Little Chem Chem holds Condé Nast's honors, and it's easy to see why. This is vintage luxury distilled to what mattered in safari's golden age: a dedicated professional guide and vehicle exclusively yours (a rare luxury in Africa!), exceptional service, and cuisine that surprises even Michelin-starred chefs. But beneath this veneer lies much deeper significance. Against all odds, Fabia Bausch and safari guide Nicolas Negre achieved what conservation skeptics called impossible – resurrecting the "extinct" Kwakuchinja wildlife corridor. Thanks to Chem Chem's success, elephants have reclaimed their ancient highway between Tarangire and Lake Manyara. Today, 300-strong herds can be seen drinking at Lake Burunge while you sip morning coffee on your veranda. This is an absolute gem of a property, one of the best examples of a true conservation success story, and ranks among our favorites in East Africa.


Plan your journey

Awarded: Silver

Location

Little Chem Chem occupies the eastern shore of Lake Burunge within the 20,000-hectare Burunge Wildlife Management Area – the restored Kwakuchinja corridor that funnels wildlife between Tarangire and Lake Manyara. The camp takes its name from the Swahili word for “spring,” perfectly capturing how these natural water sources transform the area into a wildlife magnet. When Tarangire’s seasonal rivers run dry and Lake Manyara turns alkaline, the permanent springs here and Lake Burunge’s freshwater create an oasis that concentrates game in extraordinary numbers. This isn’t seasonal viewing dependent on migrations – the reliable water means impressive resident populations of elephant, lion, leopard, and plains game remain year-round.

The private conservancy status transforms your safari experience entirely. Unlike the national parks where you’re confined to roads, restricted to daylight hours, and prohibited from leaving vehicles, here you have complete freedom. Track a pride of lions on foot through acacia scrub. Position your Land Rover off-road for the perfect photographic angle. Stay out past sunset following a leopard beginning its hunt. Stop for sundowners exactly where that day’s wildlife drama dictates. No park ranger checking permits, no queue of vehicles jostling for position at a kill, no racing back to gates before closing time. This freedom, combined with exclusive use of 20,000 hectares shared only with sister properties, means genuine wilderness immersion impossible in public parks.

The positioning at the bottleneck of the Kwakuchinja corridor creates a natural theatre. During dry months particularly, you witness the ancient rhythm of survival as hundreds of elephants, buffalo, zebra, and wildebeest converge on Lake Burunge while predators position themselves strategically. The Babati mountains rise to the southwest providing scenic backdrop, while Tarangire’s hills punctuate the northeast horizon. Twenty kilometres from Tarangire’s boundary allows morning excursions into the park proper for its famous baobabs and Silale Swamp, yet maintains enough distance to escape its crowds and regulations.

Perhaps unexpectedly, the proximity to Arusha – just 2.5 hours by road or 20 minutes by air – delivers a crucial advantage: access to Tanzania’s finest guides. Unlike remote camps where guides must commit to months away from family, Little Chem Chem’s location allows them to visit home regularly. This attracts senior guides with decades of experience who might otherwise choose family stability over bush life. Your guide likely knows every resident leopard by its rosette pattern, can predict where the resident pride will hunt based on wind direction, and has watched specific elephant families return to the same acacia grove for twenty years. This depth of knowledge, combined with exclusive vehicle use throughout your stay, transforms game viewing from chance encounters to informed tracking.

Operated by Chem Chem Safari, conservation pioneers Fabia Bausch and Nicolas Negre’s operation employs 250 local staff while protecting this critical corridor they rescued from ecological extinction. Their portfolio within the Burunge area includes Chem Chem Lodge (15 minutes northwest) with eight suites, swimming pool, and spa for those preferring refined comforts, and Forest Chem Chem (15 minutes south along the river), an exclusive-use camp perfect for families or groups seeking complete privacy.

Rooms

The architectural philosophy across all six tents celebrates safari’s golden age without descending into colonial cliché – weathered wood and canvas that breathes with the landscape, sesame grass privacy walls between neighbours, and verandas positioned to catch both sunrise and passing wildlife.

Standard Tents (5 units, accommodating 2 people each): Each tent spans generous living space beneath canvas that stays surprisingly cool through clever ventilation design. The bedroom centres on either king or twin beds dressed in crisp linens, flanked by bedside tables crafted from dark African hardwood. A vintage writing desk faces the tent opening, while a reading corner features a proper wingback chair and anglepoise lamp – details that matter after dusty game drives. The en-suite bathroom, unusually spacious for a tented camp, includes a walk-in shower with reliable hot water, flushing toilet, and double vanity where you will find Molton Brown toiletries. Portable air-conditioning units can be arranged for those struggling with October’s heat, though the standing fans and mesh windows create sufficient breeze most nights. Storage comes via two trunks rather than wardrobes, maintaining the expedition aesthetic. Each veranda extends the living space outdoors with a rocking chair perfectly angled for wildlife watching and a table where morning coffee arrives in wicker baskets.

