Serengeti National park
The Serengeti is a world-famous park in Africa known for its wildlife and classic African scenery. It is Tanzania’s oldest park, a Unesco World Heritage Site, and home to the spectacular wildebeest migration. The Serengeti National Park is a World Heritage Site, biosphere reserve, and one of Africa’s New Seven Wonders.
The park lives up to its ancient Maasai name, ‘Siringet,’ which means ‘endless plains. The mesmerizing landscape is mostly made up of grassy plains which are seasonally flooded, with forest and shrub savannah scattered throughout. The grass on the Serengeti perfectly adapts to continuous grazing, making it a heaven for large herbivores. Every now and then, kopjes (rocky outcrops that are 2.5 billion years old) interrupt the grass horizon.
Wildlife in Serengeti National Park
The Serengeti is home to the annual great migration when over 8 million animals cross the plains in search of fresh grazing. Predators follow the migration, making for exciting sightings of big cats hunting. Spotted hyena, golden, and black-backed jackal are also often seen.
The Serengeti is Tanzania’s best park, home to Herds of buffalo, elephants, giraffes, and antelope can all be seen, as well as the three big cats. Lion is often found on a kill. On the southeastern plains, the cheetah is very common, while leopards can often be found lazing in one of the Seronera River’s big trees.
The Serengeti plains are an excellent place to see wildlife all year round. The best time to see the migration and a possible river crossing is in June and July. The best time to see wildlife in the Mara River region is from June to October (the dry months). The famous river crossings can be seen in September in the north of the park, and February is the best month for wildebeest calving.
Things to do-Serengeti National park
Game drive
The Serengeti is home to a large lion population which can best be experienced through game drives. Night and day game drives are available depending on the areas of the Serengeti you want to explore and the animals you want to see.
Hot air ballooning
The Serengeti is large and a good way to see a lot of it is by hot air balloon. If you go in the morning, you can see the sunrise across the peninsula and all the animals waking up and running around. The view from the hot air balloon is stunning because you can see everything in a 360-degree view.
Bird Watching
The Serengeti has more than 500 bird species, including five that are found nowhere else. It is one of Africa’s Endemic Bird Areas, meaning it is important for habitat-based bird conservation.
The grey-breasted spurfowl, Fischer’s lovebirds, Rufous-tailed Weaver, Usambiro barbet, and grey-crested helmet-shrike are all easy to find within their restricted ranges. Migratory birds are present from November to April.
Bird watching in the Serengeti is best from November through April when migratory birds from Europe and North Africa are present, and resident species are nesting. The Dry season, occurring from June through October, is the best time for watching birds in their breeding plumage.
Explore the great wildebeest migration
The Great Wildebeest Migration is an annual event that sees millions of animals (mostly wildebeest) marching across the vast Serengeti and Masai Mara in Kenya. This event will make you wonder about the intricacy of life and the cruel beauty of nature.
Experience Tanzania Safari with Maasai culture
The Serengeti is home to the semi-nomadic Maasai tribe, which has lived in Tanzania and Kenya for centuries. If you want to witness the tribe’s traditional ways of living, visit one of the many Maasai villages (known as bomas) in and near the Serengeti. Many of these villages are happy to invite visitors!
Best Time to Visit – Serengeti National park
The best time to visit the Serengeti National Park for the best game viewing is during the Dry season from late June to October. The wildebeest migration is the absolute highlight during this time, but keep in mind that the timing of the migration varies every year. The best chance of seeing it is during June and July.
Weather & Climate – Serengeti National park
The average temperature in the Serengeti ecosystem is moderate and pleasant, with cooler temperatures at night and in the early mornings. The Dry season is from June to October, and there are two Wet seasons: the ‘short rains’ from November to December, and the ‘long rains’ from March to May. During the Wet season, thundershowers can be expected in the afternoon
Dry season–June to October: Afternoon temperatures are typically around 25°C/77°F. Most days have clear skies. It gets cold at night, with minimum temperatures around 14°C/57°F.
June, July, August & September may see occasional cold fronts, with temperatures close to freezing. October may see the start of the short rains.
Wet season–November to May ;The temperature during the Wet season is moderate, with afternoon temperatures around 26°C/79°F and night temperatures around 15°C/59°F. The rains usually occur sometime between October and The rainy season in East Africa generally lasts from December to January, but it is not likely to interfere with your safari plans.
The long rains are the wettest months, occurring in March, April, and May. It rains a lot in April and May, although not usually all day. In April and May, cold fronts might bring colder peak temperatures.
Getting There – Serengeti National park
You can fly or drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation area. If you drive, you can overnight at the Ngorongoro Crater. From the crater, it’s about 140km to the Seronera area in the Serengeti./90mi, and the driving time is about three hours.
For Airlines & Ticket Prices ,Please check Skyscanner for flights to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK), and for ticket prices.
