The Art Lodge
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
- 26 guests
- 12 bedrooms
- 12+ beds
- 12 bathrooms
There are safari lodges, and then there is The Art Lodge. From the moment a Land Rover begins its winding climb through the wooded hills of the Grumeti corridor, with your guide pointing "up there," something quite extraordinary comes into view: imposing curved stone walls lit by lanterns, enclosing a pair of monumental hand-carved wooden doors. The first impression is, as one French writer put it, of the ruins of Great Zimbabwe rendered in some new and contemporary language. It is, in fact, a fortress of art.
The lodge was conceived around the private collection of its founders, Xavier Marie and Julie Brisson, whose love affair with the work of South African sculptor Zizipho Poswa set them on a path of acquisition that would eventually populate every corner of the building. More than forty-five original works of African art, sculpture and furniture animate the lodge, by names that read like a who's-who of the continent's contemporary scene: Jean Servais Somian's elegant wood carvings from Côte d'Ivoire, Adam Birch's sculptural seats coaxed from the discarded forks of fallen indigenous trees, the cult portraiture of Zanele Muholi, the playful leather lion-pod 'John' by Porky Hefer, the burnished hand-coiled ceramics of Madoda Fani, and the Nyala chairs of Ethiopian designer Jomo Tariku, whose Afrofuturist work was celebrated in the stage designs for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Walls hung with Thandiwe Muriri's vivid Kenyan portraiture, furniture by South African polymath Rich Mnisi and by Chuma Maweni rooted in Zulu and Xhosa tradition: the result is not a hotel that happens to display art, but an immersive cultural setting in which contemporary African creativity and the safari experience are inseparable.
The architecture matches the ambition of the collection. Within the fortress walls, sweeping curves and noble materials, locally sourced teak, banana palm and Tanzanian onyx, open onto a dazzling twenty-two-by-four-metre infinity pool clad in white and gold Moroccan zellige tiles whose diamond pattern echoes the geometry of Maasai shields. The main areas comprise a lobby lounge, an indoor lounge and bar, a generous outdoor terrace lounge with 180-degree views, and a firepit boma set beneath a Marula tree. Meals can be taken indoors, on the shaded veranda, or fully open-air. A small but well-appointed gym, fitted with Technogym equipment, and a two-treatment-room spa (with one double cabin for couples) complete the central facilities. The lodge runs entirely off-grid, powered by solar panels and battery storage.
The accommodation is generous in scale and meticulous in detail. Eleven Luxury Tented Suites, each 113 square metres, sit on the slope with a 60-square-metre private terrace and lounge area; one Family Tented Suite of 200 square metres comprises two connecting bedrooms separated by a central living space, an 80-square-metre terrace, a shared dressing area, and individual bathrooms, sleeping a family of four in considerable comfort, with the option to add a single bed in either tent for a child aged five to fifteen. The tents are clad in teak, banana palm and onyx, and every detail, from the freestanding bath and the walk-in wardrobe to the indoor bathroom with shower and the fifteen-square-metre outdoor shower, has been considered in the spirit of luxury rather than rusticity. Of the twelve suites, eight can be configured as either double or twin.
The Art Lodge sits ideally for the Great Migration's passage through the Grumeti corridor in May and June, and again as the herds return south between September and November. From the suites, the pool deck or the terrace, the spectacle unfolds across the plains below; from the safari vehicle, a custom-restored Land Rover bringing back the timeless charm of the classic safaris of old, guests are placed at the heart of it. The Art Lodge is best suited to travellers who seek not only the wildlife of the Serengeti, but the deeper cultural conversation that Africa is having with itself, and who enjoy an idea of safari in which design, art and adventure are equal partners.
Amenities
Living Spaces
The Art Lodge gathers itself within imposing curved stone walls, behind monumental hand-carved double doors, around a sequence of considered indoor and outdoor living spaces. The lobby lounge introduces the collection of African art that defines the property, while the indoor lounge and bar offers a quieter setting in the cool of the day. The outdoor terrace lounge stretches across the front of the lodge with 180-degree views over the plains, and a boma and firepit set beneath a Marula tree become the natural gathering point after sunset. Within each Luxury Tented Suite, a private lounge area opens onto the 60-square-metre terrace; the Family Tented Suite includes a central living room set between two bedrooms.
Bedrooms & Laundry
Eleven Luxury Tented Suites and one Family Tented Suite make up the accommodation, each clad in locally sourced teak, banana palm and Tanzanian onyx. The Luxury Tented Suites measure 113 square metres internally with a 60-square-metre private terrace and lounge area; the Family Tented Suite measures 200 square metres with an 80-square-metre terrace and offers two bedrooms separated by a central living space, with a shared dressing area between them. An additional single bed for a child aged five to fifteen can be added on request, and eight of the twelve suites can be configured as double or twin. Beds are dressed with care, every suite is appointed with ceiling fans, two-way radios, safes, international power outlets and USB ports, and a complimentary laundry service is offered throughout the stay.
