The Serengeti National Park is one of the most celebrated wildlife reserves in the world. This phenomenal National Park was created to preserve the path of the world’s largest migration circuit and covers an absolutely vast area of pristine East African savannah. It is by far the most famous safari park in Africa and quite rightly so; game viewing in the Serengeti is stunningly good at all times of the year. It is one of those rare places that does live up to the hype.
Part of the greatness of the Serengeti is experiencing the sheer expanse of Savannah. The landscape is what most of us imagine when we think of Africa: rolling plains stretching as far as the eye can see, broken only by the occasional Acacia tree. The name Serengeti actually comes from the Maasai word ‘Serengit’ meaning ‘endless plains’.
Throughout the year the Serengeti is the stomping ground of the Great Migration, a massive accumulation of approximately 1.5 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebras and 350,000 gazelles stretching their legs over 1,200 miles in an annual race to find enough water and green grass for their survival. The reason the herds are here is solely due to the fertile Savannah, enriched by the volcanic soil that has created such nutritious grass.
The huge migration herds attract massive lion prides and good numbers of cheetah and leopard. Elephant herds are also found throughout the park together with the full array of East African wildlife. It is very difficult to find game viewing of equal quality anywhere else throughout Africa
The Serengeti’s Great Migration
The Serengeti’s Great Migration is Africa’s most famous wildlife event and is often referred to as the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth. Consisting of up to 2 million wildebeest, 3-500,000 zebra and 200,000 antelope, the Great Migration moves in a circular manner between Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and Kenya’s Masai Mara. Where as Kenya can only lay claim to hosting the Migration for a couple of months a year, it is in fact possible to view huge herds within the Serengeti at any time. For more information on the Great Migration we have dedicated a page to the movement of the herds.
Activities in the Serengeti
Game drives are the order of the day in the Serengeti, but, as with the whole of Tanzania no night drives are possible. Walking is only possible outside the park, or in designated walking areas in the far North of the park (Kogatende). Taking a Balloon trip over the plains of the Serengeti is a chance of a lifetime opportunity; balloons operate from the center of the park and seasonally in the West and South of the park.
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