The Serengeti Golf Course is an 18-hole, par-72 course at Fort Ikoma on the north-western edge of Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. Opened by Tanzania National Parks in October 2026, it lets golfers play a morning round and game drive the same afternoon.
The catch is that the course is so new that green fees, tee-time booking and club hire were still unpublished when we checked in November 2026, and most travel guides have not caught up. This guide pulls together what is confirmed about the course, how to get there, when to go and how a golf club, company or group of friends can build a safari around it.
Photo: Divulge Adventures
Quick Facts
- Location: Fort Ikoma, Serengeti District, Mara Region, just outside Serengeti National Park
- Course: 18 holes, par 72, about 7,097 m on roughly 450 acres
- Opened: 18 October 2026, built and run by Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA)
- Getting there: Charter flight to the airstrip beside the course, or about 6 hours by road from Mwanza
- Green fees: Not yet published (checked November 2026); ask us for current charges
- Best months: June to October for dry weather; June is usually best for herds near the west
- Who it suits: Golf clubs, corporate golf days, incentive trips and groups of friends
Where Is the Serengeti Golf Course?
The Serengeti Golf Course lies at Fort Ikoma in Serengeti District, Mara Region, in the wildlife area that borders Serengeti National Park. It is just outside the park boundary rather than inside the protected area, close to the Fort Ikoma gate on the park’s north-western side.
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That position matters for planning. Because the Serengeti Golf Course sits outside the park, golfers do not need to be inside the national park to play, yet the gate is close enough that a game drive can start within minutes of the last putt. The Fort Ikoma area also opens onto the road towards the central Serengeti and the Western Corridor, two of the most productive game-viewing areas in the ecosystem.
Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) paid for and built the course at a reported cost of about TSh 8.5 billion. According to Tanzanian press reports at the launch, TANAPA sees it as a way to give visitors more reasons to stay longer in the Serengeti, as part of the government’s goal of eight million visitors a year. For official park information, see the Tanzania National Parks website.
Who opened it and when?
The Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Ashatu Kijaji, opened the course on 18 October 2026 and played the opening shot. A launch tournament brought in 81 golfers from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Malawi, with professional, amateur, ladies, seniors and junior divisions. At the opening the minister said she wanted the course to attract African and international tournaments.
What Is the Serengeti Golf Course Like to Play?
The Serengeti Golf Course is a full-length championship layout: 18 holes, par 72 and about 7,097 metres, spread over roughly 450 acres of savannah. Golfers who played it before the launch described a forgiving design with shallow bunkers, smooth and true greens, and thick savannah rough that punishes anything off line.
Photo by Brandon Williams on Unsplash
The Serengeti Golf Course fairways were still maturing when the first golfers played in mid-2026, with irrigation filling in the grass section by section. Expect a course that feels different from a manicured city club: dustier in the dry months, with more bounce and run, and a setting that changes with the seasons. Players who arrive from courses in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam or Kampala should allow a few holes to adjust.
Facilities on the course
Reports from the build and the launch list practice areas, a players’ service building described at the launch as a clubhouse, access roads, power, water reservoirs and an irrigation system. About 4,000 indigenous trees have been planted to frame the holes. There was no published information on a pro shop, buggies or caddies when we checked, so we treat those as things to confirm for each group.
Playing alongside wildlife
Wild animals use the Serengeti Golf Course as part of their home range. Golfers have reported zebras, giraffes, antelopes, wildebeest, buffalo and elephants on and around the fairways, and lions and hyenas can be heard at night from nearby camps. Wildlife has right of way: you wait, you never approach, and you follow course staff. That rule is part of the appeal, and the reason a round here feels nothing like golf at home.
How Do You Get to Fort Ikoma?
You reach the Serengeti Golf Course either by air, on a light aircraft that lands at the airstrip beside the course, or by road. The most common road route for golf groups from the Lake Victoria side is from Mwanza via Bunda, which takes about six hours; from Arusha the drive runs through Ngorongoro and the central Serengeti.
