African Overland Tours

Here’s What You Need to Know about Serengeti National Park, the World's Most Famous Safari Destination Was there ever a more iconic African game reserve than Serengeti National Park in Tanzania? Twentieth-century explorer and author Alan Moorehead was right when he said: “Anyone who can go to the Serengeti, and does not, is mad.” Its name alone has the power to evoke stirring images of never-ending grassy plains teeming with wildlife like zebras, elephants, buffaloes, lions, and giraffes. Birders are likely to have visions of raptors perched in acacia trees, secretary birds stalking the grasslands, and lakes turned pink with flamingoes. What’s more, it’s home to one of the world’s greatest and most spectacular animal phenomena: the Great Wildebeest Migration. A Serengeti safari is therefore the ultimate African adventure.

Where Is Serengeti National Park?

Serengeti National Park is located in the far north of Tanzania, bordering Kenya. Most visitors fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK) to the park’s southeast. Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) to the northeast is an option for those combining Kenya and Tanzania in one trip. It takes the better part of a day to drive to the Serengeti from any of these airports. The final stretch is quite rugged and bumpy, which gives it a more adventurous feeling, in my opinion. There are also various airstrips within Serengeti National Park for those who wish to fly in instead.

What Makes the Serengeti Special?

Africa has many wonderful game parks, so why does everyone always focus on the Serengeti? These are the main reasons … It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Serengeti is a true wildlife sanctuary, being a vast, protected, and varied ecosystem that hosts one of Africa’s highest concentrations of large mammal species. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981 for its outstanding universal value. It’s the main site of the Great Migration. For most of the year, the enormous wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle herds of the Great Migration can be found within Serengeti National Park. (For a short while, they cross over into Kenya.) Comprising somewhere between 1.5 to 2 million animals, it’s the second largest land-based mammal migration in the world! It boasts the Big Five. The Serengeti is one of the relatively few African parks that can lay claim to hosting all of the Big Five animals. The Big Five refers to lions, bush elephants, leopards, Cape buffaloes, and black rhinos. Its staggering biodiversity. One of the enduring appeals of the Serengeti is its varied landscapes and vegetation (it's not all savannah!) and incredible wildlife diversity. What’s more, the park is a critical sanctuary for various endemic and endangered species, including cheetahs, African wild dogs, and pangolins. The astonishing plains. The word Serengeti is widely believed to come from the Maasai word for "the place where the land runs on forever”. Whether an accurate etymology or not, I can attest that the southern plains are mesmerising in their seeming endlessness. And you’ve never seen a sky so big.

When is the Best Time to Visit the Serengeti?

The Serengeti offers sensational game viewing throughout the year. The long, dry season (June to October) is best for spotting a wide variety of wildlife, as well as the Great Migration’s famous river crossings. The birthing season (January to early March) is perfect for seeing adorable, spindly-legged foals as well as various exciting migratory birds.

• Birthing season: January to March (peak season)
• Long rains: April and May (low season)
• Cool and dry: June to October (peak season)
• Green and wet: November and December (low season)

I must take a moment to encourage you to consider visiting outside of the peakiest peak season of June to October. This is not the Great Migration season, as is often advertised. The Great Migration herds can be viewed at any time. And they're on the move at other times of the year too. Of late, the great cavalcade of cars on riverbanks during the peak season has become an ecological problem. So if you’d like to be a responsible traveller, please consider visiting at another time of year.

What are the Top Things to Do in the Serengeti?

From exciting game drives to sunrise hot air balloon rides, Serengeti National Park is the perfect place to spot all of Africa's most iconic wildlife, as well as many rare species. Here are the top six things to do … Great Migration safari. The Great Migration is the calling card of the Serengeti. You can drive past the herds for hours, where they consistently stretch as far as the eye can see … it’s truly mindblowing. Game viewing. No matter when and where in the Serengeti you go, there is always an abundance of wildlife to be found. Some notable species you can hope to find beyond the ones already mentioned are hippos, servals, spotted hyenas, elands, impalas, hartebeests, warthogs, and Nile crocodiles. Personally, the species I spotted that thrilled me the most were a lone black-backed jackal and two little dik-diks. Birding. The park is home to over 500 bird species, about the same number found in all of Germany. Many are rare or endemic, such as Fischer's lovebird, the Usambiro barbet, and the grey-crested helmet shrike. The bigger birds include real showstoppers; think like kori bustards, Rüppell’s vultures, and grey-crowned cranes. Hot air balloon rides. Picture yourself settling into a hot air balloon basket with a blanket whilst it’s still dark, and then, lifting in the air, watching the sun spread its rays and warmth from the horizon line. Below you, the countless individuals of the Great Migration herds fan out in every possible direction. What better way to experience the scale of this phenomenon? Walking safaris. These are only allowed in a few locations, but if you can, a guided walking safari is an immersive experience that offers a truly serene setting and excellent game-spotting conditions. Your guide will also be able to introduce you to the smaller plants and creatures that are vital players in the Serengeti ecosystem. Wildlife photography. Photographers have a thrilling choice of landscapes and wildlife species to capture. The wetter, off-peak seasons are good options for towering rainclouds and dramatic sky colours. You also won’t have to contend with many other safari vehicles.

Serengeti National Park Is Vast – Where Exactly Should I Go?

The park spans 5,700 sq mi (or 14,763 sq km), an area roughly the size of Connecticut. Most visitors, therefore, choose to explore just one or two sectors of the park per trip. This decision is usually rooted in the movements of the Great Migration herds at the time of visiting. Each of the park’s sectors offers something special and unique. The Central Serengeti (called the Seronera) is known for its high wildlife density. The sector also sits in the path of the Great Migration during peak season, making it a favourite among safarigoers focused on the Great Migration. The Western Corridor, which features the Grumeti River, is popular for its dramatic river crossings during the Great Migration’s northward journey. The Northern Sector is very popular for its Great Migration river crossings in the high season. The landscape is drier and is characterised by short grasses, acacia trees, and rocky outcroppings. The Eastern Sector has expansive grasslands as well as hills, valleys, and outcroppings. The Great Migration herds pass through on their southward journey. The sector offers a more secluded safari experience. The Southern Sector is popular during the calving season of January to March, when the wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles give birth and then nurture their young. The landscape is soft, lush, and very pretty at this time. So are you ready to visit Serengeti National Park yourself? African Overland Tours can help make that happen! Check out these exciting Serengeti safari packages.

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