The Case For Roving Bushtops

In Short: Why Roving Bushtops Works

• It answers the four key safari questions — when to go, how long to stay, which country and which camp — in one elegant solution.
• It moves within the Serengeti, positioning guests for the never-ending wildebeest migration, from calving season in the south to river crossings in the north.
• Four nights are enough for a complete private safari experience.
• The Serengeti’s vastness, predator density and primeval beauty make it one of Africa’s most iconic safari destinations.
• Roving Bushtops delivers on its “Wild Luxury” concept, combining exceptional guiding, comfort and service in the heart of the bush.

What is Roving Bushtops? 

Roving Bushtops is a mobile luxury safari camp that moves within the Serengeti to follow the Great Migration.

It is based in the Southern Serengeti for half the year, witnessing the wildebeest calving season (between January and March). For the other half of the year, Roving Bushtops ups sticks and heads for its ringside seat as the vast herds cross the rivers between the Serengeti and Mara in the north (usually between July and September, although the gnus and attendant zebra herds are liable to set their own timetable!). 

When is the best time to visit the Serengeti?  

The best time to visit depends on what you want to see, and Roving Bushtops positions itself for the most dramatic stages of the Great Migration.

Visit during either location window, and you’re likely to see the migration at its best. However, there is so much beyond the migration, and there is always something thrilling just over the horizon whenever you visit.

The only caveat is to avoid April and May, when the long rains create so much mud that driving is difficult and the rain makes it impossible to see clearly.

Otherwise, go when it suits you. For instance, if you miss the birth of young wildebeest and the attendant migration in the south, you are more likely to see a wider variety of wildlife. Elephants, for example, tend to avoid the noise and competition created by the herds, so they can be seen in larger numbers outside the migration period.

How long should you go on safari for? 

A four-night stay at Roving Bushtops is sufficient for a complete Serengeti safari experience.

You’ll probably arrive on day one in the early afternoon. At Roving Bushtops, the chances are you’ll fly into Kusini (Serengeti South), probably from Kilimanjaro or Arusha, to be met by the smiling faces of your ranger and spotter. After a welcome drink and some snacks, the trip back to camp is your first safari outing, lasting around 40 minutes.

You can head out in the evening too (it’s up to you), then spend the next three full days doing full or half-day safari trips: you have a 4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser all to yourself, and you choose the plan, guided by expert advice.

Across four nights, you can cover countless kilometres, seeking everything from leopards and rhino to the extraordinary colours of a starling or roller, or happening upon a leopard tortoise or pair of shy dik diks.

As you return to the airstrip on the morning of day five, you are certain to have seen a wildlife documentary’s worth of wildlife, whilst having been pampered to your heart’s content.

Which country in Africa has the best safaris?

Tanzania makes a compelling case, largely because of the Serengeti. It’s the iconic safari destination, with wide-open skies, rolling woodlands, vast plains and endless horizons.

Don’t get me wrong: I love the Masai Mara too (I will post a comparison of the three Bushtops camps shortly), but at ten times the size of its Kenyan counterpart (more if you include neighbouring conservancies like Ngorongoro), the Serengeti feels so much more like timeless, unchanging and primeval Africa.

If you have the budget and time, three days in Mara Bushtops (Kenya) and another three in Roving Bushtops (or Serengeti Bushtops) in Tanzania give you the best of both worlds.

As for Botswana, Rwanda, South Africa, and other well-known safari destinations, each has its own great attractions, but none feature the density of predators, the great migration or the almost spiritual grandeur of the Serengeti-Mara continuum.

What is the best safari lodge in Africa?

Among luxury safari camps, Roving Bushtops stands out for its mobility and delivery of “Wild Luxury.”

If you read magazine articles, scour TripAdvisor, seek out other reviews and talk to friends and family, you will find that high-end options often sound very similar. So, which camp do you choose? Having just returned from a trip to Roving Bushtops, here’s why I think it stands out–starting with the concept.

What is a safari camp?

Roving Bushtops is a luxury camp that relocates twice a year within the Serengeti, moving its eight vast tents and restaurant between the north and south and leaving behind only footprints.

This extraordinary feat of design, engineering and logistics allows Roving Bushtops to deliver the promise of ‘Wild Luxury’ within a pioneering format.

They also recruit, train and encourage staff who genuinely impress with their professionalism, humour and friendliness.

Are game drives private at Roving Bushtops? 

Yes – each booking includes a private 4×4 Land Cruiser with a dedicated ranger and spotter.

You’ll see a lot of vehicles in the Bush, but none are better adapted or equipped than Bushtops’ 4×4 Landcruisers (there’s even a 6×6 called ‘The Beest’, which is beyond belief).
As noted, you get your own vehicle, ranger and spotter, giving you total control and privacy as you set out on your adventures. 

What is the food and service like?

Roving Bushtops delivers five-star dining and service in the heart of the bush.

The food is sublime – as are the cocktails and wines included in the price (or you can shell out for fine wines from the display wall). Everything from laundry to massages, butler service to the way food is presented goes beyond expectations. Each safari outing begins with blankets and hot water bottles, with binoculars, fly whisks and tissues to hand

The camp manager, Harrison, keeps everything running smoothly, turning out in full evening dress each evening to set a high standard. 

Bushtops’ incredible wildlife rangers 

The whole team is well chosen and superbly trained, but I can only write with any authority about the stars we encountered. Our ranger, Deus, is world-class, whilst the eagle-eyed Charles helped pick out wildlife invisible to our naked eyes. Our butler, Faza, and waiter, Bariki, were top quality, whilst Esther gave us some of the best massages we’ve ever enjoyed.

It all adds up to something a bit special: as one TripAdviser reviewer wrote:

 “I’ve stayed in plenty of 5-star hotels throughout the world, and paid similar rates for various hotels. This is by far the best hotel (camp) I’ve seen.” 

The little touches that define the ultimate luxury safari experience

Not many hotels prepare G&Ts alongside a filled hot tub as you return to camp, greeting you with genuine warmth and scented cloths.

It’s amazing to have piping-hot showers in the heart of the bush, efficient wifi and telephones, and powerful solar electricity (backed up by generators), but even more astonishing is that standards and smiles alike never seem to slip.

There are other great camps. There are other destinations. You always have a choice.

But when allocating your hard-earned cash to a once-in-a-lifetime African safari experience, it’s nice to know that you won’t make the wrong choice if you end up at Roving Bushtops!