Sanctuary Retreats

The site for Sanctuary Kusini was decided upon only after a great deal of research and input from Sanctuary's guides and local experts. This unspoilt area of  the Serengeti is ideal for seeing wildebeest which congregate here during the calving season. The camp itself is built on a raised kopje surrounded by woodland - providing stunning views of the plains below from the main deck. Zebra, cape buffalo, lion and cheetah are a common sight year-round. The communal tent has a library, sitting room, dining room and verandah. Bush breakfasts and sundowners are served on the giant boulders of the kopje.

The twelve luxury tents are shaded from the sun by acacia trees, and all are positioned carefully with thought out views of the surrounding plains. Each tent has its own personal attendant to look after guests during their stay. Each tent has its own private wooden verandah with comfortable furniture, the ideal spot to relax for a sundowner after a hot restorative shower.

Like all Sanctuary properties, Sanctuary Kusini is designed to have minimal environmental impact, in fact the camp can be packed up and removed without leaving a trace.

Game Drives

Sanctuary Kusini is one of the great places in the world to see large predators – lion, cheetah and leopard often lie in the kopjes nearby camp. Between January and March the great migration returns to the area around Kusini and wildebeest and zebra cover the plains as they give birth to their young. The treeless plains in this area provide the perfect habitat for cheetah who have made his area of the park their permanent home. Our experienced guides know every inch of the territory around the camp and this remote corner of the vast eco-system never disappoints - buffalo, elephant, the rare wild dog, hyena and giraffe, all can be seen close to the camp. There are no other camps round here so adventurous travellers can be sure of unobstructed viewing from our customized safari vehicles. Bird life at Kusini is particularly good on the forest edge where woodpeckers and brightly coloured kingfishers can often be seen.

Sundowners

Enjoy cocktails served on top of the nearby kopje after your evening game drive and watch as  the sun sets over the vast Serengeti plains. You might even see a night animal like an aardvark, an aardwolf or a bush baby. 

Bush Breakfasts, Picnics and Dinners

For the early riser, take in the spectacular sunrises from the top of the kopje at Sanctuary Kusini, while sipping freshly made juices and watching the sun magically colour the woodland and short grass plains around the camp.  Then spend the whole day game viewing and stop at a specially chosen spot where your guide will set up a delicious picnic lunch. The location of the mess tent on top of a rocky outcrop is so sensational that we rarely offer bush dinners as we already have that perfect setting.

Cosmic Safari

Most visitors come to Africa looking for the wildlife and the beauty, yet strangely one of the most spectacular sights of all is hardly ever mentioned - the African night sky, offering some of the best star gazing in the world. In the evening after supper, sit on a comfortable cushion up on top of a large granite rock and allow your guide to uncover the universe. With a green laser pointer to show you the way, embark on a walk through the stars where you can look back millions of years in time and get lost in the beauty of the night sky.

serengeti cheetah watch

A unique activity has been developed at Sanctuary Kusini where guests can contribute to the Serengeti Cheetah Project by monitoring the cheetah of this vast national park. Venture out into this remote region of the Serengeti with an expert guide in search of cheetah. Your guide will introduce you to the cheetah's habitat and teach you how to correctly identify and photograph the cheetah you spot and record their behaviour and location. Your contribution to the project could uncover new movement patterns and aid development of conservation programs.

Sanctuary Kusini has a private airstrip and can be accessed by a daily scheduled light aircraft flight from Arusha, Kuro, Lake Manyara, Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam. Private charter flights can also be arranged. Our Sanctuary Kusini guide will meet you at the airstrip and transfer you to the camp, approximately a 15 minute drive with game viewing en route. A luggage limit of 15kg in soft sided bags is applicable.  Access by road is also possible and the camp is approximately three hours from Ngorongoro Crater and seven hours from Arusha.