Dunia Camp: Our full report
Dunia Camp is situated near the Moru Kopjes, in the south of Tanzania's central Serengeti National Park.
This elegant yet unpretentious camp is in a good area for seeing both the wildebeest migration between December and March, and the resident game of the central Serengeti all year round. Affectionately known as the "ladies camp", it is Tanzania's first and only safari camp to be fully led and run by female staff. It has a very inspiring atmosphere.Although Dunia has all the characteristics of a mobile camp, it is actually a permanent camp. That said, it has the same high-quality feel and construction as its mobile siblings: Olakira, and Ubuntu, which all move according to the wildebeest migration, as well as the permanent Namiri Plains. In 2017 Dunia moved to its present site, nestled within an area of acacia woodland with views to the front overlooking an area of open savannah.
Dunia has eight airy tents, each of which has twin beds, or a king-size, covered with a cosy charcoal grey blanket and patterned cushions. The tents are large and can easily accommodate a day bed, which can be converted in to a bed for a third person. To lighten up the interior, the bed has a rustic white-washed headboard, with striking black bordering. Chunky wooden furniture includes three lockable trunks – one at the end of the bed and one on each side, the latter topped with storm lanterns, an air horn, a torch, and filtered water. In addition to a spacious wooden cupboard, the tent is equipped with a writing desk with a built in charging station, and a turquoise chaise longue.
Around the back of the bed is an en-suite bathroom, with adjacent flush toilets and hot, plumbed showers fed by a solar heater. There's a rack with plenty of space to hang clothes, twin basins and mirror, and an array of toiletries including body lotion, shampoo and soap. Dunia is substantially more comfortable than the mobile camps in this area.
At the front of each tent is a spacious 'porch', which forms a lounge area that can be closed off from the rest of the tent but a gauze sliding door and brass latch lock. All of the tents are raised about a metre off the ground and sliding doors open up on to a lovely sunken deck, with built in sofas and a coffee table. When the migration is in the area, the wildebeest herds can sometimes be seen from the tents!
The main area of Dunia consists of two large adjoining mess tents, one housing the lounge, and the other the dining area. In the lounge, comfortable cream and sofas and stylish red armchairs look out over the Serengeti plains and towards the campfire, which is set a little way away from the dining tent. Wooden statues are dotted around, along with vases of dried flowers, and the 'bar' is set on top of a wooden chest. Wifi is available throughout the camp in both the main areas and the rooms. Outside is a substantial seating space on the verandas, and nearby is a small curio tent.
The dining area is light, airy and cool. The cream-coloured tent is dominated by one large table, where private evening meals are usually held. Lunch and breakfast are normally eaten at individual tables on the extensive veranda. In the evenings, it's also possible to dine outside, when the lanterns that illuminate this area combine with hanging lights and the light from the campfire to give a wonderful soft light.
Unusually for a tented camp in Tanzania, almost all Dunia's staff are women. This is a relatively new initiative for safari camps, but it has been working very well and as a result the camp has quite a unique feel, with attentive service and lots of singing and dancing – you can expect a warm welcome at Dunia!
Activities at Dunia are focused on game drives, either with your own private vehicle and guide or using one of the excellent resident guides. The site of the camp is excellent for big cats, as well as being one of the few parts of the Serengeti where there are resident rhino. We've even seen porcupines here before too. There is a real bonus of being able to get out earlier, and stay out later, than other vehicles visiting the Moru Kopjes – which means there are wildlife sightings to be enjoyed without other people.
Our view
Dunia Camp is a stylish yet unfussy camp in the Serengeti. It offers a high-quality base from which to explore the south-central Serengeti area, which has excellent game viewing year round, but is especially good from about December to March when the wildebeest migration passes through.
Tanzania expert
Geographics
- Location
- Serengeti Migration Area, Tanzania
- Ideal length of stay
- 2-3 nights is a good amount of time to explore the area.
- Directions
- Seronera Airstrip is just over one hour's drive from the camp.
- Accessible by
- Fly-and-Transfer
Food & drink
- Usual board basis
- Full Board & Activities
- Food quality
- Breakfast is usually a selection of fruits, breads and cereals, as well as tea, coffee and fruit juices. A hot breakfast, including egg and sausage, is cooked to order.
Lunch is typically quite light due to the heat, so might be a selection of salads or quiche, with chips or potato salad, followed by a light dessert such as fruit salad or a sponge pudding. On our most recent visit we enjoyed a roast pepper quiche accompanied by salad and a delicious homemade focaccia; this was followed by a refreshing sorbet.
During our stay, we tucked into a delicious dinner with a creamy butternut squash soup to start, followed by a beautifully spiced vegetable curry that was served with basmati rice, poppadums’ and chutney. For dessert we had a decadent chocolate brownie, which was delicious. - Dining style
- Individual Tables
- Dining locations
- Indoor and Outdoor Dining
- Further dining info, including room service
- Room service is available on request.
- Drinks included
- Most drinks are included except for premium wines and spirits. Bottled water is supplied in all the tents; travellers should not drink from the tap.
Special interests
- Solo Travel
- Dunia is one of the Serengeti's better camps for a solo safari holiday in Tanzania. You can fly here, sharing the camp's safari activities and communal dining; and its single supplement is fairly low.
- See ideas for Solo Travel
- Photography holidays
- Dunia can arrange the hire of a specialist photographic vehicle. This features three swivel seats for full view and minimal disruption, as well drop-down sides to allow photographers to lie down and get low-angle photographs.
- See ideas for Photography holidays
Children
- Attitude towards children
- Dunia welcomes children aged five years and older.
- Property’s age restrictions
- Children aged five and over are welcome.
- Special activities & services
- There is a small selection of board games in the main area.
- Equipment
- None
- Generally recommended for children
- Although Dunia accepts children aged five and up, it is a wild, unfenced camp and so Expert Africa would not recommend it for children under 12.
- Notes
- Children must be supervised by their parents at all times.
Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Dunia Camp
Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Dunia Camp have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
93% success
93% success
87% success
77% success
77% success
54% success
46% success
33% success
17% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
Communications
- Power supply notes
- The majority of Dunia’s power is generated by solar panels, however there is also a backup generator if necessary. There are international charging points in all the tents.
- Communications
- There is sporadic cellphone reception at Dunia and a good WiFi signal.
- TV & radio
- There are no TVs here.
- Water supply
- Borehole
- Water supply notes
- There are plumbed in showers and toilets.
Bottled water is supplied in all of the rooms and should be used to drink.
Sustainability
The only all-female run camp in the Serengeti
With eight luxurious tents located in a secluded corner between two of Serengeti’s prime game viewing areas, Dunia Camp is a shining beacon for promoting women empowerment, as it is the only all-female run camp in the Serengeti.
In a predominantly male-dominated society, perhaps the core of Dunia Camp’s sustainability efforts is achieving gender equality through education. The camp partnered with Kamitei Foundation to implement community education improvement programmes. These are aimed at providing selected students with scholarships to pursue advanced education in fields with good employment prospects, such as tourism, veterinary studies or nursing).
In 2014, the first receipient of the Asilia Africa Scholarship Fund was Lailatu Winnifred, a young girl from the nearby Sambwa Village, who is now a chef at Dunia Camp. In June 2017, Dunia Camp began the new season with an entirely female staff. Prior to this, Dunia was the only camp of more than 120 in the Serengeti to have a female, Tanzanian manager.
Today, the camp employs 25 Tanzanian women from 19 different tribes. They perform almost every function in the camp - from management and guiding to the role of night security, and the camp hopes to soon employ and train female apprentices for roles in mechanics and maintenance.
See more great sustainability projects in Tanzania
Health & safety
- Malarial protection recommended
- Yes
- Medical care
- There is a first-aid kit on site and the manager is first-aid trained. The nearest doctor is in Arusha, which would involve an hour-long flight from Seronera Airstrip, just over an hour’s drive away.
