Singita Sasakwa Lodge

AREA & ACTIVITIES

Habitat & Wildlife
Grumeti Reserves is located adjacent to the Western Corridor of the Serengeti, bordering the national park, and encompasses 350,000 acres of unrivalled wilderness. With only three properties in the reserve, game viewing becomes a very private and exclusive experience. The area forms part of the famous migratory route, which is travelled by hundreds of thousands of animals every year, but there also remains good resident game.

With an area of some 14,000 sq. km, Serengeti is probably the best-known wildlife sanctuary in the world. The ecosystem includes the National Park itself, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Maswa Game Reserve and Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve, together forming one of the most complex and least disturbed ecosystems on earth. The landscape was originally formed by volcanic activity in the Ngorongoro highlands and it varies from the open short grass plains in the south, to savannah and scattered acacia woodlands in the centre, to extensive woodland and black clay plains in the west, to hilly wooded grassland in the north. Most of the permanent water is found towards the northern and western areas, the lack of permanent water and food in the south being the main reason for the annual migration.

The park is home to approaching 2,000,000 wildebeest, 500,000 Thomson’s gazelle and 250,000 zebra: the largest concentration of plains game in Africa. More than 30 species of herbivores are found here, as well as all the major predators and nearly 500 species of birds.

The central and western sections of the park are fantastic for game viewing all year round, though wild dogs and rhino are not encountered. The central region around Seronera is especially productive for game viewing but does get very busy with tourists. To the south-east of Seronera is a much more exclusive game viewing area that stretches towards the border of the park. To the north-west the ‘Western Corridor’ stretches out along the course of the Grumeti River. This region is busiest in June and early July when the wildebeest and zebra herds pass through on their journey north. The habitat of the region changes dramatically from vast open plains in the east to dense riverine woodland along the Grumeti River in the west.

Activities
Game viewing activities are undertaken in open four wheel drive vehicles and include both day and night game drives. Nature walks are also available. Hot air ballooning is available at an extra cost (ballooning must be arranged in advance to be guaranteed). For guests interested in learning more about the work of the Singta Grumeti Fund’s conservation work, there is the opportunity to visit an observation post and meet a game scout (note this involves a steep walk up a dirt path to reach the post). Community project visits can also be arranged at extra cost.

Seasons
Sasakwa Lodge is open all year round. The migration season in the western Serengeti runs from late May to early July, however game viewing is good year round.