Stanley's Kopje

Rooms

The 12 guest tents, raised on high wooden platforms beneath shelters of thatched makuti palm, fan out around the base of the hill beneath the main lodge. Each is a good distance from the next so as to ensure maximum privacy and all have heart-stopping views out across the floodplains. Twin director-style chairs on the decked veranda are in perfect synch with the setting; we were treated to the sight of elephants grazing in the fading evening light just yards from where we sat.

All door and window openings are mosquito-netted with white cotton curtains to keep the sunlight at bay: we left ours open to the visual and aural extravaganza of the African night. Each tent has a chunky wooden double and single bed with excellent mattresses. Bright durries and naïve paintings add a splash of colour.

The shower room of each tent is tucked away behind a hessian and reed-covered wooden screen. Twin sinks are set into a small wooden vanity unit where you’ll find bottled water and mozzie spray. Further partitioning lends extra intimacy to the toilet and shower. Water is solar-heated and all tents have 220V electricity for about 8 hours a day when the camp’s generator is running.

Features include:

• Mosquito net
• Safe box
• Terrace/balcony
• Toiletries

Eating

Meals can’t fail but be special occasions in the camp’s airy banda-style thatched dining room. Uninterrupted views of the surrounding grasslands mean there’s a good chance that you’ll be watching grazing ellies, wildebeest and zebra whilst you eat. Be sure to have your binoculars to hand at meal times.

Breakfasts are served, rather than laid out buffet-style, adding to the cosseted vibe at the lodge: you just need to help yourself to tea and coffee at a central table. A fresh fruit salad, as well as fruit juice, is brought to your table along with freshly baked cinnamon rolls, then a hot breakfast order is taken.

Lunches back at the lodge take the form of a cold buffet. Ours was excellent; honey-cured ham, homemade quiche, a leaf and pepper salad, coleslaw, and a big choice of chutneys and sauces. If you’re spending the day in the bush you can expect an equally interesting picnic.

As at most safari camps, dinner is the culinary focus of the day, kicking off with drinks round the boma and the chance to talk to the team about the Mikumi Park. You can then choose from a small selection of South African wines, all generously priced. We were served a scrummy leek soup then helped ourselves from the hot buffet; chicken slow-cooked in a rich and spicy tomato sauce, cauliflower cheese and roast potatoes dusted in paprika. A dessert of baked banana and cream ended our dinner on a suitably indulgent note.

Features include:

• All meals included
• Bar
• Kids' meals

Activities

• Morning and evening game drives are an integral part of the experience, taken in small groups of 2-6 with an English-speaking guide and an experienced driver at the helm of an open 4WD vehicle; expect to see lion, zebra, hippo, huge numbers of buck including the elusive eland, and plenty of birdlife
  
• Chill out by the camp’s small swimming pool
  
• Retire to your private terrace with your binoculars and the camp’s own birding checklist. Expect to see kingfishers, hornbills, sunbirds, egrets, plovers and fish eagles
  
• Mikumi is also a great base for exploring the road-free Udzungwa National Park an hour away - in fact, the only real option since there is no accommodation in the park. Here you'll find some extremely rare birds, several endemic species of monkey (including the sanje-crested mangebey and the red hehe colobus) and some wonderfully adventurous rainforest hikes to waterfalls and panoramic 2,000m viewpoints

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Hiking
• Plantlife / flora
• Private guided tours
• Safaris
• Swimming
• Wildlife

Kids

Children are welcome, rather than merely tolerated, at all of the Foxes’ lodges and camps, unlike many safari operators - the owners are pioneers of family safaris, have children of their own and know how to look after families. Bear in mind that it's a long drive and likely to be a big trip, so we'd recommend it for older children - but we know there are exceptions to the rule that younger nippers don't travel as well.

Children between the ages of 1-12 are charged at half price when sharing with 2 adults.

Best for:

Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

Tents have a double bed plus a single bed and there's plenty of room to add another bed (maybe 2) if needed.

Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 4 hour drive or short bush plane hop (Dar es Sala'am)
• Shops: 120km

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Stanley's Kopje (formerly called Foxes Safari Camp) is set in Mikumi National Park in southern Tanzania. It's a 4-hour drive or short flight from Dar es Sala’am.

Getting There
Because of the complexity of getting there, Stanley's Kopje can only be booked as part of a safari package. We suggest you try our recommended Tailormade Safari Operator, whose itineraries include a stay at Stanley's Kopje. Unlike some of the more remote camps, you don't need to charter a whole plane to get here but can book individual seats as part of your package, thanks to Foxes 'Safari AirLink' initiative.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Tanzania and getting around