The perfect safari lodge is different for everyone and there are plenty of options available. Whether you prefer a more secluded and luxurious experience or prefer to be in a large resort surrounded by a lot of fellow travelers, there is something available for everyone.
Below are some of the factors that can help you chose the perfect lodge for you.
Types of Lodges
At Tukio you will find a wide variety of options, we have broken them down in the following categories:
Tented Camp
Tented camps are an affordable option for your safari. Most of their rooms are large canvas tents with en-suite bathrooms. Dining takes place in a central dining area and you will usually also find a bonfire in the evenings.
Comfort Lodge
Safari lodges are larger and more organized accommodations with more rooms and amenities. Their rooms will either be large canvas tents or built structures with en-suite bathrooms. Safari lodges will also have multiple common areas with lounges, dining rooms and swimming pools for you to enjoy.
Boutique or Luxury Lodge
Our boutique lodges are more exclusive secluded accommodations. They have few upper scale rooms that allow their guests a lot of privacy, swimming pools overlooking the national parks.
Location
The location of the lodge you choose will also affect your experience. Some important factors to consider:
Distance from the gate
How far the lodge is from the gate will affect the length of the drive you need to do in order to enter the park if your lodge is outside the park, or the amount of time it will take to reach your lodge if you are driving to the park.
Closer to the gates you will find more lodges grouped together, so you might prefer this option if you enjoy being with the crowds. On the other hand, if you enjoy more secluded experiences, we would recommend our options that are a little bit further away.
Inside or outside the park
Whether your lodge is inside or outside the park will affect the overall cost, but also the time it will take to get your game drives started. Lodges that are within parks and conservancies allow you to start your game drives just at the gate of your lodge, and will often not be fenced therefore allowing wildlife into the premises. There are always guards so you don’t need to worry about your safety.
These factors will also vary from park to park. Parks that are less crowded like Tsavo or Samburu will offer more privacy and seclusion than the very popular ones like the Masai Mara.
Park or Conservancy
Some accommodations are actually on the grounds of conservancies that neighbor the parks. The main advantage is that these lodges are able to provide unique wildlife experiences like night drives and bush walks as they follow different rules from the main national parks.
You may also be able to do game drives exclusively within the conservancy and therefore not enter the national park if you chose to. These lodges will often be subject to the additional conservancy fees, but these are already reflected in the listed prices unless otherwise mentioned.
Budget
Safaris can get expensive fast, and the accommodation is a major part of the cost but also an important part of your safari experience. How much you want to spend on your accommodation really depends on what you value the most on your trip.
We are designing Tukio to be able to cater to your preferences, no matter what they are. If you cannot find your ideal selection in your search results, be sure to reach out to us!
