Exclusive Mobile Camping (EMC) in the Serengeti
 

Does anyone know about the seasonal camp called Exclusive Mobile Camp or EMC. It has been recommended by our safari operator as a substitute for Wildlife Explorer camp in the Serengeti. Is it a new camp? Since location is so important, where are they in early February? We want to be near the migration and want to make sure they are near the Ndutu area. Any information about the location, accomodations, food, or anything else about the camp would be greatly appreciated.
Marie

Hi Marie

I know you have a Mac and cannot use Google Earth on my site to see the location, but in Feb it is located at the Hugo Memorial Special camp site near Ndutu Lodge in the NCA.

The Hugo site is a very good location. My pictures of the camp site are here:

http://www.go-safari.com/NCA/Hugo.htm

My pics of EMC are here:
http://www.go-safari.com/Serengeti/EMC.htm

It is a great camp and very comfortable. Carol and I will stay there for two nights this New Year!

Eben

Eben:
I just checked out the Serengeti and NCA sites--they are sooooooo cool!
Do you know where Nomad camps are in Feb (ATR calls one "Masek" and the other "Piaya"--if that helps)?

Hi Bat

As you know the websites of most overseas agents are really out of date. Africa Dream Safaris deserve credit for being informative and up to date.

I wish most of the rest will the following disclaimer on their sites - THE INFORMATION ON THIS SITE IS AT LEAST A COUPLE OF YEARS OLD AND OUT OF DATE - READ WITH CARE.

In Feb, the seasonal Nomad Loliondo Safari Camp is near Piaya and the seasonal Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp is in the Southern Serengeti or NCA. I have these general areas marked with waypoints. The Nomad Mobile Camps move around according to client preferences.

Based on history, I know the general locations of the 2 safari camps in Feb. This does not mean they will remain at the same exact spots this season!

Unlike some of the inaccurate websites, I think one must be careful when disclosing such locations UNLESS IT'S GOING TO REMAIN ACCURATE!

For example, it could be that the migration leaves Ndutu in early Feb! Will Nomad Serengeti Camp stay near Ndutu or will they move towards Seronera? If Nomad moves, and the websites are not upgraded, then it's unfair to Nomad Serengeti Camps!

I am currently working on ways to ensure that the locations of these camps are always accurate on my GE maps. These excellent camps should never be misrepresented!

Eben

Eben.
Thanks as always.

So how does this work? How do they move about--by that I mean if they are in the Serengeti, they are limited to a camp area, yes? Even if a special, private camp, don't those have to be booked? So how exactly do they get their ability to be mobile? Is it different in the NCA--perhaps more mobility? And then in the Piaya area--that is part of a private concession?

Also, I am not staying at the truly mobile private camps--I am staying at the so-called semi-permanent camps-so they won't be moving for my particular client requests. I'll be going where they have set it up. I expect they will set up where it is appropriate though.

Are you saying that you are working on being able to track these semi-permanents each season? That would be unbelievable in terms of providing up to the minute (or perhaps more precisely up to the month/season) information. I feel like a throw-back to valley girl speak when I say--totally awesome!

Up-to-the-month accuracy of the seasonal camps is very possible and I will strive to achieve this!

I have no insight as to how Nomad do their camp site bookings but one can safely imagine that it is done in advance and with careful consideration of past experiences! Since the special camp sites must be pre-booked, this cannot be a random decision at the last moment!

In the Serengeti and NCA the special camp sites are listed and can be pre-booked by any outfitter. There are also a handful of private sites that are booked with special permission from park and local communities.

In Loliondo and such, most camp sites are negotiated with local communities.

It appears you will split your time between the two Nomad seasonal camps - Serengeti Safari Camp and Loliondo Safari Camp. Masek is simply the name of the lake next to Ndutu. It does not mean the camp will be at lake Masek for the duration of the season.

Hi Eben,

Any chance on a Mac-compatible version of this being created -- perhaps saved as a screenshot and posted as a PDF or something? Even if it's not quite as current, it would be a big help to those of us who don't do Windows :S- I can't access a PC except at work, where spending a lot of time looking at maps of Tanzania would probably raise a few eyebrows...

Cheers,
Julian

Thanks Eben--I am really enjoying your site.

And then there are us poor souls who are on Macs at work and at home. :(

By the way, I showed my friend (who consents to go to E.Africa w/me) your site. Oh, brother! She loooves gadgets and wants in on the GPS action. I told her, Oh, climbhigh has Tanzania Northern Circuit covered. She was so disappointed.

But in the future I'm sure she'll be dying to GPS less-travelled routes.

google says they are working on it--so maybe it will be sooner than later.

Julian, yes I can do more screenshots but my challenge is to shoot the images from the correct angles so I capture all the waypoints, especially the layered ones!

A better solution maybe to invest in PC emulation software for your MAC.

Leely, I am now obsessed by this Google Earth thing. It is very addictive. I have collected thousands of Tanzania GPS waypoints over the last 4 years and I'm having a whale of a time getting everything plotted and documented. And to synch my pictures with the waypoints!

I have a lot of waypoints but not enough tracks (documenting the exact routes I traveled). So the roads are not as accurate as I want them to be! Your friend can certainly jump in and help! And there are a million places in Tanzania I have yet to visit!

I am now creating the wildebeest migration locations based on notes from past years. This will be layered on top of the Serengeti, NCA and Masai Mara - it is looking quite amazing and it will be easy to maintain on a monthly basis - even weekly if Carol doesn't divorce me as a result!

Wow, what a cool project.

And don't worry, though I won't be in TZ for many months, I have a feeling my friend won't be going ANYwhere without her soon-to-be-purchased GPS.

I can't wait to hear how a layperson like Patty finds using one.