Grumeti Game Reserve, Tanzania

 The privately owned Grumeti Game Reserve is the most famous and prominent wildlife conservation area in Tanzania, located in the western corridor of the Serengeti Ecosystem. The reserve lies right on the wildebeest migration routes and provide visitors with exclusive front-row seats to all the action.

Grumeti Game Reserve also known as Singita Grumeti is situated adjacent to Serengeti National Park and is an integral part of the Serengeti – Mara Ecosystem. The reserve was created by the Tanzanian government in 1994 purposely to protect the path of the annual wildebeest migration and the indigenous biodiversity of this vast and important ecosystem.

In 2002, the Grumeti Community and Wildlife Conservation Fund, a not-for-profit organization, was granted the right to manage and conserve these 350,000 acres, for the benefit of Tanzania, Africa and the world. Four years later, Singita took over the management of the property to enhance low impact, luxury tourism, at the request of the concessionaire.

About Grumeti

In the remote western reaches of the Serengeti, there are only a few lodges here, and one seldom sees other safari vehicles. As Grumeti is in a remote and beautiful corner of Serengeti National Park, it perhaps is one of its best-kept secrets. Because of its remoteness, it makes for an exceptional game viewing experience with the feeling of the exclusivity.

The number of visitors in Grumeti Game Reserve is limited to around sixty guests in only a few small Serengeti luxury camps, this is a prime quality area devoid of tourist crowds. If you are looking for a private experience without the crowds, Grumeti allows you to experience a private Serengeti.

Grumeti is known for its large lion prides comprising between 20 and up to 60 individuals. The opportunities for seeing lions in Grumeti are outstanding, also this is the place where you can enjoy a sighting alone.

The reserve is characterized by breathtaking scenery, which includes vast savannah plains, acacia woodlands, and lush riverine forest. The diverse topography not only provides a picturesque backdrop for your safari but also supports a wide range of wildlife habitats.

Wildlife in Grumeti Game Reserve

 Grumeti Game Reserve is a paradise for game viewing, boasting an impressive array of wildlife species that will captivate any nature lover. As part of the Serengeti ecosystem, Grumeti is home to all the Big Five as well as other wildlife species include

• The elusive eastern black rhino
• Large lion prides numbering from 20 to 6o individuals
• Large herds of elephants
• Giraffes
• Zebras
• Thomson’s gazelles among others

Wildlife in Grumeti Game Reserve is commonly sighted particularly near the Grumeti River, where they gather in large herds.

Safari Experiences to do in Grumeti Game Reserve

Guided Walking Safaris

Only a few places in Serengeti National Park offer walking safaris, which makes this experience in Grumeti Game Reserve a special experience. You can spend hours on foot in the bush with your guide, learning about various animals and birds, and tracking insects and animals. Also, discover cultural and medicinal uses of various indigenous plants.

Being outside Serengeti National Park boundaries means that your guide is not bound by the park rules and regulations and has much greater freedom to operate a wide range of safari activities. Vehicle safaris can be operated by during the day but also at night, and the opportunity to drive-off road guaranteed making the most of special sightings.

 

Game Viewing including Night Drives

Game viewing in Grumeti Game Reserve is good throughout the year, the broken savannah south of the Grumeti River supports resident populations of giraffe, wildebeests, elephants, zebra and lion. The little-visited vistas of open grassland north of the Grumeti River are especially good for cheetah sightings.

Riverine forest along the river harbors a few troops of the beautiful black and white colobus monkeys, the area is also home to plenty of hippos, crocodiles and birds.

Lesser famous than the crossing of the Mara River, is the crossing of the Grumeti River, usually in late June or early July, it is one of the most dramatic sequences in the annual Great Migration, and a feast for the population of outsized crocodiles.

The Best Time to Visit Grumeti Game Reserve

A Grumeti Safari is very rewarding throughout the year, however during the Migration months of June and July are the most rewarding when massive herds of wildebeest arrive to cross the crocodile-infested Grumeti River on their way back to Kenya’s Masai Mara. For many, however, the post-migration months of September and October are seen as the best time to visit the Grumeti.

Large herds of zebras and wildebeests remain in the area along with other wildlife species such as elephants, topis and Thomson’s gazelles. Also, it is easy to spot predators moving through the short grass.

Accommodation in Grumeti Game Reserve

There is only a handful of top end lodges found in the Grumeti Game Reserve, these include

• Singita Faru Faru Lodge
• andBeyond Grumeti Serengeti River
• Singita Sabora Tented Camp
• Asanja Grumeti Luxury
• Singita Serengeti House
• Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge
• Laba Grumeti Art Lodge
• Singita Milele
• Singita Explore
• Singita Mara River Tented Camp

During the Great Migration period, May – July, this changes and several mobile camps will set up camp in the area.