Discover the iconic Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Widely regarded as one of Africa’s top safari destinations, the Serengeti offers an unparalleled wildlife experience. This vast and iconic park is home to the legendary Big Five—elephants, lions, buffaloes, rhinos, and leopards—alongside a diverse array of other species, including giraffes, hippos, and crocodiles. It is also the stage for the awe-inspiring Great Migration, where millions of wildebeests and zebras traverse the plains in search of fresh grazing. Boasting over 70 species of large mammals and 500 bird species, the Serengeti is truly a wildlife enthusiast’s paradise.
Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Serengeti National Park, together with the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Mount Kilimanjaro, stands as one of Tanzania’s most treasured natural wonders.
Serengeti Location & Geography
Is Serengeti in Kenya or Tanzania? – This question is often raised by travelers who plan to visit East Africa. The answer is simple: the Serengeti National Park is located in northern Tanzania, stretching over 1,500,000 hectares (3,700,000 acres) of wild savanna. It can be easily found on the map – to the east of Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa, near the border with Kenya.
To the north, the Serengeti borders the Kenyan Maasai Mara National Reserve, and to the east, the renowned Ngorongoro Crater and Conservation Area. The larger Serengeti ecosystem stretches even beyond the national park, being defined by the area covered by the Great Migration.
Witness the Great Migration
The annual wildebeest migration of more than a million wildebeest is probably Serengeti’s main attraction. It is a truly impressive sight to see all those mammals thunder across the Serengeti plains, crossing rivers, in search of water and fresh grass. Mega herds on the move stretch up to 40Km long, covering a distance of some 1000 kilometers.
A dangerous journey for the wildebeest, zebras and gazelles who need to outsmart their predators. Especially the Mara and Grumeti River is where giant crocodiles and fast flowing water awaits. The Great Migration is listed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and is for lots of visitors the highlight of their journey. It is definitely one of the world’s largest wildlife spectacles.
Serengeti National Park offers so much more beauty than just the wildebeest migration. You can see a variety of landscapes and wildlife unlike anywhere else in Africa. The endless plains are home to more than 4,000 lions, 1,000 leopards, 225 cheetahs and 3,500 hyenas. It’s no surprise there are so many predators due to the abundance of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles and buffaloes. The Serengeti is also one of the best places to see the Big Five – rhino, buffalo, elephant, lion and leopard. Almost all the famous African animals are present in this majestic park. This includs rare animal species like the pangolin, East African Oryx, rhino and wild dog.
The captivating landscapes of the Serengeti National Park vary from savannahs with acacia trees and vast grasslands to rising mountains, lakes and swamps. Each area is unique and has its own atmosphere. Because of its natural beauty and variety of plants and animals the park is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. This place definitely touches your soul.
The Serengeti is the third-largest natonal park in Tanzania. Conventionally, its territory is divided into four parts: Seronera (central part), Western Corridor, southern, and northern. To comfortably explore the park, it’s recommended to plan four to six days, two to three of which you will spend in Seronera, and the remaining in areas where the Great Migration is seasonally located. A trip will require four to six days in total.
This duration allows for a leisurely visit to all key locations and longer stays in the most interesting places. An additional day can be allocated for rest at the hotel, especially if you are traveling with children – safari trips and game viewing are very enriching but can be tiring.
If you simply want to see Tanzania’s wildlife, there is no need to travel to remote areas of the Serengeti where the Great Migration is not present at the time. Such a trip would take a lot of time, and practically all animals of the Serengeti can be observed in the area of the Migration. A safari near the Migration will be much richer without the need for extensive travel across the park.
The best time to visit the Serengeti is from January to February or from June to October. However, the Serengeti’s density of wildlife offers a spectacular safari experience no matter what time of the year you visit. The park’s open plains and mild climate mean that vegetation is never too dense to see animals, and the region’s two short rainy seasons from November to December and March to April are rarely too unpleasant.
Most travellers pick the dry season (which takes place from late June to October) for a safari in the Serengeti National Park. Animals gather around rivers and waterholes to quench their thirst. The Great Migration is at its absolute prime and your chances of witnessing an iconic river crossing are at their best. Most lodges will remain open during the more tranquil ‘wet season’ when the rains turn the dry landscape into a lush, green oasis and the birthing season begins. Here are some pros and cons for the wet and dry season.
June to October – dry season
Pros:
- The thick bush thins out and wildlife is easier to spot.
- Animals will gather around the rivers and waterholes.
- Expect bright days and lots of sunshine with afternoon temperatures around 25°C / 77°F.
- Less chance of malaria, since there are fewer mosquitoes.
- Easier to spot the Great Migration (including these iconic river crossings, if lucky).
Cons:
- The park gets crowded, especially around the Seronera area.
- It gets relatively cold at night and early in the morning with minimum temperatures around 14°C / 57°F.
- Occasional cold fronts are possible, with temperatures close to freezing.
November to May – wet season
Pros:
- Late January to February is the time to see the calving in the Southern Serengeti – an excellent time to see predator action.
- A lush and green landscape.
- Fewer tourists and lower rates, especially in April and May.
- Birdwatching is at its best.
- From November to February, rains are mostly short afternoon storms and seldom interfere with your trip.
Cons:
- March to May is the peak of the wet season; It tends to rain most days, although seldom for the whole day. It is often cloudy.
- January to March can be crowded around the Seronera area.