Serengeti National Park

World Heritage, Biosphere Reserve, one of the New Seven Wonders of Africa (titles all shared with another park in Tanzania, the adjacent Ngorongoro), which can be visited in its entirety, the Serengeti National Park is the park of records!

It is the oldest park in Tanzania (it was established in 1951), the richest of predators in all Africa, the only one in the world in which to witness the great migration of over a million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras! Park of immense beauty, located between Lake Victoria to the west and the Rift Valley to the east, makes perfectly the majesty of its name Masai, Siringet, which means “open plains endless”. Immense park, endless park, Serengeti shall not die*!

* documentary film, Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1950, shot by German researcher Bernhard Grzimek and his son Michael, who crashed by plane before the end of filming in Ol Karien Gorge in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Serengeti National Park ecosistema mappa

size

Serengeti National Park: 14,750 km²
almost twice as much as the island of Crete!

The Serengeti ecosystem also includes protected areas surrounding the National Park – about 38,000 km² in total

in Tanzania:

Ngorongoro 8,292 km²

Loliondo 5,360 km²

Maswa Game Reserve 2,800 km²

Ikorongo Game Reserve 603 km²

Grumeti Game Reserve 417 km²

in Kenya:

Masai Mara 1,525 km²

Mara Group Ranches 4,020 km²

altitude

from 1,100 to 2,000 meters

day visit

from (minimum!) 2 to 4 days divided as follows:

December-April: 2 days in Ndutu and 2 days in Seronera

May-June: 2 days in Seronera and 2 days in Grumeti

July-October: 2 days in Seronera and 2 days in Mara

October-November: 2 days in Seronera and 2 days in Lobo

distances and entrances

  • Naabi Gate (southeast): 3 hours from Karatu, 6 hours from Arusha, 2 hours from Ngorongoro Crater, 1 hour from Olduvai Gorge
  • Klein’s Gate (northeast): 3 hours from Lake Natron
  • Ndabaka Gate (southwest, Lake Victoria) 2 hours from Mwanza
from and to Mugumu  (for those who visit Hope for girls & women)
  • Ikoma Gate (directionSerengeti Seronera) 1 hour
  • Bisarara/Tabora ‘B’ (directionSerengeti nord) half an hour
  • Machochwe (direction Serengeti Mara): less than 1 hour
  • Lemai Ranger Post (Serengeti Mara): 1 hour and a half

accomodation

basiccomfortluxury

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POINT OF INTEREST

the southern plains of the Serengeti National Park, entering from Naabi Hill Gate, going up towards the Simba Kopjes

on less frequented trails, towards the Ngorongoro, the Gol Kopjes (or Oogol Kopjes) are preferred places by lions, easily spotted especially early in the morning or at sunset

Ndutu Lake, a shallow alkaline lake at the southeast border, shares the same basin as Masek Lake, in the neighbouring protected area of Ngorongoro; in 1973, on the shores of the lake, archaeological excavations found the skull of Ndutu, attributed to Homo Erectus, along with numerous remnants of instruments dating back over 500,000 years
not far from Seronera, among landscapes that look like paintings, Lake Magadi and the Moru Kopjes, near which, if you are really very lucky, you can see lions, cheetahs and even the rare black rhinoceros!
at the southern end of the park there is Kusini, where the savannah meets the mountains of the Maswa Game Reserve; here between December and January, with the birth of the puppies, begins the great migration of the animals of the Serengeti
towards Lake Victoria, along the western corridor flows the Grumeti River, sulle cui sponde, on whose banks, in late spring, moves the great migration, and where you can see the spectacular crossing of the river, near Kirawira Migration Crossing Point
Seronera is the heart of the Serengeti, the protagonist of the park in every season; at the Visitor Center, built on a Kopje,  visite guided tours in English to learn the history of the park and learn about migration and animals
the area where the Mara River flows, on the northern border with Kenya (where the park takes the name of Masai Mara), is the area of the great migration from July to September; the crossing of the river, which is repeated several times a day between Tanzania and Kenya and vice versa, takes place not far from Kogatende, where there is a small airport for those who, for lack of time or for more comfort, prefer to arrive in this remote corner of paradise with a small private plane
to the east the Lobo Valley, place of the great migration in the last months of the year; also here there is a small airport, Lobo Airstrip, where there is a small airport for those who, for lack of time or for more comfort, prefer to move with a private plane
Mugumu is not a tourist destination, but a small village located just outside the park boundaries, to the west, towards Lake Victoria, where Rhobi Samwell, founder of Hope for girls & women, has a shelter for young women little more than girls rescued from female genital mutilation – seeing how a young Tanzanian woman is changing her world is a privilege not to be missed!

distances in the park

  • Naabi Gate – Seronera: 2 to 3 hours
    (from the south to the center of the Serengeti)
  • Seronera – Kirawira / western corridor: about 6 hours
    (from the center of the Serengeti to the west end)
  • Seronera – Kogatende / Mara river: about 6 hours

