Is Staying at Four Seasons Serengeti Better Than an Escorted Tour?

Six reasons to consider Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti for a luxurious, relaxing trip full of resort amenities and wellness opportunities

By Mindy Poder

When taking an African safari trip, many are tempted to join an escorted tour. This can be a great option if clients don’t mind traveling often, need to see specific locations and are on the hunt for animals unique to a destination.

A fast-paced tour might not be the perfect match if clients are expecting a resort experience full of superlative amenities, or the slow-travel experience of staying at one place.

Fortunately, there’s another way.

On a recent four-night trip to Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti (FS Serengeti) in Tanzania’s storied Serengeti National Park, I was surprised by just how much I saw and experienced. It all began the moment my small group landed on the Seronera Airstrip in the Serengeti: Our private guide, Isack, greeted us with a table set with small bites and champagne, before whisking us to FS Serengeti via a mini game drive. We oohed and aahed at our first of many impala, buffalo, elephants and African birds and trees. And we watched the sun set a few feet behind a group of marabou storks balancing like ballerinas on the branches of a majestic acacia tree.

We hadn’t even arrived at our guestrooms, but the resort had already impressed us — as it continued to do throughout our stay.

Following are several reasons why FS Serengeti makes for an unbeatable base camp for exploring the Serengeti.

A private guide will customize successive safaris.

One of the best parts of a group tour is getting to know your guide. This is also the case at FS Serengeti, where you can have the same safari guide/driver each day. The property pairs groups with one FS guide so he or she can get to know a group’s preferences and viewing priorities, and it also helps the guide curate the experience to be dynamic and unique each day. Our FS guide, Isack, picked us up and dropped us off at the airstrip, took us on half-day and full-day game drives, led us on a walking safari and joined us for several meals, including a feast he arranged in the bush.

Our group was constantly amazed at how Isack delivered what we wanted when we wanted it, showing us big cats on our first half-day game drive, and then upping the ante with a leopard protecting its kill (a lion cub).

Each of us developed a personal relationship with Isack, too. I’m sure none of us will forget his warm nature, cheek-to-cheek grin or stories about his family (his wife and three young children who live in Arusha). With eight years of experience as a guide, he enlivened our safaris with his expansive knowledge about local wildlife and stories about his favorite animal experiences over the years, including the time a cheetah took refuge on top of his safari vehicle.

The best-in-class service extends to every aspect of a FS Serengeti visit.

On a group tour, you’ll get to know your guide, but you’ll only have fleeting experiences with other locals. For example, many Tanzania and Kenya tours visit a Maasai village for a few hours. At FS Serengeti, we saw the same Maasai employees every day, allowing for more meaningful interactions.

Service here is top notch. Not only will your guide customize your experience, expect to get on a first-name basis with general manager Martin Cody as well. At breakfast one morning, Cody excused himself momentarily.

“I just got a text that two guests are leaving for the airport,” he said.

It was common to hear about how working at FS Serengeti is a goal that many locals aspire to reach — the 250 staff members who are employed by FS Serengeti live in adjacent staff housing, where they enjoy great food (featuring a more diverse, and meatier, culinary selection than they might get at home), fair wages and opportunities to learn from the best.

Nearly all the staff members were local to Tanzania, and I especially loved interacting with Maasai throughout the day. Maasai guarded the walkway outside guestrooms and escorted guests to and from rooms after dark. Masai also join in on some activities (such as the property’s walking safari — where they might point out the cultural significance of certain plants). At on-site Boma Grill, tables are arranged in a circle around a stage, where red-robed Maasai staff dance, sing and giggle.

There’s variety in the Serengeti safari experience.

At FS Seregenti, I viewed animals three different ways: by safari vehicle, by foot and — my personal favorite — by hot-air balloon. Each mode of animal spotting provides a unique pace and perspective, and I only had to unpack my suitcase once. By car, we could cover a lot of ground, whiz by uneventful stretches of land, slow down at bountiful scenes and view carnivores from a close-up yet safe distance.

It’s a good idea to book several game drives since there are countless special animals to spot in the Serengeti.

One day, we focused on baboons, giraffes and birds. On another drive, we spotted lions — sleeping, cuddling, on the hunt for food and even mating. Our most memorable moments involved cats at meal time: One cheetah ate its antelope quickly, scouring the plains for a hideout as vultures arrived for leftovers. Another day we observed a leopard in a massive fig tree protecting its meal, a dead lion cub, hanging from the branches. Steps away in a kopje (hill), the cub’s mama was keeping watch under a bush on a flat rock. By foot, we were accompanied by Tanzanian armed guards in a stretch of the park with fewer trees and fewer carnivores. Walking, we focused less on animals — though zebras inspected us curiously from a cautious distance — and more on small details such as scat, feathers and carcasses left behind on the ground, as well as on the surrounding plants and trees.

And flying above the Serengeti on a hot-air balloon — arranged by FS Serengeti in partnership with a local operator — we could appreciate the landscape as though we were flying over a blueprint. Observing black patches of land, we learned why some areas undergo a controlled burn: It helps new grass — aka food for herbivores — grow, among other reasons.

But mostly we floated in awe, mouths agape at what felt like a magic carpet ride over a land as paradisiacal as anything Disney Imagineers ever created. Hovering over a herd of zebras in the soft glow of early morning light is an otherwise unattainable thrill, and a follow-up champagne breakfast in the middle of the bush maximizes the high.

