Discover the Magic of Serengeti National Park
Serengeti National Park, covering an expansive 14,763 square kilometers, is Tanzania’s second-largest national park. Positioned 320 km northwest of Arusha, it stretches across a high plateau between the Ngorongoro highlands and the Kenya/Tanzania border, reaching almost to Lake Victoria in the west. Named “endless plains” by the Maasai people, the park’s vastness is immediately apparent upon entering from Ngorongoro.
Established as a protected area in 1921 and gazetted as a national park in 1951, Serengeti is Tanzania’s oldest national park and one of the world’s most renowned wildlife sanctuaries. Its principal features include short and long grass plains in the south and east, acacia savannah in the central areas, hilly and densely wooded regions in the north, and extensive woodlands in the west.
The Serengeti offers a variety of scenery, from plains and lakes to hills and the unique rock outcrops known as kopjes. Major game drive areas include the Seronera Valley, the Western Corridor, and the northern Serengeti’s Lobo region. The Seronera Valley, with its permanent surface water, attracts large concentrations of wildlife year-round, including lions, buffaloes, impalas, hippos, elephants, cheetahs, and leopards. From December to May, the eastern Serengeti plains provide exceptional game viewing as migratory animals gather to graze on the short, palatable grass.
Top Attractions in Serengeti National Park
The Great Migration
The Serengeti is globally famous for the annual Great Migration, where over 1.5 million wildebeest, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles, traverse approximately 800 kilometers in search of fresh grazing. This journey, driven by seasonal rains, spans from the southern Serengeti to the Masai Mara in Kenya and back. This spectacle attracts predators like lions, cheetahs, hyenas, and crocodiles, offering dramatic predator-prey interactions.
Endless Plains
Derived from the Maasai word "Siringet," meaning "endless plains," the Serengeti's vast, open grasslands stretch as far as the eye can see. The landscape, interspersed with acacia woodlands, rocky kopjes, and riverine forests, supports a remarkable diversity of wildlife and provides stunning vistas, especially during sunrise and sunset.
Abundant Wildlife
Beyond the migration, the Serengeti is home to a plethora of wildlife. It hosts large populations of big cats, including lions, leopards, and cheetahs, as well as elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, and various antelope species. Birdwatchers will be delighted by over 500 bird species.
Kopjes
These ancient granite rock formations rise abruptly from the plains and provide shelter for various animals. Simba Kopje, the inspiration for Pride Rock in Disney's "The Lion King," is particularly famous. Kopjes are excellent spots for sighting predators like lions and leopards, as well as small mammals like hyraxes.
Grumeti and Mara Rivers
The Grumeti River in the western corridor and the Mara River in the northern Serengeti are crucial crossing points during the migration. Watching herds navigate these crocodile-infested waters is one of the most thrilling wildlife spectacles.
Seronera Valley
Located in the heart of the Serengeti, the Seronera Valley is renowned for its year-round abundance of wildlife. The area's network of rivers attracts various animals even during the dry season, and it is particularly famous for its high density of leopards and other big cats.
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