If your idea of “camping” involves questionable coffee, zip-up sleeping bags, and someone snoring in the next tent over, allow me to recalibrate your expectations. Mobile tented camps in Africa aren’t the rustic side-hustles of a dusty campsite. They’re the real deal: luxury safari camps that move with the seasons, and pitch up where the wildlife is. But let's get into why this is the best way to get up close and personal with Africa's wild side.
Where the wildlife wanders, the camp quietly follows, Image Credit: Roving Bushtops
Why Choose a Mobile Safari Experience?
I’ve been on enough traditional safaris to know the drill: arrive, settle in, spend a few days exploring a slice of wilderness, and then move on. It's really lovely. But mobile camps offer something different.
These are experiences built around movement – both yours and the wildlife’s. The camp relocates to follow seasonal game patterns, migrations, and weather changes. You're always where the action is. No long drives hoping to “find something.” You’re already there.
They’re also:
- Light on impact (leave-no-trace setups)
- Heavy on comfort (yes, proper beds, real chefs, en-suite bathrooms)
- Packed with privacy (no boma crowds or tourist convoys)
So, if you’re after a safari that feels wild but not feral, raw but still refined, this is where to start.
A wild setting, private table, and no compromise, Image Credit: Legendary Nyasi Tented Camp
The Best Mobile Tented Camps in Botswana
Botswana does wild well, and its mobile camps take you straight to the action, minus the crowds. These are the ones we can personally recommend.
Beagle Expeditions
Set in Botswana’s wild Khwai Private Reserve, Beagle Expeditions isn’t the kind of safari you stumble into. It’s a fully guided mobile adventure, moving through remote terrain with a top-notch support crew. Expect walking safaris, mokoro rides, and intimate wildlife sightings in places where there are no roads – and very few other humans.
Why go: Expert-led multi-day explorations of true wilderness
Best for: Adventurous travellers who want to ditch the map (and the crowd)
A long-table welcome after a day off-grid, Image Credit: Beagle Expeditions
&Beyond Under Canvas (Chobe and Savute)
Chobe Under Canvas and Savute Under Canvas are semi-permanent tented camps and take you into Botswana’s most legendary landscapes, with fully serviced tents, impeccable guiding, and eco-friendly operations. They move seasonally between (you guessed it) Chobe and Savute regions, placing you in the thick of the predator-rich action.
Why go: Seamless &Beyond service with authentic under-canvas charm
Best for: Classic safari lovers who want their safari with a side of warm towels
Old-school safari ambience with all the frills, Image Credit: andBeyond Savute Under Canvas
The Best Mobile Tented Camps in Tanzania
When it comes to The Great Migration, location is everything. These mobile camps move with the herds, putting you exactly where the drama unfolds.
Laba Migration Camp
This lesser-known gem moves in sync with The Great Migration, tracking the herds across the Serengeti National Park with a compact setup and a strong guiding team. You get all the drama, minus the mass tourism.
Why go: A true insider’s choice for migration chasers
Best for: Repeat safari-goers or those allergic to safari crowds
Migration on the outside, maximalism on the inside, Image Credit: Laba Migration Mobile Camp
Legendary Expeditions Mobile
Legendary’s mobile Nyasi Tented Camp rotates between Mwiba, Maswa, and the Southern Serengeti, with deep access to private concessions. Think off-road drives, bush breakfasts, and long evenings around the fire with guides who’ve seen it all.
Why go: Unfenced, untamed, and unfailingly private
Best for: Serious safari veterans and photography buffs
No Wi-Fi, no walls, and no one else around, Image Credit: Legendary Nyasi Tented Camp
Usawa Serengeti
A stylish, small-footprint mobile camp following the Great Migration across the Serengeti. “Usawa” means “balance”, which is fitting, because Usawa Serengeti nails the sweet spot between luxury and authenticity.
Why go: Designed to follow the herds, with clever seasonal setups
Best for: Couples and small groups who want migration without mayhem
A brief pause in the endless Serengeti flow, Image Credit: Wilderness Usawa Serengeti
Singita Explore
Singita Explore mobile tented experience strips away the distractions and drops you into the wild. There’s no Wi-Fi, no spa menu, and no ambient playlist – just a private-use mobile camp, a team of legendary guides, and the Serengeti at full tilt.
Why go: Exclusive-use camp tailored entirely to you
Best for: Private groups, multi-gen families, or anyone craving total immersion
Luxury, without the signal, or the spectators, Image Credit: Singita Explore Camp
Asilia’s Olakira and Ubuntu Migration Camps
These two Asilia favourites migrate with the wildebeest, offering one of the most established mobile operations in Tanzania. Olakira Migration Camp comes with stargazing tents and serious comfort, while Ubuntu Migration Camp focuses more on intimacy and seasonal flexibility.
Why go: Battle-tested migration camps with proper beds and great food
Best for: First-time mobile safari-goers who still want a dash of luxury
Designed for movement, built for waking up like this, Image Credit: Asilia Olakira Migration Camp
Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp
Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp is a chic, 10-tent mobile setup that pivots across the Serengeti to follow the Great Migration. Think vintage-style tents with leather finishes, solar power, and strong guiding.
Why go: A polished, moveable camp with a serious safari pedigree
Best for: Stylish travellers who still want to wake up to wildebeest grunting
Where the boots are polished, and so is everything else, Image Credit: Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp
Roving Bushtops
These mobile luxury tents are mounted on custom trailers and have decks, hot tubs, and power, because why not bring the spa to the Serengeti? Roving Bushtops is over-the-top in the best way.
Why go: Ultra-luxurious mobile safari that doesn’t skimp on indulgence
Best for: Couples, romantics, and soft-adventure travellers
Yes, the view comes with turndown service too, Image Credit: Roving Bushtops
&Beyond Serengeti Under Canvas
Same concept as their Botswana model, but this time it follows the Great Migration across northern Tanzania. Serengeti Under Canvas has a setup that is simple but elegant, with all the bells you want and none of the whistles you don’t.
Why go: Dependable, professional, and migration-savvy
Best for: Travellers who want tried-and-tested safari perfection
The migration doesn’t pause, but you can, Image Credit: Serengeti Under Canvas
The Perks of a Mobile Camp Safari
Mobile doesn’t mean makeshift. Here’s what you can expect:
- Canvas suites with proper beds, crisp linen, and en-suite bathrooms (often with flushing loos)
- Daily housekeeping and turndown service
- Chef-prepared meals (you won’t be eating from a tin)
- Bucket or plumbed showers – sometimes outdoor, always hot
- Expert guides who live and breathe the bush
- Flexibility, as the camps move with the wildlife, so you don’t have to
- Eco credentials – leave-no-trace setups and solar-powered operations
You’re roughing it… but in the kind of way that still includes afternoon G&Ts and warm towels after game drives.
Proof that mobile tented camps don’t cut corners, Image Credit: Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp
Who Should Choose a Mobile Tented Safari?
If you want infinity pools and air conditioning, this isn’t for you.
But if you’re:
- Curious about the Great Migration
- Keen to get off the grid (without sacrificing comfort)
- Interested in conservation-led travel
- Tired of over-touristed safari circuits
- Or simply want to feel the wild pulse of Africa without a wall in sight
…then mobile is the move.
They’re ideal for second-timers, adventurous honeymooners, solo travellers who don’t want fluff, and anyone after an experience that feels a little more alive.
Here, nothing stands between you and Africa, Image Credit: Olakira Migration Camp
Here’s the thing about mobile tented camps: they don’t just take you into the wilderness. They bring the wilderness to you, and they do it without polluting, paving, or putting up permanent fences.
Whether you’re tracking the Great Migration across Tanzania or spending your days walking alongside elephants in Botswana’s Khwai, mobile camps let you stay where the story is unfolding. Not watching from the sidelines. Not two hours away.
I’ve always said that safari is about proximity, not just to animals, but to experience. And mobile camps get you closer than anything else out there.
Even if you think you’ve done Africa... you haven’t done this. And trust me, once you do, it’s hard to go back.
You’re not just here – you’re in it, Image Credit: Beagle Expeditions
FAQ: Mobile Tented Camps in Africa
Still weighing up whether mobile camps are your thing? Here’s a quickfire breakdown of what they are, how they work, and why they might be the safari experience you didn’t know you needed.
QUESTION | ANSWER |
|---|---|
What is a mobile tented camp? | A mobile tented camp is a luxury safari camp that relocates seasonally to follow wildlife movements, offering an immersive, low-impact experience in remote wilderness areas. |
Are mobile tented camps comfortable? | Yes, mobile tented camps are comfortable. Despite being mobile, these camps feature real beds, en-suite bathrooms, chef-made meals, and exceptional service. |
What’s the difference between mobile and permanent camps? | Permanent camps stay put year-round, while mobile camps shift with the seasons, especially around major wildlife events like the Great Migration. |
When is the best time to stay at a mobile tented camp? | The best time to stay at a mobile tented camp is typically during the dry season or key wildlife moments, such as June to October in Tanzania (Migration crossings) and May to October in Botswana. |
Are mobile camps suitable for families? | Some mobile camps are suitable for families, especially private-use options. However, most are better suited for adults or families with older children due to their remoteness and limited mobility. |
Mobile doesn’t mean minimal, Image Credit: Wilderness Usawa Serengeti
The Last Thing I’ll Say About Mobile Camps (For Now)
Earlier, I mentioned that mobile tented camps bring you closer, not just to wildlife, but to something wilder in yourself. And it’s true.
Because when you unzip your canvas at dawn and there’s mist curling over the grass, when the only sound is a hyena whooping in the distance or a lion huffing near camp, you’re not watching nature: you’re in it.
That’s what makes mobile safaris unforgettable. Not the luxury. Not even the lions. It’s the feeling of being exactly where you’re supposed to be – in motion, off the grid, and absolutely present. And if that sounds like your kind of adventure? Well then, it’s time to start planning. The bush is waiting.
Featured Image: Roving Bushtops