    (from the center of the Serengeti towards the Mara to the north)
  • Kogatende – Klein’s Gate: 4 to 5 hours
    (to the north, in the Mara region, from west to east)

The movements between one area and another of the park are long and often tiring, but the effort is well rewarded: unexpected sightings of animals, the spectacle that flows from the windows, the rainbow of landscapes most impressive in Africa, the intoxicating scent of savannah herbs…

In all safaris, and in the Serengeti in particular, travel times are indicative and unforeseen events are frequent! The deviations to the route for the news of a sighting (the safari cars are all connected by radio for the exchange of information), a problem to your own car or others (the Tanzanian guides are all good mechanics and help each other in case of failure), the conditions of the gravel road, everything is part of the safari and tourists quickly learn the true meaning of the expression in Swahili language “pole pole” – slowly: it is the African land to impose its rhythms to a laborious and active people that never gives up! 

The experience and professionalism of our guides will allow you to experience the most exciting safari in this incredible park!

the great migration map

The Serengeti National Park: a spectacle for every season!

In the southern Serengeti the immense savanna is lost beyond the infinity of the horizon, interrupted only by the kopjes, rocky outcrops and bizarre geologically dated at least billion of years ago, on which it is not unusual to see lions or leopards. From December to April the southern plains, arid in the dry season, are transformed into meadows of incredible beauty and Ndutu Lake is full of life.

In these months, here where the grass finally grows luxuriant, gather the animals, protagonists of the great migration – a spectacle that is repeated without interruption since the dawn of time! It is an unmissable emotion to see the movement of millions of herbivores, mostly wildebeest (over a million) and zebras (two hundred thousand), accompanied by gazelles, impalas and all the animals of the savannah, with their following of ferocious predators ready to hunt for survival. The cubs of wildebeest and many other herbivores, preferred preys of lions, leopards and cheetahs, come to light just in these months, the closest to the Kisina Kopjes, in the extreme south of the park, place from which the great migration begins.

In April, the cubs are weaned and the herds begin to look for new pastures towards the central Serengeti and the Seronera. In the area, rich in wildlife all year round, is concentrated, with the passage of the great migration, the richest amount of predators in all of Africa! Crossed by the rivers Seronera, Ngare Nanyuki, Nyabogati and Orangi, all tributaries of the river Grumeti, it is the richest area of accommodation and also the most touristic area of the park, but it is so vast that it is not difficult to find little frequented trails to enjoy the savannah in solitude. It is in fact part of the experience and spirit of the safari share with the jeeps of other tourists sightings of the rarest animals, but only a good guide will “give you your time” for sighting in the respect of other times, and will also know – and especially – dosing solitary experiences with shared experiences.

To the west of the Seronera extends the Western Corridor, from which you can reach Lake Victoria. The banks of the Grumeti are an excellent place for the sighting of hippopotamuses, crocodiles, elephants crossing the river, leopards resting on trees; from May to June, this is one of the best places (like the area of the Mara in summer) to enjoy the spectacle of the great migration.

From July to October the herds move in the northern Serengeti, hilly and covered with acacias, between Tanzania and Kenya, where the park takes the name of Masai Mara. Here the crossing of the river gives the most exciting show, equal only to what you can admire in Grumeti in the previous months. The animals that carry out the great migration never concentrate exclusively in Kenya or in Tanzania but continue to move on the border, crossing several times back and forth the Mara in search of new pastures of newly grown grass.

In November, the great migration is further east, in the area of the Lobo Valley, ready to head south to return to the starting point.

This spectacular circular movement of hundreds of thousands of animals, whose times are regulated with the perfection of every natural rhythm, is guided only by the incredible sense of smell of wildebeest for grass and rain. The movements follow more or less the same path and the same seasonality, but like all natural phenomena also the great migration does not follow a completely predictable pattern. Inserting two different and quite distant destinations in the safari programming in the Serengeti National Park allows you to manage the route according to the actual movement of the herds.

Predators in Serengeti

one of the best for sightings of

Cheetah  Leopard  Lion Serval Black-backed Jackal Side-striped Jackal  Crocodile

very frequent sightings of

Spotted Hyena Bat-eared Fox 

probable sightings of

African Civet Small-spotted Genet Aardwolf Striped Hyena African Wolf   Nile Monitor

very rare sightings of

 East African Wild Dog • Caracal Black mamba African rock Python

Herbivores and other species in Serengeti

one of the best for sightings of

Serengeti (or western) White-bearded Wildebeest Zebra  Thomson’s Gazelle

very frequent sightings of

Impala Grant’s Gazelle Topi Coke’s Hartebeest (or Kongoni) Common Eland Kirk’s Dik-dik Klipspringer  
African Bush Elephant Giraffe Warthog • Hippopotamus  African Buffalo 
Angola black and white colobus Olive Baboon
Leopard Tortoise

