Esirai Camp

OVERVIEW:

Esirai is a welcome addition to the mobile tented outfits that track the Great Migration on its annual path around the Serengeti. Excellent value, while still offering great levels of guiding, this Entara property has two locations during the year. This means it’s not as mobile as some of the other providers (who can offer three to four moves per year), but the locations are very good and cover a broad area. In the south (December–March), you have access to both calving season and the central Seronera (this is where you fly into, and which has excellent year-round resident game). In the north, you are in Kogatende, primed for the famous river crossings that take place throughout the dry season (June–October) as the herds cross back and forth in search of fresh grassland.

Esirai focuses on giving you an authentic and immersive safari experience, and due to the lightweight nature of the set-up and the eco-friendly features (100% solar power), it is one of the few properties allowed to do walking safaris in the Serengeti. The camp also offers exclusive fly-camping adventures, which take you even closer to nature, with star-gazing, lightweight tents, and even more remote locations. So when you hit the right time of year here, Esirai Camp can be one of the best-value tented options in the park. Although still fairly new on the Tanzanian safari circuit, Entara have quickly established themselves as an operator with a strong focus on authenticity and high standards of guiding. Simple yet brilliantly done, it has lovely staff, classic campfire charm, and even a library tent, a first for any of the mobile outfits!

ACCESS & LOCATION:

Esirai Camp has two great locations that cover the prime events on the Great Migration’s annual pathway. It sets up in Naabi Hill, in the southern Serengeti, from December to March when the herds gather to drop their young (calving around the middle of February). After that, it moves to Kogatende, in the northern Serengeti, from June to October for when the wildebeest make their intrepid crossings across the Mara river with crocodiles snapping at their heels! It’s worth noting that the first herds can arrive in Kogatende in June, but to guarantee this amazing spectacle from July onwards is the best time to come. The camp is closed during the rainy months of April, May, and November.

Esirai is usually accessed by scheduled light aircraft into either Seronera (Dec.–March) or Kogatende (June–Oct.) airstrips, and from here it’s approximately 1 hour’s drive to camp, depending on what game you might encounter along the way. As always when arriving in the Serengeti, it’s thrilling right from the start! It is also possible to drive to both camps, with access much easier in the south. But this is something to discuss with your safari consultant, so they can chat you through the best routes depending on the rest of your itinerary. There’s also fly camping in star tents, which can be done from either of these two Serengeti locations and needs to be pre-booked. Your consultant will help with that too.

ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT ESIRAI CAMP:

The tents are simple, comfortable, and set amidst the shade of some large trees to protect you from the heat of the sun. Each room is well appointed with double or twin beds, bedside tables with reading lights, and cupboards for your clothes, and decorated in classic safari style and colors. You have an en-suite bathroom with hot bucket showers available at any time of day, and in keeping with the camp’s great eco-credentials the toilets are long drop. It’s a no-frills affair, but that’s all you need in this wild and remote location! There is also a family room made up of two fully independent tents that are interconnected (meaning you can move between them at night without going outside), and this option can house up to five family members.

The main areas of camp feature some comfy chairs and the dining area – although most meals are taken outside, either with great views across the plains, or beneath the stars and the vast milky way at night. The bar is always open, and the friendly staff are always on hand with ice-cold refreshments. There’s also a library tent! This is a nice place to while away your time with a book or board game in between safari activities, and you can also charge your batteries at their solar power point. Esirai is a proper bush camp, with a lovely sense of community and shared experience, where great times are had around the fire-pit, discussing the day’s adventures. Private dining is available, but you need to request this well in advance.

ACTIVITIES AT ESIRAI CAMP:

Esirai Camp offers both walking safaris and game drives in the heart of the Great Migration. This is some of the best game viewing in Africa. The guiding is very good and you will see some incredible wildlife encounters!

• Expertly guided game drives

  – Two game sessions per day are available, during the morning and the late afternoon. It’s possible to do a full-day trip with a packed lunch, if another couple wishes to join (just in terms of vehicle numbers and availability). Among the wildlife highlights are lion, cheetah, elephant, hyena, and buffalo. You can look out for smaller predators too, such as jackal, serval, civet, honey badger, and the rare wild dog, while the large herbivore collection features giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, and an assortment of antelopes.

• Walking safaris

  – Why not head out into the bush with an armed guide? As well as enjoying animal tracking and the area’s birdlife, you’ll have opportunities to take a closer look at the reserve’s insects and plant life. This is an amazing experience in one of Africa’s most famous parks – few companies can offer this. Different levels and distances are offered, depending on the ages of your group. The minimum age requirement for classic walking safari is 12 years.

• Fly camping

  – Sleep out beneath the stars! This is a memorable experience indeed, as the camp has special star-gazing tents. Usually, your afternoon game drive ends with sundowners near the campsite, and then it’s time for this exciting experience. There’s always a guide and an armed guard on watch and close by. You’ll wake up and have a delightful bush breakfast, before being driven back to the main camp (extra cost, needs pre-booking).

• Hot air balloons 

  – It’s pretty special to take to the skies and enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the herds! With the vast savanna below and volcanic landscapes in the distance, this is one of the best places in the world to go ballooning. Rides take place in the early morning and need to be pre-booked at extra cost.

*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.