Serengeti Under Canvas is for those drawn to something more instinctive. Here, the wild is not a backdrop. It’s part of every moment. The distant call of lion at night. The orchestrated movement of herds at first light. The sense that nothing is fixed, and everything is evolving around you. Out here, there are no permanent structures. And no distractions. Just canvas, wilderness and the feeling of being exactly where you should be.
Set on private campsites in remote areas of the Serengeti National Park, each camp hosts just nine canvas tents, creating a sense of space, stillness and seclusion. Throughout the year, the two mobile camps relocate across the park, carefully positioned to anticipate the movement of the Great Migration. From river crossings in the north and west to the calving season in the south, each location is chosen to bring you closer to the rhythm of the herds.
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Explore where the camps move
Life under canvas carries the romance of early exploration, shaped by a level of comfort that feels both generous and luxurious. A private butler anticipates each day’s details. Chandeliers, crystal and silverware catch the light at dinner. Custom-made rugs, polished brass samovars and large, comfortable beds soften life in the wild with a sense of ease and elegance. Each tent includes an ensuite flushing WC, an outdoor heated bucket shower and all the thoughtful comforts that make the experience effortless.
Guest areas invite both connection and pause, with a dedicated sitting and dining tent looking out across the plains. By day, it’s a place to return to between safari game drives, to reflect, read or simply take in the vastness around you. By night, the mood shifts. Hearty cuisine is served beneath the stars, paired with crystal and silver.
Each day begins and ends with time in the wild, guided by expert &Beyond-trained guides who read the landscape so naturally. In between, the experience deepens. Rest in the shade. Watch the plains shift in colour. Let time stretch a little longer than expected. As night falls, the Serengeti reveals another side. Stories shared around the fire. A sky full of stars. The sounds of Africa.
Sleeping under canvas, surrounded by wildlife, heightens every sense. But it never feels uncertain. With expert guiding, thoughtful camp design and a team that anticipates every detail, you’re free to settle into the experience, knowing you’re in safe and capable hands.
Serengeti Under Canvas relocates throughout the year to remain close to the Great Migration, offering front-row access to one of the natural world’s most extraordinary journeys.
The herds are usually calving on the short grassy plains in the southern Serengeti. This area is made up of nutrient-rich soil important for the wildebeest and their calves. The diverse ecosystem consists of forested areas, marshes, soda lakes and big open plains.
The animals move in splinter herds through central Serengeti to the western corridor. This is a great time to spend the day out with a picnic lunch watching these large groups move in long lines. Be on the lookout for leopard in central Serengeti, and lion near Grumeti.
Splinter herds usually congregate in the western corridor before moving north. Depending on the season and amount of rain, these large masses of animals can be seen from &Beyond Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge, crossing the Grumeti River towards the northern Serengeti.
The big herds congregate in northern Serengeti and the Masai Mara. Following the rain, the herds cross over to the Masai Mara and then often return to the Serengeti. This continues for a number of months. There are over 10 common river crossing points where this takes place.
The migration herds are on the move again making their way past Grumeti or straight down to the central Serengeti. Often breaking away, they may even move south via the eastern, western and central Serengeti. The herds all move at different paces with many going through the Lobo area towards the southern plains.