Mkombe's House
Mkombe’s House Lamai opened in July 2015. Set in Tanzania’s northern Serengeti, and is 1.5 km away from to its sister camp, Lamai Serengeti, the lodge has dramatic views looking east across the plains. The house is designed for up to ten guests, and is aimed at families or groups of friends.
The house is named after the late guide Mkombe, one of the founders of Nomad Tanzania, the high-quality camp operator that owns the property. The recommended occupancy of ten guests is based on four adults and six children.
Mkombe’s House entrance opens into a little lobby, with a large dining room off to one side. The adjacent lounge is furnished with comfortable sofas, three armchairs and a big fireplace. Up a short flight of steps behind the dining room is a projection home-cinema room with enough space for up to ten people to watch a DVD.
Mkombe’s House Lamai has four en-suite bedrooms, comprising two open-fronted double rooms and two enclosed bedrooms (ideal for children) that can be configured as either twins or doubles. One of the enclosed bedrooms is next to the master bedroom on the south side of the house and faces east. The other, behind the master bedroom on the north side of the house, doesn’t have a view but is perfectly fine otherwise. The master bedrooms have outside showers and star-beds that can be wheeled onto the deck to sleep under the night sky. Extra beds can be added to any of the rooms in advance, if required. Outside you will find a large deck, a plunge pool and a larger swimming pool. All benefit from beautiful eastward views across the Serengeti plains.
The house comes with a private butler, your own guide (two if a large group), a chef and a housekeeper.
At Mkombe’s House Lamai, the main focus is on private game drives. Resident wildlife that can be spotted all year round, both on game drives or from the decks of the house itself, includes lion, cheetah, leopard, elephant, buffalo and other plains grazers. Crocodile and hippo may be sighted in the river. One of the biggest attractions, however, is the wildebeest migration that passes through this region on an annual cycle, roughly between July and October. Parts of the ‘mega-herd’ periodically mass on the banks of the Mara River and make perilous crossings. Seeing one of these events can’t be guaranteed; you have to be lucky and in the right place at the right time. But they do take place on enough occasions throughout the season to give you a reasonable chance of witnessing this natural spectacle.
Other activities include guided walks (minimum age 12), bush picnics and, of course, sundowners.
*For a full list of available activities, the best time of the year to visit, and any other relevant enquiries, please contact a Sister Hippo Travel Consultant!