Why Travel Here
This question seems almost rhetorical in the case of the Serengeti. As Tanzania’s most renowned national park, it’s practically a necessary inclusion in all Tanzania safaris. Much of its reputation rests on the incredible spectacle that is the annual migration, but the Serengeti is far from being a one-trick painted donkey.
Serengeti National Park is just one part of the wider Serengeti ecosystem (which also includes Ngorongoro Crater and Grumeti Game Reserve) and itself covers almost 15,000km2. The southern Serengeti, with its endless, treeless plains studded with rocky granite outcrops (or koppies) is quintessential East Africa, and has done more to shape the safari experience in the popular imagination than anywhere else.
Witnessing the Great Wildebeest Migration is arguably the most compelling reason to visit the Serengeti, but it’s by no means the only one. Even when the herds have moved on, less peripatetic, resident wildlife can still put on quite a show.
The fact that many Maasai continue to practice their traditional herding lifestyle in this area means that authentic, respectful cultural encounters are also possible.
As Tanzania’s oldest protected area, the Serengeti has an advanced (but unobtrusive) luxury lodge infrastructure in place, including both fixed and mobile camps.
On the map
Through The Year
Deciding when to visit the Serengeti is often as much about the migration (more of a continuous cycle than a specific event) as it is about the climate. Of course, the two are linked – the herds essentially follow the rains and the fresh green grass they provoke. The climate of the Serengeti in turn largely follows the established East African seasonal pattern, with pairs of seasons (wet and dry, one each) grouped by length.
This is undoubtedly peak season in the Serengeti, as they promise lots of migration-related drama. During these months the herds head through the Western Corridor and the northern Serengeti before entering the Masai Mara. The hazardous river crossings en route go a long way towards explaining the popularity of the long dry season with travellers, with the cooler, drier weather also playing a part. Vegetation visibly recedes before the advancing herds, making wildlife easier to see.
The shorter of the year’s two rainy seasons sees the herds begin to retrace their steps, moving southwards from Kenya’s Masai Mara and into the northern Serengeti. This part of the national park is dominated by open woodland, and truly comes alive with the rains, as a green flush welcomes the wildebeest back to Tanzania. It’s appreciated not just by the returning herds, but also by the relatively low numbers of travellers who come at this time.
The green hues of November begin to fade, and water is at a premium. The southern Serengeti offers an incredible experience as the year turns: the opportunity to be a witness to hundreds of daily births as the wildebeest pause their otherwise ceaseless wandering to attend to the urgent business of maternity. Dry weather and the prospect of intense – if gory – wildlife action as predators take their toll on the new antelope make this a rewarding safari season.
The longer rains see the herds and their young migrate northwards through the central Serengeti towards the western Serengeti. Canny safari-goers who have correctly deduced that the high likelihood of afternoon showers is a small price to pay for sharing the Serengeti with fewer other humans will head there too. The combination of relative exclusivity, the Serengeti at its lushest and loveliest, and the chance to see a different phase of the migration all contribute to the increasing popularity of this season.
Safari Trips To This Destination
The Savannah Safari is our most popular Signature Safari as it combines the finest wildlife sanctuaries in northern Tanzania with southern Kenya, giving you a wonderful insight into the area.
The Savannah Safari is our most popular Signature Safari as it combines the finest wildlife sanctuaries in northern Tanzania with southern Kenya, giving you a wonderful insight into the area.
This 15-day extravaganza is our longest established, signature safari.
This 15-day extravaganza is our longest established, signature safari. It’s perfect for the first-time traveller to East Africa.
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