Kitchen & Dining
Dining follows the Laba Laba Signature philosophy of tasty, healthy, and where possible organic cooking, a deliberate choice, as Co-founder Xavier Marie has put it, never to support the industrial and chemical agriculture that poisons land and biodiversity. Meals are served full-board and accompanied by premium-brand alcohol, with the sole exception of Champagne. Guests may take meals within the indoor dining area, on the shaded veranda, or in any of the lodge's fully open-air settings, with bush breakfasts and sundowner cocktails included on private game drives as guests wish, and a picnic lunch provided on full-day game drives. Special dietary requirements are warmly accommodated when arranged in advance.
Bathrooms
Each Luxury Tented Suite enjoys a walk-in wardrobe, an indoor bathroom with shower and bathtub, and a fifteen-square-metre outdoor shower. The Family Tented Suite includes two individual bathrooms (each with shower and WC), a freestanding bath, and an outside shower, all linked by a shared dressing area between the two bedrooms. Healing Earth organic toiletries are provided in every suite, and hairdryers are available in-room.
Entertainment
The lodge's days are composed around the safari itself, with private game drives in custom-restored Land Rovers, walking safaris in season, and the slow theatre of the Great Migration sweeping across the plains below. For quieter moments, the lodge becomes its own form of entertainment: more than forty-five original works of contemporary African art and sculpture are housed throughout the building, from the Sentinels furniture collection in the lounge to Porky Hefer's lion-pod, Madoda Fani's coiled ceramics, and the photography of Zanele Muholi and Thandiwe Muriri. A two-treatment-room spa, a Technogym-equipped gym and a twenty-two-by-four-metre infinity pool clad in Moroccan zellige tiles complete the picture. Wi-Fi is available in the tented suites and main areas.
Heating & Cooling
Each tented suite is equipped with ceiling fans. The lodge runs entirely off-grid, powered by solar panels and battery storage, with fleece blankets and lined rain ponchos provided in the safari vehicles for cooler early mornings and the occasional rains.
Internet & Office
Wi-Fi is available throughout the tented suites and the main areas of the lodge. Each suite is equipped with international power outlets, USB ports, and a two-way radio for communication across the property. A safe is provided in every suite for personal valuables.
Location Features
The Art Lodge stands in the western corridor of the Serengeti, on a wooded hilltop within the Grumeti region of the greater Serengeti and Mara ecosystem, one of the most preserved and confidential reaches of the wider park. The lodge is accessed via Grumeti Airstrip, with a thirty-five-minute road transfer that, as the team likes to point out, becomes the first game drive of the stay. The Great Migration passes through the corridor in May and June and again, returning south, between September and November, placing the lodge at the heart of one of the year's most dramatic wildlife movements. Annual closure runs from 15 March to 14 May (2027 to 2028), with the 2026 to 2027 closure running from 15 March to 31 May.
Outdoor Spaces
Each Luxury Tented Suite enjoys a private terrace and lounge area of around 60 square metres, framed by uninterrupted views over the plains; the Family Tented Suite extends this to an 80-square-metre terrace. At the centre of the lodge, the twenty-two-by-four-metre infinity pool, clad in white and gold Moroccan zellige tiles patterned to echo Maasai shields, appears to drop away into the landscape, with an expansive sundeck around it. The outdoor terrace lounge offers 180-degree views, while the boma and firepit beneath a Marula tree become the gathering point at dusk. Open-air dining is available throughout.
Parking
Parking is not applicable at The Art Lodge. Access is by scheduled or chartered light aircraft to Grumeti Airstrip, with a thirty-five-minute road transfer included in the Game Package. A road transfer to LABA Out of Africa at Seronera, with coffee break or packed lunch, can be arranged at USD 400 per vehicle (up to six guests).
Gallery
Location
Essential Information
Home Policies
Reservations at The Art Lodge are confirmed upon receipt of written confirmation and payment of a twenty per cent non-refundable deposit, with the balance due no later than thirty days prior to arrival (2026 to 2027), or forty-five days prior to arrival under the 2027 to 2028 terms. Bookings made within forty-five days of arrival require full payment at the point of confirmation, and group bookings of three suites or more require full payment sixty days in advance.
Cancellations must be made in writing and are charged according to the following schedule: more than sixty days before arrival, twenty per cent; between thirty and fifty-nine days, fifty per cent; and within twenty-nine days of arrival, one hundred per cent. For group bookings of three suites or more, these thresholds extend to one hundred and twenty days, one hundred and nineteen to sixty days, and fifty-nine days or fewer respectively.
