Upper Grumeti Woodlands

At a Glance

Must See Tourist Attractions

• Diverse Bird species

• Primates (spot the colobus monkey)

• High concentration of giraffes

• Hippopotamus pods

• Majestic fish eagles

• Abundant resident wildlife

• Leopards

• Acacia woodlands

• Gallery forests

Size

± 800 square miles (± 2,072 km²)

Landscape

Gallery forests, acacia woodlands, and riverine areas

Main Species

Giraffes, hippopotamus, crocodiles, African elephant, buffalos, topi, Thomson’s gazelle, impala, lion, leopard, black and white colobus monkey, African fish eagle, woodlands kingfisher

The Wonder of the Wild & Surrounds

A must on your itinerary is a visit to the Upper Grumeti Woodlands. Apart from the country's stunning landscapes, incredible wildlife, and rich cultural heritage, it is just one of the reasons why Tanzania is a must-visit destination.

Journey with us into the heart of Tanzania, where a 30 mile (50 km) stretch of the westward-flowing Grumeti River runs through the western corridor and drains into the Speke Gulf of Lake Victoria, one of the largest lakes in Africa.

Just northwest of Lobo Valley lies the rich ecosystem of Upper Grumeti, where the river's life-giving waters provide a permanent home to a diversity of animals and plants.

With our tailored Tanzania safari packages, you can explore the woodlands by taking a scenic drive, approximately two hours, along the game loop. The U-shaped loop diverges at Lobo and meanders north-westerly along the banks of the Grumeti River before returning to its starting point.

The seasonal river is the first hurdle in front of the migratory herds. Although not as popular as the Mara River crossing, it is just as spectacular. During a short one- or two-week window between May and June, the herds tackle the dangerous crossing urged by their internal compass to reach the northern regions of promised grazing.

You can feel the tension and fear as wildebeest, zebras, and antelopes leap into the crocodile-infested waters, one of the top 20 deadliest animals, driven by their need to find the promised land. Crocodiles lay in anticipation at the opportunity to feast after months of fasting.

Although this remote area is not as popular as the crowded crossing in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, it remains the reason why the Serengeti is considered one of the best safaris in Tanzania.

The Diverse Geography

We discover Africa's best-kept secret, Upper Grumeti Woodlands, and why traveling to the North Serengeti  is really worthwhile.

The river flows for about three to four months of the year during the wet season. As the dry season sets in, the river has small to large pools of water where animals gather in groups to quench their thirst and relish in a cooling wallow in the muddy waters.

Here on the sandy river bank of the seasonal Grumeti River, you can find a variety of woodlands:

• Gallery forests 

• Acacia woodlands

• Riverine areas

The lush gallery forest contrasts with the golden fields of the open grasslands. It is home to a range of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants that offer microhabitats for a range of species. Some common trees that flourish in this area include fig trees, tamarind trees, sausage trees, mahogany trees, and palm trees.

Woodlands are home to different species of acacia trees, including the whistling Thorn, Paper-Bark, Green Thorn, and Flood Plain Acacia. Each provides a food supply to different levels of browsers. But with so many animals feeding off the tender leaves, the herbivores are seen as the enemy, and the trees have created a canny defense mechanism to protect themselves against overgrazing.

Apart from the long spiny thorns, trees pump lethal amounts of tannin into the leaves, making them bitter and sending signals to surrounding trees of the nearby imposing threat, forcing animals to find other food sources further away. 

Some trees, like the whistling thorn, reward the resident ants with sweet nectar in return for protecting them against animals feeding on their leaves.  

Our experienced tour guides know the magical secrets of the land. They will show you the wonders of nature like you have never seen before and take you on an adventure along the lush banks of the river that offer refuge to many species.

The Majestic Wildlife

Grumeti Woodlands, where the wild roams free, is not short of animals. It’s one of the best places for wildlife photography and provides tourists with hours of game viewing from the apex predators, the lion, leopards, elephants, giraffes, primates, birds, and many more. 