Family Tent (1 unit, accommodating up to 5 people): The family accommodation essentially doubles the standard footprint with a second bedroom containing twin beds plus space for an additional camp bed when needed. The shared bathroom maintains the same quality standards with both indoor and outdoor shower options, while the expanded veranda provides enough space for the whole family to gather for sunrise wildlife spotting. The configuration works equally well for friends travelling together who want proximity without sacrificing privacy.

Communal Areas

The camp’s social spaces cluster near the tents, maintaining the intimate scale that distinguishes Little Chem Chem from larger lodges. The main lounge tent serves as the camp’s living room, furnished with well-worn leather sofas, campaign chairs that have seen actual campaigns, and an explorer’s chest repurposed as a coffee table. Board games and books fill the shelves, though most evenings people gather here to compare sightings over gin and tonics. The décor follows the same restrained palette as the accommodation – khaki and forest green against dark wood, with vintage safari photographs providing the only ornamentation.

Dining happens in its own dedicated tent for breakfast and lunch, though the camp excels at moving meals wherever the moment demands. Dinners become events, served by personal butlers either around the communal table – a single massive piece of polished hardwood – or privately arranged in secluded corners of the concession. The kitchen, despite its compact size, produces remarkably sophisticated cuisine that earned praise from visiting Michelin-starred chefs who train the staff annually. A small curio shop offers locally-made crafts, while the firepit becomes the camp’s heartbeat after dark, where stories flow as freely as the wine. Notably absent is a swimming pool – this is deliberate, focusing attention on wildlife activities rather than lounging by water when Lake Burunge provides the real aquatic theatre.

Activities

Game Drives in Private Concession (included): Your dedicated guide and modified Land Rover remain at your disposal throughout your stay, exploring the 20,000-hectare concession where you will encounter elephants, lions, leopards, cheetah, and over 400 bird species without competing with other vehicles. Morning drives start before dawn to catch predators returning from hunts, while afternoon excursions often extend past sunset when spotlights reveal genets, civets, and hunting leopards.

Walking Safaris (included): Step away from the vehicle to experience the bush at human pace, accompanied by Maasai warriors who read the landscape like a manuscript. These walks focus on smaller dramas – dung beetles navigating by the Milky Way, the medicinal plants that stock nature’s pharmacy, or following fresh lion tracks through acacia scrub.

Tarangire National Park Excursions (park fees additional – $71 per adult per day): Full or half-day ventures into Tarangire proper access different habitats and the famous Silale Swamp where elephants congregate in hundreds during dry season. The park’s ancient baobabs, some over 1,000 years old, create a prehistoric landscape.

Cultural Experiences (included): Visit Mdori Primary School to see Chem Chem Association’s education initiatives, or spend an afternoon in a Maasai village learning about coexistence between pastoralists and wildlife. Children can master fire-making, spear-throwing, and tracking with warrior guides.

Hot Air Balloon Safaris (additional cost applies – approximately $550-600 per person): Dawn flights over the ecosystem reveal patterns invisible from ground level – elephant paths carved over centuries, the true scale of seasonal movements, and Lake Burunge transformed into rose gold.

Night Drives (included): After dark, the concession transforms as nocturnal species emerge – leopards hunt, lions patrol territories, and smaller predators like genets and civets become active under spotlight beams.

Sundowners at Lake Burunge (included): The camp’s signature experience positions you at the lake’s edge as the sun drops behind the Rift Valley escarpment while elephants arrive for evening drinks.

Fully inclusive

Accommodation
3 meals per day
House wines, beers, spirits, water & soft drinks (excludes premium wine & French Champagne)
Morning and afternoon game drives in the Burunge WMA (Little Chem Chem side)
Game drive to Tarangire National Park in private open vehicle (excludes park fees)
Guided walks
Night game drives in the Burunge WMA
A 1-hour massage per person per stay (on stays of 4 nights or more)
Evening sundowners
A daily, private Chem Chem guide and a private vehicle (subject to availability)
Laundry (hand washed)

When to go

Find out when is best to visit

  • Excellent
  • Good
  • Poor
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

The Burunge ecosystem follows East Africa's typical bimodal rainfall pattern, though recent years show increasing unpredictability making the corridor's water sources even more critical for wildlife survival. The camp closes annually [VERIFY - exact dates 1 April to 31 May] for maintenance and conservation work.

