Serengeti Safari Camps
Mawe Tented Camp
Open all year
10 tents, full board
From $182 per person per night
Gnu Ndutu Camp
Open late December to 31 March
10 tents, full board
From $262 per person per night
Gnu Mara River Camp
Open 1 June to 15 November
10 tents, full board
From $262 per person per night
Choosing your Serengeti safari camp
Two things decide which Serengeti safari camp suits your trip. The region that holds the animals when you travel, and how many days you have. The herds spend the early year in the south, pass the Western Corridor around June, and reach the northern rivers from July.
Resident lions, leopards and cheetahs stay in the central Serengeti all year, so a central base works in any month. For most trips, three to four days is the floor, and splitting your nights between two camps covers more ground. The Serengeti destination guide sets out the regions month by month.
Serengeti safari camps by region
The Serengeti splits into areas that peak at different times. Match the camp to the month and you spend less time driving.
Central Serengeti camps (Seronera)
The central Serengeti, around Seronera, has wildlife all year. Leopards hold the river lines, cheetahs hunt the plains, and lion prides use the rocky kopjes. Mawe Tented Camp is here, in the Soit Le Motonyi area, about 26 kilometers (16 miles) from Seronera, open every month.
Southern Serengeti camps (Ndutu)
The southern Serengeti and Ndutu are short-grass plains. The herds are here from late December to March for the calving season, with thousands of wildebeest calves born each day at the peak in late January and February. Gnu Ndutu Camp is on these plains near Lake Ndutu, open late December to 31 March. See our wildebeest calving season guide for the detail.
Northern Serengeti camps (Kogatende and the Mara River)
The northern Serengeti, around Kogatende, is the river crossing country. The herds are usually here from July to mid November, and August to October is the reliable stretch. Gnu Mara River Camp is on the Tanzanian side of the Mara River inside the park, 40 to 45 minutes from the crossing points, open 1 June to 15 November.
Luxury Serengeti tented camps: what to expect
Luxury in the Serengeti means space, a low guest count, private guiding and a spot close to the game, rather than marble floors and chandeliers. Our luxury Serengeti safari camps each have ten tents, so mornings start without a crowd.
Each camp runs its own 4×4 vehicles and guides, which keeps your game drives flexible. Rates are full board, so breakfast, lunch and dinner are covered. Serengeti tented camps like these place you inside the wildlife, not a drive away from it.
Serengeti safari camps and the great migration
The great migration is the main reason your camp changes through the year. Follow the herds and your base moves with them. For the full picture, see our great migration guide and the best time to visit the Serengeti page.
December to March, the southern camps
From late December to March the herds are on the southern plains around Ndutu. Calving peaks in late January and February. A southern camp puts you on the calving grounds, with the big cats that follow the herds.
April to June, the central camp
In April and May the herds scatter and move north through the center of the park. These are green season months, with afternoon rain and fewer visitors. A central camp near Seronera is the steady choice, because the resident animals stay put.
July to November, the northern camp
From July to mid November the herds are in the north around Kogatende. August to October is the reliable window for the Mara River crossings. A northern camp puts you 40 to 45 minutes from the crossing points, in the dry season.
Serengeti safari camps or lodges: which to choose
Inside the Serengeti, the accommodation is tented camps, not lodges with solid walls. A tented camp has en-suite canvas rooms on raised platforms, with proper beds and plumbed bathrooms, and it places you inside the park.
Serengeti safari lodges tend to be on the park edges or on a nearby conservation rim, which adds driving time each morning. Our nearest lodge is Karatu Tented Lodge, near Ngorongoro. For a fixed, hotel style base with a pool before or after the park, a lodge near Karatu fits. To be among the animals in the Serengeti, choose a camp.
Rates and what is included
The camps publish full board rates per person per night, shown in the cards above, from $182 at the central camp in low season and from $262 at the two seasonal camps. Full board covers your room and all meals. Park fees, drinks, game drives, balloon flights, transfers and tips are extra.
For the full pricing picture and current park fees, see our Tanzania safari cost guide. You can book a camp on its own, or as a full safari with the guide, 4×4 and park logistics included. For sample trips, see our Tanzania safari itineraries.
Frequently asked questions
Which Serengeti safari camp is best?
It depends on the month. Choose a southern camp from late December to March for the calving, a northern camp from July to October for the crossings, and the central camp near Seronera in any month for resident big cats.
How much do Serengeti safari camps cost?
The two seasonal camps start at $262 per person per night full board, and the central camp from $182 in low season, sharing a triple tent. Double or twin and single rooms cost more. Park fees are charged separately.
Are there lodges or hotels inside the Serengeti?
There are no conventional hotels inside the park, and most accommodation is tented camps rather than walled lodges. A listing that calls itself a Serengeti hotel or lodge is usually a camp, or a property on the park edge.
Where should I stay for the great migration?
Match the camp to the month. The herds are in the south from late December to March, in the Western Corridor around June, and in the north from July to mid November.
How many nights should I book?
Three to four days is the usual minimum. If you can, split your nights between two camps, one with the migration and one with resident game.
Are the camps luxury?
Each camp has ten tents, en-suite canvas rooms, full board dining and its own vehicles and guides. The focus is space and a location close to the game rather than large buildings.
Tanzania · Northern Circuit
Book your stay with Mawe Lodges
Our own lodges and camps, our own guides, our own 4×4 vehicles. One team from arrival to departure.
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