Serengeti National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the best safari destinations in the world to see wildlife. It is also known as the wildlife hub. This park is in the northwestern part of Tanzania, near the border with Kenya. To the north, it connects to Maasai Mara national reserve, which is also in Kenya. To the south East, Serengeti national park surrounds the Ngorongoro conservation area, Maswa game reserve to the Southwest, Ikorongo and Gumet game reserves to the northeast and Loliondo game control area to the East.
Serengeti National Park is a favorite safari to go on a safari in Tanzania. It is made up of 14,763 square kilometres of grasslands, savannah, riverine forest, and forests. Serengeti national park is an authentic interpretation of African Wildlife safari destination made up of unending rolling plains referred to by the name “siringet”, the world siringet is a Maasai word meaning never-ending plains or the place where the land flows evermore.
Serengeti national park comprises of a scenic landscape comprises of Lobo valley, Barfafu Gorge and Kopjes, Matiti plains, olduvai gorge, makoma hill, kusini plains, lake Ndutu, lower Grumeti woodlands, retina hippo pool, Seronera valley, Lamai triangle, upper grumeti woodlands and kopjes such as Moru kopjes, Masai kopjes, Gol kopjes and Simba kopjes.
Attractions in Serengeti National Park.
Animal species.
Serengeti National Park is one of the greatest safari destination in Tanzania and the world to go on a wildlife safari. It is home to many different kinds of mammals, including the “big five,” as well as carnivores, primates, and reptiles. Animals found in Serengeti national park include lions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes, rhinos, topis, elands, coke’s hartebeests, giraffes, impalas, warthogs, various species of antelopes such as roan antelopes, common eland, bushbucks, greater kudus, fringe- eared oryxes and dik-dik, aardvark, aardwolf, bat-eared fox, ground pangolin, crested porcupine, 3 species of hyraxes, cape hare and many more. Serengeti national park is a home to many different kinds of reptiles, such as leopard tortoises, crocodiles, African pythons, black-necked spitting cobras, puff Ander, black mambas, and many more.
Bird species.
Serengeti national park is also one of the most prominent listed Tanzania bird watching safari destination habiting over 500 bird species, these birds include Maasai ostrich, marabou storks, black crake, lesser flamingo, Ashy starling, love birds, yellow barbets, crowned cranes, helmeted guinea fowls, southern ground hornbill, kori bustards, secretary birds, small finches, hartlaub’s turaco and many more.
The wildebeest migration.
The wildebeest migration is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and most individuals who visit Serengeti National Park go there to see it. Every year, over 1.5 million wildebeests and hundreds of thousands of herbivores move in a cycle through the Serengeti environment, spending most of their time in Serengeti national Park. This is called the “great wildebeest migration.” One of the best things to see in Serengeti National Park is animals crossing the Grumeti River and the Mara River while being pursued by predators on their way to the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. This is one of the most famous scenes in the park. One of the most popular safari activities for people to do in Serengeti National Park is to watch the wildebeest migration.
Maasai People.
Maasai people live on the edges of Serengeti National Park. Their culture and ways of life haven’t changed much over the years, so tourists can learn from them, talk to them, and experience a different culture than their own.
Olduvai Gorge.
Olduvai Gorge is the location where Dr. Louse Leaky and his wife observed the oldest remains of man, believed to be a million years or more.
Moru Kopjes.
Moru kopjes are dispersed across Serengeti national park, lavishing the park wonderfully and thus incorporating beautiful scenery to the park. The Moru kopjes are an excellent destination to see black rhinos, as well as lions and other cats.
Retina Hippo Pool.
Large groups of hippos will be busking and swimming in the Retina Hippo Pool, where you can see them. This is one of the finest sites in Serengeti National Park to see hippos because there are so many of them.
Grumeti River and Mara River.
The Grumeti River and the Mara River are two of the most enjoyable spots to go in Serengeti National Park. This is especially true from May to August, when the wildebeest migrate through these areas.
Seronera River Valley.
Seronera River Valley is in the Seronera area, which is in the middle of Serengeti National Park and has a lot of animals. It is one of the greatest destinations to go to see a range of animals in Serengeti National Park.
Safari activities to do in Serengeti national park.
Game drives.
One of the most prevalent activities to do on a Tanzania safari is to go on a game drive in Serengeti National Park. Game drives are done in 4X4 vehicles that tour the park’s four main areas: Seronera and the south, Grumeti and the western corridor, central Serengeti, and northern Serengeti. There are game drives as,
Morning game drive which is a great opportunity to view big cats such as lions, leopards, cheetahs who are on a hunting spree and sun bathing.
Afternoon game drive done after lunch this is the perfect time to watch the various animal species at different water points washing away their thirst, that offers the perfect game driving safari.