probable sightings of

Waterbuck Roan antelope Gerenuk Oribi Steenbok
Vervet Monkey Sykes’s Monkey (or Blue Monkey) Patas monkey Red-tailed monkey 

very rare sightings of

Black Rhinoceros

Serengeti National Park Birdwatching

birdwatching

Predatory birds • Secretarybird(in photo) • Palm-nut Vulture • Egyptian Vulture • African Cuckoo-hawk• White-headed Vulture • Long-crested Eagle⚑ • Lappet-faced Vulture • Eastern Imperial Eagle⚑ • Hooded Vulture • White-backed Vulture⚑ • Ruppell’s Vulture⚑ • Western Banded Snake-eagle⚑ • Martial Eagle⚑ • Long-crested Eagle⚑ • Tawny Eagle⚑ • Steppe Eagle⚑ • African Goshawk• Black Kite⚑ • African Fish-eagle⚑ • Augur Buzzard⚑ • African Scops-owl… and several other 
Other species • Common Ostrich • Helmeted Guineafowl⚑ • Eastern Crested Guineafowl⚑ • Grey-breasted Francolin⚑ • Red-necked Francolin⚑ • Coqui Francolin⚑ • Lesser Flamingo⚑ • Yellow-throated Sandgrouse• Kori Bustard⚑ • Eastern Plantain-eater⚑ • Schalow’s Turaco⚑ • Marabou⚑ • Grey Crowned Crane⚑ • Spur-winged Lapwing⚑ • Black-winged Lapwing• Chestnut-banded Plover⚑ • Caspian Plover⚑ • Common Gull-billed Tern⚑ • White-winged Tern⚑ • Goliath Heron⚑ • Little Egret⚑ • Cattle Egret⚑ • Hadada Ibis⚑ • Speckled Mousebird • Southern Ground-hornbill⚑ • Red-billed Hornbill⚑ • Lilac-breasted Roller⚑ • D’Arnaud’s Barbet • Usambiro Barbet• Little Spotted Woodpecker • Red-fronted Parrot • Fischer’s Lovebird⚑ • Grey-crested Helmetshrike⚑ • Brown-throated Wattle-eye⚑ • Black-headed Gonolek⚑ • Grey-backed Fiscal⚑ • Cape Crow • Red-throated Tit • Fischer’s Sparrow-lark⚑ • Red-capped Lark⚑ • Somali Short-toed Lark⚑ • Karamoja Apalis• Red-billed Oxpecker • Red-billed Oxpecker • Hildebrandt’s Starling• Little Rock-thrush • Sooty Chat⚑ • Red-chested Sunbird⚑ • Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird⚑ • Rufous-tailed Weaver • Tanzanian Masked Weaver • Golden-backed Weaver⚑ • African Silverbill • Long-billed Pipit • Rosy-throated Longclaw⚑ • Golden Pipitand several other 
Threatened
Tanzania endemic
Near endemic
Africa endemic
Migratory

PARK ACTIVITIES INCLUDED IN OUR SAFARI

Safari by car: Our programs include the exploration of the Serengeti National Park compatible with the weather and environmental conditions and with the regulation of the park. Our guides will explain the program of each day, built around the points of interest reported on the map and in the descriptions of this page, always looking for the most exciting sightings!

Entry to the National Parks in Tanzania is allowed to licensed off-road vehicles of local tour operators with a valid license. The paths of the safaris are strictly bound to the trails. The strict regulation of parks has the laudable aim of safeguarding the inestimable natural heritage and supporting the local economy. The “DIY tourism” presents many unknowns and therefore becomes difficult to practice. With us, local tour operator with Italian participation, you can realize your dream of a tailor-made safari! Contact us

EXTRA ACTIVITIES IN THE PARK

In hot air balloon: exclusive safari on the plains and rivers of this wonderful park.

ACTIVITY OUTSIDE THE PARK

Boma (Masai village): the safari in the Serengeti National Park is one of the best occasions to visit an authentic Boma Masai, between the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro, or even in the Loliondo, towards Lake Natron.

Olduvai Gorge: between the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro, one of the places from which the history of the man begins, an archaeological site not to be missed for the lovers of history, where to visit also the small museum, although the more important finds are preserved to the museum of Dar es Salaam.

A shelter of Hope for girls & women  in Mugumu – west of the park: for an authentic experience where happens the miracle of reconciliation of the values of African tribal culture with human rights and respect for women.

For information on transit fees and park accommodation, already included in the price of our safaris, visit the Park Fees page. The system of taxation of tourism in the parks of Tanzania is the necessary contribution to the conservation of an uncontaminated and wild natural heritage, of inestimable environmental value.

For general information about all parks in Tanzania and about this park – when to go, where is it, nearby destinations – go to Parks of Tanzania page

Are you interested in Tarangire National Park? Contact us!