National Parks

Serengeti National Park in Tanzania

Close your eyes and think of Africa. Chances are the image you just pulled up from your memory bank was filmed somewhere within the reaches of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.

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Everything you need to know about Serengeti National Park

Close your eyes and think of Africa. Chances are the image you just pulled up from your memory bank was filmed somewhere within the reaches of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. It is officially one of the most photographed and filmed game reserves in Africa, and with good reason – it’s nothing short of idyllic. Seemingly endless plains, dense populations of wildlife, authentic tranquillity and gorgeous weather make for an all-around fantastic African safari destination that has emerged as a highlight on the itineraries of intrepid travellers from around the globe over the last decade or two. It’s biggest drawing card by far is the massive annual migration of wildebeest and zebra that turn the park into a real live wildlife spectacle at regular intervals each year.

Where is the reserve located?

The park is located in northern Tanzania at approximately 2.1540° S, 34.6857° E and comprises a vast tract of land around 14 763 square kilometres in size. When divided in terms of vegetation, there are three distinct regions – the Northern Serengeti, the Serengeti Plains and the Western Corridor. Whether you visit the Northern, Central or Southern parts of the Serengeti will be entirely dependent on where the migration is at your time of travel.

The word ‘Serengeti’ means ‘endless plains’ in the Maasai language.

About the reserve

What type of wildlife will we see?

The park’s immense wildlife population draws visitors from far and wide. Every year, an estimated 3 million antelope (mostly wildebeest) make their way from one side of the park to the other to find fresh grazing zones. Naturally, plenty of impressive predators follow in their wake, making for an epic three-week long wildlife extravaganza that pits predator against prey in the most spellbinding way possible. The rest of the year doesn’t disappoint either. The park is home to vast populations of zebra, impala, eland, lion, leopard, cheetah, giraffe, rhino, foxes, jackals, crocodile, baboons and more.

Top experiences to enjoy at Serengeti National Park

If you’ve ever wanted to enjoy a safari experience that is somewhat different to the same-old, same-old game drives featured in glossy Z-fold brochures at your local travel agent, Serengeti National Park will not disappoint. Encounter wildebeest migrations from a bird’s eye view in a hot air balloon, sharpen your shutter skills on a photographic expedition, lace up your hiking boots to explore on foot, or saddle up and ride into the sunset with a knowledgeable guide – the choice is yours.

When to visit

Game viewing in the park is excellent right throughout the year, but certain areas have more prolific sightings at certain times. In general, the dry season from late June until October is your best bet. If your main motivation for visiting the park is to see the wildebeest migration in person, time your journey to fall between May and early June – this is when the vast herds cross Tanzania in search of food and water as the season changes.