Serengeti Safari Tour

Serengeti safari tours take you to the vast plains of northern Tanzania, the Serengeti derives its name from the local Maasai word meaning 'land of endless plains. For centuries, the Maasai people have shared this dramatic landscape with its wildlife and earned a fearsome reputation as warriors and skilled cattle herders. Like much of the wildlife you witness in a Serengeti tour, these semi-nomadic Maasai followed the rains.

Tanzania Safari Serengeti offers wild encounters with the vast savannah of grass comprising of the park, with occasional isolated patches of trees, kopjes and bushes both the amount of rainfall and the numbers of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles vary enormously according to the seasons and the vegetation is very resistant to grazing. Some types of grass can spring up just an hour so after the first shower the herds don't stay long in one place. As you will witness on your Serengeti safari, life in this vast land changes month to month, soon enough the enormous grazing herds rapidly devour all the pasture and so they have to move on followed by other herbivores who share the same diet. Every year these herds cover about 3 000 kilometers in their constant wanderings which takes them to the edges of the park across the border into kenya and to the masai mara in the great migration on planet known as the Great Migration Serengeti.

A large population of herds matching also means many deaths and for some animals that means food, Serengeti safari tour goers during this time of the year experience the peak action in the park comparable to none across the continent. This also coincides to be the peak season for a Serengeti a National Park Safari there fore we also advice our guest to book early, accommodations quickly get booked and the number of visistors is highest. The government of tanzania aware of the importance of this migration decided to give official protection to 14,763 square kilometers of this region and thankfully, The Serengeti national park was born.

Central and Southern Serengeti

Central Serengeti is the most visited area of the park, this section is readily accessed by road from both Arusha and from Mwanza via the Western corridor. The main cacti on ares is Seronera, it is also the part with the major lodging in the park. South east of
Seronera is the Ngorongoro Conservation Area boundary and lake Ndutu is a prime base for an arranges Serengeti Safari tour during December to April wet season as wildlife is in high concentration here when it is full of wildebeests. In addition to the wildebeests, it is also notable for its Serengeti Safari lion and leopard sightings, especially around the Moru Kopjes area, which has a substantial resident wildlife population year round.

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Northern Serengeti

Serengeti safari to the northern section takes you to the hilly and more heavily vegetated part of The Serengeti. Northern Serengeti receives less visitors, but makes a fine base for a Serengeti Safari Tour in between August and October, when the wildebeests migration passes through.

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Western Serengeti

Apart from the designated park camp sites, the western Serengeti is the major area for basing a budget Serengeti safari tour. Most budget accommodation options are located here (mostly out of the park) The Western section has a seasonal proximity to the wildebeest migration as the herds pass through the area from around May or June. Western Serengeti offers the forest fringed Grumeti river, a landmark to explore on your Serengeti safari tour as it rewards reliable all year round wildlife viewing.

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Best time for Serengeti National Park Safari

Wildlife concentrations are greatest between December and June which makes it the best time to embark on your Serengeti Safari Tour, although the Serengeti can be visited rewardingly any time of the year. If you are keenly interested in the wildebeest migration, the best base for your Serengeti tour is about April to December is Seronera Area or the Southern part of the park. The migration river crossing at Grumeti River runs through the parks western corridor, usually happens between May and July, although the viewing window can be quite short. In particularly dry years, the migrating herds tend to move northwards sooner, avoiding or skirting the western corridor. Northern Serengeti is a good base during the dry season, particularly between August and October.

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Serengeti Migration Safari

The Serengeti owes its hallowed place in our imagination to the annual 800km migration of over 2.5 million animals, the largest mammalian migration on earth. A continuous, milling and unsettled mass, including almost two million wildebeest and close to a million other animals, the migration offers visitors one of nature’s most staggering displays, one in which the ever-vigilant predators – lions, cheetahs, African hunting dogs and spotted hyenas – play a vital part. The river crossings are the biggest obstacle, namely the Grumeti in Serengeti, and the Mara along the border with Kenya in the north, and both can be the scene of true carnage as the panicked herds struggle across the raging flows in a writhing mass of bodies while the weak, injured or careless are picked off by crocodiles and lions.
The migration’s ceaseless movement is prompted by a seasonal search for fresh water and pasture dictated by the rains. It moves in a roughly clockwise direction, concentrating in the national park from April to June, towards the end of the long rains, before leaving behind the withering plains of the Serengeti and journeying northward towards the fresh moisture and grass of Kenya’s Maasai Mara Game Reserve, which the migration reaches in August. By September and October, the bulk of the migration is concentrated in Maasai Mara. By late October and early November, the Mara’s grasslands are approaching exhaustion, so the migration turns back towards northern and eastern Serengeti, following the fresh grass brought by the short rains.
In this period, the migration is widely spread out, and a large part of it circles through Loliondo and into Ngorongoro, beyond the Serengeti’s eastern border. From December to March, the migration settles in the Serengeti Plains and western Ngorongoro, where it remains until the onset of the long rains. The wildebeest take advantage of this temporary pause to give birth (especially from late Jan to mid-March), accounting for half a million calves annually. The timing of this mass birthing provides security in numbers: predators will eat their fill, but within a few months, the surviving calves are much stronger and able to outrun their pursuers; nonetheless, the hazards of the migration are such that only one in three calves makes it back the following year. By April, the Serengeti migration is once more concentrated inside Serengeti, and the whole cycle starts again. The exact time and location of the migration varies annually, depending on the rains and other factors, so coinciding with it cannot be guaranteed.
Nonetheless, as a general rule, the best months for seeing the migration on your Serengeti Safari Tour is from December to July, especially February and March in the plains when the wildebeest herds are dotted with newborn, and April to June when animal concentrations are at their highest. June is also the best time for catching the migration’s perilous crossing of the Grumeti River, while the spectacular Mara River crossing, best seen from Kenya but also in northern Serengeti, is at its most awesome (and gruesome) in July and August. Taking into account the weather, the dry months of June and July, and usually also January, are probably the best time to visit, with the bulk of tourists coming in Dec–Feb and July–Aug

