Tanzania Parks
Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Bradt guidebooks to African destinations, including the guide to Tanzania.
Grumeti has all the virtues of Serengeti National Park but offers a more exclusive experience with no more than 60 visitors there at any one time. It shares an unfenced border with the Serengeti’s Western Corridor and wildlife is free to wander between the two. However, unlike the national park, Grumeti functions as a private reserve and can only be accessed by guests at one of the exclusive camps or lodges operated there by Singita. It’s fantastic year-round, but incredible when the great migration passes through, usually in June and/or July.
Pros & Cons
Wildlife
Grumeti offers an incredible wildlife experience. All the Big Five are present following the reintroduction in 2019 of the eastern black rhino (a critically endangered subspecies). It is one of the best places in East Africa to see large lion prides. There’s also a good chance that you’ll see cheetah, elephant, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra and black-and-white colobus monkey, as well as hippo and crocodile. During the migration, countless wildebeest, zebra and Thomson’s gazelle swarm across the landscape with hungry predators following close behind.
Scenery
Grumeti is an extension of the western Serengeti, with classic savannah grasslands stretching to the horizon north of the Grumeti River, and rarely another vehicle in sight. Riverine woodlands dominate along the riverbanks, and the vegetation can be quite dense in places; look for leopards. South of the river is a mix of open grasslands and light woodlands.
Activities
The main activity in Grumeti is the guided game drive. Unlike elsewhere in the Serengeti, you’ll encounter very few other vehicles while out driving in Grumeti, and your driver is allowed to take you off-road in search of the perfect sighting. As Grumeti is not part of the national park, walking safaris are also permitted.
Weather & Climate
The weather and climate of Grumeti Game Reserve is similar to that of Serengeti National Park. More info:
Best Time To Visit
Undoubtedly the best time to visit Grumeti is when the migration passes through, which is usually in June and/or July: while everyone else is following the massed herds of wildebeest and zebra in a convoy of safari vehicles, you’ll have them all to yourself here. Otherwise, the best months (for both the weather and non-migration wildlife watching) are from August through to March. For birding, the ideal months are November to April; many of the Serengeti’s more-than-500 species are also found here in the reserve.
Getting There
There are two main ways to arrive in Grumeti. The first is by road: you’ll be transferred to the reserve and your accommodations in a comfortable 4WD vehicle. Otherwise, many travelers arrive on a charter flight in a small plane flown into one of Grumeti’s airstrips from elsewhere in Tanzania or southern Kenya.
Health & Safety
Please read our vaccinations and malaria page for Tanzania, and our general ‘Wildlife Viewing Safety Precautions’ below for more info: