Unmatched for its natural beauty and scientific importance, Serengeti National Park is unquestionably the most well-known wildlife sanctuary in the world. It also boasts the highest concentration of plains game in Africa.
In 1952, Tanzania's Serengeti National Park was founded. The annual migration of millions of wildebeest and zebras through the area is considered the most outstanding natural display on Earth. Lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, giraffes, and birds make their homes there. It's possible to stay in everything from a five-star cabin to a temporary tent. The park is larger than Connecticut at 5,700 square miles (14,573 square kilometres). However, there are rarely more than a few hundred cars at any given time.
There are three distinct areas in the park. The Maasai people refer to the popular southern and central areas (Seronera Valley) as "Siringit” which means "region of infinite plains." This area is a traditional savannah with acacia trees and plenty of species. There are more trees and thick brush along the western corridor delineated by the Grumeti River. The Lobo region in the north is where the Masai Mara Reserve in Kenya begins, and it receives the fewest tourists.
Within a 30,000 sq. km. area are two World Heritage Sites and two Biosphere Reserves. Many of the authors, filmmakers, photographers, and scientists whose work is featured on this site were moved to create by the region's singular environment, from Ernest Hemingway to Peter Matthiessen.
The Serengeti is home to one of the planet's oldest ecosystems. The climate, vegetation, and animals are essentially the same as they were a million years ago. About two million years ago, an early man made his first appearance in the Olduvai Gorge. Life and death, adaptation, and migration follow patterns that are as old as the hills themselves.
Perhaps the most well-known thing about the Serengeti is the annual migration. In anticipation of the short rains in October and November, over a million wildebeest and around 200,000 zebras migrate south to the southern plains. Neither famine nor chasm nor river full of crocodiles could ever stop them from following their primal need to migrate.
Wildebeests migrate over a wide range of ecosystems, including protected places such as parks, reserves, and open grasslands.
1. Hot Air Balloon
We highly recommend a hot air balloon safari if you have the means to see the enormous Serengeti national park from above. An overhead perspective of the plains and the animals that inhabit them can be had from thousands of feet in the air, making this one of the best things to do in the Serengeti. When the wildebeest migrate, tourists flock to see them by the millions, and hot air balloon safaris are a popular way to see them all from above. Early morning champagne breakfasts in the African bush are the perfect cap for a hot air balloon safari. The maximum number of passengers for a hot air balloon is 16. Generally speaking, tours cost around $540 and require advanced booking. Honeymooners and those planning an anniversary or birthday celebration would greatly benefit from a hot air balloon tour. Seeing the Serengeti plains and Africa's famous wildlife from above is an experience that will stay with you forever.
2. Moru Kopjes
You may recognize them as Pride Rock from "The Lion King." That was a Kopje, for sure. The Serengeti grasslands are dotted with kopjes, which are rocky outcrops. Vegetation, puddles and the canopy cover them. While watching for prey, lions and other predators often take a break here. The Moru Kopjes are the most well-known and striking of the Serengeti's many outstanding landmarks. They also feature classic Masai artwork. With binoculars in hand, you can scan the horizon and see stunning panoramas of the plains below from atop the Kopjes. Black rhinos are easiest to see on the Moru Kopjes.
3. Retina Hippo Pool
Here in the Retina Hippo Pool, we don't swim; instead, we wallow like hippos. Hundreds of hippos use the pool in the Seronera section of the park every day. The Serengeti is home to many kinds of wildlife, but the hippos and buffaloes are the most deadly to humans. You may see them and get fantastic shots if you go to the pool. Visitors can go freely around the pool on foot, observing the hippo competition for prime real estate. After you've finished photographing the mammals and had a picnic lunch.
4. Migration of the wildebeest
The annual migration of the wildebeest is the inspiration for Serengeti National Park. In fact, seeing wild animals in their natural habitat is the primary draw for almost half of the park's visitors. The most significant number of wildebeests journey across the Mara River to Kenya's Masai Mara national reserve between July and August. Attractions in Serengeti National Park Each year, thousands of visitors flock to the park to see the world's largest wildlife migration. The annual wildebeest migration provides vital support for Serengeti National Park. It's one of Serengeti National Park's top attractions, and no visitor should miss it if possible. These so-called natural wonders of the world can only be seen by travelling clockwise. Wildebeest migrate around Serengeti National Park at various times of the year. Wildebeests face formidable obstacles on their journey, often referred to as "survival of the fittest," such as crossing rivers while dodging land and aquatic predators.
5. Wildlife
When it comes to seeing wild animals, few places can compare to Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. The park's short open savannah grassland, which dominates the unending plains, is a prime location for wildlife viewing. Large animals, including dangerous predators, live in the park (Big cats). The African "big five," consisting of rhinos, buffaloes, elephants, lions, and leopards, are all present in Serengeti National Park. The park's scale allows predator and prey populations to flourish, making the animals the main draw. The highlight of your Serengeti safari will be the game drives, during which you will get up close and personal with the incredible diversity of wildlife that calls this region home. Lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, rhinoceroses, gazelles, wildebeests, topi, Dik-diks, hyenas, hippos, jackals, zebras, baboons, monkeys, and many more can all be spotted in the Serengeti.
6. Seronera Valley
The Seronera River Valley is one of the best locations in the Serengeti National Park. For wildlife viewing, the central region is ideal because it provides excellent views of various animals, including buffalo, giraffes, topis, hartebeest, impala, warthogs, dik-dik, bushbucks, waterbucks, reedbucks, hippos, Nile crocodiles, and predators like lions. The Seronera River is a fantastic location for bird watching. There are many different bird species to be seen there, including herons, egrets, hoopoes, kingfishers, grey-crowned cranes, Egyptian geese, rollers, and fish eagles.
7. Grumeti River
The Grumeti River is a fascinating spot to explore in the park's westernmost stretch. Over a million wildebeest and thousands of gazelles, zebras, and other antelopes must risk crossing the crocodile-infested Grumeti River every year. Tourists will have the chance to see animals make the crossing of the Grumeti River from late May until the middle of July.
8. The Maasai
The Maasai are proud nomad warriors who measure success by the number of animals and children in their care. Your safari in Serengeti National Park will include stops at Maasai villages, where you can learn about the Masai people and their customs. You will learn how they organize their communities, how they dress, visit their farms, homes, health clinics, and elementary schools, sample local cuisine, watch traditional dances and plays; and purchase unique mementoes to remind you of your time in Tanzania.
Highlights: Mount Meru, Exceptional Wildlife Diversity, Momella Lake, Ngurdoto Crater, Tululusia Hill
Highlights: The Three Mt. Kilimanjaro Peaks, Waterfall, Maundi Crater, Wildlife, Vegetation zone division, Mountainous Forest.
Highlights: Lake Wildlife, Maji Moto Spring, Birdlife, Ground Water Forest, Acacia Woodlands
Highlights: The Crater, Lake Magadi, Laetoli & Olduvai Gorge, Bird watching, The Moving Sands, The Gol Mountains, Lake Ndutu & Lake Masek
Highlights: The game drive, Safaris on foot, Cultural Excursions, Boat Safaris
Highlights: Wildlife, Sites of History and Culture, Rivers, Hot Springs, Rift Valley, Birdlife.
Highlights: Bird Watching, Tarangire River, Silale Swamp, Baobab Tree's, Matete Woodlands, Poachers Hide
