Overview of Safari Accommodation Types: expert guide by Adeli Kenya Safaris

Safari accommodations are a critical component of the overall experience, offering a range of options that cater to different preferences and budgets. The types of accommodations can generally be categorized into four main categories: budget lodges and camps, mid-range hotels, luxury lodges, and glamping options.

Budget lodges and camps are ideal for travelers seeking an affordable safari experience. These accommodations typically provide basic amenities with a focus on accessibility and value. Guests can enjoy shared facilities and communal dining while having the opportunity to engage with fellow travelers. Such options are often located in or near national parks, enabling easy access to wildlife viewing without breaking the bank.

Mid-range hotels bridge the gap between budget options and luxury lodges. They often offer private rooms with more amenities and a higher level of comfort compared to budget accommodations. These hotels may feature guided safari tours, on-site restaurants, and additional amenities, providing guests with a more satisfying experience while still remaining budget-conscious.

Luxury lodges take safari experiences to the next level, providing exquisite accommodations, gourmet dining, and exceptional service. These establishments allow guests to indulge in opulent surroundings while enjoying the nearby wildlife. Many luxury lodges offer unique experiences, such as private guided tours, spa services, and gourmet meals crafted from local ingredients, ensuring an unforgettable stay.

For those interested in a unique and immersive experience, glamping has become increasingly popular. Glamping combines the outdoor experience of camping with the comforts of home. Luxurious tents or eco-friendly lodges allow guests to enjoy the beauty of nature without sacrificing comfort, combining adventure with style.

Value Accommodations: Budget-Friendly Safari Experiences

For travelers who seek an unforgettable African safari experience while remaining mindful of their budget, value accommodations offer a range of options that strike an appealing balance between cost and quality. These budget-friendly lodgings do not compromise on comfort and often provide unique opportunities to engage with the surrounding wildlife and natural landscapes.

Value accommodations typically include budget tents, guesthouses, and hostels, each offering an experience that caters to the needs of the budget-conscious traveler. Budget tents are frequently found within national parks and reserves, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the wilderness while enjoying essential amenities such as bedding, electricity, and shared bathroom facilities. Many budget tents are strategically located to provide stunning views and a sense of adventure, often allowing travelers to hear wildlife just outside their tents.

Guesthouses and hostels, on the other hand, offer a more communal experience and are usually located within or near urban centers, providing easier access to local attractions. These accommodations typically feature shared kitchens, dining areas, and sometimes organized group tours, allowing guests to socialize and share insights on their safari adventures. Travelers can benefit from helpful staff who often provide valuable tips on exploring the area and maximizing the safari experience on a budget.

To make the most of a value safari without sacrificing quality, budget-conscious travelers should consider traveling during the shoulder seasons, when prices for accommodations may be lower. Additionally, researching and booking in advance can lead to significant savings. Participating in group tours can also enhance the experience, as it typically reduces per-person costs while allowing travelers to share the adventure with like-minded individuals.

Classic and Comfort Accommodations: A Step Up

When it comes to safari accommodations, travelers often seek experiences that extend beyond the basics provided by budget options. Classic and comfort accommodations represent a significant upgrade, offering travelers enhanced comforts, amenities, and levels of service. While both categories promise a memorable stay, they do so in distinct ways, catering to the varying needs and preferences of guests.

Classic accommodations typically refer to lodges or tented camps that preserve a sense of traditional safari charm while incorporating modern conveniences. These locations often feature spacious, well-appointed rooms that are designed to reflect the local culture and environment. Common characteristics include en-suite bathrooms, private balconies, and an emphasis on sustainability. The service in classic accommodations tends to be attentive, with staff trained to ensure that guests feel both comfortable and valued. Travelers can expect complimentary offerings such as guided tours and gourmet dining experiences that celebrate local cuisine, enriching their safari adventures.

On the other hand, comfort accommodations strike a balance between luxury and accessibility. These lodgings may include more contemporary decor and upscale amenities while remaining affordable for a broader audience. Features such as infinity pools, spa services, and family-friendly options are frequently highlighted. Comfort accommodations attract travelers who prioritize being immersed in the safari experience while enjoying a certain level of indulgence without the high price tag typically associated with luxury lodges.