Photo: Divulge Adventures
Flying saves a long day on the road, but light aircraft limit luggage, and golf clubs in a travel case are bulky. For that reason we usually suggest either a private charter, which can carry golf bags, or a road safari in which the clubs travel in the vehicle with you. The road option also lets the group game drive on the way in.
| Route | How long | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Charter flight to the airstrip beside the course | Depends on the departure point | Golf bags, tight schedules and larger budgets |
| Scheduled light aircraft from Arusha to a Serengeti airstrip, then a road transfer | Short flight plus a drive | Small groups who travel light |
| Fly to Mwanza, then drive via Bunda | About 6 hours by road | Groups arriving from the Lake Victoria side or Dar es Salaam |
| Road safari from Arusha via Ngorongoro and the central Serengeti | Usually spread over two days with game drives | Groups who want a full northern circuit on the way |
Most international visitors arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport near Arusha, which suits a classic northern circuit with Ngorongoro on the way. If your group is coming from Kenya, Uganda or Rwanda, ask us to compare routes, because the best one depends on where everyone starts. Entry rules change, so check the current requirements in our guide to the Tanzania visa for safari travellers before booking flights.
When Is the Best Time for a Golf and Safari Trip?
The best time for a golf trip to the Serengeti is June to October, the dry season, when the weather is reliable and game viewing is easier. June is usually the strongest month near the Serengeti Golf Course, because the migration herds tend to gather in the Western Corridor along the Grumeti River, not far from the course.
Photo: Divulge Adventures
The migration moves with the rain and never runs to a fixed timetable, so treat the table below as a guide. From July the herds usually head into the northern Serengeti and Kenya’s Masai Mara, which is a long way from the course; a group that wants river crossings can add a few nights in the north. Our great migration month-by-month guide follows the herds in more detail.
| Months | Weather | Wildlife near the west | Golf verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| January to March | Hot, short rains possible | Herds mostly far south on the calving plains | Good golf, quieter wildlife near Fort Ikoma |
| April and May | Long rains, green and muddy | Herds moving north-west through the centre | Wettest period; some rounds lost to rain |
| June | Dry season begins | Herds usually in the Western Corridor near the Grumeti River | Best match of golf and migration |
| July to October | Dry, sunny, cool mornings | Most herds in the far north and Kenya’s Masai Mara | Firm fairways; fly north for river crossings |
| November and December | Short rains | Herds heading back south | Fine for golf, fewer visitors |
The long rains in April and May turn the plains green and can wash out a round at the Serengeti Golf Course, but they also bring lower rates at many camps. The short rains in November and December usually fall as afternoon showers, which suits a morning tee time well.
A Sample Serengeti Golf Course Itinerary for Groups
A Serengeti Golf Course trip works well over six to eight days: two rounds of golf, three or four game drives in the Serengeti, and the Ngorongoro Crater on the way back. The example below is a starting point we adapt for each group, not a fixed package.
| Day | Plan | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport; transfer to Arusha | Arusha |
| Day 2 | Fly or drive to the Serengeti; afternoon game drive | Near Fort Ikoma |
| Day 3 | Morning round on the Serengeti Golf Course; afternoon game drive in the park | Near Fort Ikoma |
| Day 4 | Full day in the Western Corridor or central Serengeti | Near Fort Ikoma |
| Day 5 | Second round; non-golfers take a morning drive | Near Fort Ikoma |
| Day 6 | Drive to the Ngorongoro highlands via the central Serengeti | Karatu |
| Day 7 | Ngorongoro Crater game drive; return to Arusha or fly on to Zanzibar | Arusha or Zanzibar |
If your group prefers a ready-made safari to build on, our 8-day great migration safari in northern Tanzania already spends three nights in the Serengeti with a full day in the Western Corridor along the Grumeti River, from USD 2,526 per adult on the trip page. We can swap game-drive time for rounds of golf and adjust the lodges for a larger group.
Photo: Divulge Adventures
Many groups who play the Serengeti Golf Course finish with a few days on the beach. A short flight from the Serengeti or Arusha to Zanzibar turns a golf safari into a proper holiday, and our Zanzibar beach extension guide explains how to add it.
Bring your golf club or team to the Serengeti
See how we run private group safaris in East Africa: dedicated vehicles and guides, rooming planned around your group, and one itinerary that fits golfers and non-golfers alike.
How Much Does a Golf Safari in the Serengeti Cost?
The full cost of a golf safari in the Serengeti cannot be pinned down yet, because TANAPA had not published green fees for the Serengeti Golf Course when we checked in November 2026. What we can price with confidence are the safari parts: park fees, vehicles, guides and accommodation.
