Time to move on again - this morning was a later start as I had some re-organizing to do. Despite my packing cubes I had managed to get into quite a muddle and it was time for a thorough re-pack **note to self must do better next time. A soft sunrise and the luxury of time to spend with morning coffee in my tent enjoying it.

Justice and I left camp around 9am and drove slowly towards Seronera to meet up with Nomad. On the way we saw giraffe, topi, warthog, zebra.

Guide #4 Mussa was waiting for us from Nomad Tanzania and after saying a fond farewell to Justice I cracked the obligatory Kilimanjaro and waited for Mussa to finish up the paperwork then off we set in the open vehicle in a general northerly direction towards Kubu Kubu for a site inspection. The landscape along the way was filled with gorgeous hills Masembe, Nyaruswiga and Kubu Kubu their sides cloaked in green, with trees and bushes and some dramatic rocky outcrops.

Nomad Open Vehicle

Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge - TWC

With an absolute prime location Kubu Kubu looks out southwards towards Seronera in an elevated position. The view is magnificent; the lodge itself is quite large with 25 tented rooms housing between 2/3/4 people in each so potentially 60 to 70 guests when fully booked. The main lounge/dining area is circular with views again in all directions and on a level below there is a nice pool with decking and loungers that also overlooks the amazing view.

The guest rooms are each on a raised platform and well-appointed with adequate (but no-frills) bathroom and outdoor shower (again with the views). There are two quad rooms which also include a bathtub and there are three family suites of 2 interconnecting rooms that can accommodate up to five people.

My opinion would be that this is a great option for those on a mid-budget traveling with children It’s got the potential for younger ones to be able to move around a bit more freely within the communal main area and also the pool. Kubu offers lots of versatility regarding the rooming arrangements. On the downside I do think it has a more large commercial lodge feel and lacks the personal touch of smaller camps/lodges.

From the Kubu Kubu deck we could see a huge line of wildebeest trekking from our left to right; in constant motion, heads down and bobbing. In a seemingly endless stream they are heading towards the western corridor.

The drive from Kubu Kubu to Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp (which in June is nestled on the edge of the Musabe Plains in the west) took us through oceans of morning glory and pink lady, a beautiful white and purple carpet of flowers on both sides of the road. There seemed to be a lot of road- crossing activity including two separate leopard tortoises - one big, one small, a monitor lizard, zebra, a scampering pack of dwarf mongoose, a glossy black terrapin.

A little way from the road Mussa spotted a lion sleeping in a tree.

Then we met our star of the day - a gorgeous bull elephant snacking on a bush with his back to us about 50 feet from the road.

We stopped to watch him and after a few minutes he turned and came towards us a few steps, stopped shook his head flapping his great big ears, considered us and then calmly continued a little closer and started munching on the bush right in front of me. (about 15 feet) I could listen to his chomping and gentle blowing all day.

Thank you beautiful boy x

We arrived at camp for a late lunch and then a tour.

Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp

SSC is small, remote and intimate feeling mobile camp. The lounge-dining tent is really delightful with a stylish but homely feel; big comfy couches, coffee table books etc. and a gorgeous view over Musabe Plains June to mid-July (Ndutu Dec - Mar, Moru Mar- May, Lamai/Koga June - Sept/Oct) There are 2 identical camps that leapfrog around each other.

With just six tents including a family tent it really is a little gem of a camp. The guest tents are the classic mobile camp style with a very natural feel to the decor, nice spacious bathroom, indoor bucket shower.

I always like to sleep with the tent flaps raised and just the window screens to the outside and this tent really gave the closest connection for me to the outside during the night It felt like I really just had a roof above me and that everything else was totally open - brilliant. I happened to be the only guest in camps so this added to the remote and wild feeling.

Serengeti safari Camp - Lounge & Dining - video

Serengeti Safari Camp - Family Tent - Video

Lahia Tented Lodge - TWC

Later in the afternoon we drove around 30 minutes to Lahia which is the new TWC property in the west - a newer version of Kubu Kubu. With an equally magnificent view Lahia’s main lodge building is a replica of Kubu. The pool is on the same level as the main lodge with an infinity edge. The location on the same level gives a more functional feel to the pool with the option for a larger group to split between the shady lounge/bar inside with maybe the children swimming within sight.

The guestrooms are like Kubu Kubu on wooden platforms, canvas walls and a very similar layout with just a bit more of a polished feel (maybe just because they are new). A really nice outdoor shower and larger bathrooms. There are versatile options for different rooming arrangements with the Family Suite having 2 bedrooms that can house up to six and also triples and doubles available for different configurations.

Back to camp in plenty of time for a welcome hot bucket shower before a drink around the campfire with Mussa and Kanaeli, the camp manager. Stars were shining through gaps in the clouds while a spectacular light show lit up the horizon as storms hit in the distance.

Lovely dinner then bed in a bush-camp - my favorite.

Hyena and distant lion in the night.