Both categories appeal to a diverse audience, ranging from families with young children to couples seeking a romantic getaway. By elevating the safari experience beyond budget options, classic and comfort accommodations provide travelers with memorable settings to unwind after thrilling daily excursions into the wild. As such, they become ideal choices for those desiring a blend of adventure and relaxation on their safari journey.

Superior, Luxury, and Signature Accommodations: The Pinnacle of Safari Experience

Superior, luxury, and signature accommodations represent the culmination of opulence in the realm of safari experiences. These lodgings are meticulously crafted to provide travelers with an unparalleled blend of comfort and adventure, catering to those who seek the extraordinary while immersed in the natural beauty of the African wilderness.

These high-end lodgings feature exquisite amenities designed for the ultimate relaxation after a day of exploration. From private plunge pools with stunning views of the savannah to open-air dining under a starlit sky, every detail is tailored to enhance the guest experience. Premium services, including personal butlers and gourmet chefs, ensure that visitors receive the utmost care and attention, fostering an environment where every need is anticipated and met.

Personalized experiences are at the core of these accommodations. Many offer bespoke safari itineraries that can be customized to align with the interests and preferences of each guest. Whether it’s an exclusive guided tour that prioritizes wildlife photography or a private dinner atop a scenic hill, luxury safari lodges strive to create memorable moments that transcend the typical safari adventure.

In addition to lavish comforts and individualized service, these accommodations often incorporate unique offerings that further enhance their appeal. This might include wellness spas featuring traditional African treatments, environmental conservation initiatives that allow guests to engage with the local ecosystem, or exclusive access to private reserves. Such attributes not only elevate the safari experience but also foster a deeper connection to the natural world.

In essence, superior, luxury, and signature accommodations redefine what it means to embark on a safari, making it a truly extraordinary adventure marked by elegance and sophistication.

Where you stay during your Safari is one of the most important aspects of your tour experience. Hotels available on Safari, especially in/around national parks are quite different from city hotels and we strongly recommend our clients to go through the accommodations Website, Tripadvisor page & pictures to get an idea of the accommodations they will be staying at.

Here is some important information to keep in mind on what to expect in general.

Selecting your dream safari Accommodation

There is a wide choice of safari accommodations available in East Africa at almost all national parks/reserved, ranging from budget camps & lodges to high end luxury camps & lodges. We work with all the accommodations.

During the sales process, our sales consultant would send you a shortlist of accommodations for each location in your itinerary among all the ones available.

Our accommodation shortlist depends on a range of parameters including

1. Location and accessibility
2. Views
3. Food & Service quality
4. Quality of rooms & interiors
5. Feedback from previous clients

As the price for accommodations increase, all or most parameters mentioned above, tend to improve.

This shortlisted set of accommodations is shared with you so you have an easier choice to make from a smaller set of accommodations that we think offers good value for their price at each location.

However our clients are free to share their preferred accommodations that are not part of our shortlist and we will be glad to quote and book them.

Does Adeli Kenya Safaris own or operate the safari accommodations they use?

Accommodations suggested and booked are all run by independent third party companies and Adeli Kenya Safaris and its agents/partners have no role in the management of these accommodations.

At Adeli Kenya Safaris, our role with respect to accommodations is limited to reserving them as required for our clients itinerary.

How is a Safari hotel different compared to a hotel in the City?

There can be significant differences in the facilities offered at safari hotels and camps compared to hotels in cities.

Because of their remote location, most safari hotels in/around parks are usually not connected to the electricity grid and generate their own electricity from diesel generators or solar power. For example, even most of the high end/luxury camps do not have facilities like air-conditioning or mini-fridge or hair dryers or table/ceiling fans in room and may not have electricity and hot water may not be available for all 24 hours.

Some of the safari hotels – especially the tented camps inside parks offer bucket showers, wherein a bucket (of 20L) is filled with warm water and lifted behind the tent and flow can be controlled with a tap. Buckets will be refilled by helper if required.

While some safari hotels (usually lodges/tented lodges) have swimming pools, the majority of the safari hotels(tented camps), including several luxury ones, may not have swimming pools.

However, safari hotels do focus just as much on service as city hotels of comparable standard.

In case you need any particular amenity to be available at your safari accommodation, please let your sales representative know in advance and we will suggest options that cater to your requirements, where possible.

