Luxury Safari at Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp.
Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp is a small camp of Arukore Tours and Safaris, a Tanzanian tour operator that offers wildlife safaris in the Northern Safari Circuit. While this camp is not documented widely in public travel directories and big booking platforms, it is known in the safari circles as a mobile or semi-mobile tented camp that Arukore uses to host guests within the Serengeti National Park when they are on game viewing itineraries. Because the Serengeti is a protected area with regulated and seasonal accommodation, camps such as Arukore Simba are usually located in approved, public campsite zones within the park, and visitors can be close to the wildlife without permanent construction in their camps.
The Serengeti is one of the best-known national parks in Africa and extends over an area of nearly 15,000 square kilometres in northern Tanzania and continues into Kenya as the Maasai Mara. It is famous for the Great Migration when more than one million wildebeest, along with zebra and gazelle, migrate in search of fresh grazing grounds between the southern plains, the central Seronera area and the northern Mara River area. A camp like Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp is designed to put the traveller directly in this ecosystem, often changing location with the season and movement of wildlife.
Location and environment in Serengeti National Park
Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp is operated within the boundaries of Serengeti National Park, most commonly in or around the central Serengeti, otherwise called the Seronera area. Seronera is the park’s most game-rich region and is famous for its year-round wildlife, including large prides of lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffalo and abundant plains game. The Seronera River and its tributaries provide watering places for animals throughout the year, and this is therefore an especially popular area for both short safaris and longer, wildlife-focused trips.
Being based in central Serengeti also means that guests at Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp are well positioned for a wide range of game drives. From here, safari vehicles can easily access the Moru Kopjes, the Retina Hippo Pool, the Banagi and Gol Kopjes, and the open grasslands where predators do their hunting. During some months of the year, particularly the months from April to June and from October to December, the herds of wildebeest pass through or near the central Serengeti and offer dramatic migration sightings without the need for very long drives.
How to get to Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp
Most travellers access Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp via the town of Arusha, the main safari town of northern Tanzania. Arusha is served by Kilimanjaro International Airport (50 kilometres) and Arusha Airport for regional flights. From Arusha, guests travelling to the Serengeti usually drive or fly.
By road travel, the drive to the central Serengeti takes approximately seven to eight hours, passing through Lake Manyara National Park, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the highlands around Karatu before dropping into the plains of the Serengeti. This route is scenic and will give you the opportunity to see wildlife and landscapes along the way, but it is long and has some rough sections inside the park.
By air, guests can fly on a scheduled or chartered bush flight from Arusha to Seronera Airstrip or one of the other nearby airstrips within the Serengeti National Park. From there, a camp vehicle picks up guests and transfers them to Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp, usually within 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the exact camp location.
Safari experience in Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp
The primary reason travellers opt to stay in a camp such as Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp is the experience of a Tanzanian safari. Staying inside Serengeti National Park means that game drives start almost as soon as you get out of camp, bypassing lengthy transfers from outside the park. This makes it possible to make an early-morning drive (when predators are active) and late-afternoon drives (when the light is best for taking pictures and the animals congregate around water sources).
Arukore Tours and Safaris usually offers experienced local driver-guides who are knowledgeable of the Serengeti and follow the movements of the wildlife daily. Game drives focus on spotting the Big Five, which include lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo and rhinos, although rhinos are more difficult to see in the Serengeti compared to other parks. Cheetahs are frequently observed in the open plains, and hyenas, giraffes, hippos and crocodiles are a part of the daily sightings as well.
Depending on the time of year, guests may see thousands of wildebeest and zebra crossing rivers or grazing on the plains or giving birth in the southern Serengeti and Ndutu areas. Because Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp is flexible in its location, it may be able to be placed closer to these migration routes in some cases, improving the chances of seeing this iconic wildlife event.
Accommodation and Camp Style
Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp is a tented safari camp, which means that guests stay in large walk-in tents instead of permanent buildings. These tents are designed to be comfortable and at the same time not lose the feel of being in the African bush. They usually include proper beds, bedding and private/semi-private bathroom facilities, depending on the setup for a particular season.
Because it is a mobile camp or semi-mobile camp, the focus is on simplicity, authenticity, and closeness to nature as opposed to luxury. Guests often hear lions roaring at night, hyenas calling, and sometimes even elephants passing by the camp. This gives a strong feeling of being a part of the Serengeti rather than just a visitor.
Meals are normally prepared by a camp cook and served in a central dining tent or under the open sky. The food is usually hearty and tailored to suit the travellers after long game drives, which are a mix of Tanzanian and international dishes.
The best time to stay in Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp
The Serengeti is a year-round safari destination, but different seasons offer different experiences. From June to October, the dry season, it is easier to spot the wildlife due to reduced grass and animals congregating around water. This is also the peak tourist season, particularly in July, August and September, during which the migration is in the northern Serengeti near the Mara River.
From January to March, the southern Serengeti and Ndutu area are well known for the wildebeest calving season, when thousands of calves are born and the predators are very active. April and May would be the long rainy season, when the landscape is green and beautiful, and there are fewer visitors, although some roads can be muddy.
Due to the flexibility of moving or adjusting Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp to meet the desires of the operator, the camp can be in various parts of the park depending on where wildlife is most abundant, allowing visitors to experience the Serengeti at its best throughout the year.
Who should consider Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp?
This camp is ideal for those travellers who wish to have an authentic safari experience without the unnecessary frills. It appeals to wildlife lovers, photographers and adventurous travellers who place value on location and guiding instead of luxury facilities. It is also a good option for those who are booking full safari packages with Arukore Tours and Safaris, as the camp is integrated within their itineraries and logistics.
Because it is a tented camp within a national park, it may not be suitable for those travellers who are looking for swimming pools, spa facilities and permanent lodges. Instead, it provides something more rare, the opportunity to sleep in the heart of one of the world’s greatest wildlife areas.
Conclusion
Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp offers travellers the chance to stay deep inside Serengeti National Park, surrounded by the vast plains and iconic wildlife and ever-changing rhythms of East Africa’s most famous safari destination. As a camp run by a local Tanzanian safari company, it gives an authentic, flexible and wildlife-focused base for exploring the Serengeti, either by following the Great Migration or tracking the big cats in the central Seronera region. For visitors seeking the authentic experience of a Serengeti safari, close to nature and expert guiding, Arukore Simba Serengeti Camp is a compelling camp to consider in any Tanzania travel plan.
