Serengeti National Park

Introducing

Serengeti National Park

Serengeti National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its vibrant and unique ecosystem. Over 350,000 holidaymakers visit the park each year. Serengeti means “the place where the land runs forever” or “endless plains.” The park is located in Tanzania and covers an area of 5,700 square miles(14,750sq km). Its pristine wilderness is covered with savannah, woodland, grassland, and riverine forest. Despite most of the park being open plains, the elevation changes from 3,000 to 6,000 feet(914 to 1,828m). Serengeti is home to the Big Five (elephant, “the world's largest land animal,” leopard, “the prince of darkness”; lion, “king of the savannah,” buffalo, “not quite the lazy,” and rhino, “the pre-historic heavyweight).

Serengeti is well known for the most significant concentration of predators globally, including over 1,000 African leopards, 3,000 lions, and approximately 8,000 spotted hyenas. Serengeti Mara is the best location to witness the Wildebeest crossing. Visiting Serengeti, you will have a chance to see the lofty rock croppings spawn visions of the movie “Lion King”, and if you are lucky enough, you might see some lions resting at the top.

Experience the Serengeti National Park

Serengeti’s immense landscape is simply stunning. This big-sky, untamed wilderness is renowned for its grassland plains punctuated with rocky outcrops (koppies) in the southeast. The Western Corridor follows the Grumeti and Mbalageti Rivers with associated riverine forests toward Lake Victoria, while the Lobo Hills area is characterized by big granite boulders reaching up in the sky. Farther north the Mara River sets the scene for the infamous river crossings, the ultimate highlight of the wildebeest migration.

Game drives in Serengeti are highly productive. Depending on your program, you can structure the day around two separate game drives (morning and afternoon) or go out for a full day with a picnic lunch. Budget permitting, you could mix it up with a hot-air balloon safari. Who doesn’t want to experience the Serengeti from the sky? After landing, you’ll be treated to a champagne breakfast in the bush. Night drives and guided walks are also offered at some camps and lodges.

Locate the Serengeti National Park

Discover: Serengeti National Park

The magic of Serengeti National Park is not easy to describe in words. Not only seeing, but also hearing the buzz of millions of wildebeest so thick in the air that it vibrates through your entire body is something you will try to describe to friends and family, before realising it’s impossible. Vistas of honey-lit plains at sunset so beautiful, it’s worth the trip just to witness this. The genuine smiles of the Maasai people, giving you an immediate warming glow inside. Or just the feeling of constantly being amongst thousands of animals – it doesn’t matter what season of the migration you visit the Serengeti National Park, it’s magical all year round.

Getting There

By Air: You can board a light aircraft for Serengeti Fly-In Safaris from Kilimanjaro International Airport(JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK). It takes 1-5 hours to get to your nearest Serengeti airstrip. Upon arrival, you will be met by your lodge or camp representative and transferred to your final destination. The drive to your lodge or bush camp can take about 45 minutes to two hours; however, you won't get bored; there are many animals to see along the way, giving you a slight introduction to the adventure that awaits you. There are currently seven airstrips in Serengeti. If you stay in a more exclusive lodge, you might have access to direct private charter flights, so you don’t have to wait long.

By Road: Safari by road is the most popular means of travel, using an open roof 4x4 Safari Landcruiser. The drive from Arusha to Serengeti takes approximately 6-8 hours. But you can combine Serengeti Safari with other parks along the way. From Arusha to Seronera, or the Central part of the Serengeti, the drive is about 350km, approximately 5-6 hours. If you are heading to the western corridor near Grumeti River, the distance is 460 km, taking about 6-7 hours to drive from Arusha.

Best time to visit

Even though the perception of Africa is primarily hot, the Serengeti climate is relatively mild and pleasant. The minimum and maximum temperature varies with season. The wet season is the warmest. The temperatures around the Seronera area in Serengeti rarely rise above 37° C /99° F on a given hot day. At the same time, the wet season rarely falls below 13° C/55°F on a cold morning in the dry season. Serengeti is an all-year-round park that one can visit anytime. Serengeti is extensive. Therefore, a minimum of 3-4 nights stay is recommended for an excellent wildlife view.

The dry months of June to October and December to April are the best times to visit Serengeti National Park. June to October: The dry months of the year are considered the best time to go on safari to Serengeti. December to April is another peak season for tourists. Many tourists visit the southern side of Serengeti to see the calving of wildebeests and catch a glimpse of the adorable baby animals. Wet season: November to December and March to May: The months are unpleasant for visiting the park due to “short rains” in November and “long rains” from March to May.

Wildlife Experience

There is a plethora of wildlife in Serengeti, making it one of the top destinations for safaris, which include The Big 5 (elephant, “the world's largest land animal,” leopard, “the prince of darkness,” lion, “king of the savannah,” buffalo, “ not quite the lazy,” and rhino, “the pre-historic heavyweight). The Big Cats( lion “cheetah & leopard). Other animals include giraffes, zebra, wildebeests, crocodiles, hippos, impala, grant gazelle, spotted hyenas, black-backed jackals, African wild dogs, warthog, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, African python, black mamba, spitting cobra, puff adder, bat-eared fox, hyraxes, etc. Serengeti is home to the most significant concentration of predators globally, including over 1,000 African leopards, 3,000 lions, and approximately 8,000 spotted hyenas. At least 8,000 baby wildebeest are born every day in February Calving Season.

Birdlife

Serengeti hosts more than 500 species of birds, making it a perfect destination for avid birders. If you are a typical birder and have specific birds that you may wish to see, with its endless plains, the west corridor has diverse vegetation that favours a birdlife ecosystem with open savannah, whistling thorns, acacia trees, grassland, and a riverine forest along the Grumeti River. Serengeti is home to “Serengeti Specials,” which are endemic to the park and not found anywhere else. They include Schalow’s wheatear, Schalow’s turaco, rufous-tailed weaver, grey-crested helmet shrike and red-throated tit.

Kori bustard, black herons, martial eagle, Tanzania red-billed hornbill, Egyptian geese, Masai ostrich, crowned cranes, hamerkrops, secretary bird, black herons, marabou stork, lesser flamingo, etc. Unlike game viewing, which can be done at any time of the year, the best time for birding is during the rainy season. More prolonged rains are from March to May, and the shorter rains are from November. During this period, Serengeti received migratory birds from Europe and other parts of the world. The best place for birding safaris is the Seronera area, the central part of the park, which also hosts more nocturnal birds. Lake Ndutu is for vultures and secretary birds, and Lobo Hills is for birds of prey like eagles.

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