Finding Serengeti at Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti

There are all kinds of silences and each of them means a different thing. There is the silence that comes with morning in a forest, and this is different from the silence of a sleeping city. There is silence after a rainstorm, and before a rainstorm, and these are not the same. There is the silence of emptiness, the silence of fear, the silence of doubt and…There is a certain silence from Serengeti. This kind of silence can speak. Whatever the mood or the circumstance, the essence of its quality may linger in the silence that follows. There is also a sound of my heart aching not wanting to leave. It is a soundless echo.

Love,

♥

Travel Junkie Diary

Finding Serengeti at The Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti

The Journey

A journey well worth all the efforts and miles required to get to your final destination. Several options available, I chose to fly in to Dar Es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, for an overnight and then take an internal flight to Seronara, the airstrip gateway to the Serengeti. Other travelers choose to fly in to Kilimanjaro, spend an overnight in the coffee plantations of Arusha before continuing their journey to the Serengeti. I took the Emirates flight EK 0725 (departs Dubai at 10:50 AM and reaches Dar at 15:15). There are Lots of options for overnight stays in Dar, including international chains which are recommended.
The next morning I took a flight from Dar es Salaam to Seronara and used Precision Air. The lodge helped out in sorting all the internal flights which was really helpful and convenient.

The flight really builds your excitement. Low cruising altitude doubles-up as a scenic flight and you get a first taster of what awaits you on this journey, dreamy landscapes, large herds of wildbeast, zebras and other seen from the sky.
Landing in Seronera, you are literally landing in the middle of the Serengeti on a dirt road tarmac, no passport control here!

Pick up from the airstrip is organized by the lodge, immaculate service as you step out of the plane, cold towels and refreshments of all kinds. I have found Serengeti.

The Serengeti journey starts as you are leaving from the airstrip and cross the gates of the national park. no roads here, and priority for crossing is for impalas, gazelles and other zebras.
It’s a 1 hour game drive to the lodge and I was fortunate enough to see my first pride of lions about 15 mins on the road. I knew that I was set to experience one of the most intense and surreal experiences I have ever been on. Mind you, you are not in a zoo, so any sightings of wild animals are not guaranteed, this is what makes it even more exciting!

While National Geographic had given me a taste of the world, the three-dimensional details of this moment – the tickle of the rain drops, the suck sound of my feet in the mud, the challenge of getting photographs of the elephants, lions and zebras, my immature urge to make the driver wait even longer because I was impatient – would feed me for years to come.

The Lodge

If you are looking for a ‘best kept secret’ kind of thing category adventure luxury escape, you shouldn’t think twice and book HERE. I’ve taken the privileged to direct you straight to the booking page only because you’ve found it.

Four Seasons Serengeti opened its doors in 2012 with 70 rooms designed in contemporary African designs and includes two active wildlife watering holes for viewing at peak times, it’s location is within the Serengeti National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The lodge is designed in a way that every one is welcomed. Families with kids, couples even solo travelers. The suite dreams! Throughout my travels, I have grown very fond of the FS brand and it never disappoints.

It’s not easy feeling safe in the plains, however, in 4 years, I have never slept as well as I did at the lodge. There is a great sense of safety and familiarity with the room, the property and the staff that makes this property so special and close to home. Eventually, we became one family. It’s the impeccable training and the heart warm smile and care that made it so hard to ever let go.

Reasons you will love it? Your private pool deck facing the plains, the contemporary African design, the stillness and peace and most of all the luxury of it all, whether it’s time away, being in nature or the lodge itself.

Facilities

Let’s take a look at the Spa treatments before going through the dining. On my 3rd day at Four Seasons Serengeti, I had some free time to explore the hotel and the spa treatments and some needed R&R especially after a 12 hour safari road trip I took with the hotel. The favorite that seems to be popular among guest is the Kifaa Massage which is 90 minutes and happens to be the hotel’s signature treatment.

There are 2 restaurants and 2 lounges. A choice from Kula’s and Boma Grill with African cuisine or my favorite one that happen to be sundowner lounge.

Most of the time, I spend my days out off site activities and spent one day by the infinity pool overlooking an active watering hole frequented by elephants.

There are many on-site and off-site activities to choose from. All of my tours were pre-booked and paid for before I arrived. I didn’t waste any time. I did the Ngorongoro Crater game drive, the Mara River Game Drive and the morning balloon safari. The price per person doesn’t come cheap, but that is exactly what I was here to do. Gain experience and open my eyes to a different world.

No matter the cost.

The world’s best-known wildlife sanctuary and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park measures close to 14,763 square kilometers (5,700 square miles), and Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti, Tanzania, is nestled in the heart of it all.

I have not always chosen the safest path. I’ve made my mistakes, plenty of them. I sometimes jump too soon and fail to appreciate the consequences. But I’ve learned something important along the way: I’ve learned to heed the call of my heart. I’ve learned that the safest path is not always the best path and I’ve learned that the voice of fear is not always to be trusted. The journey to Serengeti was one of the most rewarding trip I’ve taken to this date. I wouldn’t have picked a safer place other than The Four Seasons Lodge Serengeti. This was one decision I always go back to!

Best time to go
December to March and June to October are the best times to visit weather-wise. But you’ll also want to time your trip with the migration (best one can that is), so be sure to check in with the concierge or a safari coordinator to confirm there will be plenty of wildlife viewing when you’re there

Why stay at The Four Seasons Lodge Serengeti?

The Four Seasons Serengeti Lodge has given me a sense of safety and a controlled environment in the most luxurious way. Swahili guards stationed in front of every building block with flashlights at night to make sure you get to and from your room safely. With a state of the art discovering center with parts of it being a museum, you will learn everything you ever need to know about the Serengeti. To end your stay, make sure you take the 4am Serengeti Sunrise Balloon Safari.

Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti Tanzania
Central Serengeti, Serengeti National Park, P.O. Box 14321
Arusha
Tel. +255 768 981 981

Starting price at $1,192 a night. Stay 3 nights and the 4th one is free.

Traveled solo

Information on Vaccines

You can follow the link here http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/tanzania