Serengeti national park
Serengeti national park is among the popular safari destinations in Africa and it is located in the northern part of Tanzania. In the northern part of Tanzania which is a country in East Africa, tourists can explore different destinations including Serengeti national park and enjoy amazing wildlife viewing experiences and also seeing various bird species.
Covering over 14,750 square kilometers, tourists on their safaris in Africa can explore Serengeti national park which is one of the largest safari destinations in the northern part of Tanzania. Different parts of the park can be explored during safaris and they include northern Serengeti, southern Serengeti, western Serengeti and the Seronera area or central Serengeti.
Serengeti national park is known for its biodiversity and unique ecosystems and it consists of vast savannah plains, acacia woodlands, riverine forests and also granite rock outcrops which are also referred to as kopjes.
Attractions found in Serengeti national park Africa
There are many things to see when engaging in a safari around Serengeti national park in Tanzania and they include the following;
- The Great wildebeest Migration
One of the popular attractions to see during a safari around Serengeti national park is the great wildebeest Migration.
The great wildebeest migration is an annual movement of 2 million wildebeests across the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem. During this migration, zebras and gazelles as well as predators such as lions and cheetahs follow the herds of wildebeests as the roam in the vast plains of Serengeti national park.
The herds follow the rainfall patterns and move to arts of Serengeti national park with green pasture and water at different months of the year between December and August. Some of the highlights to look out for during the wildebeest migration include the Mara river crossings and the calving season.
Around southern Serengeti, the calving season can be seen in the months from December to February as over 8000 wildebeest calves are born around the short grass plains. Predators like lions, leopards, cheetahs among others can also be seen around the wildebeest herds in the national park.
In the northern part of Serengeti national park, tourists can enjoy seeing the Mara river crossings around July to August and other wildlife species like giraffes, elephants, buffalos among others can also be seen around the area during safaris.
The wildebeest migration safaris in Serengeti national park can also be seen in the central part of the park around April and May where the herds of wildebeest spread across the vast savannah plains in the Seronera area.
Tours in Serengeti national park to see the wildebeests can also be done around the western part of the park where the Grumeti river crossings take place.
- Big Five animals
Serengeti national park is also popularly known for the big five animals which include lions, leopards, rhinos and buffalos.
Around the savannah plains and in the woodland areas of the park, the big five can be seen in different parts of Serengeti national park. Leopards because of their ability to camouflage and rhinos which are not very many in number are difficult to spot but can be seen during safaris in Serengeti. Among the big five, elephants, lions and buffalos can be seen around the vast savannah plains throughout the year.
- Serengeti ecosystem
The vast savannah plains of Serengeti national park because of their endless nature are also among the attractions at the destination. The park is also made up of granite outcrops known as kopjes where wildlife species like lions can be spotted during safaris.
Around Serengeti national park, wildlife species can also be spotted around the rivers which also make up the ecosystem of the park. Animals can also be seen around other water sources during the safaris in the dry season around June to October.
Activities to do around Serengeti national park Africa
Activities which tourists engage in during their safaris around Serengeti national park in Africa include the following;
- Game drives
Game drives in Serengeti national park can be done in the morning and afternoon in search for the various wildlife species such as lions, giraffes, cheetahs, hyenas, warthogs, waterbucks, zebras, wildebeests, leopards among others.
- Hot air balloon safaris
Tourists can also take part on hot air balloon safaris during their Tanzania tours around Serengeti national park as they enjoy aerial views of the savannah plains, the wildlife species and other attractions found at the destination.
- Guided nature walks
During safaris in Serengeti national park, tourists can also enjoy guided nature walks which involve exploring the vast plains of the park on foot in the company of ranger guides.
Wildlife species like wildebeests, zebras, antelopes, elephants among others can also be encountered during the nature walks which are done in some parts of Serengeti national park.
Other activities to do during safaris in Serengeti national park include bird watching experiences and also community tours.
Best time to visit Serengeti national park Africa
Safaris in Serengeti national park can be done throughout the year with the best time for wildlife viewing at the destination being the dry season which occurs around June, July, August, September and October which is also a time when the wildebeest migration crossings along the Mara river take place. During the dry season, many tourists visit the park for safari.
Tourists can also visit Serengeti national park during the months of the rainy season around March, April and May and also in November. This time of the year is good for more private wildlife viewing experiences because of fewer tourists visiting the destination and bird watching is also best done at this time of the year.
How to get to Serengeti national park Africa
Flights and driving are the different ways that tourists can get to Serengeti national park in Tanzania during their safaris.
The drive to Serengeti national park from Arusha in northern Tanzania takes about 7 to 8 hours and tourists who prefer a short driving time can choose to fly from Arusha airport to Kilimanjaro international airport to the airstrips found in Serengeti national park.
