Wild Wakati: An Inside Look at the Serengeti’s Newest Eco-Luxury Safari Camp

We’re rattling across a small, rickety bridge in the Serengeti National Park’s remote eastern edge, heading into that famed UNESCO World Heritage Natural Site to Wild Wakati, the region’s newest eco-luxury safari camp, in their 4x4 Toyota safari truck. Suddenly, camp co-owner and Tanzanian native Michael Shayo hits the brakes as the wooden bridge sways and hard-rushing water hurtles past.

“See the two crocodiles on the rocks to the left?” he asks, as his co-owner Matt Wilkey points from the front passenger seat. And see them we do, as our group of four excitedly grab cameras and start shooting. “One has a zebra in its mouth!” someone shouts, and we’re all kind of gobsmacked by that view.

Then Michael says easily, “We need to get going, this bridge isn’t really very stable,” as we roar off across the vast savanna, we all are more than a bit relieved we didn’t end up falling into that croc-infested river. At least we knew those two weren’t really hungry.

(Courtesy of Enduata Serengeti Camps)

Thus begins my Enduata Safari Camps experience, as these two guys, one Tanzanian and one English, show off their first luxury safari camp encounter. With Wild Wakati Camp serving as the first of what they hope will be many to come, the duo have big plans for places like this, in the less-traveled and off-the-beaten-path Serengeti spots that bring their visitors what they call a “meaningful and low impact” way to be on safari.

On the two-hour-plus trek to the camp from the Seronera airstrip, which jarringly teemed with raucous crowds of tourists, met after our serene small-plane flight on Miracle Air from Arusha, it was quickly obvious that we were headed to parts previously unknown.

Far away from that madding crowd, we found ourselves alone on dusty roads, no other vehicles in sight, stopping repeatedly as a pride of lions slowed us to an extended halt, herds of impalas raced across the road and a solo male elephant strolled among the acacia trees, nibbling as he went. For my first Serengeti impression/experience, it was spectacular.

Wild Wakati Camp: It’s Truly in the Untouched Wilderness

(Courtesy of Enduata Serengeti Camps)

Turning off one unpaved dirt road up another, a small hill lets me know we’ve arrived, as the Wild Wakati Camp is so nestled into the landscape that it doesn’t immediately announce its presence in the mid-afternoon. But we know we have arrived as Michael and Matt exclaim, “Welcome home!,” and the camp’s full staff appears and sings us a local Swahili song, saying hello with a heartwarming greeting and wide smiles. Everyone is so excited to be a part of this brand-new camp, it shows.

We discovered 10 forest-green-topped, tan canvas guest tents that blend into the natural hues that surround it, as do the two larger central tents that serve as the living room/bar and dining rooms, with a large kitchen tent behind and a small communal toilet tent nearby. Wooden decks with camp chairs and small tables looking outward tell us that there just may be something to see on the vast plain before us, which seems to go on forever. Are there wild animals watching us arrive, too?

As we get the briefing on living here, the answer is yes, wild animals are all around us; in fact, we’re all asked to have a staff member escort us to and from our tents, for safety’s sake. But unlike remote safari camps I have visited in Kenya and Botswana, the staff do not carry rifles, just provide friendly companionship on the walks.

Eight of the guest tents are designed for two, a luxurious glamping experience that includes a large comfortable bed complete with mosquito netting, plus writing desk, electricity, plugs and Wi-Fi, bug spray and rubber rain boots, an outdoor wooden deck with chairs and a bit less luxe) bathroom containing sinks, pump toilets and bucket showers. Those showers have limited hot water, but cool water isn’t much of a hardship in this place where daytime temperatures usually hover around 80° and nights go down to about 58°.

(Courtesy of Enduata Serengeti Camps)

The camp also offers two larger tents, created for families or friend groups of up to five, that feature two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a small central seating area. Kids over five are welcome here and dubbed “Enduata Explorers,” with adventures created especially for every age group. Think bird and bug spotting, learning to read animal tracks, discovering the Milky Way-filled night sky and more.

With an emphasis on supporting home-grown companies, hiring local workers and doing everything at the camp with a focus on sustainability, ecology and conservation, Wild Wakati is a place that makes you feel like you’ve joined the family of Tanzanians whose main goal is to protect and love the Serengeti. And then there’s the food!

(Courtesy of Enduata Serengeti Camps)

With 80% of the meals locally sourced and a team of chefs (including a wonderful and pastry chef) from Tanzania, dining at Wild Wakati was outstanding. Ranging from hearty breakfasts before early game drives, leisurely lunches with perfect wine pairings (that lead to siestas at the same time the Serengeti wildlife nap), gorgeous “sundowners” setups in the bush that are complete with craft cocktails and stunning sunsets, and ending up with four-course gourmet dinners with carnivore and vegetarian options every night, there’s good food for every liking.

All this made the camp a perfect place to call home, especially when a roaming elephant came to call one afternoon and nights meant sounds of lions roaring and hyenas baying as the darkness enveloped us.

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The Safari Experience, from Land and Sky

(Courtesy of Enduata Serengeti Camps)

Like most African safari experiences, the camp awoke early, getting the 4x4 trucks out in time to see the animals, birds, reptiles and other creatures creeping out into the morning sun and looking for something to eat. As we piled, slightly groggy-eyed, into the vehicle, strong coffee in hand, Michael explained that Serengeti wildlife is mostly active at dawn and dusk, with few venturing out into the hot midday sun. So we had two safari rides each day, very early and in late afternoon, which are both included in the camp meals and drinks, which range from filtered water to lattes to cocktails, wines and beers.

We roamed for miles and miles in the safari truck, sometimes sitting, sometimes standing and looking through the pop-open rooftop, always in search of the Africa big five — lion, leopard, elephant, water buffalo and rhinoceros. We knew black rhinos are endangered, so most likely wouldn’t be seen, but we’d already knocked off two of the other four on our drive into camp. And I was hoping for my other favorites, the towering giraffes, fat little warthogs, gorgeous zebras with their each-one-unique striped bodies and perhaps even a cheetah.

And by the end of this six-day adventure I had gotten the chance to see every single one I wanted, but again missed out on glimpsing the ever-elusive leopard. Actually, the leopard hunt was an escapade in itself, as our trusty truck got seriously sucked in the mud near where a pair of leopards had been spotted a short time earlier. So stuck, in fact, that we spent two hours in the muck, hoping those leopards didn’t decide to show up as we gathered in the tall reddish-brown grass outside the truck. Happily, they didn’t, and we got the truck loose, too. All in a day’s safari in the vast Serengeti.

(Courtesy of Enduata Serengeti Camps)

One adrenaline-fueled morning, the alarm went off at 4 a.m., so we could make our way to one of the added-charge experiences the camp offers. This one was a hot-air balloon ride ($599) by the award-winning Miracle Balloon company, led by pilot Amanda Brodbeck. She’s a two-time U.S. Women’s National Ballooning Champion who now floats over the Serengeti with ease, rising up into the sky with her basket full of our still-sleepy but excited party, then swooping down to get closer looks at the elephants, zebras and other wildlife we spot on the hour-long bucket-list check-off.

Elephants made a shining memory for me on this sublime Serengeti expedition, on the last afternoon of the trip. Wandering across this huge section of the national park that was, as usual, almost always ours alone, with not another vehicle in sight for hours. With just four of us in the truck, we came upon an astonishing sight. A huge herd of elephants meandered straight for us (I lost count at 45), with massive male bulls, smaller females leading romping baby calves and families all around us. As we sat very still, they walked right past, some pausing to make a moment of eye contact, as if to say “Oh, hello, welcome to our home.” Elephants galore, all living their best lives in this protected place. If my heart can burst with happiness, this was the moment it did.

Getting to the Serengeti

From the Los Angeles area, expect a long trip to Tanzania, no matter which way you travel. Go east through Amsterdam on KLM or to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines to connect to Kilimanjaro (JRO); or head west via Doha to JRO on Qatar Airways. Either trip will take over 20 hours, so plan to rest on arrival for a day or even two in nearby Arusha. The Arusha Coffee Lodge is a wonderful stopping off place, a luxurious spot with individual cottages, beautiful gardens, a travel-ache-reducing spa and two restaurants with a distinctly local flavor. Then hop on the Miracle Air flight to Sorenera and let the African safari games begin.