Which Are the Top 6 Most Romantic Lodges in the Serengeti?

The Serengeti in northern Tanzania is one of the most romantic destinations in Africa. Think stunning lodges and luxury tented camps located in one of the world’s most magnificent wildlife areas. This is where the “great migration” spends most of the year. Beautiful landscapes dotted with acacia trees, vast grassy plains filled with zebra, giraffe, buffalo, elephant, impala and of course all the big cats. A hot-air balloon ride is just the cherry on top. The list below includes my top picks of romantic Serengeti safari camps (in no particular order – they are all great). If you are interested in a romantic safari and wish to stay at any combination of these camps (and more) you can always contact me.

1: Singita Mara Lodge

Singita Mara River Tented Camp offers guests the chance to spend time in this stunning yet remote area, with one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in the Serengeti National Park. With endless views of the Mara River, and with the camp built to have a minimal impact on the environment, it provides guests with an intense closeness to nature.

The camp accommodates up to 16 guests in 6 luxury tents. The tents have been designed in a bohemian-chic style incorporating lots of light and natural materials, with all the quality you would expect from a ‘Singita’ property.

The suites are white canvas tents with impressive views from every angle – be it the indoor bathrooms, outdoor star showers or private viewing decks with slip-covered chairs. Contemporary African design adds a funky, bohemian-glamor to living areas; white sail canvas, eco-friendly pale wood, local beadwork, traditional blue-red Maasai plaid fabric & all leather furniture.

The only area in the Serengeti to remain truly game-rich year-round, the Lamai Triangle rests on the Kenya-Tanzania border and is home to ever-present wildlife. Plains game such as zebra, lion, leopard, buffalo and elephant are spotted all year in the rocky kopjes and riverine forest.

2:  Serengeti Bushtops

Serengeti Bushtops is located in the northwest sector of the Serengeti National Park. With the famous Mara River just a short drive away, the camp lies in the path of the annual Wildebeest migration, which takes place between June and November. Serengeti Bushtops consists of the finest in seductive luxury and twelve of the largest, most luxurious tents imaginable.

Each tent faces the sunset and is open on two sides, giving you an extraordinary panoramic view of nature’s living masterpiece. Bedecked with beautiful wooden flooring each tent’s lavish facilities include an en-suite shower area, large private terrace, a hot tub, writing desk, 24-hour butler service, 24 hour power, a dining table (if you prefer to eat privately), and massages in your tent whenever you wish.

Environmental conservation is an essential part of the philosophy and daily good practice. Serengeti Bushtops draws on solar power and underground water sources to meet many of its needs – and shares their technology and resources with local villages. However glorious the views and exceptional the venue, never forget that you are at Serengeti Bushtops for the wildlife.

The goal is to produce a succession of unique, thrilling viewing and complementary activities, exploring the vast plains of the Serengeti in state of the art 4×4 vehicles, viewing its natural dramas during morning and afternoon or full-day game drives. The camp’s excellent guides will help you pick out the action, but also the perfect secluded spot, should you want to take a break during a day trip for a romantic bush picnic or go on a guided walking safari.

3: Sayari Camp

Pioneering the spectacular, unspoilt northern Serengeti area, the award-winning Sayari Camp has become synonymous with some of the most dramatic sights that Africa has to offer: The Great Migration crossing the Mara River, incredible crocodile and hippo action, along with the undisturbed wildlife viewing that the northern Serengeti has in abundance. The Great Migration typically camps in this area from mid-July to early November. Not only do guests of Sayari Camp witness the spectacle of the Mara River crossing, but their experience is also enhanced by the exclusivity of this remote area.

Outside of the Migration season, the camp offers what is arguably an even greater experience: a private, concession-like, completely uninterrupted encounter with the Serengeti and all its non-Migratory inhabitants: big cats, elephants, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, rhinos, groups of numerous large antelopes and many other exceptional animals. Sayari Camp complements its environment perfectly, offering memorable impressions by road or on foot.

