Known as the world’s oldest national park, featuring some of the greatest game viewing on the planet and endless scenes of migrating animals, the Serengeti has a lot to offer a family seeking a top-notch safari experience. Like most safari destinations in East Africa, the Serengeti mostly encompasses swathes of immaculate and remote wilderness, an authentic representation of safari travel. Most of the accommodation facilities are made of canvas and are designed with little consideration for family travel, especially for young couples with kids. Some even prohibit travelers with kids. Importantly, Serengeti is not as family-friendly as the Masai Mara, and you will have fewer options to pick, especially when you are traveling with underage children. In this post, we shall look at some of the available facilities you can consider for your next safari in Serengeti.
1. Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge
The award-winning luxury safari lodge tops our list. Serengeti Serena is set in the heart of Serengeti National Park in one of the perfect locations for tracking the unending Serengeti migration. The facility is well-appointed, deliberately perched high on an acacia-cloaked hill overlooking the famous Grumeti River. The lodge is designed into conical thatched units that harmoniously blend with the surrounding acacia vegetation. Here, children of all ages are welcome. The family suite features two adjoined bedrooms, one master bedroom, and another for kids, a fully furnished common sitting area, and a bathroom. At Serengeti Serena Lodge, children can engage in board games, short bush walk, play volleyball & football, and visit one of the local schools. Besides engaging in game drives, families booked at Serengeti Serena lodge are treated to an exciting opportunity to have a bush dinner by the sides of a hippo pool in the Grumeti River. Children’s meals are available on request and can be served early, as early as noon or 6:30 pm. For couples with infants, a cot and babysitting services can be offered on prior notice.
2. Singita Sasakwa Lodge
This facility is an alluring, stately manor style that meets all your luxury safari expectations. Perched up high on the Sasakwa hills that offer a limitless view of extensive Savannah plains in Grumeti Private Reserve, Singita Sasakwa inspires an unrivaled bush vibe. This facility puts guests close to the Serengeti migration in one of the least crowded sections of the Mara Serengeti ecosystem. The family cottage features 2 or 3 bedrooms to accommodate up to 6 people, a bathroom, a living area, and a private plunge pool. Children’s activities offered include stargazing, swimming, bush walks (for teenagers), arts and crafts, playing tennis, and watching wildlife movies. Childminding services are available.
3. Faru Faru lodge
The Singita-owned facility is also in the Grumeti Reserve. With just 9 tents, Faru Faru lodge is ideal for families seeking a perfectly exclusive accommodation in an unspoiled wilderness. The safari lodge offers an unrivaled bush vibe set along the Grumeti River and an all-time-busy watering hole. This is also the best accommodation in the Singita Grumeti Reserve to follow the western Serengeti migration, where a less-famous but equally dramatic river-crossing event takes place. The family suite has 2 bedrooms, enjoined by a large sitting area, a private bathroom, and a balcony. Here, children of all ages are welcome. There are tailor-made children’s activities for underage children who might not participate in safari drives. Guests who would like an exclusive open-sided family safari inside the Singita Grumeti reserve should send a request before arrival for vehicle allocation. For families with infants, babysitting services are offered on prior notice.
4. Four Seasons Safari Lodge
The facility is set in central Serengeti, a region famed for offering some of the best game viewing in the Mara Serengeti ecosystem. The facility’s most outstanding feature is its stellar location. Placed on a hillside savannah wilderness with rocky outcrops and a watering hole in the vicinity, guests at Four Seasons are treated to views of unending bush dramas all year round. All facilities are built on a raised platform, giving guests an uninterrupted view of the surroundings and captivating lower reaches. Here, the family suite features one master bedroom, a connecting children’s room, a lounge area, a private bathroom, and a balcony. Kijana Club, a common facility in the lodge, offers kids insight into African fauna through arts and crafts displays. At the club, children can also engage in board games. A guided walking family safari can be organized with the help of Masai guides situated in the lodges. Discounted rates are available for children. The only problem with the facility is that they don’t book guests with infants (2 years and below)
5. Sayari Camp
Set in the remote northern Serengeti, the luxury canvas lodge is the best for the Serengeti Mara River crossing safari. The facility is ideal for families who would like to experience the river-crossing event away from the heavy traffic snarl-ups in the Masai Mara game reserve. Here, family safaris are tailored to deliver the best experience, featuring exclusive morning and evening open-sided safaris. The family tent is set out as a separate unit, offering a completely private escape for its occupants. The suite features two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a patio. The facility, however, doesn’t offer kid-specific activities, so the best thing is to have them join safari game drives. For this reason, infants are not allowed into the camp. After spending the entire day in the wilderness, families have an option to take a candlelit dinner in a select spot in the wilderness.
6. Singita Serengeti House
Also in Singita Grumeti Private Reserve, this facility is ideal for large families who would like to hire an entire safari lodge for an unrivaled homey experience. The accommodation has a maximum guest capacity of 8, with 2 suites in the main house and 2 in the garden. Singita Serengeti House is set out at the center of vast grassland plains, back-dropped by the panoramic Sasakwa Hills, cloaked in dense acacia, and an ever-wildlife-rich watering hole close by. Here, children of all ages are welcome. There are permanent staff who offer personalized services and plan activities to guarantee a life-changing bush experience. In this facility, guests participate in age-specific activities to create unforgettable memories of an African family safari. Children are taught a mini-rangers course that is enjoyable and helps them appreciate nature. Other children’s activities include playing tennis, stargazing, board games, and participating in local arts & craft activities.
7. Kirawira Serena Tented Camp
This is a luxury tented camp fashioned in the old safari style, with spacious canvas set on a raised platform. The safari camp is ideal for families seeking to witness the northern corridor movement, where the migratory herds move in eye-catching long columns. Here, the family tent features two tented bedrooms, a bathroom with a self-contained shower, a dedicated steward, and a private terrace overlooking the sweeping Kirawira Savannah plains. At this facility, there are organized family safari activities, such as bush walks and bush dinners, designed to foster strong bonding among members as they enjoy a spirited bush vibe. Children can engage in activities like board games or storytelling. The only shortcoming is that they do not allow children under 7 years old at Kirawira Serena Tented Camp.