Discover an ultimate guide to Serengeti National Park, which includes wildlife or animals, birds (attractions), location, hotels/accommodation, best time, access gates, and activities to do. The Serengeti National Park provides a deep insight into everything you need to know to guide you when planning for your next successful wildlife tour to this premier destination.
Location, size, & formation
Serengeti National Park is located in the Northern tourist circuit. The park lies on the Serengeti plain and is bordered by Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the southeast and Kenya to the North. Serengeti National Park occupies the land area of 14,750 sq. km consisting of 3 reserves including Loliondo, Grumeti, and Ikorongo. The reserve define the park’s breathtaking landscape which also features diverse wildlife.
Serengeti National Park features among the very few recognized UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world. It is also part of the world’s 7 natural wonders. Serengeti was officially designated as a UNESCO Site in 1978.
As a National Park, Serengeti was officially established in 1951. In 1981, Serengeti was recognized as an International Biosphere Reserve.
Key Attractions in Serengeti
The Great Migration
The Great wildebeest migration is such a lifetime experience that any enthusiastic nature lover shouldn’t miss on Tanzania tour in Serengeti National Park. The Great migration is the key attraction in Serengeti, a unique event where millions (about 1.5m) wildebeests together with 1000s of zebras, and gazelles embark on a journey to search for pastures and water. It occurs between July and October of each year.
Wildlife
Serengeti prides itself as a home to diverse wildlife which include small and large mammals, reptiles, and other species. Top interesting wildlife that make Serengeti Game Park popular include leopards, rhinos, elephants, cape buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, hippos, and others.
Birds
A total of about 500 species of birds make Serengeti a lovely birding destination. A complete checklist of birds to explore on Tanzania bird watching tour in Serengeti include among others the secretary birds, ostriches, flamingoes, cape teal, Eurasian teal, red-billed ducks, Garganey, spur winged goose, Egyptian goose, fulvous whistling-duck, Maccoa duck, northern pintail, hottentot teal, southern pochard, helmeted guinea fowl, crested guinea fowl, Shelley’s francolin, yellow-necked francolins, scaly francolin, harlequin quail, Hildebrandt’s francolin, gray-breasted francolins, coqui francolins, great crested grebe, eared grebe, rock pigeon, dusky turtle-dove, emerald-spotted wood-dove, Namaqua dove, laughing dove, and African green pigeon.
Serengeti also holds birds such as hartlaub’s bustards, white-bellied bustards, Kori bustards, buff-crested bustards, Denham’s bustards, ross’s turacos, eastern plantain-eaters, Schawlow’s turacos, bare-faced go-away-bird, white-bellied go-away bird, black cuckoos, red-chested cuckoo, African cuckoo, common cuckoo, dideric cuckoos, levaillant’s cuckoos, pied cuckoos, black coucal, freckled nightjars, pennant-winged nightjar, square-tailed nightjar, Sombre nightjar, slender-tailed nightjar, swift bird, rails, coots, plovers, think-nees, sandpipers, stork, pelicans, cormorants to mention but a few.
Grumeti River
The Grumeti River is one of the best sites tourists should expect to explore on Tanzania tour. It is an incredible spot where you can witness the Great Migration as they embark on a journey towards the Mara River.
Additional sites to explore in and around Serengeti National Park include the Olduvai Gorge, Seronera Valley, and Retina hippo pool.
Activities to do
Expect to enjoy a myriad of exciting activities in Serengeti including game drives, hot air balloon, nature/bush walks, witnessing the Great Migration, and others.
Game drives
Game drives in Serengeti take you on a great search for different wildlife in their various habitats. The Serengeti game drive allows you enjoy sight of diverse wildlife including gazelles, wildebeest, elephants, cheetahs, lions, leopards, hyenas, giraffes, waterbucks, oribis, duikers, to mention but a few. A game drive in Serengeti is excellently enjoyed using a 4×4 safari car.
Birding
Serengeti holds diversity of bird species that make it a great birding destination. During the birding tour, expect to spot diverse birds including the secretary bird, African darters, Abdim’s storks, African fish eagle, African harrier hawks, African white backed vulture, African spoonbill, black chested snake eagle, black-winged kite, coqui francolin, green wood hoopoe, grey kestrel, hadada ibis, saddle-billed storks, great white pelicans, pink-backed pelicans, yellow billed storks, African sacred ibis, striated herons, and squacco heron.
Additional birds to expect to spot on a birding tour in Serengeti include glossy ibis, martial eagle, lesser spotted eagle, lappet-faced vulture, bearded vulture, bat hawk, white-backed vultures, speckled mousebirds, blue-napped mousebirds, pearl-spotted owlet, southern white-faced owl, African scops-owl, blue napped mousebirds, kingfishers, bee-eaters, rollers, African barbets and others.
Great Migration
Witnessing the Great migration should be a must-do by anyone visiting the Serengeti National Park for a vacation. It is during the Great migration when you get a chance to observe over 1.5 million wildebeest accompanied by 1000s of other grazers as they search for greener pastures and water. This is a remarkable wilderness event and is experienced once a year.
Hot air balloon tours
Serengeti National Park safaris also include hot air balloon excursions. Embarking on hot air balloon tour allows you to enjoy incredible aerial views of wildlife over the endless plains of Serengeti. The balloon excursions in this park can be enjoyed in the morning which includes a bush breakfast and evening which comes with a champagne.
Nature walks
The landscapes of Serengeti also favor guided nature walks. With guided nature/bush walks, visitors can explore the different habitats and their unique faunal species. Visitors on a nature walk are accompanied by an experienced guide from Serengeti National Park who shares unique stories about the wild.
Cultural experiences
Beyond wildlife encounters, Serengeti tours can include visits to the nearby local communities. During the cultural tour, visitors get to meet the Maasai people to learn more about their distinct cultures and traditions.
The best time to visit Serengeti for a tour
Serengeti National Park is one of the destinations that can be visited at any time of the year. However, the best time to get there may vary depending on the interests of travelers. If your focus is to witness the Great Migration then the best months of the year to visit Serengeti is around July to October. In case your target is to observe wildebeest give birth then plan a holiday around January to February.
Game drives to see the Big 5 game are perfectly enjoyed around the peak dry season or months. This should be from June to September or December to February –the period characterized by low rainfall and clear vegetation for game viewing.
Where to stay
Budget, midrange, and luxury accommodation options all exist in the different parts of Serengeti National Park for visitors to retire for a night. Top safari lodges and camps to find in Serengeti include Four Seasons Safari Lodge, Serengeti Serena Lodge, Seronera Wildlife Lodge, Olakira Migration Camp, Singita Mara River Tented Camp, Lemala Ewanjan Tented Camp, Mbli Mbali Soroi Serengeti Lodge, and Kati Kati Tented Camp, etc.
Getting to Serengeti
Getting to Serengeti is possible by road or air. By road, a 4×4 safari vehicle is more recommended and takes you about 6-7 hours to reach the park starting from Arusha town. The access gates to Serengeti are a bit many but you can use Ndabaka, Naabi Hill gate, Bolognya gate, and Klein’s gate, etc.
By air, you can easily connect to Serengeti Game Park by air and land at the functioning airstrip in or nearby the park. Top airstrips that serve Serengeti include Kirawira B Airstrip, Seronera Airstrip, Lobo Airstrip, Kogatende Airstrip, Serengeti Kusini Airstrip, and others.
