Singita Faru Faru Lodge | Grumeti Reserve
Where its sister property Singita Sasakwa channels the grandeur of a 1920s Edwardian manor from its hilltop perch, Singita Faru Faru Lodge takes an entirely different design path: a chic “botanist’s camp” aesthetic that hugs the banks of the Grumeti River, marrying stone, canvas, wood, and thatch with genuinely clean, contemporary lines.
The result is a lodge that feels considerably less like a grand estate and more like an elegant field station, one that happens to come with two rim-flow infinity pools, a full spa, and suites where elephant and giraffe wander directly past your private deck.
As a travel consultant, I recommend Faru Faru specifically to travelers who want Singita’s exceptional guiding and private-reserve access without the more formal, aristocratic atmosphere of Sasakwa, since its relaxed, natural design sensibility suits a genuinely broader range of travelers, particularly those drawn to a more contemporary, minimalist aesthetic.
Design That Grew Out of Its Surroundings
Opened in 2007, Faru Faru is the newest of Singita’s original Serengeti lodges and the third to open within the reserve, situated in the southern Grumeti Reserve close to the Western Corridor. Positioned roughly 100 metres north of the Grumeti River on a riverside bluff, the lodge’s design takes its cue directly from a 1950s botanist’s field camp, resulting in a minimalist, deliberately understated approach to décor that stands in genuine contrast to some of Singita’s more elaborately “designed” properties elsewhere.
Multiple levels of the lodge follow the natural contours of the riverside bluff into which it’s built, with each level serving as its own viewing platform over the water and surrounding plains below.
Stone-and-glass suites with full-height windows, open-plan interiors blending tactile natural textures with modern Tanzania safari elegance, and oversized windows that quite literally bring the wilderness inside define the overall guest experience, giving Faru Faru a genuinely natural, unforced feel that many guests describe as feeling like home almost immediately upon arrival.
The Suites
Faru Faru holds eight suites in total, each finished in a blend of rock, cloth, and thatch that maintains a genuine “out of Africa” safari feel while delivering the ultimate in contemporary chic: large windows, mirrored room dividers, and claw-foot baths throughout.
A two-bedroom family unit rounds out the accommodation for travelers wanting to stay together, and every room enjoys genuinely private, unobstructed bush views, with early risers able to roll out a yoga mat for a morning session before the day’s first game drive even begins.
Because the lodge sits directly above an active waterhole along the Grumeti River, wildlife viewing here doesn’t require leaving the property at all; guests regularly watch giraffe, elephant, and a wide range of plains game come to drink directly below the dining area and pool deck, an experience that gives Faru Faru a genuinely distinctive, almost effortless intimacy with its surroundings that few other lodges anywhere in the Serengeti ecosystem can match.
Dining Rooted in Singita’s Own Farms
Dining at Faru Faru draws heavily on seasonal menus prepared with organic produce grown on Singita’s own farms, creative, health-conscious dishes tailored to individual dietary needs and preferences, served across a genuine variety of settings, an interactive kitchen, an all-day bar-deli, outdoor dining beneath acacia trees, or intimate meals under star-drenched skies.
The lodge’s café-style bar sits at the social heart of the property, spilling out toward the pool area and firepit and creating a genuinely relaxed, sparkling evening atmosphere quite different from the more formal dining tone found at Sasakwa.
Activities: Genuinely Broader Than a National Park Camp
Faru Faru’s activity menu benefits directly from the reserve’s private status, morning and afternoon game drives in search of the Big Five, guided walks including, during the dry season beginning around July, walks through the dry bed of the Grumeti River itself, bush picnics, stargazing, and dedicated birdwatching. Night safaris offer a genuine glimpse into the lives of the Serengeti’s nocturnal wildlife, an activity unavailable within the boundaries of the public national park.
Riding safaris are also available to Faru Faru guests through the Equestrian Centre at sister property Sasakwa, meaning guests staying at Faru Faru can still access horseback riding across the Serengeti plains despite the stables themselves being based at the neighbouring lodge, a genuine example of how the Grumeti Reserve’s multiple properties work together to expand what any single guest can experience during their stay.
