Which area to choose
| Area | When | Advantage | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centre (Seronera) | all year | resident game, cats, built lodges | more vehicles |
| North (Kogatende, Lamai) | about July to November | Mara river crossings | remote, camps often seasonal |
| Mobile camp | depends on where it stands | close to the herds | moved every few months, book very early |
Four stays checked
- Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge: 65 rooms and one suite in domed rondavels around an infinity pool, private balcony, balloon flights and nature walks offered; standard room from 728 USD, suite from 928 USD on the hotel's site. Pick it for the comfort of a real lodge; limit: high price and no children's policy stated on its page.
- Serengeti Explorer (Elewana, ex-Sopa Lodge): reopened in May 2024 after refurbishment, 68 rooms and 6 suites with balconies, interconnecting and wheelchair-accessible rooms, a children's bushcraft centre. Pick it for families; limit: a very large lodge, less intimate.
- Tanzania Bush Camps Kogatende: a tented camp in the north, listed as open roughly June to early November on a booking listing. Pick it for the crossings; limit: closed the rest of the year.
- Serengeti Under Canvas (&Beyond): a mobile camp named by one guide among those that follow the herds. Pick it to sleep closest to the migration; limit: the location changes, confirm it when booking.
How to book
Park accommodation is often booked through the safari operator, with fees and transfers included. If you prefer to choose yourself, ask whether the room includes meals, activities and park fees. See the Serengeti and the migration.
How many nights
Two nights in the same place cut the driving; three if you also want a balloon flight (see the Serengeti balloon). For the budget, read the cost of a safari.
FAQ
Where to sleep to see the migration?
In the north between July and October, in the centre early in the year, or in a well-placed mobile camp; the migration is never guaranteed.
Lodge or mobile camp?
The lodge for comfort, the mobile camp for closeness to the herds; the camp is often dearer.
When to book?
For high season, 9 to 12 months ahead according to one guide; at the very least several months.
La rédaction Zanzibar Authority, 30/10/2026.
