The great migration across the Serengeti plains is an annual - ongoing - event. Triggered off and following rains it is unpredictable; because the rains are notoriously late, early or even fail. The animals may fail to be in the part of the Serengeti you have book. You find yourself booked into a lodge to see this great marvel to find out it is a five hour drive at 20 km per hour along very bad roads...

This is compounded by the fact the Serengeti stretches across the Kenyan border into the Maasai Mara. You may find you are in the wrong country and unable to cross the border - legally - to witness the million plus animals thundering across these endless plains.

One attempt at solving the problem of the unpredictability of the precise location of the migration is to book into the semi-permanent camp. These are tented camps offering all the luxury of a lodge. They have double beds, bathrooms and all the trappings of the five star lodge combined with the intimacy with the bush that only camping can offer. The emphasis is on luxury, remoteness and game viewing.

The semi-permanent camps give up just a little luxury in order to be mobile. They generally move three or four times per year and follow the great migration. If you book your safari and the migration is important for you to witness then a few days at one of the semi-permanent tented lodges is a much safer option.

There are a few to choose from. They are not cheap but offer a safari off the beaten track, away from the crowds of tourists and this alone makes them value for money. The atmosphere is relaxed. The newer camps are less stiff and formal that the more established [permanent based] tented camps. I prefer a more relaxed atmosphere with my luxury - I don't want it to be hard work - I find some of the permanent camps to take away from the enjoyment of the safari by being too formal.

The camps are small and intimate which is great unless you find yourself trapped with a group of people who are set on giving each other a hard time, or are so self centered they don't care about the rest of the camp. This can happen. The only consolation is people tend to move around and be at a camp for only one night. If you can afford to stay for a few nights at these camps you will not regret it. The slower you take your safari the more appreciative you will become of your surroundings.

The private camps are the way to a successful safari; that will keep you coming back for more year after year. Tanzania is not a cheap destination but well worth the extra expense.