Short rains concluded, leaving emerald landscape dotted with wildflowers. Hot (30°C/86°F) and humid requiring midday siestas. Wildlife dispersed though elephants remain at Lake Burunge. European migrants peak with 400+ bird species in breeding plumage. River runs high and murky. Dramatic afternoon thunderheads create spectacular photography. Newborn wildebeest and zebra attract opportunistic predators. Night drives particularly rewarding. Green season beauty without crowds.

The Burunge ecosystem follows East Africa's typical bimodal rainfall pattern, though recent years show increasing unpredictability making the corridor's water sources even more critical for wildlife survival. The camp closes annually [VERIFY - exact dates 1 April to 31 May] for maintenance and conservation work.

Brief dry spell emerges. Still hot (28-30°C/82-86°F) but humidity drops. Calving season triggers increased predator activity. Grass lush with golden edges, butterflies reach extraordinary diversity. Good wildlife viewing without peak season crowds. Night drives productive as cats hunt vulnerable young. Morning mist over Lake Burunge photographs beautifully. Excellent value month - reasonable wildlife, manageable weather, minimal tourists.

The Burunge ecosystem follows East Africa's typical bimodal rainfall pattern, though recent years show increasing unpredictability making the corridor's water sources even more critical for wildlife survival. The camp closes annually [VERIFY - exact dates 1 April to 31 May] for maintenance and conservation work.

Long rains commence mid-month with multi-hour downpours. Temperatures moderate (25-27°C/77-81°F), humidity soars. Roads challenging, some areas inaccessible. Wildlife scatters widely. Acacias flower dramatically attracting insects and birds. Camp operates flexibly around weather. Dramatic storm light rewards patient photographers. Very few visitors mean exclusive wilderness access when you do spot game.

The Burunge ecosystem follows East Africa's typical bimodal rainfall pattern, though recent years show increasing unpredictability making the corridor's water sources even more critical for wildlife survival. The camp closes annually [VERIFY - exact dates 1 April to 31 May] for maintenance and conservation work.

Peak rainfall with daily downpours into evening. Cool (22-25°C/72-77°F) with chilly mornings. Many tracks impassable. Landscape reaches peak verdancy. Excellent birding with 500+ species possible. Having wilderness to yourself. Weather breaks bring exceptional visibility. April requires accepting limitations for rewards - ultimate privacy and pristine landscapes even if animals remain hidden.

The Burunge ecosystem follows East Africa's typical bimodal rainfall pattern, though recent years show increasing unpredictability making the corridor's water sources even more critical for wildlife survival. The camp closes annually [VERIFY - exact dates 1 April to 31 May] for maintenance and conservation work.

Long rains conclude mid-month, sporadic showers continue. Cool (20-25°C/68-77°F) with crisp mornings. Wildlife begins congregating at water sources. Late May sees dramatic improvement in viewing. Tall grass aids predator hunting. Kwakuchinja corridor activates as animals return to permanent water. Photography improves daily. Smart travellers arrive late May for improving conditions without June's rates.

The Burunge ecosystem follows East Africa's typical bimodal rainfall pattern, though recent years show increasing unpredictability making the corridor's water sources even more critical for wildlife survival. The camp closes annually [VERIFY - exact dates 1 April to 31 May] for maintenance and conservation work.

Dry season establishes with no rainfall expected. Cold mornings (18°C/64°F) warming to comfortable days (25°C/77°F). Landscape transforms green to gold. Wildlife concentrations build at Lake Burunge. Elephant families arrive in groups of 50-100. Clear skies ideal for landscape photography. Walking safaris easier on firm ground. Early June relatively quiet before peak season. Excellent wildlife, comfortable weather, manageable visitors.

The Burunge ecosystem follows East Africa's typical bimodal rainfall pattern, though recent years show increasing unpredictability making the corridor's water sources even more critical for wildlife survival. The camp closes annually [VERIFY - exact dates 1 April to 31 May] for maintenance and conservation work.

Classic dry season perfection. Sunny days (24°C/75°F), cold mornings (14°C/57°F). Vegetation opens improving visibility dramatically. Wildlife viewing excellent at predictable water points. Silale Swamp attracts elephant herds of 200-300 - Africa's greatest elephant spectacle. Predators position strategically. Peak night drives. Walking safaris cover greater distances. High season - book far ahead. Simply extraordinary wildlife viewing.

The Burunge ecosystem follows East Africa's typical bimodal rainfall pattern, though recent years show increasing unpredictability making the corridor's water sources even more critical for wildlife survival. The camp closes annually [VERIFY - exact dates 1 April to 31 May] for maintenance and conservation work.