Serengeti National Park entry is US$82.60 per adult per 24 hours from 16 May to 14 March and US$70.80 from 15 March to 15 May (checked November 2026). Golfers who stay near the Serengeti Golf Course, outside the park, and only enter for game drives pay entry for each 24-hour period they spend inside. The Tanzania park fees guide lists every charge, including Ngorongoro, and our Serengeti safari cost breakdown gives estimated daily budgets by comfort level. Always confirm fees before booking, as they can change.
What changes the price for a group?
Group size has the biggest effect, because vehicle and guide costs are shared. A group that fills its vehicles, travels by road and stays in mid-range camps pays far less per person than a small party on private charters. The season, the number of rounds and whether non-golfers need their own vehicle also shape the quote.
Planning a Golf Safari for a Club or Company
A trip to the Serengeti Golf Course works best as a private group safari, with your own vehicles, guides and schedule built around tee times. That way the group can play when the course is quietest, split into golfers and non-golfers for a morning, and come back together for game drives and dinner.
Our group safari team plans these trips for golf clubs, corporate golf days, incentive groups and friends travelling together. We match vehicles to group size so everyone has a window seat, plan rooming early, and set a clear budget per person. The step-by-step guide to how we organise a group safari explains deposits, rooming lists and timelines.
Golfers and non-golfers in the same group
Mixed groups are common at the Serengeti Golf Course. While the players are on the course, partners and friends can take a morning game drive into the park with a second guide, then everyone meets for lunch and an afternoon drive together. It costs a little more for the extra vehicle, but nobody spends a morning waiting at the clubhouse.
Another golf safari in East Africa
If your club wants to compare options, Rwanda offers a different take: our Rwanda golf and gorilla safari pairs a round at Kigali Golf Resort with a mountain gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park over five days. Some groups combine both countries in one longer trip.
Photo: Divulge Adventures
Insider Tips for Golf Groups
- Play early: Tee off soon after breakfast, before the midday heat, and keep the afternoon for a game drive
- Pack light for flights: Light aircraft usually allow about 15 kg in a soft bag, so plan a charter or road transfer for golf bags
- Expect the rough: The savannah grass beside the fairways swallows stray shots, so bring extra balls
- Give animals space: Wildlife has right of way on the course; wait for animals to move on rather than playing around them
- Book rooms first: Accommodation near Fort Ikoma is limited, so secure beds for the whole group before fixing tee times
- Plan for non-golfers: Arrange a separate vehicle and guide so partners can game drive while you play
Let us plan your safari
Tell us your dates, budget and dream sightings, and our Nairobi team will send you a free tailor-made itinerary and quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly is the Serengeti Golf Course?
The Serengeti Golf Course is at Fort Ikoma in Serengeti District, Mara Region, in north-western Tanzania. It sits in the wildlife area bordering Serengeti National Park, just outside the park boundary near the Fort Ikoma gate, so you can play golf in the morning and enter the park for a game drive later the same day.
How many holes does the Serengeti Golf Course have?
The Serengeti Golf Course has 18 holes and plays as a par 72 of about 7,097 metres, set on roughly 450 acres. Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) built it, and the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism opened it on 18 October 2026 with a tournament for golfers from five African countries.
How much are green fees at the Serengeti Golf Course?
Green fees for the Serengeti Golf Course had not been published when we checked in November 2026, and neither had tee-time booking, club hire or caddie arrangements. Budget separately for Serengeti park entry if you go on game drives. Message us and we will confirm the current golf charges when we quote your group.
Can non-golfers join a Serengeti golf trip?
Yes. Non-golfers on a Serengeti golf trip usually take a morning game drive in the park while the players are on the course, then everyone meets for lunch and an afternoon drive together. Because the course sits beside the Fort Ikoma gate, splitting the group for a few hours is easy to arrange.
Is it safe to play golf next to the Serengeti?
Playing golf next to the Serengeti is managed carefully. Wild animals such as zebras, antelopes and giraffes wander across the course, and players must give them right of way and never approach or disturb them. Follow the course staff and your guide, stay with your group, and avoid walking around the area after dark.
Final Thoughts
The Serengeti Golf Course gives East Africa a full 18-hole course on the doorstep of the Serengeti, where a morning round and an afternoon game drive fit into one day. Some details, such as green fees, are still to be published, and that is where a local team helps.
If you are planning a Serengeti Golf Course trip for a golf club, a company or a group of friends, send us your dates and group size. We will check the latest course arrangements, plan the safari around your tee times and send a clear quote.
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