Picture this—you’re in the middle of the a wildlife haven with nothing but an expansive savanna as far as the eye can see, and then there’s a luxury safari lodge plopped right in the middle of it all. That’d be the Four Seasons Safari Lodge, a peaceful sanctuary that is inside Serengeti National Park (it’s literally your backyard). You may come to the hotel to be immersed in the sweeping views and natural landscapes, but you’ll want to stay for the 5-star amenities and the over the top services.
Four Seasons Safari Lodge: Luxury in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park
About Four Seasons Safari Lodge
There’s no doubt that the Four Seasons brand is know for being luxurious in every sense of the word, and their Serengeti safari lodge does not stray from this. Perched on elevated walkways, this place offers a unique twist to the whole safari experience, giving extravagance while incorporating the natural beauty of the land. Not only that, paying attention to the details is what the Four Seasons does best. From the sweets left on the entry table in our room to the airport pickup that included a bottle of champagne to the staff who always seemed to remember my name, they don’t miss a beat.
Book your stay at the Four Seasons Safari Lodge here.
About Serengeti National Park
Over 90,000 travelers visit Serengeti National Park and there is no doubt why; it is stunning with its seemingly endless dusty plains that are spotted with wildlife. Tanzania’s oldest and most popular national park is a place that easily earns a spot on many people’s bucket list. It is not only an UNESCO world heritage site, but also home to one of nature’s grandest spectacles—the largest migration of mammals on the planet. The annual wildebeest migration is when more than a million land animals stomp the dry-grass plains in search of greener pastures. The wildebeest don’t travel alone; hundreds of thousands of Thompson’s gazelle and zebras join them in this trek, plunging through crocodile-infested waters in their effort to escape death from hunger, thirst, and predators.
Besides the migration, the 5,695 square miles of Serengeti is blessed with an abundance of animals, plus you can pay a visit to the hippo pool where several dozen are clustered together sloshing about.
Four Seasons Serengeti Safari Options
In Swahili safari literally translates to ‘journey’, and Four Seasons Safari Lodge makes sure that this journey is not only safe but exciting too. With them, your African adventure can be done on foot, via air or by rugged vehicle.
Hot Air Balloon Safari
This crosses off two things on my bucket list—a safari and a hot air balloon ride! The stunning beauty and miles upon miles of preserved plains are an epic sight from the ground, so can you just imagine how it is from the air? These tours start early in the morning and are usually an hour long. You’ll be mesmerized by the shades of the sky at sunrise with a flight over the savanna, and then a champagne breakfast waiting for you. Talk about luxury!
Walking Safari
I never knew you could even travel through Serengeti on foot, but you can! A walking safari is a more immersive and slower pace experience, as you can absorb every detail along the way. The walk is led by Maasai guides who not only take you to explore the wild life habitat, but also to inspect animal tracks and unique vegetation up close.
Jeep Safari
Via rugged jeep is one of the most common ways to do safari, and it’s the option me and my friend at Points and Travel chose with the lodge. We went on their half-day tour and there was no shortage of wildlife or fun. Our driver/guide took us to all the hotspots known to be loaded with animals and even made a stop to the hippo pool where you could only see the backs of about a dozen that were three-quarters of the way submerged under water.
We were also there just after the wildebeest had returned from the great migration and it was surreal to see thousands walking all in a row. I can’t tell you how many times we were stopped as they slowly crossed the road that lay before us. It was a wildebeest traffic jam!
You can see all the safari adventure options on their website.
Services and Amenities
The whole point of opting for the Four Seasons Safari Lodge instead of camping, is to enjoy the luxury services and pamper yourself on your vacation, right? Here are some of the best amenities that I thoroughly enjoyed during our stay.
Discovery Centre
The discovery centre at Four Seasons is part lecture theatre and part museum. If you want to learn about the local culture and traditions, this is the place to be. It offers an interactive experience that helps you delve deep into the history, customs and wildlife of Serengeti. It also showcases an interactive map of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem along with the Great Migration.
Spa
Who doesn’t want some well-deserved pampering and relaxation after an adventurous day on a Serengeti safari? The spa treatments and services highlight the mystique and magical healing power of Africa with detoxifying cleanses, cleansing facials, excellent body massages and other services inspired by Serengeti’s ecology.
The location of the on-premise spa is purely a bonus. You will need to follow the elevated walkways until you reach a section of beautiful bungalows. One of those might be the locale of your massage!
Children’s Centre
There’s a lot to keep the children engaged and interested (I mean there are elephants and giraffes in their backyard!). But, they also offer fun, educational and creative entertainment for all ages at the Kijana Klub—and these aren’t your average activities. Your child can spend the morning with a Maasai warrior learning the ways of the land or take a cooking class that brings out the little chef in them. Of course, there is also the top of the line video game boxes that arre bound to keep them occupied for hours.
Infinity Pool
The outdoor dining area backs up to the infinity pool that backs up to the watering hole that backs up to Serengeti National park. That’s quite a line up that you don’t want to miss! Reserve one of your afternoons to spend within a 25 foot radius—have lunch al fresco then walk to the pool to sunbath on a lounge chair while watching the wildlife saunter by.
Dining
Did I mention that all rooms at the lodge include three meals per day (including house wines, beers and spirits)? The frosting on that cake is that the fine dining options and bar at Four Seasons Safari Lodge are exceptional.
Enjoy hearty meals at Kula’s restaurant with amazing breakfast buffets and meals prepared with traditional African flavors. Boma Grill incorporates the Maasai culture where an authentic African feast is served around an open air fire-pot in a restaurant inspired by a Maasai hut. Most nights that you dine here, you will be treated to an entertaining show. We saw some impressive Maasai dancers on one particular evening. The tone of the music was mesmerizing and meditative (or that could have been the Cabernet!). If you want to enjoy your cocktails with a delightful view in fresh air, Maji Bar and Terrace is there to serve you with a variety of drinks, homemade pizzas, delicious salads and African tapas (that’s the one that butts up to the infinity pool!).
Four Seasons Accommodations
Four Seasons Serengeti is a 77-room property with a Colonial style décor that stays true to African culture. There are several different rooms and suites, as well as villas. I can attest that the Terrace Suite was a little piece of heaven. It was a two-room suite with two full bathrooms (one with deep soaking tub), plus an outdoor shower and a private infinity pool that overlooked the park. There were impala and giraffes in our backyard!
From A to Z the room was pure luxury—from the bath products to the picture perfect view to the soft pillows. After a long day on safari it is a blissful retreat. Just make sure to lock your doors or a baboon may find their way in to steal your fruit platter!
To sum it up, the Four Seasons Safari Lodge has a breathtaking setting with amazing views with services and safari options to make your time in Serengeti even more memorable.
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