Around 15 years ago, I overheard a late night conversation between David and Masa about the ultimate “Tent with a View” design – a Land Rover that transforms into a 14 x 16 foot bedroom with a flush loo in the passenger seat and a bath tub in the boot! I thought they were quite mad and didn’t take it seriously. Today we have the Bush Rover Suites, an amazing award-winning camp made up of a fleet of working Land Rovers that drive to a chosen location and transform within hours into a full size bedroom, flush loo, solar lights and hot water showers and a bath tub in a wood panelled bathroom. A mobile camp like no other, the Bush Rovers drive in and set up giving the feel of a permanent camp but one which can be packed away and out of sight in a matter of hours leaving no trace of human footprint.

Bush Rovers in Serengeti

I was fortunate enough to spend the first ever night in a Bush Rover Suite which was set up in Saadani National Park on the edge of the salt flats. We’d been out on game drive for the afternoon and seen a fabulous herd of elephant over 70 strong and were feeling buoyant. After a lovely hot bath in the back of our Bush Rover, we sat on the balcony surveying the scene, G&T in hand.  At this point I was thinking that life really didn’t get much better than this, when we were led to the salt flats by the light of a full moon to a beautiful table laid for dinner.  After a delicious meal, prepared by our very own chef Mubes, we walked back to our room accompanied by our guard, Mzee Hoza and to bed on a soft mattress with lovely crisp cotton sheets.

Bush Rover bedroom

The sounds of the bush combined with ocean waves is something that has always been so special in Saadani and is a truly unique bush and beach experience in one location. In a Bush Rover, I felt so close to the action of the bush whilst being completely safe, raised several metres above the ground with a door to my tented room. Perfect.

The majority of the Bush Rover Suites are now based in the Serengeti each safari season. There are 3 private sites in the best areas in the Serengeti for the great wildebeest migration.

The Bush Rover Migration Camp can be combined with a number of other safari and beach destinations in Tanzania and I’d recommend a stay of between 2-4 nights.