Kusini Tented Lodge (elevation 5,512 feet) is located in the southwestern section of the Serengeti National Park. The Lodge is discretely situated around the Hambi Ya Mwaki-Nyeb Kopjes in a very scenic wooded area just inside the woodlands-plains border of the Serengeti. This is a truly beautiful and seldom traveled area of the Serengeti. The closest lodge or campsite is over 2 hours away so expect to have this slice of heaven all to yourself.

Just to the east of Kusini are the famous Serengeti plains and to west is the Maswa Game Reserve. The Lodge is ideally located in that many areas of the southern and eastern plains of the Serengeti can be reached on an all day game drive including the Kusini Plains, Matiti Plains, Ndutu, Naabi Hill, Gol Kopjes, Hidden Valley, Barafu Kopjes and even Nasera Rock. During the northward and southward migration months of June and November, respectively, the Moru Kopjes area can be reached on a 1.5-hour game drive to the north.

The Lodge consists of just nine permanent luxury tents with en-suite bathrooms and showers. The small size of the Lodge provides for a very intimate and personal experience. Each tent is spaced throughout the acacia trees at the bottom of a beautiful granite kopje to ensure complete privacy.

Describing the rooms as tents is probably misleading and a better description might be luxury cabins under canvas. Regardless, the tents are elevated on a wooden foundation and each is tastefully decorated with hardwood furnishing in grand safari fashion. The back of the tent includes the en-suite bathroom which consists of a separate flush toilet and shower on either side of the wash basin. Our favorite aspect of the Lodge is the raised private veranda at the front of each tent. It is possible to continue your safari experience after your game drive and enjoy the landscape and resident animals (buffalo, vervet monkey, baboon and impala) from the comfort and privacy of your own veranda.

The main Lodge structure is set upon a kopje above the tents. This area includes the dining tent, campfire, bar and main viewing deck. The campfire and lounge area offer a great place to mingle with other guests and share the safari highlights for the day. For your safety, Askaris (Masai warriors) will accompany you at night when walking to and from the main Lodge. It is about a 5 minute walk to the main Lodge facilities and it is important that you have an escort at night when going to and from dinner. There is a very nice gift shop in a separate tent, which includes among other things a very nice selection of Tanzanite.

A friendly couple from Zimbabwe, Fred and Carol Rademeyer, who have spent over twenty years running various lodges and camps, manages Kusini. Their attention to fine details, wealth of knowledge and deep love for 'the bush' sets the stage for unparalleled service and a truly remarkable property. Kusini is owned by the reputable Sanctuary Lodges with a sister property in Tanzania - Swala Tented Lodge in Tarangire

Excellent food and superb service are two of the hallmarks at Kusini Camp. Steaming hot coffee or tea and cookies will be delivered to your tent each morning at an agreed upon wake up call time. However, be wary of the vervet monkeys, which are notorious for pilfering these early morning treats! You may enjoy the African morning from your private veranda before heading up to the main tent for breakfast.

Breakfast is quite a spread and is served mixed buffet style. There is a selection of fresh fruit, cereals, yogurts, cheeses and juices. Orders will be taken for eggs, pancakes, bacon etc. and made to your liking. Alternatively, choose to have the staff pack you a picnic breakfast to go so you can maximize your early morning wildlife viewing!

There are also two choices for lunch. You can either drive back to the Lodge for a hot lunch or have a private picnic lunch while on safari. The lunch picnics are well catered to and include an assortment of pasta, sandwiches, cheeses and fresh fruit, bundled in authentic picnic baskets with genuine tableware.

Dinner is the main event at Kusini Camp and it is quite a feast indeed! Served by the warm ambience of candlelight in open air dining, dinner consists of four delicious courses. The meal is paired with fine South African wines. The soups are especially delectable! The menu varies daily on a 7-day rotation, and vegetarian dishes are available. There is a good variety of beer, wine, and spirits available, and most are included in your safari package.

An hour before dusk on every day, a small bar is set up on the very top of a nearby kopje. You may indulge in sundowners with the other guests and enjoy the stunning views out over the surrounding woodlands as the last rays of daylight burn a brilliant crimson finale into the western sky. Just before dinner on each night, a blazing campfire is also set up with appetizers and drinks. After dinner, you may continue to sit around the fire and simply embrace the ambience of such a special place. Watch the dancing flames cast ghosts of smoke in the moonlight under a velvet sky as another brilliant chapter of your safari adventure draws to a close. You can hardly wait to begin the next day!

• Private game drives into the wildlife-teeming arena of the spectacular Serengeti savanna.
• Experience the great wildebeest and zebra migration on the surrounding plains
• Explore the remote Moru Kopjes, home to remaining black rhinos in the Serengeti
• A full day adventure game drive can be done to Gol kopjes, the cheetah capital of Africa
• Picnic lunches
• Bush dinners
• Well stocked safari boutique and gift shop
• Sundowners atop the nearby kopjes every evening
• Wildlife viewing from Lodge
• Complimentary laundry service is included in your safari package
• Beverages including soft drinks, beer, wine, and spirits are included in your safari package