Connectivity

Because of their remote location, Wifi/Phone network may not be available at some of the safari hotels. Even where it’s available, it might not work consistently throughout the lodge and could be limited to common areas.

Location, Location, Location

Some of the lodges/camps are located inside national park/reserve while some might be located just outside the national park/reserve or in a nearby town/village.

Some accommodations could be as far as 1 hour drive away from the nearest park gate.

If you are specifically looking for accommodations located inside or very close to the gate or outside National park/reserve etc or in the middle of wilderness or closer to next day’s destination etc, please inform your sales representative in advance so he/she can suggest accommodations that fit your criteria.

Safety from Wildlife

Several of the lodges/camps located inside the National park are not fenced and wildlife might come close to the rooms. These are however absolutely safe and thousands of tourists, including many with young kids, stay in such camps across Africa every night. By following the basic safety instructions given by the hotel staff, you can avoid any potential conflict with wildlife.

Meals

All accommodations while on safari, are booked on Full Board basis. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner are prepared and served by accommodation.

Beverages are not included at most accommodations and are charged additional to clients directly.

Some of the accommodations can be booked on an All Inclusive basis in which case beverages will be included with your stay. This will be mentioned (as AI) in your voucher for the respective accommodation.

Lunch

Lunch while on safari, will be usually packed lunch arranged by your accommodation. Your guide will suggest a picnic lunch spot where you can enjoy the packed lunch. This allows for more flexibility in game drives and safari schedule.

Hot lunch can be arranged on some of the days upon prior request (needs to be informed before booking and might cost extra for some itineraries).

Special Dietary Needs

Any dietary restrictions, preferences should be communicated in writing, well before your arrival and our team will communicate the same to your accommodations.

However, our role is limited to notifying the accommodation about your dietary restrictions/ preferences and tour operators are not in a position to verify if accommodation follows these requirements.

Drinking Water

Most accommodations offer about 750ml to 1 liter drinking water per person per night. These bottles are usually found in your room by the time you check-in and are usually complimentary.

If you need additional drinking water you can either buy from the accommodation or carry a few mineral water bottles from your vehicle to your accommodation. Bottled water ordered in restaurants is usually charged at hotel rates.

Please check with the accommodation staff during check in for exact details as each accomodation is different and operates differently.

Pre / post safari accomodations in the City

Accommodations in Cities/towns before or after your safari tour (in Nairobi/Arusha etc) are usually booked on Bed & Breakfast basis. So Lunch/Dinner while in town before/after will be charged additional. It’s possible to pre-book lunch/dinner in these hotels by reserving them on Full Board or Half board basis by paying additional.

Laundry Service

Most accommodations offer laundry service for their guests, but you would need to stay at the same accommodation for 2 consecutive nights at-least so that you can hand over your laundry in the morning and collect it in the evening.

Extra charges might apply and need to be paid directly by clients.

Room Configuration

Double sharing room would have 1 large bed (king size or queen size bed) and a twin sharing room would have 2 single beds in a room.

For 2 people sharing a room, we usually book a double sharing room. If clients need a twin sharing room, it should be communicated in advance. Price would be the same for double sharing or twin sharing.

For families with children, almost all accommodations allow 1 kid to share a room with 2 adults and majority of the accommodations also allow 2 kids to share a room with 2 adults. In addition, many accommodations offer family rooms or interconnected rooms for families with kids that can be booked at additional cost so that parents and children can stay closer while still having their privacy.

Service issues in accomodations

If you face any issues w.r.t your room or food or water or service or any other issues during your stay at accommodation, along with reporting to your camp manager, please also contact your briefing manager from Adeli Kenya Safaris. Your guide can help you get in touch with your briefing manager if required.

While we cannot guarantee an immediate resolution, our team would try its best to resolve the situation by contacting senior management of the camp if required.

Final thoughts

We strongly recommend you to check the accommodation website and TripAdvisor reviews and evaluate if these accommodations suit your taste.

Please feel free to ask as many questions as you have about the accommodations to your sales representative.

After the end of your safari, our partners will request your feedback on the accommodations. Please share your valuable feedback on all the accommodations so that we can pass on suggestions for improvement to respective hotels.