atravelynn

Certainly when price is factored in. Or is it not west enough to see animals in the Grumeti River?

ShayTay

I think the Sopa is south of the Seronera area. It's getting harder and harder to say with any certainty where the Migration will be at any one time, but "usually" it will be further west and north. I'd look for something closer to those areas. The Serena and Wildlife Lodge would be closer to those areas. Then, there are permanent and seasonal tented camps.

Calo

Lynn, you can game drive your way from the Sopa to the Grumeti River. Having said that, my experience has been that the Grumeti can be pretty dry in late June/early July. If you're looking to keep costs down, have you investigated Ikoma Bush Camp? I think they'd be situated better than the Sopa at that time of year. I haven't stayed there myself. It's a Moivaro property (no, I'm not affiliated):
http://www.moivaro.com/pages/ikoma_bush_camp/lodge.htm

I've stayed at Kirawira and Mbalageti = <i>not</i> what you want to keep costs down!

sandi

The Sopa price is no doubt attractive, and as we all know, can't know where the herds will be, but the Sopa is quite a distance (south) from the Grumeti River.

I'd focus on the Seronera area = Serena, Wildlife, Mbuzi Mawe or seasonal camps; if not in the Western corridor, if you can afford the camp prices here.

But then, there's always mobile camping on private camp sites.

atravelynn

Grumeti dry by July or even earlier? Now that's something to consider in visiting Western Serengeti.

Thanks for all the comments.

sandi

FWIW, Amount of water in the Grumeti always depends on the rains. Last time I was ('06) in June, the river was running so hi, we couldn't cross by vehicle, had to use the suspension bridge (and I hate these, but gotten used to them).

Calo

Yes, please note that I was referring to the 2 times I've been in early July re: low levels of water in the Grumeti River. As with the migration, everything depends on the rains as Sandi says.