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Tented Experience:
Tented accommodations emulate a modified yesteryear traditional safari experience built or pitched with mid to high grade canvas/vinyl tarpaulin on either a wooden or local stone (flat or raised) platform & would include all the amenities of modern day living - i.e. showers, flush toilet, plumbing, running water, lighting, furniture, linen, bed cover, pillows and shelving. The quality of all the above offerings would vary based on various AfricanMecca Safari Tiers. The shower and toilet facilities depending on the accommodation, would either be enclosed within the canvas or attached outside by walkout zipped opening or doorway. Lighting would be delivered either via solar/generator charged batteries, kerosene or alternative fuel lamp. The tented rooms would either be proofed via an attached cloth gauzing to the canvas or have a mosquito net. During turn down service, insect repellent spray can be applied upon request by the client. Before sleeping all guests must apply insect repellant on all exposed body parts. Access to additional modern facilities like air conditioners and fans are in limited availability when on safari in the wilderness/bush. Outside in the common areas, which are either a tent mess or wooden structure, you would find the dining area, reading/reference room, bar, lounge & related guests facilities. Swimming pool is available at some accommodations to provide an additional activity or cooling off. The setup of tents vary depending on African destination/country/target customer market. For example family based tent could have one large tent or two tents sewn as attached to each other. Honeymooner based tents would included a more secluded location of the tent with possibility of having additional amenities depending on the individual accommodation. A tented accommodation is not synonymous with "basic camp" or "roughing" & we trust the above description would give a factual outline of a sample base-model setup of a tented accommodation.
Lodge Experience:
Lodges are a complete brick & mortar setup built either with modern or traditional/local materials & come designed as follows: building units like hotel wings with rooms next to each, individual/personalized wooden or cottage units (square or round). Lodges would include all the amenities of modern day living - i.e. showers, flush toilet, plumbing, running water, lighting, furniture, linen, bed cover, pillows, closets and shelving. The quality of all the above offerings would vary based on various AfricanMecca Safari Tiers. The shower and toilet facilities would be ensuite in most cases. Lighting would be delivered either via solar/generator charged batteries, direct generator power or mains power. The rooms would typically have windows with or without a gauze. A mosquito net may be available in most cases however during turn down service, insect repellent can be applied upon request by the client & the windows would need to remain shut for the remainder of the evening. Consideration by the property owner when building a brick and mortar accommodation would be the average temperature. Fans would mostly be available to create movement of air however this would vary depending on destination. Outside in the common areas, you would find the dining area, reading/reference room, bar, lounge & related guests facilities. Swimming pool is available at some accommodations to provide an additional activity or cooling off. The setup of lodge room varies depending on African destination/country/customer market. For example, family based lodge rooms could have one large room with two double beds or have two rooms connected by interleading hallway or door. This could either be block units or wing type design. In comparison, independent traveler cottage units would have a single standalone unit separated in good distance between the next set of individual units, all dependent on the safari tier experience selected. The lodge experience can have variations in design, concept & consumer markets: private wilderness home stays, individual cottage units, safari lodges, bed & breakfast and city hotels.
Bond-With-Nature Bush Camps & Cottage Experience:
Bond-with-nature bush accommodations immerse AfricanMecca guests into the laps of nature with accommodations that blend seamlessly in with nature with their very rustic, wild and free spirit design, & original back-in-the days rooming while also allowing the opportunity for limited conveniences like flush toilets, open sky bush showers & limited running water, all just for the opportunity to experience & view Africa's finest wildlife, wilderness & nature unobstructed. Bond-with-nature bush rooms create the impossible in an impossible wilderness environment and would provide fresh foods, comfortable bed, linens, pillows as well as mosquito netting. The flooring of the rooms would either be sand from the area, wooden platform or cemented local stone. The walls and/or roofing would be designed from palm fronds, thatch & reed tightly coupled together. No unnecessary divisions are made in the design of the room. Open floor plans allows the maximum flow of air throughout. Lighting would typically be delivered via solar, limited generator use or solar lamps. Outside in the common areas, you would find small intimate bush campfire setups with their relaxed safari style chairs, outdoor African sky dining area and unpretentious lounge-bar area. By day you could explorer the area on a walking safari & by night on vehicle. Lay awake at night and listen to the rustles of the nocturnal wildlife coming to life all from the safety & comfort of your bed. Awake at dawn and check out the footprints of the wildlife the walked on by. Bond-with-nature bush accommodations can be considered a green, limited carbon footprint or environmental impact accommodation.
Authentic Eco-Lodge & Community Based Experience:
Eco-lodge accommodations are built using natural & local material with the least, limited or no environmental impact depending on the individual accommodation. The accommodations deliver modern conveniences with superb innovation and style with the use of local resources and materials. For example, energy would typically be delivered via solar lighting, cooking fuel would come from cow manure instead of firewood. The design materials of the bed frame would be old broken down tree branches chiseled & carved into bed frames, the water delivery would come from a spring and delivered via gravity flow. All soaps & detergent used would be biodegradable & go through a filtration process. Eco-lodges provide fresh foods, showers, flush or long-drop toilets, running water, lighting, furniture, linen, bed cover, pillows and shelving. No unnecessary divisions are made in the design of the room. Open floor plans allows the maximum flow of air throughout. Africa's eco-lodges' viability depends on the appreciation, involvement and benefit of/to surrounding communities and their ancestral landowners, which would thus require a direct involvement of these respective communities. Most eco-lodges are community projects setup to create sustainability and resolve challenges facing many of Africa's tribal communities, who are giving up their traditional ways for alternative opportunities in the cities and away from traditional homelands. The challenges create a social, cultural and economic vacuum in the fabric of the existing tribes, communities & ecologies whose relationships have been forged for thousands of years. Community based projects aim to create a long term balance between traditions and modernity, while maintaining authenticity. Your hosts during your stay at these eco-lodges are members of the surrounding tribes or their distant cousins/relatives from other sections of the country. In traditional tribal attire using skills learnt on their land, schools, accommodation or from their rites/ritual, they aim to deliver Africa's finest eco-tourism experiences with the least carbon footprint or environmental impact. Revenue generated from your stay is plowed back into the community [schools, medical clinics, sanitation] and into the conservation of the land, wildlife and its habitats all while preserving a very special way of life. AfricanMecca guests be a part of this giveback. The quality, authenticity & efforts of Africa's eco lodges & community based experience vary based on various AfricanMecca Safari Tiers.
Mobile or Fly Tented Camp Experience:
Mobile & fly tents accommodations offer a very unique perspective to the wildlife and wilderness experiences. On route to your daily safari expeditions and adventures in Africa exploring different parts or parks, a fully fledged host team would arbitrarily pick & setup small tented rooming with comfortable bedding, wash basin, safari-style bucket shower & portable toilet [outhouse]. The quality of tents, either meshed or fully tarped would vary depending on destination. Meals would be freshly prepared while clients relax and freshen up. A campfire would typically be setup in the evening to recount the days experience and to plan for the day ahead. A mobile or fly camp experience enables AfricanMecca guests to experience off the beaten paths in remote locations most times not reachable or accessible on common safaris. Mobile & fly tent accommodations can be considered a green, limited carbon footprint or environmental impact accommodation.
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