Usangu Expedition Camp

Usangu is all about getting back-to-basics. Your dining room is the grass and your kitchen is an open fire, where the chef will whip up tasty meals made with fresh ingredients - and then serve it on exquisite china trays. After each day, spend time swapping stories with guests and guides, or lay back and take in Tanzania's dazzling night sky.

Set as close to the wetlands' high water mark as possible, the tents are perched on raised wooden decks. All have stretched canvas roofs and mesh sides to enjoy the magnificent view from bed. Speaking of which, the beds are all enormous and topped with cosy blankets, perfect for falling into after a piping-hot bucket shower... All tents are orientated to catch the best of sunrise and sunset from your private veranda, which is furnished with slouchy director's chairs and footrests.

With Usangu's swamp boats, it's possible to enjoy the waterways all year round, while the dry season (June - November) means walking safaris are possible, with sightings ranging from stalking leopard to a pack of African painted dogs. Enjoy private game drives including night excursions where any snapping twig could be a honey badger or serval. Join the researchers at Douglas Bell and help position camera traps, analyse images or track collared lion. You'll see just how important their work is.