Serengeti Migration – Where to Stay in December
Where to Stay to See the Serengeti’s Great Migration in December
Firstly, where are the herds? December is a month that sees the herds settling into the wet season grazing grounds of the southern Serengeti and northern Ngorongoro Conservation Area. At the start of the month the herds are often still moving south where as by Christmas and the New Year the southern plains are certainly the place to be.
The focus for the next few months is the volcanic soil of the ‘Serengit’ – the endless short grass plains. Here, nutritious grasses create the perfect mineral balance for muscle and bone growth in young wildebeest whilst adults benefit from the best grazing in the entire ecosystem. This can often be the start of calving season, although peak calving season concentrates itself in a few weeks between January and February.
Due to the fact the herds are still on the move it’s important to decide where you stay on exactly when you travel. At the start of December the central plains of Seronera and Namiri as well as an area further south called Moru (which has the best accommodation) would be my focus, whilst from the 15th December onward Kusini and Ndutu are the places to be. For longer Serengeti ‘migration focused’ trips it is advisable to use camps that cover the areas mentioned above.
The Serengeti Migration’s Best Camps and Safari Lodges in December
There are two different styles of property to choose from. The first is the famous ‘Serengeti cell phones’ that follow the herds, and the second is the ‘permanent lodges’ (or camps). The Serengeti cell phones tend to cater for the more adventurous traveler, however I would always encourage people to consider the idea of the mobile camps; they are much more comfortable than people expect and are often the highlight of a safari.
Throughout the calving season (December through to April) mobile camps are the focus of most of the trips I design, because there are very few permanent lodges around Ndutu and Kusini which is where I suggest most clients stay. The exception to the rule is the Moru area in early December, when the herds are often still pushing south – there are some great lodges here at very attractive rates.
To help you understand what you get for your money, we split the Serengeti’s properties into three different price brackets – Value, Classic, and Luxury. It’s worth mentioning that the prices below do NOT include any long stay deals etc. Therefore our safaris can often be less expensive than this nightly rate. Also, early December is very much LOW season, so rates in camps and therefore our price categories are different from previous months.
1-15 December – Kusini and the Moru Kopje, just south of the central Seronera river valley
The focus for these two weeks should be the areas around Moru and the Namiri plains. The herds are still moving south in early December, so heading to the short grass plains of Ndutu etc can be a risk. The value to be had in these first two weeks is superb as you avoid the Christmas and New Year peak season surcharge.
‘Value’ Serengeti Camps
- Mobile Camps – There are no good quality mobile camps open in the value price bracket at this time of year.
- Permanent lodges – Nyikani Camp Central Serengeti is a camp we tend to use rarely but it remains a good property with very competitive rates in early December – some of the best value in the entire park at any time of year! The competition in my mind however is between Nasikia’s Naona Moru and Lemala’s Ewanjan. Finding a favorite between these two is very hard indeed – they are both superb and similarly styled properties. I’d probably go for Ewanjan due to its better location.
- My suggestion for the value price bracket – Nyikani Camp is ridiculously good value where as Lemala’s Ewanjan would be my pick of the slightly more expensive properties.
‘Classic’ Serengeti Camps
- Mobile Camps – A slight step up from our ‘Value’ bracket is Asilia’s Ubuntu at Kusini, however the office favorite in this price bracket is Nomad Tanzania’s Serengeti Safari Camp. With a very competitive price for the time of year and a wonderful approach to authentic safari this is a fantastic camp.
- Permanent Lodges – Asilia Safaris’ Namiri Plains or Dunia Camp are the two to talk about. They are well located in Namiri and Moru respectively. Out of these two properties Namiri gets my vote due to its remote location that keeps clients away from the busier Moru area.
- My suggestion for the classic price bracket – I have always been a fan of Serengeti Safari Camp due to the authentic approach of the company that runs it and the fact that they offer great value when combined with their sister properties elsewhere – in Tarangire or the Ngorongoro, for example. They get my vote at this time of year although Namiri is outstanding.
‘Luxury’ Serengeti Camps
- Mobile camps – In my mind, there is a very good argument that the Classic camps, specifically Serengeti Safari Camp, should be considered in this bracket. The arrival of Wilderness Usawa has certainly put the big cat among the pigeons! With a wealth of experience designing the very finest camps throughout Safari Africa, the company’s Serengeti début has been well worth the wait. Usawa is everything we expected it would be, a great site away from the crowds that can also offer walking. Usawa offers much better value than &Beyond’s Serengeti Under Canvas, which is the most expensive mobile open at this time of year.
- Permanent Lodges – Pioneer Camp would be my pick of the bunch for luxury levels alone – it is the most luxurious lodge in the region. Kusini Camp itself is wonderful but perhaps slightly too far south for this time of year. The final place to mention is the Singita Reserve in the western Serengeti – a great option to end for a few nights of sheer luxury after a migration focused few nights…but not an area that’s reliable in December for the herds. The best of these is Faru Faru whilst Sasakwa deserves its own special mention for being a genuinely 5* luxury hotel option in the bush, the likes of which I have not seen elsewhere in Africa.
- My suggestion for the luxury price bracket – If you’re looking for an adventurous mobile style of property then look no further than Serengeti Safari Camp in the Classic price bracket – the experience is really very good indeed. For a more upgraded mobile experience then it has to be Wilderness Usawa, with its amazing locations, understated luxury, and walking safari. For luxury alone, Pioneer is the stand out, while a trip ending with a Singita property is as good as safari gets!