A Front-Row Seat to the Migration
Faru Faru’s location in the southern Grumeti Reserve, close to the Western Corridor, places it directly in the path of the Great Wildebeest Migration during its passage through this specific region, typically visible here between June and August as herds move through on their circuit of the wider ecosystem.
Outside this window, the lodge’s resident wildlife, drawn reliably to the waterhole directly below the property, delivers consistently strong game viewing throughout the rest of the year.
Wellness and Family Facilities
The lodge’s two treatment rooms and two swimming pools support a genuinely comprehensive wellness offering, alongside a fully equipped gym and in-suite yoga mats for guests wanting to start the day with a session before breakfast.
Children of all ages are welcome, with babysitting services available and activities genuinely tailored to suit younger guests, making it considerably easier for families to combine twice-daily game drives with a slower, more restful pace for part of the day when needed.
Conservation Woven Into Every Stay
As with all Singita Grumeti properties, Faru Faru’s operation is inseparable from the reserve’s partnership with the Grumeti Fund, whose work has made significant, measurable contributions to the preservation of the wider Serengeti ecosystem: revitalizing degraded landscape, preventing wildfires, helping numerous threatened species populations recover, and supporting essential, ongoing anti-poaching operations across the entire 350,000-acre concession. A stay at Faru Faru contributes directly to this work, giving the lodge’s relaxed, understated luxury a genuine conservation backbone beneath the surface.
Faru Faru Compared With Its Sister Lodges
| Lodge | Design Character | Best Suited To |
| Singita Sasakwa Lodge | Grand Edwardian manor house, hilltop position | Old-world grandeur, formal elegance, equestrian activities |
| Singita Faru Faru Lodge | Contemporary botanist’s camp, riverside position | Relaxed, minimalist luxury with waterhole wildlife viewing |
| Serengeti House | Intimate four-suite private house | Small groups or families wanting full exclusive-use privacy |
Getting There and Best Time to Visit
Faru Faru is reached the same way as the rest of the Singita Grumeti properties, via a scheduled or chartered flight into the reserve’s own airstrip from Arusha, considerably faster than the roughly eight-hour road transfer alternative. For migration viewing specifically, June through August offers the strongest chance of witnessing herds passing through the Western Corridor near the lodge, while the property’s resident wildlife and its own waterhole make it a genuinely rewarding destination throughout the rest of the year as well.
Why Faru Faru Consistently Earns Repeat Guests
Reviewers who’ve stayed across multiple Serengeti properties consistently single out Faru Faru’s staff and food as genuine standouts, an experience that instantly puts guests at ease, paired with cuisine that draws real, thoughtful attention from returning visitors.
Combined with the waterhole’s near-constant wildlife activity directly below the dining area and pool deck, the lodge delivers a genuinely rare experience: guests can watch a meaningful cross-section of Serengeti wildlife without ever leaving the property, while still having full access to exceptional guided game drives, walks, and night safaris whenever they choose to venture further afield.
This combination of passive, effortless wildlife viewing and genuinely excellent active guiding is precisely what distinguishes Faru Faru from camps that offer one or the other but rarely both in such close proximity, and it’s the single factor I hear cited most often by clients explaining why they’d choose to return.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many suites does Singita Faru Faru Lodge have?
Eight suites plus a two-bedroom family unit, each finished in a blend of stone, cloth, and thatch with a contemporary, minimalist design sensibility.
How is Faru Faru different from Singita Sasakwa?
Faru Faru offers a considerably more relaxed, contemporary “botanist’s camp” aesthetic on the banks of the Grumeti River, while Sasakwa delivers grand, Edwardian manor-house luxury from a hilltop position. Both sit within the same private reserve.
Can I do horseback riding from Faru Faru?
Yes. Riding safaris are offered through the Equestrian Centre at sister property Sasakwa, and the riding facilities are open to guests staying at either lodge.
When is the best time to see the migration from Faru Faru?
Typically June through August, as herds move through the nearby Western Corridor, though the lodge’s own waterhole delivers strong resident wildlife viewing throughout the rest of the year.
Is Faru Faru suitable for families?
Yes. Children of all ages are welcome, with babysitting services available and activities tailored to suit younger guests, and a dedicated two-bedroom family unit is available.
