LOCATION | ABOUT KIKOTI SAFARI CAMP | ROOMS | RESTAURANT | LOUNGE BAR
| ACTIVITIES | SAFARI SURVIVAL GUIDE | TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK

Kikoti means “meeting place” in the Maasai language. Kikoti is a meeting place of people, cultures and wildlife. A lone bush elephant stately lumbers through the camp, watched by buffalo, drinking at the water hole, passing through on the migration route. A Maasai warrior, armed with bow and arrows, escorts you to your room in the evening, looking out across the Simanjiro plains as the African sun sets over the horizon, the air alive with noise and life.

Situated in the heart of the Maasai plains, just 6km from Tarangire National Park, Kikoti is a place where visitors come as guests and leave as friends. A place where your safari dreams can come true.

LOCATION
Six kilometres from Tarangire National Park and three hours drive from Arusha, Kikoti is also reachable by charter plane, arriving at Kuru, with a shorter drive to the camp. Being located outside the camp offers certain advantages; the chance to enjoy nature walks led by Maasai rangers or night game drive.

Kikoti lies on the migration route for the plains game and offers a diverse array of wildlife to see from the safety of the camp during the beginning of the dry season in July and towards the end in November.

ABOUT KIKOTI SAFARI CAMP

Kikoti Safari Camp is run by Jen and Pete, who have lived in Tanzania for over five years. Both have an outstanding passion for nature.

Jen has over thirty years experience working in the tourism and hospitality industry in Africa, running lodges and camps. Pete works as a professional hunter and ensures the safety of guests in a wild environment. Both have awe-inspiring knowledge of their surroundings; plants, birds, wildlife, how to track animals, to recognize their habitats. Spending time with them is an education in itself and they go the extra mile to guarantee that guests enjoy their stay at Kikoti.

In total, there are 30 staff at Kikoti, experienced bush trained guides, drivers, guards, catering and cleaning staff. Kikoti is committed to community development and employ Maasai from the local village. There is a spirit of camaraderie in the camp, all the staff are friendly, welcoming and happy to help.

A share of the profits of Kikoti goes towards the African Nature Conservation Trust, a non-profit organization. As well as building a school and a clinic for the local community, the Trust’s goals are to maintain and conserve the extraordinary ecosystem in Tarangire-Manyara, part of one of the world’s most outstanding habitats, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Through the African Nature Conservation Trust, Kikoti helps to address problems such as habitat degradation, wildlife population declines, excessive charcoal cutting and increased human-wildlife conflict.

ROOMS

Kikoti’s rooms are beautiful raised luxury bandas, with spectacular views of the hills, looking down into the national park. In total, there are 8 double rooms and 10 twin rooms, built from natural materials in tune with their environment, with a design that echoes safari tents from years past.

Simple and elegant, the rooms are decorated in warm caramel and creams, with stylish en-suite bathrooms. Water is tanked in on a weekly basis as there is no natural supply by the camp but hot water is available and the lights run from solar power.

There are touches of local craftsmanship everywhere, the woven rugs, the bed frames made from snot apple wood and African ebony, found outside Tarangire National Park and the thatched roofs, recalling the safari tents of years past. The beds are wonderfully comfortable, perfect to sink into after a long day’s safari. Alternatively, you can sit out on your private verandah, in one of the wicker chairs and watch the world pass by. Wildebeest, water buffalo, hyenas and zebra have been known to wander underneath the rooms, providing a close up wildlife experience.

RESTAURANT

The restaurant offers tasty local produce, freshly baked bread, fruits and vegetables in season and great home cooked meals by local chefs. A breakfast buffet is served between 6:30am – 9:00am, with breakfast boxes provided for early morning game drives. Packed lunches can also be arranged but for the guests in camp, lunch is served between 12:30pm – 2:30pm. Dinner is served between 7:30pm and 9:00pm and is the ideal opportunity to swap bush tales with other guests. Special dietary requirements can easily be accommodated although advance notice is preferred.

After dinner, guests are treated to an insight into Maasai culture as the Maasai staff prepare for their performance. Dressed in their traditional costumes, the red tartan shuka, beaded jewellery and hunting knives, tribal songs are sung about life in the wilderness, followed by traditional dancing and jumping, said to be a sign of manhood and strength in young men. There can be a friendly competitiveness here to see who can jump the highest and guests are encouraged to join in!