Dry season intensifies with dust and hazy skies. Comfortable temperatures (20-26°C/68-79°F). Superb wildlife concentrations at remaining water. Maximum corridor use between parks. Elephants dig wells in riverbeds. High predator success rates. Very close elephant encounters possible on walks. Despite dust, August delivers drama and abundance defining peak safari season. Book far ahead.

The Burunge ecosystem follows East Africa's typical bimodal rainfall pattern, though recent years show increasing unpredictability making the corridor's water sources even more critical for wildlife survival. The camp closes annually [VERIFY - exact dates 1 April to 31 May] for maintenance and conservation work.

Driest month, temperatures climbing (22-28°C/72-82°F). Dust constant but wildlife viewing at absolute pinnacle. Desperate clustering at water creates extraordinary concentrations. Predators simply wait at water sources. Lunar landscape between scattered acacias. Most dramatic wildlife interactions of the year. Spectacular Lake Burunge sundowners with hundreds of animals. September rewards those accepting discomfort for unparalleled drama.

The Burunge ecosystem follows East Africa's typical bimodal rainfall pattern, though recent years show increasing unpredictability making the corridor's water sources even more critical for wildlife survival. The camp closes annually [VERIFY - exact dates 1 April to 31 May] for maintenance and conservation work.

Heat builds (25-30°C/77-86°F, occasionally 35°C/95°F). Storm clouds gather late month. Wildlife viewing exceptional as animals await rain desperately. Predator paradise at water points. Dust devils and mirages create surreal landscapes. Peak bush drama despite challenging conditions. Early morning/late afternoon activities essential. First rain drops trigger extraordinary behaviour. Raw Africa without prettification.

The Burunge ecosystem follows East Africa's typical bimodal rainfall pattern, though recent years show increasing unpredictability making the corridor's water sources even more critical for wildlife survival. The camp closes annually [VERIFY - exact dates 1 April to 31 May] for maintenance and conservation work.

Short rains arrive unpredictably. High temperatures (27-30°C/81-86°F) with building humidity. First rain transforms behaviour - wildebeest display, zebras mate. Wildlife dispersing but concentrated early month. Spectacular storm light for photography. Landscape greens immediately. Termite emergences trigger feeding frenzies. Excellent value with good viewing and fewer visitors. November rewards flexibility.

The Burunge ecosystem follows East Africa's typical bimodal rainfall pattern, though recent years show increasing unpredictability making the corridor's water sources even more critical for wildlife survival. The camp closes annually [VERIFY - exact dates 1 April to 31 May] for maintenance and conservation work.

Short rains peak but less reliable than long rains. Warm (26-29°C/79-84°F) with high humidity. Afternoon showers refresh without disrupting activities. Wildlife spreads but breeding behaviour maintains visibility - impala lambs, zebra foals everywhere. Migratory birds boost counts above 400 species. Green landscape beautiful for photography. Christmas brings festive atmosphere. Good for families with young animals abundant.

Explore Tarangire National Park Properties

What People Say

★★★★★
  • The personalised service provided was far beyond my expectations. A three week trip visiting four countries in Africa, multiple game reserves, wineries and much, much more was flawless. While a close encounter with a leopard and her cubs…

    Chris Hutchens

    feefologo
  • We got in touch after hearing about Hide & Seek from a friend. Have to say hats off to Jamie, he was so patient throughout, even through our indecisiveness! Ultimately we ended up with the most incredible holiday of our lives. Thank you again, we will be back!!

    Amy Williams

    feefologo
  • Thank you for arranging our Safari holiday in Kenya and Tanzania for us. It was to celebrate our 40th. Wedding anniversary which was on July 1st. 2018, and through your arrangements, we have had a holiday that we will never forget...

    Margaret and Stephen

    feefologo
  • Thanks so much for a truly unforgettable once in a life time holiday. Hopefully we will be in touch again soon!

    Nick and Sarah

    feefologo
  • Spot on in terms of itinerary . We not disappointed by any of the suggestions and had the best holiday ever! Thank you!

    David Glen

    feefologo
  • Jamie was very helpful throughout the booking process and recommended the perfect holiday. There was nothing we would change having now been out to Tanzania. I would highly recommend Hide & Seek to friends and relatives.

    Amit Roy

    feefologo
  • Jamie was excellent. Once I described what we wanted I knew he would come up with the business. ..and he did!!! 5 stars

    Jessica Harvard

    feefologo
  • We spoke to numerous travel agents over the period we looked at booking our honeymoon and only hide and seek gave me the confidence I was looking for. Really pleased with our decision.

    Glen and Amanda Crawford

    feefologo
  • Hide and seek dealt with our last minute travel plans extremely well. Obviously, our accommodations shifted as availability diminished but ultimately they came up with a vacation that we will never forget.

    Bob & Jen

    feefologo