Enjoy some of the best food in the Serengeti at several unique sites.

During a full-day game drive, we pulled over at a picnic site — beloved by baboons — for lunch. Isack took our drink orders and began setting the table with plaid tablecloth. After delivering our chilled beer and champagne, he rummaged through his picnic basket—a Mary Poppins’ carpet bag of sorts — and conjured a bounty of sandwiches, falafel, baba ghanoush, beet salad, pound cakes and more. Our jaws dropped — but so did those of guests traveling with other companies. We even heard one woman give her guide grief about our superior picnic; Isack bashfully admitted that this reaction is a regular occurrence.

This was not the only alfresco meal executed perfectly on our behalf. For groups big and small, FS Serengeti can arrange unforgettable dining experiences. On our final night, we dined under the stars in the bush, but, again, it was far and beyond more decked out than a typical outdoor picnic. As we swapped stories around a bonfire, staff filled our cups and set the table. Meanwhile, an epic flat-top Acacia tree, aglow with individual lanterns, contributed to the romantic ambiance. When it was time to eat, we migrated to our table, where staff came by with platter after platter of fresh food.

After a game drive, eat at the poolside Maji Bar and Terrace. © 2019 Mindy Poder

After a game drive, eat at the poolside Maji Bar and Terrace. © 2019 Mindy Poder

In addition to these special dining experiences, the property features three eateries. Kula’s Restaurant is best for its breakfast buffet featuring freshly pressed juice, made-to-order omelets using local eggs and more. There’s a real apres-game-drive scene at the property’s pool-front (and watering hole-front) Maji Bar and Terrace, which serves a casual lunch of pizza, tapas and drinks. To see the on-staff Maasai in action, make an advanced reservation at Boma Grill.

Having a healthy, wellness-infused trip is an option.

The first time I went on safari via a group tour I had a rude awakening: Though thrilling, a safari trip can be quite idle. I spent most of my time seated in a vehicle, and none of the luxury camps I stayed at had a gym. My back hurt, I felt bloated and I would have paid big bucks for a massage.

My trip at FS Serengeti could not be more different: The property features a luxurious spa, a fully stocked gym and an infinity pool constantly highlighted as one of the world’s best thanks to its view of a watering hole beloved by elephants.

Because I stayed put at one property, I had time to appreciate all the amenities that FS Serengeti had to offer, including opportunities for wellness and physical activity. After a morning game drive, I was able to squeeze in a session on the gym’s treadmill while eyeing the elephants hydrating at the watering hole. The property also offers complimentary morning yoga classes and afternoon Pilates classes, as well as private yoga and meditation sessions. Our group ascended the FS Serengeti’s highest hill, where the property’s resident yogi guided us through a sunset meditation. In our peaceful states, we caught the last glimpse of daylight as the sun left the savannah.

Finally, the property is bigger than a traditional glamping or mobile camp. An elevated deck, studded with nature-savvy guardsmen at night, makes it relatively safe to walk the grounds. As a result, I racked up far more steps exploring the property than I had at other safari camps.

It’s a safari experience everywhere you go.

Some might think the Four Seasons experience in the Serengeti might be identical to the Four Seasons experience in, say, Los Angeles. While one can expect the same brand standards for great service, tasty and varied food, thoughtful fitness and wellness options and luxurious accommodations, the way these standards manifest at FS Serengeti are unique to the Serengeti.

Don’t be surprised if antelope and other small, harmless creatures serve as your pre-welcome committee. © 2019 Mindy Poder

Don’t be surprised if antelope and other small, harmless creatures serve as your pre-welcome committee. © 2019 Mindy Poder

Like the best Four Seasons properties, FS Serengeti is full of local flavor, executed to perfection with customer satisfaction front of mind. Every aspect of my stay revolved around maximizing my time with the Serengeti’s landscape and wildlife. My modern, spacious bedroom villa and private pool deck were the perfect lookouts for elephants traveling to the watering hole, while pairs of dik dik (a small antelope) often relaxed near rocks directly in front of my deck. Thanks to the suite’s floor-to-ceiling windows, that same view could be enjoyed indoors, too, from my brand-new, king-size bed to my cushy chaise lounge in my living room.

From your savannah-front guestroom, expect to spot animals such as dik dik (the small antelope shown here) as well as elephants and birds. © 2019 Mindy Poder

From your savannah-front guestroom, expect to spot animals such as dik dik (the small antelope shown here) as well as elephants and birds. © 2019 Mindy Poder

Nature immersion can happen as passively as possible — like from the sexy infinity pool with cocktail in hand — or in the company of a team member from the property’s Discovery Center. A staff member accompanied us on the property’s deck (the main thoroughfare connecting public spaces with guestrooms) and pointed out various birds and small critters singing from trees near and far. At the center, guests can pore over books, posters, a diorama depicting migration patterns and even animal artifacts.

Public spaces — from restaurants, the gym, the pool and the spa — are situated to immerse guests into the action, too. One of the most memorable moments of my trip happened during the walk from my guestroom to the lobby: I looked down at my phone and nearly crashed into a rock hyrax, the Serengeti’s version of a guinea pig. In a frenzy, the hyrax then almost collided into a gecko. I like to think we all shared a laugh, but, for them, it was just another day at Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti.

The Details
Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti
www.fourseasons.com/serengeti