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Lantern-lit lounge terrace at Ndutu Safari Lodge overlooking the Serengeti plains at dusk

Ridge collection · Serengeti

Ndutu Safari Lodge

Thatched cottages above Lake Ndutu, close to the southern Serengeti's resident predators

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Collection
Ridge · Mid-range to upper mid-range
Destination
Serengeti
Area
Ndutu, Southern Serengeti
Style
Stone-and-thatch lodge
Best months
Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Jan, Feb

About Ndutu Safari Lodge

Ndutu Safari Lodge sits in the southern Serengeti, where the short-grass plains meet acacia woodland and the shallow waters of Lake Ndutu. It is a permanent lodge, built from stone and finished with thatch, so it feels rooted in the landscape rather than set down on top of it.

The setting suits travellers who want to stay in one area long enough to read it. Resident lions, cheetahs and hyenas live here beyond the migration months, and the surrounding plains give guides plenty of ground to search on any given morning, whatever the herds are doing.

Back at the lodge, the mood is warm and a little rustic. Guests gather on a lantern-lit terrace as the light fades, and the evenings tend to end early, with the plains quiet around you and an early game drive waiting at dawn. It is a restful finish to a day spent searching for cats on the plains.

  • Thirty-four stone-and-thatch cottages overlooking Lake Ndutu
  • Lantern-lit lounge terrace with views across the plains at dusk
  • Private verandas, well suited to binoculars and a cold drink
  • Garden paths lined with aloe plants between the cottages
  • Wildebeest wire-art sculptures that give the dining room character
  • Position for resident predators outside the migration months

Setting

The lodge looks out over Lake Ndutu and the open plains of the southern Serengeti. Garden paths wind between the cottages, planted with aloes that suit the dry, bright climate. Acacia woodland and grassland meet around the water, which makes for varied game drives and good light in the early morning and late afternoon. Expect wide skies, big sunsets and a real feeling of space.

Rooms and tents

Guests stay in individual stone-and-thatch cottages, each with an en-suite bathroom. Photographs show private verandas facing the plains, which is where most people end up with binoculars once the day's drive is done. Interiors are comfortable rather than showy, in keeping with the lodge's characterful mid-range style. Ask us about family arrangements or specific cottage preferences and we will check them with the lodge.

Dining

Meals are taken in the lodge's full-service restaurant, with a breakfast buffet laid out beneath wildebeest wire-art sculptures on the walls. Lunches and dinners typically follow a set rhythm that fits around early starts and late returns from the plains. Evenings often begin with drinks on the terrace by lantern light. If you have dietary needs, tell us before you travel so we can pass them on.

Things to do from here

  • Morning and afternoon game drives across the southern plains
  • Photography outings for big cats and plains game
  • Sundowners on the lounge terrace
  • Birdwatching around Lake Ndutu
  • Unhurried time on your own veranda

When to stay

Ndutu works throughout the year because its predators stay put, but the herds shape the experience. The southern plains are usually busiest with wildebeest and zebra from roughly December to March, around the calving season, and January and February are among the destination's best months. July to October is the dry season and a strong time for the wider Serengeti. The long rains, roughly March to May, bring green plains, fewer visitors and some muddy tracks.

Good to know

  • The migration herds move through the southern plains seasonally, so ask us how your dates line up with their usual pattern.
  • Wildlife is wild and sightings cannot be guaranteed, though resident predators give the area appeal outside the main herd months.
  • Lemala arranges your transfers and game drives. Ask us to confirm any extras such as laundry or drinks packages.

Gallery

Inside Ndutu Safari Lodge

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