Forest Chem Chem: Our full report

Forest Chem Chem is a small, high-quality, tented camp in the Chem Chem Concession, which is home to some ...

... fantastic wildlife. With just four luxurious safari tents, Forest Chem Chem can be booked on an exclusive basis for a family or group of friends travelling together.

Forest Chem Chem is the sister camp of Chem Chem Lodge and Little Chem Chem. While it operates as a private camp, exclusive to you and your party, it is run to the same high standards as its sister properties,

As the name suggests, the camp is set in an area of open forest in the Chem Chem Concession. It feels quite wild here, with tall acacias lining the sandy pathways, elephants in the bushes and monkeys jumping between the trees. It certainly feels private too, and with only Forest Chem Chem and Little Chem Chem on the concession you are likely to see few other vehicles in the area.

The camp has a distinctive style, very different to any other safari camp we’ve seen in Tanzania, with a colour scheme of black, yellow, gold and grey. It feels very contemporary, although the use of tree trunk tables and natural fabrics helps to create softness, and the camp feels in keeping with its forest surroundings. Add in a pair of pith helmets and some animal skulls and you feel you might have just arrived from a jungle expedition.

There are four stylish safari tents, three of which can accommodate double or twin beds, and one two-bedroom family tent, giving the camp a maximum occupancy of ten people. As with the rest of the camp the tents are decked out in blacks and yellows, with reed mats on the floor, writing desks and plenty of storage space. Outside there is a patio with a couple of deckchairs.

At the back of each tent is an complete with twin basins and an indoor-outdoor shower. A hairdryer is provided along with complimentary toiletries by Molton Brown.

The main tent functions as a lounge and dining area with a number of black wicker sofas and chunky knit beanbags on one side, and a huge tree trunk dining table on the other. Monochrome wildlife photos hang on the walls and there is always someone around to offer you a drink. A stay at Forest Chem Chem is very much about outdoor living, and there’s a second dining table under two shady parasols. There are also two enormous swing beds suspended from wooden posts.

Of course the main attractions at Forest Chem Chem are its activities. These are all very flexible and arranged around you with your preferred timings. The camp is roughly a 30-minute drive from Tarangire National Park and many visitors will visit the park on a full-day trip. A wide variety of wildlife can be found here, although in recent years it’s also frequently host to plenty of vehicles. But you don’t have to go into the park: the wildlife around Forest Chem Chem is very good, with lion prides and elephants regularly seen while enjoying the exclusivity of this private concession. Other activities include walking safaris and night drives and on our most recent visit we were lucky enough to see a pride of lions feasting on a zebra at dusk.

Our view

Forest Chem Chem is perfect for a group of friends or a large family looking for a luxurious camp and a highly personalised safari experience. We were surprised at the abundance of wildlife in the area and the guiding from camp is fantastic. Forest Chem Chem is not cheap, but given quality and exclusivity we think it’s worth it.

Jessica Plumb

Country manager: Tanzania

Geographics

Location: Tarangire National Park, Tanzania
Ideal length of stay: Stay three or four nights to explore the area and try the different activities.
Directions: Forest Chem Chem is located between the Tarangire and Lake Manyara national parks, about 130km (roughly two hours' drive) from Arusha. It's about a 30-minute drive to Tarangire's main gate, a 90-minute drive to Lake Manyara's north gate and a 2-hour drive to Lake Manyara's south gate.
Accessible by: Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Full Board & Activities
Food quality: We didn’t have the opportunity to eat at Forest Chem Chem on our most recent visit, however we’ve previously stayed at both Little Chem Chem and main Chem Chem Lodge and we expect the food at the Forest camp to be of a comparably high standard. The food at these camps has been excellent, with fresh, inventive and very tasty dishes.
Dining style: Group Meals
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service: Room service is available on request.
Drinks included: All drinks are included with the exception of premium wines, spirits and champagnes.

Special interests

Family holidays: For larger families looking for a luxurious and exclusive safari camp then Forest Chem Chem could be a fantastic choice. All the activities are planned around you by the experienced guides, and they offer lots of flexibility.; See ideas for Family holidays in Tanzania

Children

Attitude towards children: Forest Chem Chem welcomes children over the age of six.
Property’s age restrictions: Children must be over the age of six to stay at Forest Chem Chem.
Special activities & services: There are no special activities a Forest Chem Chem, however as the camp is booked exclusively there is lots of flexibility. Staff can take children on nature walks around camp, look for animal tracks and make bows and spears
Equipment: None
Generally recommended for children: We think that Forest Chem Chem is a great choice for larger families with older children.
Notes: The camp is unfenced and animals regularly wonder through the area. Younger children will require supervision.

Communications

Power supply notes: There is a backup generator so power is available 24 hours a day.
Communications: WiFi is available throughout.
TV & radio: There are no TV’s at Forest Chem Chem.
Water supply: Borehole
Water supply notes: Bathrooms are fully plumbed and there are flush toilets.

Health & safety

Malarial protection recommended: Yes
Medical care: All managers are first-aid trained and there is a first-aid kit on site. The nearest doctor is two hours away in Karatu.
Dangerous animals: High Risk
Security measures: The camp is guarded by askaris 24 hours a day and the concession is patrolled by armed anti-poaching teams.
Fire safety: All staff are trained in fire safety and there are extinguishers throughout camp.

Activities

4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Hot air ballooning

Extras

Disabled access: Not Possible
Laundry facilities: Laundry is included, hand-washed and line dried.
Money: There is a safe in each room.
Accepted payment on location: The camp accepts Visa and MasterCard without charge. US dollars, British pounds, euros and Tanzanian shillings are also accepted in cash.