No refunds are given for unused services, lost travel time, amendments made after travel has commenced, no-shows or late arrivals, early departures, or any circumstances beyond the property's control which may affect the itinerary. Any change of travel dates or postponement is treated as a cancellation and is subject to the charges above; in exceptional circumstances (force majeure, medical emergencies or airline disruptions), the property may at its sole discretion offer a credit note for future travel.
Extras at the property may be settled by cash, Visa, Mastercard, or American Express. All bank charges and transfer fees on the principal booking are for the account of the client. The property reserves the right to amend or cancel arrangements in the event of force majeure, including acts of God, weather conditions, civil unrest, pandemics, government actions or any other event beyond its reasonable control. Travel to remote wilderness involves inherent risks, and guests are reminded that personal travel and medical insurance is required throughout the stay.
The lodge closes annually from 15 March to 14 May.
Location & Getting Around
The Art Lodge stands in the western corridor of the Serengeti, in the Grumeti region of the greater Serengeti and Mara ecosystem. Access is via Grumeti Airstrip, with a thirty-five-minute road transfer that doubles as the first game drive of the stay; the transfer is included in the Game Package.
Charter flights can be arranged on request from any major Tanzanian hub, and our concierge team is on hand to coordinate every leg of the journey. For travellers crossing the broader park, a road transfer to the Out of Africa Legend lodge at Seronera, with coffee break or packed lunch, can be arranged at USD 400 per vehicle (up to six guests).
For longer journeys through Tanzania, your Grand Key concierge can pair The Art Lodge with stays at Simba House (Arusha), The Crater Lodge (Ngorongoro), The Wanderer's Camp (the Great Migration), Karen's Camp at Out of Africa Legend (Serengeti), Jongomero Bush Manor (Ruaha), The Selous Camp (Nyerere) or Fanjove Island (Songo Songo Archipelago).
Luggage allowance is typically fifteen kilograms or twenty kilograms per guest, including carry-on, depending on the airline, with soft bags recommended. Laundry is complimentary throughout your stay.
House Rules
The minimum age at The Art Lodge is five years. The minimum age for walking safaris is twelve, and walking safaris are conducted on a shared basis with an armed specialist walking guide and an armed TANAPA ranger, subject to TANAPA recommendations on visibility in the bush. Walking safaris accommodate a minimum of two and a maximum of six guests, and can typically be offered from June to mid-February, though the period varies as nature is unpredictable.
Smoking and naked flames are restricted to designated areas in keeping with bush-fire safety. Guests must be in good general health and reasonably mobile in order to enjoy the lodge and its activities to the full, given the nature of bush travel, the use of safari vehicles and light aircraft, and the hillside setting of the property.
All activities take place at the discretion of lodge management, who reserve the right to make on-the-spot decisions based on weather conditions, wildlife behaviour and guest safety. Wildlife sightings on excursions cannot be guaranteed, as nature remains unpredictable.
All international guests are offered Flying Doctors emergency evacuation cover at an additional cost (USD 15 per person), and all guests are required to hold personal travel and medical insurance for the duration of their stay.
Experiences Nearby
The Game Package, in addition to full-board accommodation, includes two activities each day from a generous choice. Guests may take two private game drives (morning and afternoon) in fully restored custom-fitted Land Rovers, accompanied by a dedicated guide; a full-day private game drive with picnic lunch; or one private game drive paired with a walking safari (for guests aged twelve and over, conducted with an armed specialist walking guide and an armed TANAPA ranger). Private game drives include bush breakfasts and sundowner cocktails as guests wish, and the safari vehicles themselves are equipped with a cool box of chilled refreshments, binoculars, international and USB chargers, fleece blankets and lined rain ponchos.
The lodge is ideally positioned for the Great Migration's passage through the Grumeti corridor in May and June, and the herds' return south between September and November, the ecosystem's most exhilarating moments, observed from front-row seats.
A wider menu of experiences may be arranged at supplement. The Hot Air Balloon Safari over the Serengeti, with a Champagne celebration, bush breakfast and the traditional flight certificate, is available from 15 May to 31 October (USD 599 per person, including children aged seven to fifteen). The Spa offers two treatment rooms (including one double cabin for couples), and honeymooners are welcomed with a complimentary massage for two, à la carte from the spa menu. From June 2027, professional photography equipment, a Canon EOS 1D X Mark III with a 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, a Manfrotto XPRO+ monopod, and a PC for image processing, is available for hire at USD 300 per day, with a professional photography guide bookable at USD 350 per day, both subject to advance request at the time of booking.
For longer journeys through Tanzania, your Grand Key concierge can pair The Art Lodge with stays at Simba House (Arusha), The Crater Lodge (Ngorongoro), The Wanderer's Camp (the Great Migration), Karen's Camp at Out of Africa Legend (Serengeti), Jongomero Bush Manor (Ruaha), The Selous Camp (Nyerere) or Fanjove Island (Songo Songo Archipelago).
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