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Wildlife in Serengeti National Park

Lion, rhino, elephant, leopard and Cape buffalo; first called the Big Five by colonial big game hunters for their notorious danger and difficulty to hunt on foot are among the resident wildlife you should expect to see on a Serengeti tour.
How can you maximise your chances of a spot?
Most importantly here is the length of time you spend on safari. And this goes for all wildlife spotting in the park. In the company of a our experienced good guides at Masai Mara Holidays, you will likely see a comprehensive variety of animals within two to three days.
Lion, elephant and Cape buffalo thrive in strong numbers throughout the park. And, in fact, the Serengeti holds the largest population of lions in Africa, numbering 3,500 in 300 prides. However, the elusive leopard and black rhino may need a little more time or luck. Leopards are most abundant in the Seronera Valley and can usually be spotted shading in the branches of acacia trees. The eastern black rhinoceros is most frequently spotted near granite outcrops known as 'kopjes' in the centre of the park. We also recommend venturing into neighbouring Ngorongoro Conservation Area for those keen to boost their chances of a spot. Conveniently, most of our crafted Serengeti safari tours pass through as part of a safari itinerary.

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Ngorongoro Conservation Area

The Ngorongoro Crater is just one part of a much larger area of interrelated Eco systems consisting of the beautiful Crater Highlands together with vast stretches of plains, bush and woodland. The entire Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers about 83,000 sq km and encompasses Olduvai Gorge, the alkaline lakes Ndutu and Masek, although Ndutu is actually just over the border of Serengeti National Park. The conservation area also consists of a long string of Volcanoes and collapsed volcanoes known as calderas, most of which are inactive.

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How big is the Serengeti?

Serengeti National Park covers an area of 14,6763 sq km and is continuous with equally wildlife rewarded Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. The two parks are separated by a border in an area known to have the peak action of the great migration as the herds make their way from Northern Serengeti into Masai Mara Kenya.

How to get to Serengeti National Park

Serengeti National Park can be accessed both by Road and by air. Road transfer is a 3 to 4 hour drive from Arusha of Moshi, this is also the commonest options for Serengeti safari tour goers. Flights to Serengeti are also available and they depart daily from Arusha and land to various airstrips within the Serengeti including Seronera and Grumeti. Major Aviation flight operators are Air Excel and Coastal Aviation.

What to wear for a Serengeti Safari Tour

There is some science behind the khaki earth tones. These neutral colours repel the heat, and do a good job of disguising any splotches of African dust and soil.
Two colours to avoid are blues and blacks; these have been found to attract tsetse flies. Not what you need in your life during safari. In terms of fabrics, light and breathable materials make life so much more comfortable. However, do bear in mind that as the sun falls, temperatures cool considerably. This comes as a surprise to many visitors, considering the Serengeti sits a stone's throw from the Equator. But long sleeves are very wise for camp.
For a full packing list, consider the essentials such as a binoculars, a lens camera, insect repellant, safety boats.

The main takeaway here is that you really don't want to feel uncomfortable out on safari. Getting sunburnt, bitten or feeling clammy can be irritating and can take your focus away from the wildlife. So it is best coming prepared. For those hoping to capture excellent photography out on safari, equipment is key. The truth is that a smartphone, or basic point-and-shoot, won't really cut it. You will see plenty of wildlife up close, but a strong digital zoom or a lens with a focal length of at least 200 millimetres and above is necessary for more distant shots. This may sound controversial, but my best advice for those lacking in the right equipment, would be to put your camera or smartphone down, and soak it up with your eyes.
i'm not saying don't take any photographs, of course, but a vision burned into your memory will beat any number of pixelated photos on your device.
For those equipped with larger lenses, a small beanie bag can be invaluable for stabilising your shots in the vehicle. And a quick note on drones: drones are have to be first accepted which comes with an additional fee paid in the Serengeti National Park, or else they will be confiscated.

Serengeti Tour Operators and Safari Guides

Sometimes overlooked, but your Serengeti Tour Operator and guide is probably the most important component of your safari. You will be allocated a guide that you will be spending several days with him or her, after all. Tanzanian hospitality and friendliness is second to none, and often your guide becomes one of the best memories of your adventure. So it's important to choose the right person.
It also goes without saying that a well-trained guide is key to a successful, fruitful safari. We recommend investing the time to familiarise yourself with a reputable operator, and doing a little homework on reviews. Tripadvisor and Google are good places to check.

To note more, a common mistake that some visitors make is arriving with a checklist mentality or a set of defined expectations. Remember that this is wilderness at its absolute rawest; there are no scripts here. You are a drift in the animal kingdom, far from the lights, pollution and noise of the world's developed cities. Arriving with an open mind and simply allowing yourself to succumb to its spell will make the experience so much more enjoyable. Every visit is unique, and every visitor will have their own story to tell. The mighty Serengeti never fails to steal a piece of your heart.