Choose Singita Grumeti if you value privacy, off-road driving, walking and night drives, and exceptional lodges. Choose the central Serengeti if you want the park’s most reliable year-round predator sightings at a lower price. Many of our clients combine the two on one trip.
This guide compares the rules, wildlife, crowds and costs so you can decide. See our Singita safaris page for itineraries.
Last checked: September 2026.
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The key difference: private reserve vs national park
The Grumeti Reserve is a 350,000-acre private concession on the western border of the Serengeti National Park, managed with conservation partners. Because it is outside the national park, it doesn’t have to follow national park rules.
| Singita Grumeti | Central Serengeti (Seronera) | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Private reserve | National park |
| Off-road driving | Yes, with guides | No, roads only |
| Night drives | Yes | No |
| Walking safaris | Yes | Very limited |
| Other vehicles | Very few, only reserve guests | Many at popular sightings |
| Migration | Passes through, about May to July (and at other times as herds move) | Passes through, about April to June and November |
| Resident predators | Good | Excellent, all year |
| Lodges | Singita Sasakwa, Faru Faru, Sabora, Explore | Four Seasons, luxury tented camps |
| Guide price per person per night | About US$3,430 to US$4,460 at Sasakwa in 2026 | About US$1,200 to US$2,500 at luxury camps |
Why choose Singita Grumeti
- Privacy. You rarely see another vehicle, and when you do, it is another Singita guest.
- More ways to explore. Off-road driving lets your guide get you close to a sighting. Night drives reveal leopards, genets and aardvarks. Walks and horseback rides show the bush at a different pace.
- The lodges. Singita’s service, food and design are among the best in Africa. See Singita Grumeti lodges compared.
- Conservation. Your stay supports anti-poaching and community programmes in the reserve.
Why choose the central Serengeti
- Big cats all year. The Seronera Valley has one of Africa’s highest densities of lions, leopards and cheetahs, with the river and kopjes providing year-round water and cover.
- Lower cost. Excellent luxury camps cost less than Singita.
- Classic Serengeti. Endless plains, kopjes and acacias are the scenes most people imagine.
The downside is traffic: popular sightings can draw many vehicles, especially from July to October. A good guide and a private vehicle help.
Why not both?
The combination works very well. A typical split:
- 3 nights at Singita Grumeti for privacy, walking and night drives.
- 3 nights in the central or northern Serengeti for resident big cats or the river crossings, depending on the month.
Light-aircraft flights connect the Grumeti airstrips with the rest of the Serengeti. See where to stay in the Serengeti month by month.
FAQs
Is Singita Grumeti part of the Serengeti?
It is part of the Serengeti ecosystem but not the national park. It borders the park’s western corridor, and the migration moves freely between them.
Can you see the migration at Singita Grumeti?
Yes. The herds usually pass through from about May to July, and sometimes at other times of year.
Is Singita Grumeti worth the extra cost over the Serengeti?
If privacy, walking, night drives and top-level service matter to you, yes. If you mainly want big-cat sightings, the central Serengeti offers great value. See Is Singita worth it?
Plan your Serengeti combination
We can build a trip that combines Singita with the right Serengeti area for your month. See our Singita safaris page or ask below.
