Seven tented suites and a family unit among palms in the Burunge corridor, run on unhurried days with your own guide and vehicle.
Chem Chem is where we send people who are tired of the rush of a northern circuit. The lodge sits among palms and acacias in the Burunge Wildlife Management Area, the corridor that links Tarangire and Lake Manyara. The lodge describes the area as exclusive use, and it has two sister camps close by. There are no fixed drive times: you have a private guide and vehicle, and the day runs at your pace.
The suites are spaced well apart and mix stone, canvas and sisal, with outdoor showers and a patio where animals walk past. Beyond the drives there are silent walks, runs with Maasai warriors, meals set up under a baobab and time with the Maasai and Barabaig communities. It is a good first or last stop, with its own airstrip about 15 minutes away on scheduled routes.
If the migration or a Mara River crossing is the point of your trip, this is not where you will see it; the rewards here are space and pace rather than a checklist. It suits couples who want to slow down and families with children from four, who can take the family unit. It closes for a short break from early April to mid-May.
Seven suites set well apart, with a king bed, reading nook, private veranda, indoor and outdoor showers, air conditioning and a coffee machine.
Two bedrooms and two bathrooms under one roof, sleeping two adults and up to three children, each bedroom with its own en suite bathroom.
Stays are all-inclusive of meals and drinks. The kitchen's Ponya cuisine is designed to nourish rather than simply fill you up, and dinners move around the lodge and the bush, from a table under an old baobab to one under the stars.
There is a swimming pool, a fully equipped gym and a spa, plus silent walks and runs with Maasai warriors for those who like to move.
Children aged four and over are welcome, and children of all ages if you book the whole lodge. Under-15s share with an adult, and children join activities with their parents.
| Suites | 7 tented suites and 1 family unit |
|---|---|
| Setting | Burunge Wildlife Management Area, private use |
| Getting there | Chem Chem airstrip, about 15 minutes by game drive, on scheduled routes |
| Included | Meals, drinks, private guide and vehicle, airstrip transfers |
| Activities | Game drives, silent walks, runs with Maasai, cultural visits |
| Children | Aged 4 and over; all ages on exclusive use |
| Closed | Early April to mid-May |
Burunge Wildlife Management Area, between Tarangire and Lake Manyara, Tanzania
A few of the things we plan for guests in Tanzania.
From about January to March the herds gather on the short-grass plains around Ndutu, on the border with the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and give birth in their hundreds of thousands. Lions, cheetahs and hyenas follow. Mobile camps move with the herds, and the plains are green and bright between showers.
From July to October the herds reach the far north around Kogatende and cross the Mara River back and forth. It is quieter than the Kenyan side, with fewer vehicles at each crossing. Stay at least four nights and bring patience: herds can gather for hours before a single animal commits.
The Ngorongoro Crater is a collapsed volcano whose floor holds lions, hyenas, flamingos on the soda lake and one of the few places in Tanzania to see black rhino. Descend at dawn with a picnic breakfast to beat the vehicles. Rim lodges look straight into the caldera and are cold at night.
A northern Tanzania safari paced for families with children aged eight and over: baobabs and elephants near Tarangire, a crater rim lodge above Ngorongoro, a mobile camp in the Serengeti, then four nights on a Zanzibar beach.
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will check availability, suggest the right room and send a price.
