Serengeti National Park is one of the largest parks in Tanzania and is most popular for Big 5 game viewing and the Great Migration. Serengeti is a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the most explored destinations in Tanzania by nature lovers interested in wildlife tours. Beyond the Big 5 and wildebeests, Serengeti National Park boasts of its endless rolling plains. It derives its name from the Maasai word “Siringet” which translates into the endless plains (the place where the land runs on forever).
Location & size of the park
Serengeti is found in the Northern circuit of Tanzania. It was established as a National Park in Tanzania in 1952 and today, its size extends over 14763 sq. km. It stretches northwards to Kenya and is bordered by Lake Victoria to the West.
Serengeti National Park became a UNESCO Site in 1978 and in 1981, it was recognized as an International Biosphere Reserve. Its rich ecosystem comprises abundant mammal species and bird species.
Serengeti consists of different wildlife regions each with unique attractions for tourists to explore. The notable regions/sectors that make up the greater Serengeti National Park in Tanzania include the Seronera (Central Serengeti Region), Western Corridor, Northern Serengeti Region, and the Southern Region.
Wildlife species
Serengeti boasts of its abundant wildlife including small and large mammals as well as reptiles. The different wild animals that make Serengeti an iconic wildlife safari destination in Tanzania include African lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, cheetahs, zebras, hippos, and giraffes.
Other wildlife in Serengeti includes bat-eared fox, banded mongoose, African hare, Aardwolf, eland, impalas, wildebeest, klipspringer, side-striped jackals, oribis, spotted hyenas, Thomson’s gazelles, topis, warthogs, vervet monkeys, and more.
Birds of Serengeti
Over 500 bird species exist in the Serengeti National Park’s diverse habitats. They include black-backed puff-back, ostriches, slate-colored boubou, black-headed tchagra, tropical boubou, grey-headed bush shrike, Sulphur-breasted bush shrike, white-breasted tit, African penduline, red-throated tit, Sulphur-breasted bush shrike, Rupell’s long-tailed starling, wattled starling, black-headed oriole, violet-backed starling, superb starling, Ashy starling, and red-billed oxpeckers.
Serengeti also holds birds such as scarlet-chested sunbird, malachite sunbird, collared sunbird, speckle-fronted weaver birds, Kenya violet-backed sunbird, golden-winged sunbird, buffalo weaver bird, little purple sunbird, chestnut sparrow, rufous sparrow, white-headed buffalo weaver bird, masked weaver bird, grey-headed social weaver bird, and Holub’s golden weaver bird.
Stork birds in Serengeti National Park include the woolly-necked stork, African open bill, black stork, yellow-billed stork, saddle-billed stork, white stork, black stork, Abdim’s stork, and marabou stork.
Other birds in Serengeti include African cuckoo hawks, black-winged kites, African harrier-hawk, bat hawks, bateleurs, lappet-faced vultures, bearded vulture, brown snake-eagle, martial eagle, hooded vulture, Eurasian marsh-harrier, little sparrow hawk, black kite, imperial eagle, lesser spotted eagle, long-crested eagle, pallid harrier, eastern chanting-goshawk, verreaux’s eagle, steppe eagle, and many others.
Activities to do in and around Serengeti
Game drives
Serengeti National Park is most popular for its enriching game-viewing experiences. The park offers the best Big 5 game drive experiences. A guided game drive in Serengeti gets visitors exposed to different wildlife including the Big 5, wildebeest plus other diverse antelope families.
Birding or bird-watching
Birding is a must-do when on a holiday in Serengeti National Park. The park holds over 500 bird species in its diverse habitats making it an important birding area. Top bird species to identify on a birding tour in Serengeti include pelicans, ostriches, yellow-billed storks, Kori bustards, lesser flamingos, eagles, vultures, hornbills, African barbets, woodpeckers, honeyguides, and others.
The Great Migration with a guide
The wildebeest migration is one of the special experiences awaiting you to enjoy in the Serengeti National Park. The Great Migration in Serengeti involves witnessing millions of wildebeest as they cross from the western plains of Serengeti and Grumeti River. Over 1.5 million wildebeest embark on a journey in search of greener pastures and water.
The Great Migration often occurs around July to August, especially the Grumeti River crossing. The Serengeti-Maasai Mara migration is best witnessed from August to September. Besides witnessing the wildebeest movement, there is also a chance to observe the wildebeest as they birth. The calving season usually starts around January to early March when over 8000 wildebeests can be born.
Hot air balloon tours
Hot air balloon rides offer a remarkable alternative for tourists to explore the endless plains of Serengeti. The beauty of the hot air balloon excursions is that visitors get to enjoy unmatched aerial views of wildlife. During the hot air balloon tour, expect to see wildlife like lions, elephants, and giraffes to mention but a few.
Cultural encounters
Beyond wildlife, visitors on the Serengeti National Park tour can also pay a visit to the nearby communities. Living adjacent to the Serengeti are the Maasai people. Expect to explore more about the unique cultures and traditions of the Maasai people as well as enjoy the distinct dances and music performances.
The best time to visit Serengeti Game Park
Serengeti has its gates open to visitors all year round. But the most ideal season to enjoy the Great Migration is around June to July and game drives are from June to October. These are the dry months of the year and are characterized by low rainfall. The conditions can be favorable for visitor movement as they explore the park. This isn’t the case with the rainy season/months (April and May) when heavy rains occur and pose a huge challenge for tourists to navigate through the park on a game drive.
Safari lodges/accommodation in and around Serengeti National Park
Serengeti National Park consists of budget, midrange, and luxury accommodation or safari lodges and camps. Top budget safari lodges to book in and around Serengeti include Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp, Serengeti Simba, Lobo Wildlife Lodge, Grumeti Migration Camp, and Ikoma Tented Camp.
The midrange lodges include Melia Serengeti Lodge, Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge, Serengeti Serena Lodge, and Serengeti Sopa Lodge. Lastly, the park has luxury lodges including Singita Mara Camp, Sayari Camp, Lemala Nanyukie Tented Lodge, Siringit Serengeti Camp, Four Seasons Safari Lodge, and Roving Bushtop Camp.
Getting to the Serengeti National Park Tanzania
Getting to the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania can be done by road or air. By road, you can depart from Arusha about 6-7 hours’ drive to Serengeti. There are different access gates to Serengeti National Park including Naabi Hill Gate and Ndabaka Gate –the main entry gates. The western corridor access gates include the Grumeti gate and the Western corridor gate.
If you are accessing the park on the Northern end, then you use Klein’s gate or Bologonya gate. Serengeti also has other gates including Seronera, Fort Ikoma, and Handajega gates.
By air, domestic flights can be arranged and Serengeti has multiple airstrips where visitors can land and connect to their respective lodges. Top airstrips in the Serengeti include Seronera, Sasakwa Airstrip, Kogatende Airstrip, Kirawira, Lobo, and others.