The stunning camp features spacious rooms with panoramic views of the never-ending plains. The large, comfortable beds, the wide verandas, the showers and even the bath, all look out onto the ultimate backdrop: the Serengeti. The camp is split into two separate wings; one wing has nine tents, and the other has six. Each has its own facilities, sharing a beautifully appointed swimming pool, allowing guests to truly immerse themselves in the Serengeti

4: Serengeti Migration Camp

This camp’s name is apt – it is located, after all, right on the main migration route between the Serengeti and the Masai Mara, where nearly 2 million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle annually make their way up north. This natural spectacle has taken place since time immemorial, and Migration Camp is the perfect spot to witness this perpetual marvel, which unfolds within sight of the camp during the months when the herds pass through this region (July through November).

The 20 en-suite tents are expansive and luxuriously furnished, including leather seats and a writing desk as well as a flushing toilet, shower and a twin vanity basin with hot and cold running water. Each has a balcony with two rocking chairs, so that guests can relax and soak in the grandeur of this legendary setting.

Game drives here certainly do not disappoint; in addition to the migration, the area is well known as an outstanding place to spy a wide range of mammals, including lion, leopard and elephant. The main lodge is built to maximize the visual impact of the rugged landscape, whether you’re chatting about the day’s exploits at the cigar bar, taking a dip in the pool or sipping Serengeti sundowners. And of course, the bush cuisine here is sure to delight your palate with an array of local tastes and some fun venues, including al fresco picnic lunches or barbeques around the campfire.

For travel from June to October, check out Pioneer Camp for a better setting to witness the migration and on par with its sister camp for romantic luxury

5. Lamai Serengeti

Lamai Serengeti sits tucked amongst the rocks of Kogakuria Kopje with panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, just a few miles from where the wildebeest cross the Mara River. For roughly a quarter of the year, between late July and October, this is where you’ll find the migration. Each of the rooms is designed to fit into the complex geometry of the kopje and to make the most of this sensational location, its views and its natural space and light.

At Lamai Serengeti, there are just 12 rooms in all. These are split between two entirely separate lodges, the Main Lodge of 8 rooms and the smaller Private Lodge of 4 rooms. The rooms are a clever blend of canvas, plaster and natural poles. Throughout the year, not only can you use our 4x4s to explore the intricacies of the area, both south of the Mara River and (river state permitting) to the north, but walking safaris are also on offer here. The topography lends itself well to being on your feet; small valleys, river lines and rocky kopjes make for frequent changes of scenery…and great cover for approaching wild animals unseen.

6. Singita Sabora Tented Camp

Singita Sabora Tented Camp Antique mahogany travel chests, Persian rugs, silk curtains – your accommodations at Singita Sabora Tented Camp offer the lavish appointments generally reserved for five-star urban hotels. Yet here, you are in the midst of one of the world’s legendary wide-open wildernesses: the Serengeti.

The nine elegant tents are decked out in a charming, 1920s style and feature a bedroom and reading area, bathroom with tub and outdoor shower and a viewing deck with your own Swarovski spotting scope. There are plenty of activities to enjoy while you’re here – archery, stargazing safaris, mountain biking and tennis – yet it is the wildlife that draws guests here.

Set off on twice-daily game drives, or explore from a different perspective: either soar above the sweeping plains on an optional hot-air balloon ride, or head to the nearby Equestrian Center to discover the area on horseback. Back at camp, you can unwind with a book in the library/ lounge tent, go for a swim in the pool, and enjoy a sundowner as you gaze out at the wildlife-rich waterhole.

The superb feasts are another pleasant part of your day here. Made with locally grown organic produce and coupled with vintage wines, meals can be enjoyed in the charming dining room at camp, or out in the wilds: by a lamp-lit acacia, perhaps, or under the boughs of a large ‘Sausage’ tree with starlit skies above you.

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