Full game drive done for a full day and provides the chance to tour every part of the park while observing a lot of animals such as zebras, leopards, elephants and many more
Night game drive performed in the pitch-dark hours and carried out with the assistance of a spot light, this game drive is best for discovering nocturnal animals such as lions, leopards, cheetahs and many more.
Generally game drives in Serengeti national park provides attractions of numerous animals such as lions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes, rhinos, topis, elands, coke’s hartebeests, giraffes, impalas, warthogs, various species of antelopes such as roan antelopes, common eland, bushbucks, greater kudus, fringe- eared oryxes and dik-dik and many more.
Bird watching.
Serengeti National Park is one of the most popular bird watching safari on a Tanzania safari. The park is a paradise for birders and is home to more than 500 kinds of birds that live in the park’s diverse ecosystem, Bird watching safari can be done with the help of expert birding safari guide that guide you to spot the beautiful and colorful bird species while with the presence of a pair of binoculars and a camera. Bird watching safari in Serengeti national park offers sights of many species of birds such as Maasai ostrich, marabou storks, black crake, lesser flamingo, Ashy starling, love birds, yellow barbets, crowned cranes, helmeted guinea fowls, southern ground hornbill, Kori bustards, secretary birds, Oxpeckers, small finches, Hartlaub’s turaco and many more.
Bird watching in Serengeti national park begins as early as 6:00 am when the majority of birds start to wake up and the best time to birding is from November to April which is a breeding period for most birds and migratory birds from Europe and other parts of Africa are present in the park, though bird watching is possible throughout the year.’
Hot air balloon safaris.
Hot air balloon safaris in Serengeti national park are a spectacular and iconic way to see the plains and attractions of the park from the air while on a Tanzania safari. This breathtaking safari experience offers aerial views of Serengeti national park’s wilderness, including animals like lions, elephants, buffaloes, cheetahs, and the beautiful landscape. Serengeti National Park’s hot air balloon safaris start as early as 6 a.m. from approved sites in the Seronera area. The experience lasts about one to two hours, and it’s followed by a champagne breakfast in the bush.
Hot air balloon safaris designated sites in Serengeti national park are 3 sites and they include;
In Seronera in central Serengeti flying over Seronera river valley for sights animals gathering around the river.
In June and July, you can see the wildebeest migration crossing the Grumenti River in the Western Serengeti by flying over the river.
South Serengeti plains soaring over the southern plains for attractions of the calving period of the great wildebeest migration, in this period 8000 newborns are sighted. Hot air balloon safaris are ideal for photographers offering scenic nature photographs.
Walking safaris.
Walking safaris in Serengeti national park are an excellent way to see every part of the park that can’t be reached by a safari vehicle. This exciting activity lets you encounter animals like lions, elephants, and many others in the park’s wild areas. Walking safaris are done with guidance from a game ranger and a guide.
Cultural tours.
Cultural walks in Serengeti national park give you a look into the traditional way of life of the Maasai. This is the best way to enjoy the traditional way of life of the Maasai. The Maasai are semi-nomadic people who used to live in many different parts of Kenya and Tanzania before the parks were set up. When tourists go to Maasai villages, which the locals call “Bomas,” they can meet the Maasai people, take part in their daily activities like raising livestock, and be entertained by local dance and drama. Travellers also get to learn more about Maasai customs, rituals, beliefs, and many other things.
Where to stay in Serengeti national park.
In Serengeti national park there are plenty of safari lodges and camps providing accommodation to visitors of the park, safari lodges and camps in Serengeti national park are categorized as luxury, midrange and budget and they include Mwiba lodge, Lake Ndutu luxury tented camp, Namiri plains camp, And Beyond Under Canvas, Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti camp, Olakira camp, Serengeti bushtops camp, Ndutu wilderness camp, woodlands camps, Serengeti Ndutu safari lodge, and many more.
How to get to Serengeti national park.
Serengeti national park is located in remote corner of north Tanzania and is a very accessible Tanzania safari destination for various cities such as Arusha city, the park is accessible by use of both road and air transport.
By road transport: you can get into and out of Serengeti National Park through Naabi Hill gate, Ndabaka gate, Klein’s gate, and Bologonya gate. From Arusha, there are well-kept roads that lead to the park’s main gates, which take about 6-7 hours to drive. If you want to drive to Serengeti National Park, you should use a 4X4 vehicle.
By air transport: Serengeti national park is accessed by international air travel and regional air travel. By international air travel the preferred place for entry to the park is Kilimanjaro international airport positioned between Moshi town and Arusha town, from Kilimanjaro international airport to Serengeti national park it is a distance of 200 miles. International flights from KLM, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, and other airlines stop at this airport. At Kilimanjaro national park, you can connect to flights to Nairobi.
Local airlines like Air Excel, Coastal Aviation, and Regional Air offer regional flights to Serengeti National Park from Kilimanjaro International Airport and Arusha Airport to one of the 7 airstrips that serve the park. The flight takes between 1- 5 hours.