Stanley’s Kopje presides over the best game viewing area of the park, the Mwanamboga waterhole
Location: Stanley's Kopje enjoys one of the best locations in Tanzania's Mikumi National Park, perched on top of a rocky outcrop with panoramic views across the Mkata floodplain - the park's prime game-viewing area. It's the only camp in the park built on a kopje, giving it a natural advantage in both scenery and seclusion. From the main deck or your tent veranda, you can often spot giraffe, buffalo, and even lion moving across the plains below. Its position near the park's eastern boundary also makes it easily accessible by road from Dar es Salaam, making it a brilliant option for those wanting a true wilderness experience without the need for long flights.
Rooms: There are just 12 Meru-style tents at Stanley's Kopje, all raised on wooden platforms and spaced well apart for privacy. Each one is tucked among the rocks and trees of the kopje, with a private verandah that looks out over the surrounding savannah. Inside, the tents are simple but well thought out - large beds with mosquito nets, solar-powered lighting, and en-suite bathrooms with flush loos and hot bucket showers. It's not about showy luxury here - it's about a classic, close-too-nature safari feel with just the right level of comfort. At night, you fall asleep to the sounds of the bush, high enough to feel safe but close enough to feel connected.
Amenities: The camp's central area includes a thatched lounge, bar, and dining space, all open-sided to make the most of the spectacular views. There is also a swimming pool built into the rock, with a view over the plains that is hard to beat - especially after a hot morning drive. Meals are freshly prepared using local produce, with a mix of Tanzanian flavours and international staples, and service is warm, relaxed, and genuinely personal. The team here create a friendly, laid-back atmosphere without losing that sense of being somewhere special. While the amenities are modest, they're well suited to the setting - and the views do a lot of the heavy lifting.
Activities: Game drives are the main activity here, with Mikumi offering surprisingly strong wildlife sightings, especially given how few visitors the park receives. The Mkata floodplain is often compared to the Serengeti in miniature - home to elephants, lions, wildebeest, buffalo, zebras, and giraffes, with frequent sightings of eland and sometimes even wild dogs. Drives are led by experienced guides and typically timed for early morning and late afternoon, though full-day options are available too. Biding is excellent year-round, and while walking safaris aren't currently offered from camp, the landscape and lack of crowds make even a simple drive feel like an adventure off the beaten track.
Sustainability: Stanley's Kopje is part of the Foxes Safari Camps group, a family-run operation with a long-standing commitment to sustainable tourism in southern Tanzania. The camp is solar-powered, uses natural materials in its construction, and is designed to blend into the kopje without disturbing the environment. Waste is managed responsibly, plastic use is minimised, and water is used sparingly through systems like bucket showers. Importantly, Foxes place a strong emphasis on local employment, training and promoting staff from nearby communities, and supporting broader conservation and healthcare initiatives through their Foxes Community and Wildlife Conservation Trust. Staying at Stanley's Kopje helps to contribute to long-term, locally led stewardship of both people and place.
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