- Dangerous animals
- High Risk
- Security measures
- Guests are escorted to and from their tents after dark.
- Fire safety
- Fire extinguishers are located in each tent and in the kitchen. There are firebreaks all around the camp.
Activities
4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Cultural excursion
Hot air ballooning
Extras
- Disabled access
- On Request
- Laundry facilities
- A full laundry service is included but underwear is not accepted. Washing powder is supplied in the rooms for guests to wash these items themselves.
- Money
- Dunia is not able to exchange any currency. There is a electronic safe in each tent for valuables.
- Accepted payment on location
- Cash payment is accepted in US dollars, Tanzanian shillings, euros and UK pounds cash. Visa and Mastercard may also be used, with a 2% surcharge.
Other lodges in Serengeti Migration Area
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Olakira Camp
Comfortable, friendly and relaxed, Olakira Camp moves between the Mara River and the southern Ndutu area, in line with the wildebeest migration.
Sayari Camp
In the northern Serengeti, near the Mara River, luxurious Sayari Camp offers excellent wildife all year – boosted further by the wildebeest migration.
Nomad Serengeti Camp
Serengeti Safari Camp is a well-appointed tented camp that moves several times a year to follow the predicted path of the migration.
Namiri Plains Camp
Namiri Plains is one of the best camps in the Serengeti and its remoteness ensures a fantastic wildlife experience away from the crowds.
Lamai Serengeti
Set high in the kopjes with fantastic views, Lamai Serengeti offers top service and guiding and good migration sightings from Jul-Oct.
Ubuntu Camp
Ubuntu Camp has several locations in the Serengeti, following the wildebeest migration, so it is often in a great location to see the herds.
Kati Kati Camp
Kati Kati is a small, very simple bushcamp, which is well-positioned to explore the wildlife-rich Seronera area.
Ndutu Safari Lodge
Large and economical, but not luxurious, Ndutu Safari Lodge is well located in the southern Serengeti, so book early to get space.
Serian Serengeti
Serian Serengeti is a mobile tented operation run by Alex Walker which moves between two locations following the wildebeest migration.
Klein's Camp
Klein's Camp, in a private area of the northern Serengeti, sets high standards. Activities include walks, nights drives and Maasai village visits.
Kimondo Camp
Kimondo Camp is based in the remote Lamai Wedge in the northern Serengeti from Jul–Oct, and on the southern Kusini plains from Nov–Mar.
Serengeti under Canvas
Two of the three Serengeti under Canvas camps move through the Serengeti National Park every few months to follow the wildebeest migration.
Grumeti River Camp
Grumeti River Camp offers a laid-back atmosphere combined with top service, first-rate food, expert guiding and an excellent location.
Lemala Kuria Hills
Lemala Kuria Hills is a luxury permanent camp that is ideally located for wildlife all year around, but especially during the wildebeest migration.
Lemala Mara-Ndutu
Lemala Mara-Ndutu is a semi-permanent camp that moves between the north and south of the Serengeti to witness the wildebeest migration.
Lemala Nanyukie
Lemala Nanyukie is a comfortable and stylish tented camp that opened in 2018 in the central Serengeti.
Lemala Ewanjan
Lemala Ewanjan is a comfortable and stylish tented camp in the Seronera area of the central Serengeti National Park.
Kubu Kubu
Kubu Kubu is a contemporary, tented lodge, well located in the central Seronera area of the Serengeti National Park.
Lobo Wildlife Lodge
The large Lobo Wildlife Lodge has simple, functional rooms in a stunning location. It's a good base for exploring the north-eastern Serengeti.
Kusini Camp
Kusini Camp is permanent, luxury camp located on a beautiful kopje in a quiet, wildlife-rich corner of the south-west Serengeti.
Mbalageti Lodge
Mbalageti is a well-run lodge in a quiet part of the Serengeti's western corridor – an ideal location during the Apr-Jun migration.
Serengeti Serena
The Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge is a large, hotel-style lodge and a good family-friendly base from which to explore the central Serengeti.
