are permanent, meaning the floor and structure are fixed but the sides and roof are canvas.

The tents have flush toilets, sink, hot water and, my favourite, an outdoor shower with a view over the Serengeti!  I must say this will be the best shower you ever had being able to watch a herd of elephants stroll by while washing your hair.

Kubu Kubu tents are the ultimate luxury camping experience.  No detail was forgotten.

• A basket of complimentary  coconut lime toiletries including hand sanitizer
• A shower caddy to carry shampoo and soap out to the outdoor shower
• A full length mirror
• A water dispenser that included both cold and boiling water so you could make tea or coffee

You may not feel like you are in a tent until night time when you can hear all the sounds.  As soon as it got dark we could hear all kinds of footsteps!  We went out on the patio but it was pitch black so we couldn’t see anything.  The footsteps were so close, we really wanted to know what animals were right next to our tent!

Be aware that Kubu Kubu runs on solar power.  They do have a generator so you can still charge your electronics over night.  But you won’t be able to use the hair dryer overnight or during the day.  I forgot about this and was stuck with wet hair after my swim, oops.  Power is only available in the evening and morning.  The staff will tell you the exact hours when they show you your room.

At sunset the view from the patio is stunning.  You can watch as the wildebeest, elephants, elands, etc all stroll past.  We made ourselves a hot tea and sat there taking in the view.

At night you have to go out on your patio and look at the stars!  I have never seen so many stars!  It was unbelievable.  We just stared in awe.  I guess because it is so dark there and you are in the middle of nowhere, there really is no light pollution so the stars look so much more bright.  I wish I was able to capture a better photo.  This photo just doesn’t do it justice!

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Experience

Check in was your standard safari lodge check in: a wet cloth, welcome drink and cookies.  Our luggage was taken to our room before we even completed check in and was waiting for us when we walked in.

The Kubu Kubu staff really stress that you are in the wilderness which means it is NOT safe to walk alone in the evenings and early morning.  We were escorted to our tent and shown all the features.  Most importantly, the radio that sat next to the bed.  We were instructed to use it to call the Maasai warriors to escort us to dinner when we were ready.  Just dial 53 on the radio to reach them.

The Maasai warriors come two at a time to walk you to and from your tent.  Armed with only a spear and flashlight, we at first wondered what would actually happen if we encountered a wild animal.  When we were picked up for dinner the Maasai asked us if we could hear a sound and we said yes.  They told us it was the lions!

I asked our guide what the Maasai would do if we encountered a lion or other animal.  He said that they check BEFORE coming to pick us up from our tent to ensure there are no animals along the way.  It seemed like the animals weren’t too interested in coming close anyway.  We did see the eyes of a hyena shining back at us when the Maasai shined the flashlight but it was far enough away.

The Maasai warriors and all the lodge staff were super friendly and welcoming!

Amenities

Wifi

Yes, even though you are out in the middle of the Serengeti, you can still connect to the online world!  Kubu Kubu grants each guest 100mb of free wi-fi, after which you will need to pay.  The 100mb renews each day.  It is a very strong connection!  We were able to connect in our tent and shoot live Instagram videos and upload photos quickly.  100mb doesn’t last long, though.

If you must connect for longer, these are the internet plans available:

Pool

The Kubu Kubu pool was the highlight for us!  It is an infinity pool and overlooks the vast Serengeti plains.  You can watch a herd of elephants pass by right from the pool!

It was cold while we were there and the pool is unfortunately not heated but I forgot all about it when I got in and saw a herd of elephants passing by.  Luckily we had the pool all to ourselves!  I guess not many people wanted to brave the cold water, but we’re from Canada 😉  we are used to a bit of cold haha.

Food

Meals are served in the main building.  There is a beautiful patio but when we were there in November it was too cold and wet so we weren’t able to dine out there during dinner time.  They did open it up during brunch but it was still a bit cold and windy.

The dinner we had was the best we had during all of our safari!  There was a BBQ meat station which was fantastic!  The centre of the main building is open air so they were barbecuing right there and the delicious smell was wafting to our table.

The buffet was delicious.  There were all kinds of salad and the bread was so tasty!  Usually I skip the bread at buffets because I don’t want to waste my appetite on filling carbs.  At first, Ryan and I just split a piece of cheese bread.  However it was so delicious we each had to go back and get another one!

If you want a beverage with your meal, order away – even alcohol is included!

Breakfast had plenty of options!  There was a pancake and omelette station.  Fresh fruits, yogurts, breads, pastries, and an assortment of fresh juices, to name a few.

Overall Rating: 10/10

Honestly this is my favorite place we’ve ever stayed.  I would love to go back to Tanzania and go straight to this lodge.  Even if I didn’t go on safari, I could just sit on that beautiful patio and stare at the animals go by allll day.  You must go here!

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