Central Serengeti · Serena Hotels

Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge

Stone and thatch rondavels on an acacia ridge in the central Serengeti. A built lodge with a pool, inside the national park.

Plan a safari with this lodge
Area
Central Serengeti, inside the national park
Style
Built lodge, stone and thatch rondavels
Rooms
65 rooms and 1 suite
Meals on our safaris
Full board
Pool
Yes, infinity pool
Wi-Fi
Yes
Run by
Serena Hotels

The lodge we suggest to families and first-time visitors who want solid walls in the middle of the Serengeti. Domed, thatched rondavels on an acacia ridge, plains below, an infinity pool in the middle. It is a big lodge, and that is the trade: a pool and a spa inside the park, in place of the quiet of a small tented camp.

What it's like

Rooms are 26 square metres (king, twin or triple), each with a private entrance and a balcony over the plains. One suite, at 32 square metres, has its own private access. Handcrafted wooden furniture, Makonde carvings, natural stone bathrooms.

Between drives: the infinity pool, the Maisha Spa, a restaurant with a terrace and a bar. The lodge also runs balloon flights, bush breakfasts, sundowners, nature walks and birding.

Getting there

Naabi Hill gate to SeroneraAbout 1 hour for ~60 km, longer with game viewing
Karatu to the central Serengeti4 to 5 hours driving, plus gate time
Ngorongoro Crater to Seronera3 to 4 hours
Ndutu to SeroneraAbout 2 hours as a road transfer
Seronera to Kogatende (Mara River)4 to 5 hours on the road, 7 to 8 as a game drive

Times are from our own route notes and measured to Seronera, the hub of the central Serengeti. Roads are gravel and corrugated, so the clock depends on rain and on how often you stop for animals. Fly-in guests land on a scheduled bush flight and continue by vehicle.

Park fees

The lodge sits inside Serengeti National Park. That means every night here carries the park's overnight concession fee on top of the daily entry permit. Both go into our quotes as separate lines, paid straight to the park authority. Current figures are on our park fees page. See Tanzania park fees.

Who it suits

A good fit for

  • Families, and anyone who wants solid walls rather than canvas
  • First safaris where a pool and lodge comforts matter
  • Central Serengeti game drives in any month of the year

Look elsewhere for

  • Mara River crossings (July to October). Kogatende is 4 to 5 hours north, so sleep in a northern camp for those days.
  • Calving season (January to March). Ndutu is about 2 hours south and better as your base then.
  • Travellers after an intimate camp. With 66 rooms, it is a much bigger place than a small tented camp.

When to go

The central Serengeti works in every month because its big cats stay put. The wildebeest herds pass through on their way between the southern plains and the north, but the timing moves from year to year, so we never sell this area on the herds alone. For herds, we pair a night or two here with Ndutu in calving season or a northern camp in crossing season.

On our itineraries

Common questions

Is Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge inside the national park?

Yes. It sits on a ridge in the central Serengeti, inside Serengeti National Park, so you are in the park from the moment you leave the lodge. Park entry and the overnight concession fee both apply.

Can you see the Mara River crossings from Serengeti Serena?

No. The crossings happen around Kogatende in the north, 4 to 5 hours away by road. On a crossing-season trip we use Serena for the central Serengeti nights and move you to a northern camp for the river.

Does Serengeti Serena have a swimming pool?

Yes. The rondavels are set around an infinity pool.

How much does a safari with Serengeti Serena cost?

It depends on your dates, room and the rest of the route, so we price it inside a full safari quote with the vehicle, guide and park fees included. Send us your dates and we will cost it properly.

Other places to stay in Central Serengeti

Seronera Wildlife Lodge, Mawe Tented Camp, Nyikani Central Serengeti Camp, Ang'ata Serengeti Camp, Ang'ata Kimarishe Camp, Serengeti Tortilis Camp.

See all lodges and camps

Sources and Maintenance

Where these figures come from

Fees, rules and official guidance change without much warning. Everything on this page is checked against a primary source on the date below, and rechecked on a schedule rather than whenever somebody remembers.

Last reviewed
21 October 2026
Next scheduled review
21 April 2027

Saleh Safaris is an independent safari operator based in Arusha. This is our own guide to Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge, not the lodge's official website.