Serengeti Walking Mobile
This fairly simple camp offers only walking activities, but it's very well done and combines well with more conventional camps or lodges.
Serengeti Sopa Lodge
Serengeti Sopa Lodge is an international-style hotel offering good-value accommodation in the central Serengeti, with lovely views of the plains.
Singita Mara River
Singita Mara River Tented Camp is a luxurious camp in the isolated and rewarding Lamai wedge region of the northern Serengeti.
Serengeti Green Camp
Serengeti Green Camp is a comfortable camping experience, in your own private safari camp and at the heart of a great wildlife area.
Migration Camp
Serengeti Migration Camp is a smart tented camp, good for the wildebeest migration from Jul–Aug, or to explore the Lobo Kopjes any time.
Mkombe's House Lamai
Mkombe's House Lamai is a fully staffed private house in the Wogakuria Kopjes district of Serengeti National Park.
Faru Faru Lodge
On the north bank of the Grumeti River, Faru Faru is a small, chic hideaway in this exclusive corner of the Serengeti.
Sasakwa Lodge
On a hill looking over the Serengeti plains, Sasakwa Lodge is grand, luxurious safari camp, one of the most opulent properties in Tanzania.
Kirurumu Migration Camp
Kirurumu is a rustic tented camp which moves around the Serengeti twice a year to follow the wildebeest migration.
Sabora Tented Camp
Sabora Tented Camp is a smart tented camp – one of the most luxurious, professional and stylish properties to be found in Tanzania.
Olmara Camp
With just eight guest tents, including two family tents and three signature stargazer tents, Olmara is a simple, family-friendly camp with a wonderfully attentive team. The camp captures an authentic bush experience, welcoming travellers of every kind.
Ndutu Kati Kati
Ndutu Kati Kati is a seasonal tented camp, based in the southern Serenget from Dec-Mar, ideal for the migration as it passes through.
Olduvai Camp
Olduvai Camp lies between Ngorongoro and the southern Serengeti plains. It's a good base for the southern plains during the rainy season.
Bushtops
Serengeti Bushtops is a permanent luxury camp in the northern Serengeti, with spacious and private tents with their own hot tubs.
Mara Mara
Mara Mara is a smart tented camp in the northern Serengeti, situated on a small hill close to the Mara River.
Esirai Migration Camp
A season migration camp, with only 8 tents and 1 family tent and plenty of character. Esirai is ideally placed for excellent wildlife and enjoys a simplistic and comfortable under-canvas experience.
Mwiba Lodge
Mwiba Lodge is a luxurious property located on a private concession on the edge of the southern Serengeti.
Nimali Mara
Nimali Mara is a luxurious safari lodge in a quiet region of the northern Serengeti with good access to the wildebeest migration.
Four Seasons Serengeti
The Four Seasons Safari Lodge is the only hotel in the Serengeti offering international facilities such as a gym, spa and children’s club.
Lake Masek Tented Camp
Ideally located for the wildebeest migration from Dec–Apr, Lake Masek Tented Camp is a good, mid-market safari camp.
Seronera Wildlife Lodge
Seronera Wildlife Lodge is large hotel-style safari lodge in the heart of the Serengeti, offering good value and a great location.
Mara Kati Kati
Mara Kati Kati is a simple bush camp in the northern Serengeti, based from Jul-Oct near the Mara River for the wildebeest migration.
Kirawira Camp
Set high on a hill, in the Serengeti's western corridor, Kirawira is a relatively large tented camp in the Serena group.
Mbuzi Mawe
Mbuze Mawe is a comfortable tented camp in a convenient, central-north location when driving through the Serengeti.
Serengeti Pioneer Camp
Serengeti Pioneer Camp is a luxurious tented camp in the central Serengeti, styled on African explorers' camps of the early 20th century.
Taasa Lodge
Taasa Lodge is a slightly quirky option offering guided walks and night game drives, which are not permitted in Serengeti National Park.
Nimali Serengeti
Opened in July 2017, Nimali Serengeti is a smart, permanent tented camp located in the Seronera area of the central Serengeti.
