08 August 2025
Visit ReportsCategory: $$ ‘Bush Camp’
Dates Open: All year
Children: 16+
Date of Visit: May 2025
Number of Nights: 1
01.Overview
One could use words like ‘bucolic’ and ‘rustic’ to describe this camp. But to those one should also add ‘beautiful’, ‘remote’, ‘exotic’, and ‘intimate’. This gem of a camp will take you away from the world and back in time: simple, comfortable and close to the wild. But if spas and swimming pools are on your agenda – this one’s not for you!
02.Location & Access
Image credit: Google Earth
This is a remote camp and, for most, would be accessed by boat or Tashinga airstrip (16°49’21”S 28°26’36”E). Located on a seasonal island to the east of Fothergill, Rhino has a location which is hard to better. Blessed with beguiling views of the lake from the main area and the rooms, pleasant woodland backs the camp. Arriving at the camp by boat is an experience in itself, and the transfer to/from Tashinga is scenic and enjoyable.
03.Rooms
The rooms are the highlight of the camp. Built on raised platforms, with wood, rattan/ bamboo and thatch, they are – for something so rustic - actually very comfortable. Sumptuous beds, recharging plugs, a small desk, and indulgent open air showers with wood-fired boilers ensure an great supply of hot water. The simple balconies are especially pleasant, with wonderful views.
The ‘windows’ of the rooms, along with access to the balcony, are open, without even gauze. This very unusual feature of the camp adds to the sense of intimacy with nature. Remarkably, over its many years of operation, the camp has never had issues with primates or other intruders invading the rooms. But we would note that this aspect of the camp might not be for everybody – and could come as a discomforting shock to more nervous travelers. But it really is horses for courses, and for others it’s another bewitching feature of this really very authentic camp.
Mosquito nets and fans are provided. At night, the lights lack some warmth, and are an area we believe an enhancement could be made. Solar panels provide electricity. The en suite bathrooms are open air, and have good hand basins, showers and flushing toilets.
04.Main Area
The central feature is a raised lounge with echoes of Hemmingway or Kipling. Between this and the lake shore is an open area of sand where tables are set for meals, the bar is set up, and the fire pit resides. In the evenings retro-style lanterns dot the whole area, giving it wonderful charm.
05.F&B
Food is unfussy, homely, and really quite delicious. The bar is well stocked with a range of soft drinks, beers, spirits and a limited but very drinkable choice of wines. Meals are generally served al fresco at the front of the camp – we had a lunch interrupted briefly by elephants wandering through, and an immensely pleasant dinner featuring fried halloumi and roast chicken, all served beneath a full moon and a star spangled sky.
Vegetarian and a number of other special dietary requirements can be handled confidently, though as with all camps should be flagged in advance.
06.Staff (excluding guides)
This is a very intimate camp, where you are treated more like a family guest than a customer or tourist. Across the board the staff, from the most senior to the most junior, go out of their way to make you feel welcome, mixing a warm informality with competent professionalism. Really, really nice people – full stop!
07.Guides
Knowledgeable and passionate guides know the area, and are fluent on the both flora and fauna. Along with showing thorough knowledge of mammals and birds, it was a real pleasure to spend a lot of time discussing the magical variety of trees which populate the area around the camp.
08.Activities
Game viewing drives and walks. Power boat excursions on the lake for game viewers, sunset and moonrise watchers, and fishermen (the Tiger fishing around Rhino is generally very good)
09.Wildlife
This camp is in the heart of elephant country – and you’ll see many of these magnificent giants. The elephant quite frequently visit the camp, drinking from a pool and enjoying the same shade which guests lunch under in the main area. A range of other mammals can be seen, and both lions and leopards roam the area – with one pride of lions making a habit of relaxing underneath room number 6! On the night we stayed there we had rutting impalas outside the room, and a hippo stopping to scratch himself on one of the posts supporting the room.
Birding is outstanding, both from the land on the lake, and along with having great sightings of many of the more usual suspects, we also saw some hard to find species… including a Pel’s Fishing Owl – a magical treat.
Of note, Rhino Safari Camp is a misnomer – as, sadly, there are no rhinos in the area. But there is active talk of reintroducing them, and we shall follow this discussion with interest.
10.Final Notes / Comments / Recommendations
This camp is something of a throw back – to a simpler and, many might suggest, happier time. In an environment where more and more camps are pushing luxury harder and harder (with higher and higher prices to match), Rhino offers a very ‘old fashioned’, accessibly priced, and authentic experience. For more experienced safari goers, it would hard to visit this camp without a deep sense of nostalgia.
With its simple, rustic, comfortable rooms; beguiling main area; experienced guides; and a range of land and water activities; this lovingly managed property comes highly recommended. That said, it’s not for everyone – we’d not recommend it for young children, and some guests might find the rooms a bit too exposed to the wild for comfort. But for those who seek an authentic safari experience in a beautiful spot, or who simply want to relax fishing on the lake, Rhino Safari Camp is a touch of paradise.
This report is supplied without prejudice, is for information purposes only, and use of it is governed by our Terms & Conditions. It contains the views of Mongoose staff which are subjective. Information herein is subject to change.
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