&Beyond Klein’s Camp
Kuka Hills, Northern Serengeti — &Beyond
&Beyond Klein’s Camp sits on a 10,000-hectare private concession. Maasai landowners lease this land to the camp. The concession perches on the edge of the Kuka Hills, on the Serengeti’s northeastern boundary. Uniquely, it borders both the Serengeti National Park and Kenya’s Maasai Mara. This position gives the camp direct access to the migration’s northern crossing route. It also supports a strong, resident wildlife population year-round.
Because the land is private rather than national park, Klein’s Camp permits activities the park itself restricts. These include off-road driving, guided night drives, and walking safaris through the surrounding concession.
Location and Landscape
The camp looks down a valley that forms part of the migration route. This route runs between the Serengeti and the Mara. As a result, guests get a front-row position for crossings during the July to October season. They also avoid the longer drives required from camps further south or west. Outside the migration window, the concession still delivers. Wooded hillsides, marshland and a forested riverbank support sizeable resident lion prides here. Leopard, cheetah, elephant, buffalo and giraffe round out the picture throughout the year.
Because the concession is privately leased rather than publicly managed, &Beyond limits vehicle numbers at any single sighting. Guides, in addition, can drive off-road for sensitive positioning. This lets them get closer to wildlife than is typically possible inside the national park boundary.
Accommodation
Klein’s Camp comprises ten cottages, built from local stone and makuti thatch. Each one features rich wooden floors and an en-suite bathroom. A private veranda, too, opens onto sweeping views over the surrounding hills and valley. One family suite links two cottages by a protected walkway. It accommodates up to two adults and two children, with a third child possible on request.
The camp draws on its own organic vegetable garden for much of its kitchen produce. Meals, consequently, taste genuinely fresh and seasonal. Depending on the occasion, the team serves dinner either in the main dining area or out on the concession under the stars.
Safari Experience
Game drives run morning and evening in open 4×4 vehicles, generally on a private rather than shared basis. Night drives, in addition, open up access to the concession’s nocturnal wildlife. Aardvark, serval, caracal and genet count among the more elusive sightings here. Guided walking safaris, meanwhile, move through the concession on foot, offering a different register entirely from a vehicle-based drive.
A visit to a nearby Maasai village gives guests direct cultural exposure to the community that leases this land. A WILDchild programme, also, runs alongside regular activities for younger guests. Balloon safaris over the Serengeti remain available too, at additional cost.
When to Visit
July through October brings the Mara River crossings directly within reach of camp, as herds move along the bordering migration corridor. Outside this window, however, the picture remains strong. A resident wildlife population, supported by varied terrain of hill, marsh and riverine forest, sustains good game viewing throughout the rest of the year. Birdwatching, in particular, is rewarding between November and April.
Practical Information
Scheduled flights run each morning from Arusha to the Lobo airstrip. From there, a drive of roughly one and a half to two hours reaches camp, with game viewing en route. Flights also run from Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam, taking approximately two hours. Children of all ages are welcome. However, the lodge manager decides on game-drive participation for those aged 6 to 11.
Combining &Beyond Klein’s Camp with Other Tanzania Destinations
Klein’s Camp’s northern position pairs naturally with a stay further south or west in the Serengeti. This lets travellers combine the migration crossings with the contrast of the open central plains in one trip. Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire, similarly, both extend into a wider northern Tanzania circuit. Zanzibar, meanwhile, offers a coastal close to the journey.
Our Tanzania Safari Guide covers wider planning. Nearby options, meanwhile, sit within Serengeti Safari Lodges. The full country collection, finally, appears at Luxury Tanzania Safari Lodges.
If you are considering &Beyond Klein’s Camp as part of a Tanzania safari, we would be pleased to begin with a conversation.