Friendly giraffes compete with the monkeys for the sweet, tender leaves of the new season. Upper Grumeti Woodlands has a large concentration of giraffes, thanks to the abundant food source available. These elegant Maasai giraffes are Tanzania's proud national animal

Did you know that the Maasai giraffe is one of four different species of giraffes in the world?

One giraffe can consume up to 75 pounds (34 kg) of foliage a day by wrapping its dexterous 18-inch (45 cm) long tongue around the leaves. 

They eat leaves, flowers, and fruits of trees and shrubs, but their favorite food is the leaves and shoots of acacia trees. Their long necks can reach 6 - 8 feet (1.8 – 2.4 m), which helps them reach for those tender, succulent top leaves in trees. 

The gallery forests are also a great place to spot some primates. You may even spot the shy black and white colobus monkeys warming themselves after a cool evening. They are folivores and, depending on seasonal food, feed on young leaves, bark, seeds, flowers, and fruits.

Also found in the canopies are social groups of vervet monkeys and olive baboons, where they spend their time feeding, grooming, and raising their young.

Witness the iconic great migration passing through the Upper Grumeti Woodlands as July brings an influx of ungulated game to the region as they travel northwards towards the Mara River.

Birdwatching in Upper Grumeti Woodlands Serengeti is another big draw card for bird lovers. Make sure to bring your bird guide and binoculars to spot the incredible diversity of hundreds of avian species. The birds are most active during the cooler periods of morning and afternoon.

Herbivores 

Hippopotamus

Elephant

Giraffe

Buffalo

Topi

Wildebeest

Zebra

Impala

Gazelles

Olive Baboons 

Vervet monkeys

Black and white colobus monkey

Predators

Lions

Leopard

Cheetahs

Crocodiles

Birds

Little Spotted Woodpecker

Ashy Flycatcher

Grey Olive Greenbul

Red-capped Robbin Chat

Madagascar Bee-eater

African Paradise Flycatcher

Barefaced Go-away Bird

Brown Parrot

African Green Pigeon

Violet-backed Starling

Egyptian Goose

Great Egrets

Goliath Heron

Yellow-billed Stork

African Fish Eagle

African Hawk-eagle

White Back Vultures

Ruppel’s Griffon Vulture

Bateleur

Best Time To Visit 

Plan your adventure with our Tanzania travel guide to ensure a seamless journey and find the best time to visit Upper Grumeti Woodlands in Serengeti.

Losing track of time can be easy here. The Woodlands offer so many sites and opportunities to view different wildlife in their natural habitat that time becomes irrelevant. So, make sure to book enough time to enjoy everything the Serengeti National Park has to offer.

The park has so much to offer, and each area is uniquely different. Find out the best time to visit the Upper Grumeti Woodlands.

Getting There

For those who love the thrill of a road safari, Tanzania’s leading safari tours offer guided drives to the Upper Grumeti Woodlands. Getting there involves a combination of air travel and road trips.

Air travel is the fastest way to reach the lush river banks of the Grumeti woodlands. The three main gateways to access the Serengeti are flying to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam, or Arusha Airport (ARK).

From here, you can take a chartered or domestic flight to the closest airstrip, Lobo Airstrip, in the North Serengeti. From the airstrip, Tanzania Safaris provide 4WD transfers to lodges and guided safari tours.

• Flights from Kilimanjaro and Arusha take about 1.5 to 2 hours.

• Flights from Dar es Salaam take about 3 hours.

For those seeking to fully immerse themselves in the adventure of traveling across the wilderness to be rewarded by the treasures of the Upper Grumeti Woodlands, travel by road is your option.

The scenic drive takes 8 to 10 hours via the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. 

We highly recommend booking your trip with us as certain roads become inaccessible during the rainy season.

Lodging Near Upper Grumeti Woodlands

Attractions Near Upper Grumeti Woodlands

• Serengeti National Park

• North Serengeti

• Lobo Valley

• Mara River

• Lamai Triangle

• Wogakuria

• Bologonja Springs