April 2025

Singita Grumeti & Lamai

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Singita Grumeti & Lamai: April 2025

April is usually known for heavy rains, but this year the rains were lighter than they had been in the past four years. Instead of strong storms, we had soft showers with clear skies in between. The ground stayed green and full of life. Wildflowers began to bloom across the plains, bright yellows, purples, and whites adding beautiful colours to the landscape. It looked like a painting, with flowers stretching as far as the eye could see. This made it a perfect time for guests to go out and enjoy the landscape and plains game. Animals were everywhere, zebras, topis, gazelles, and elands filled the open areas. Elephants walked slowly across the hills and plains, while giraffes moved between the trees, enjoying the fresh leaves. The lighter rains also meant better road conditions. Guests could travel easily and see more wildlife in a single day. Each morning brought cool, fresh air as the sun rose, perfect for early game drives. In the afternoons, clouds sometimes gathered, but the rain was light and didn’t last long.
Predators were active too and stayed close to the herds, always looking for hunting opportunities. The mix of sunshine, wildflowers, and gentle rain created beautiful skies and stunning sunsets. With such perfect weather and so many animals around, April gave our guests an unforgettable safari experience. Each day felt special, full of amazing sights and moments to remember.
April sightings snapshot for Grumeti:
Lions:
April was full of thrilling lion activities, with sightings of six different prides across the concession. The presence of these majestic cats brought excitement to every corner of the reserve, making it a fantastic month for game viewing. A special highlight was seeing five out of the six prides feeding on buffalo kills, an impressive display of strength, strategy, and teamwork.
  • Kombre Pride gave us some great sightings along the Kombre drainage, near Arab Camp Road, and even close to Sasakwa Airstrip. They were also seen up on Sasakwa hill and around Serengeti House, often resting or keeping an eye on the plains below.
  • Butamtam Pride didn’t move much this month, they stayed in the central areas, from Sasakwa Dam to the southern side of Koroya hill. The new males seem fully settled now, clearly claiming the territory as their own. Their presence has brought stability to the pride, and they looked strong and healthy.
  • Ridge Pride was seen quite a few times up in the Sasakwa hill, along Villa Access Road, along Mak Link and around Ridge hill. They moved around the hill during the night and kept away in the day.
  • Sabora Pride stayed close to the camp and gave us plenty of good moments. They were often spotted around Sabora drainage, near Nyuki BB site, Morum Pit area, and along the Sabora Access Road. Guests at the camp enjoyed watching them relaxing and moving through the area.
  • Nyasirori Pride made a return this April after been away in the Serengeti National Park for about two months. It was great to see them again, all members looked well fed, strong, and in good condition.
Leopards:
April certainly did not disappoint when it came to leopard sightings. Our guests were treated with some unforgettable moments, with leopards continuing to thrive, especially in the eastern parts of the concession. The tall grasses still dominate the landscape, encouraging these elusive cats to climb trees. From watching them draped elegantly across branches to witnessing their graceful descents, it’s been a privilege to share such breath-taking encounters with our visitors.
  • Mbogo drainage female and her two cubs had gone missing for two months and we saw all three animals in their territory and in good shape. The two cubs have grown close to their mother’s height now.
  • Raho female was seen alone in mid-month walking from Serengeti Road heading to Raho drainage.
  • A male was seen near German Bridge and more interestingly he was feeding on a civet!
  • Another big male was seen lying up in the balanitis tree along Eagle Nest drainage.
  • A shy male was observed up in the tree on the open plains north of Sabora camp. He seemed new in the area and may be establishing his territory.
  • A male was seen with a warthog kill in the sausage tree along Sand Road west of Grumeti River.
Cheetahs:
Cheetahs were elusive this month. No doubt sightings will improve as the grass diminishes.
Elephants:
April brought not only rain and greenery, but also a noticeable increase in elephant numbers across the reserve. With plenty of food and water available, herds could be seen roaming freely throughout the concession from the far corners of Ikorongo to the central and western plains. Their peaceful presence and gentle movements added a calm beauty to the vibrant, rain-soaked landscape.
  • Raho drainage, Kawanga, and the Explore sites area had large herds of elephants enjoying the open plains. These giants offered fantastic viewing opportunities.
  • Sabora Plain continued to be one of the best spots for elephant viewing, with larger herds scattered across both sides of the camp. Guests enjoyed watching families of elephants move slowly across the plains, often with playful calves in tow.
  • In Ikorongo, both east and west of Bangwesi hill, decent herds were seen moving between the woodlands and open clearings. Their slow, steady movements created wonderful scenes, especially in the soft light of morning and late afternoon.
  • The central areas of the reserve also had very large herd movements. Sasakwa and Nyati plains, Kombre drainage, and Mazingira hosted medium sized herds, often seen moving quietly across the green landscape.
  • There were also herds seen in front of Faru Faru Lodge, Grumeti River, Grumeti north and Mbogo drainage which was the highlight of guests at Faru Faru Lodge in the month.
Buffalos:
With just a small amount of rain in April, the Grumeti plains turned greener and greener, providing the buffalo with an abundance of fresh grass. This rich supply of food allowed the herds to grow stronger, healthier, and more active. Their presence across the concession was impressive, creating countless memorable wildlife experiences for all who ventured out.
  • Sasakwa plain had the largest herd of the month, moving gracefully around Sasakwa Dam, Koroya, Pundamilia hills, Chui Link, and the Old School area. The sheer number of buffalo in this region created an unforgettable experience throughout the month.
  • A very large herd was frequently seen across Fisi plain, Sabora Camp, Rubana Link, and the Raho drainage. These groups were often seen grazing peacefully in the open plains.
  • A large herd was recorded moving along Grumeti West, the German Bridge, Balloon Lodge site, Romoti area and Grumeti River.
  • A small herd was seen west of Faru Faru Lodge, within the Grumeti North area, Biribai, and Mbogo drainage, a more secluded group thriving in the dense vegetation.
  • The Albizia woodland hosted one of the most impressive gatherings, with a very large herd moving through Kombre drainage and into the marsh area, taking full advantage of the moisture-rich grazing grounds.
  • A herd roamed through Gambaranyera plain and near the Explore camps, offering beautiful views of buffalo on these wide, green plains.
  • Lastly, a bachelor herd of bulls stayed close to the Sasakwa Airstrip, feeding throughout the month on the eastern edge of the runway, offering a nice welcome to our visitors on their arrival.
Rhino:
Two animals in the enclosure were observed a few times moving around together on the eastern side of the sanctuary, and both animals are in good condition.