In a remote area in Tanzania’s Nyerere National Park, sits a small camp located on a lake with five vantage points. Makubi Safari Camp does not try to impress through scale or spectacle. Instead, it offers something increasingly rare in modern safari travel. Space. Privacy. And a sense of belonging in the wild.
Makubi is intentionally small, with one group hosted at a time, the experience is fully private and deeply personal. Guests are not moved through a schedule. They are welcomed into a place that feels lived in, thoughtful, and grounded.
Makubi is run by a husband and wife team under Isyankisu Camps and Lodges Ltd, a largely Black-owned Tanzanian safari company. The ownership matters here, not as a label, but as a way of working. Decisions are slow, considered, and rooted in long-term responsibility to the land and the surrounding community.
The camp sits on a peninsula along the river, with five natural vantage points that allow guests to observe wildlife without chasing it. There are no fences. The camp is very wild, yet carefully secured. Hippos move through the water below. Elephants pass through camp. Lions are heard at night. The safari does not begin in a vehicle. It begins when you wake up.
Makubi does not offer boat safaris. Engines damage the lake ecosystem. It does not have a swimming pool. Water use matters here. Power comes from solar energy, and the camp runs lightly on the land. These are not compromises. They are choices.
Game drives are tailored to each group, usually leaving around 6 in the morning and returning for breakfast at camp. Walking safaris are best in the early hours, when the bush is quiet, and the details come into focus. There is no pressure to do everything. Guests come to Makubi looking for something different. Quiet time. Recovery time. A chance to reconnect with nature without distraction.
Meals are an important part of daily life. Evenings are marked by four-course dinners, premium wines, and carefully made cocktails, all included. WiFi is available when needed and switched off when it is not. The camp encourages presence, not disconnection for its own sake.
Makubi is also well-suited to families. Children are welcomed into camp life, not separated from it. A dedicated nanny can be with children at any time of day or night. Kids join walks, help in the kitchen, and learn through being outdoors. It is an education that feels natural, not staged.
The camp employs eight staff members, all working closely with guests throughout their stay. Hosting here feels informal and warm. Guests often describe it as feeling at home, rather than being managed. That atmosphere is led from the top.
At the center of Makubi is Tendekayi Guni, director of Isyankisu Camps and a professional guide with decades of experience in Tanzania’s tourism industry. Tendekayi personally guides all safaris at Makubi. His approach is calm, informed, and deeply respectful of the land. His wife, Beele, curates the menus and oversees the guest experience. Together, they host every stay.
Tendekayi is not building a collection of camps. He is building one place well. His focus is on authenticity, conservation, and meaningful hospitality. Under his leadership, Makubi feels less like a product and more like a partnership between guests, hosts, and landscape.
The surrounding region is vast and largely untouched. Rivers wind through forests and open plains. Birdlife is abundant. Wildlife sightings often unfold without another vehicle in sight. Many guests say it feels like discovering a place rather than visiting one.
For those looking to extend their journey, Makubi pairs well with the beautiful beaches and culture of Zanzibar, a short, direct flight away.
Makubi is not for everyone. It is for travelers who value intention over excess, and who understand that luxury can be quiet, personal, and deeply connected to place.
In an industry often driven by scale, Makubi Safari Camp stands apart by staying small. It offers a model of safari travel that is mindful, locally led, and rooted in respect. Not just for wildlife, but for the people who live alongside it.