LOUNGE BAR

Homely and comfortable, with sofas glowing in burnt sienna and dusky reds, and floor cushions, the lounge bar is the perfect place to relax. The bar itself is made from local woods, with animals carved out of African ebony and jacaranda wood. There is a wide selection of South African wines, Tanzanian beers, whiskies, spirits, soft drinks and sodas, and the bartender is more than happy to make you a cocktail.

Take refuge from the midday heat, drink tea and coffee, and watch the birds jostle for rice at the feeding table, the bright Superb Starlings with their dazzling plumage. At night, the lamps are lit, providing a warm glow, where you can sit around the bonfire and trade stories of your day’s adventure.

A short drive away from the camp the Nasira rock, an ancient rock formation made from limestone, carved with hidden Maasai paintings. It’s an easy hike to the top, with stunningly beautiful views of the bush and plains below, the ideal place for a sundowner. As the sun sinks, the sky becomes a brilliant blue, with soft pink clouds, lit up by the warm yellows, oranges and golds of the African sun.

ACTIVITIES


• Night Drives
At night, Kikoti takes on an otherworldly feel, lit by moonlight and thousands of stars bright and clear in the African sky. As Kikoti is outside national park grounds, night game drives are permitted, allowing you to see some of the hidden secrets of the surroundings. The camp has 2 open night drive vehicles, with experienced spotters and drivers to show you some of the lesser seen sights.

Smaller animals such as genets, aadvarks and porcupines come out at night, along with the larger game, giraffe, Tarangire’s famous elephant and even lions and leopards. Even on quieter evenings, guests can see the dik-diks, miniature antelope bound through the bush, African hare and some of the rare elusive night birds.


• Nature Walks
Learn to how to track animals and recognize their habitats on a nature walk with one of our experienced guides. Find termite mounds, snake holes, animal prints and learn about the useful and medicinal properties of local plants, including the extraordinary baobab tree.
 

SAFARI SURVIVAL GUIDE

When choosing a company to go on safari, do your research. Ask for references from other guests; look for companies that have bush trained guides and a good reputation. It’s the responsibility of the guide and driver to keep you safe and take you to the best areas to see wildlife.

Nothing is guaranteed when it comes to safari, you may have three days of seeing nothing but on the fourth day, you see something amazing that makes your trip worthwhile. Be patient, follow the instructions of your guide and wait for that magical moment.

The best times of day to see wildlife are early in the morning and in the late afternoon. During the midday heat, animals, like people, take refuge from the sun and tend to retreat to somewhere cool for an afternoon nap.

Safari trails and roads can be dusty and bumpy, be prepared for the road massage, bouncing around in your seat. A scarf can help protect you against the dust and some wipes are useful to keep you feeling fresh.

Take sunglasses, suncream and a hat, wildlife watching in the heat quickly becomes frustrating if you start to get sunburn. Drink water to keep yourself hydrated.

Dress sensibly! If you’re going on a walking safari, wear strong walking shoes, rather than sandals. The bush is full of rocks, thorn trees and animals creeping at ankle level. Long trousers and a long sleeved shirt will help to keep the bug bites away, although it’s advisable to bring insect repellant and take anti malarial tablets.

In the evenings, when the sun goes down, Tanzania can get cold. Pack a fleece or sweater to wrap up in the evening, especially if you’re going out on a night drive.

Don’t forget your camera, with extra batteries and film. You never know what you might see, a pride of lions lazing in the afternoon sun, herds of wildebeest thundering through on migration, elephants splashing and playing at a watering hole. Your photographs are the lasting memories of your safari, make sure you don’t miss out!

TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK

Tarangire National Park spreads over 2600 square kilometres, named after the Tarangire River that winds it way through the park. Although the park provides game viewing year around, it is in the dry season that Tarangire becomes full of life. Between June to September, visitors are astounded by the sheer numbers of wildlife.

Elephants trail the dried out river beds in herds in search of water, iconic symbols of Tarangire. Zebra, buffalo, eland, antelope jostle for space around the lagoons for water, following the migration route from the Maasai Maraa, providing rich and easy pickings for the parks predators.

Lions pack stalk through the park, their golden sandy fur blending in effortlessly against the dried out grasses. Leopards and their cubs prowl at night, stealthily and skillful to take down an antelope to last them for a few days. Giraffes glide with elegance through the plains, stripping trees bare of leaves, keeping a watchful eye for the big cats and the warning call of the birds.

Tarangire boasts amazing birding with over 550 different bird varieties. Bustards, ostrich, hornbills and the formidable secretary birds, plucking pythons out of trees, kicking their prey to death with armoured talons. Smaller varieties include hornbills, woodpeckers, superb starlings, yellow-collared love birds and weaver birds.