Kokoko Camp

a gloriously authentic safari experience

Kokoko Camp is located in the Ruaha area of southern Tanzania.

This property is owned and operated by Asilia Africa, one of the leading safari companies in East Africa, the owners of which are committed to both an earthy, authentic, high quality approach to safari and a very strong conservation ethos.

Set alongside a characteristic sand river, the camp is centred on a wonderfully simple tented mess, with lounge and dining areas, leading out to a campfire area.

It is often possible to sit in this location with a drink and watch groups of baboons, impalas and even elephants slowly amble past, going about their daily business, unphased by the presence of the camp.

Rooms

Guest accommodation at Kokoko Camp is in just three unusual suites, with a mesh surround and a large waterproof shade elevated above. This allows ample protection from the elements, good airflow on hot days but can be folded back on clear nights to sleep under the stars. It is noticeable that they have not been elevated onto raised decks, but sit squarely on the dry earth above the sandy riverbed.

Inside, the rooms are elegant but unfussy, with a functional bathroom enclosed within the tent, to ensure minimal exposure to insects (not that there are many insects for all but the two or three wet months of the year). The shower is outdoors.

Activities

Kokoko Camp provides the following guided activities, not all of which are necessarily included in the price …

• Vehicle safari
• Walking safari
• Balloon safari : not included
• Bush meals
• Night vehicle safari

Despite being one of the best reserves in Africa, Ruaha tends to feature in a remarkably small proportion of trips, mainly because it is obliged to compete with the Serengeti region. It is one of those places that tends to appeal most to more experienced safari travellers.

The usual stay duration is 3-5 nights in one camp or 5-12 nights in two or three camps.

Safari planning

Ruaha is most commonly combined in trips with other safari areas across Tanzania, like Serengeti or Selous (Nyerere), often in addition to the tropical beaches of Zanzibar, Pemba or Mafia islands.

Since around 2018, with the opening up of ever more diverse sectors within Ruaha, we have steadily increased the number of nights here. Most trips now combine two lodges over around six nights, with some trips extending to nine or more nights in three or even four different lodges.

Can you let Ruaha completely replace Serengeti in your trip? That has become the burning question. For ever more people the answer is a very definite yes.

Seasonality

The classic time to visit Ruaha is generally considered to be during the Jun-Oct dry season, when the wildlife is focused on the river and easy to view. But there are also good reasons to visit during other months.

Getting there

Ruaha is almost always reached by light aircraft. To the south and east there are daily services in both directions (Dar, Selous, Ruaha). Connections with the north are slightly less predictable, but usually operate daily (Serengeti, Manyara, Tarangire, Arusha, Ruaha, Selous, Dar). There are also services to and from the west (Ruaha, Mufindi, Katavi, Mahale).

It is possible to include Ruaha in a private-guided overland safari, in combination with Mikumi, Udzungwa and Selous, but the routing includes a lot of busy main road miles, causing this style of safari to fade since around 2015.

common to combine two or even three lodges