Four Seasons Lodge, Central Serengeti

Accommodation · Tier three of three

Ultra-Luxury
Lodges.

Karibu · what this is

If you are looking for a lavish and opulent stay while on safari in the deep African wilderness, here you are. These are five-star luxurious lodges and hotels providing executive, high-end, even presidential service in the African middle of nowhere.

Many sit on private concessions or in the quieter corners of the parks, where only a few vehicles share each sighting. Rooms are few and fill early, so for the peak months we suggest booking nine to twelve months ahead.

Addresses in this tier

Every property in this tier, listed in full. Each one we have stayed in, sent guests to, or both.

Four Seasons Lodge, Central Serengeti 01 Four Seasons Lodge Central Serengeti Five-star polish in the heart of the plains: an infinity pool over an elephant waterhole, air-conditioned suites, a Thai spa. Design-led lodge·Air-conditioned suites·Year-round View the property Grumeti River Lodge, West Serengeti 02 Grumeti River Lodge West Serengeti Ten suites following the bow of the Grumeti in the quiet west, plunge pools, a rim-flow pool over the hippos, closest to the Ruwana predator action. Design-led river lodge·10 suites·May–Jul View the property Arusha Coffee Lodge, Coffee plantation, near Arusha Airport 03 Arusha Coffee Lodge Coffee plantation, near Arusha Airport·Arusha A luxury lodge on a working coffee plantation at the foot of Mount Meru, minutes from Arusha Airport, the easy first or last night of a safari. Plantation lodge·30 rooms & suites·Year-round View the property Crater's Edge Lodge, Eastern rim, inside the gate 04 Crater’s Edge Lodge Eastern rim, inside the gate·Ngorongoro A 2024 tented lodge on the quiet eastern rim, one of only two inside the crater gate, so you make the first descent at dawn. 5-star tented lodge·Suites·Jun–Oct View the property Gibbs Farm, Ngorongoro slopes, Karatu 05 Gibbs Farm Ngorongoro slopes, Karatu A historic working coffee farm on the forested slopes of Ngorongoro, ten acres of organic gardens, farm-to-table food and charming cottages. Historic coffee farm·Cottages·Year-round View the property Gran Meliá Arusha, Foot of Mount Meru 06 Gran Meliá Arusha Foot of Mount Meru·Arusha A sleek five-star resort on eighteen acres at the foot of Mount Meru, the polished first or last night of a safari. Five-star gateway resort·Suites & villas·Year-round View the property Kuria Hills Lodge, Wogakuria, North Serengeti 07 Kuria Hills Lodge Wogakuria, North Serengeti A glass-walled 5-star camp hidden in the granite Wogakuria Hills of the far north, fifteen suites, plunge pools, cheetah country. Glass-walled tented lodge·15 suites·Jun–Oct View the property Kuro Treetops Lodge, Kopje Hill, park interior 08 Kuro Treetops Lodge Kopje Hill, park interior·Tarangire Baobab treehouse suites atop Kopje Hill, deep inside Tarangire, with 180-degree views over the year-round Silale Swamp. Baobab treehouse suites·Suites·Jun–Oct View the property Mpingo Ridge Lodge, Escarpment over the river valley 09 Mpingo Ridge Lodge Escarpment over the river valley·Tarangire An opulent escarpment lodge over the Tarangire River valley, panoramic elephant plains, bonfires under the acacias, deep in the park. Escarpment lodge·Suites·Jun–Oct View the property Nanyukie Tented Lodge, Seronera kopjes, Central Serengeti 10 Nanyukie Tented Lodge Seronera kopjes, Central Serengeti Cathedral-like tented suites with private plunge pools among the Seronera kopjes, a contemporary, intimate alternative in big-cat country. Contemporary tented suites·Suites with plunge pools·Year-round View the property Ngorongoro Melia Lodge, Crater rim 11 Ngorongoro Melia Lodge Crater rim·Ngorongoro The rim’s original lodge, reborn in 2023 as sleek ’African Modernism’, glass walls, an infinity pool spilling toward the caldera, a spa. Crater-rim lodge, renovated 2023·Suites·Jun–Oct View the property Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, Crater rim 12 Ngorongoro Serena Lodge Crater rim·Ngorongoro A stone-and-lava lodge cloaked in ivy and mist on the rim at 7,000 feet, arched passages, fireplaces, and picture windows onto the caldera. Stone crater-rim lodge·75 rooms·Jun–Oct View the property Nimali Mara Lodge, North Serengeti, near the Mara 13 Nimali Mara Lodge North Serengeti, near the Mara Ten glass-fronted suites hidden in a kopje near the Mara River, copper tubs and the crossings close by. Glass-fronted tented suites·10 suites·Jul–Oct View the property Nimali Serengeti Lodge, Seronera, Central Serengeti 14 Nimali Serengeti Lodge Seronera, Central Serengeti A 2024 tented lodge in the Seronera big-cat heartland, contemporary organic design and views over the Makoma plain, thick with lion. Contemporary tented lodge·12 tented suites·Year-round View the property One Nature Nyaruswiga, Nyaruswiga, Central Serengeti 15 One Nature Nyaruswiga Nyaruswiga, Central Serengeti Fourteen tents in the central Serengeti, all-inclusive, built for photographers. Ultra-luxury all-inclusive tented·14 tented lodges·Year-round View the property Serengeti Bushtops, Wogakuria, North Serengeti 16 Serengeti Bushtops Wogakuria, North Serengeti Fifteen suites in the quiet north, close to the Mara River. Bush-integrated luxury tented·15 luxury tented suites·Jul–Oct View the property Singita Grumeti, Grumeti private concession, Western Serengeti 17 Singita Grumeti Grumeti private concession, Western Serengeti Private-concession game viewing in the western Serengeti, at the top of the market. Ultra-luxury private concession·Varies by property·Year-round View the property Swala Tented Lodge, Remote southwest corner 18 Swala Tented Lodge Remote southwest corner·Tarangire Nine luxury tents in Tarangire’s remote southwest, elephants at the waterhole off your veranda, the nearest neighbour two hours away. Luxury tented·9 tents·Jun–Oct View the property The Manor at Ngorongoro, Karatu, Ngorongoro highlands 19 The Manor at Ngorongoro Karatu, Ngorongoro highlands A stately Afro-European estate on a 1,500-acre coffee plantation in the highlands, twenty suites with private fireplaces and heated floors. Country estate·20 suites·Year-round View the property
A lantern-lit deck set for dinner above the plains, Serengeti Bushtops, North Serengeti

What it’s actually like

This is safari with very little compromise.

These are five-star properties designed for guests who want the wilderness without giving up high-end comfort. Expect spacious accommodation, beautiful design, private decks or pools at some properties, excellent dining, wellness facilities and highly personalised service.

You are still deep in the African wilderness, often surrounded by elephants, lions, buffalo and other wildlife, but almost everything around your stay is designed to feel effortless. Guiding, dining, service and the details of the accommodation are all taken to a much higher level.

Think: exceptional comfort, privacy and service, with the African wilderness as the backdrop.

Tier 04 of 04

What’s included

Planned around you, for a seven-night Ultra-Luxury itinerary.

Includes the lodge nightly rate, private vehicle and guide, all meals and most drinks, internal park and concession fees, and the in-country flights between properties. Excludes international flights and tips. Fully bespoke arrangements, a private villa, a sole-use camp built for a single PAX group, are quoted separately and typically run higher; we will scope those in conversation once we understand the trip.

Plan Your Safari

Karibu sana. The land is waiting, quietly.

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