What memories come to mind when you think of your camping experiences?
Canvas Tent? Roasting dinner over an open fire; rain or shine? Honey bucket restrooms?
Whatever your past experiences may have been a new concept of camping quickly emerges out in the Serengeti at Ole Serai Tented Camp. Arriving dusty and a bit sore from a day of 4 wheel game driving you are warmly welcomed by the entire staff. Not only a traditional Maasai welcome song, and a cool refreshing drink but introduced to a staff member who’s focus is to attend to your every need. For us Mr. Everything was James. Bartender, Server, Event’s Planner and Social Director.
Escorted through camp to our accommodations we soon realized the word missed in the above description is Luxury. Stepping into our tent not only did we observe a king size bed, desk, fluffy towels and amenities but an ensuite shower and bathroom. It was such a shock to take all this in as we looked outside to the vast wilderness we were surrounded by.
But it didn’t end here. After a refreshing shower and change of clothes we were escorted to the Lounge to choose from a wide selection of local beers and South African wines. This provided a wonderful opportunity to sit back and relax in comfortable lounging chairs before heading off to dinner in the dinning room. Words cannot capture the delicious cuisine we were treated to for our evening meal. Suffice it to say Chef Edward is extremely talented and we did not step away from our meal with even a hint of a hunger growl!
After dinner we were once again escorted back to our accommodations to settle in for the evening. A full day, full tummies, and being treated like royalty was an excellent way to bring our day to conclusion. We were told to listen closely during the night to potentially hear some animal life roaming the camp. We were completely safe inside our tent but it was intriguing to think of the chance to have some evening company!
The next morning we were greeted with a beautiful sunrise and a coffee service was delivered for us to enjoy on the patio. A wonderful way to welcome the new day! Soon it was time to be escorted to breakfast and the chef ‘s tremendous talents are just as evident with the morning meal. We enjoyed open air dining with plenty of delicious breakfast treats to help us get our day started.
Another safari for the day with plenty of photo opportunities (this adventure provides another blog coming soon!) It doesn’t take long to get spoiled with excellent service. James was ready and waiting for our return as he had set up a complete table for us to enjoy a “sundowner”. A variety of drinks to enjoy as the sun gently settled in for the evening.
From here we were escorted to the fire pit area to enjoy a delicious dinner by fire light. Outdoor dining in the Serengeti captures all of your senses and provides for a wonderful and relaxing evening of great food, great conversation, and great storytelling. And yes, a bit of wine was consumed during the meal!
The saddest part of our short stay at Ole Serai Tented Camp was having to pack up the next morning to keep our African Adventure on the move. Of course the entire staff was present to wish us well and after another fabulous breakfast we were off. I find it difficult to put into words regarding this wonderful stay. The people, the food, the accommodations were all first class and everything was truly appreciated. Would we recommend this experience to future travelers? Without a moment’s hesitation and we look forward to returning some day!