The number of predators in Serengeti is compared to nowhere else!
The Serengeti is Africa's most
famous park. Renowned for the two million strong wildebeest 'Great Migration'
and incredible concentrations of predators, the Serengeti is a park that
guarantees an exceptional safari. The vast endless grass plains (Serengeti in
Maasai) are the richest grazing grounds on the continent; home to the largest
herds on the planet, and the highest concentrations of predators in Africa.
Just focussing on the Great Migration however would not be doing the park justice for it is
widely believed that if you took the Great Migration out of the park, the
Serengeti is still the finest park in Africa.
Vast herds, huge predator concentrations, uninterrupted views, river crossings, huge lion prides, great leopard sightings, high concentration of cheetah, some of the best camps in Africa. What more do you want! The Serengeti is one of those very rare places that receives so many accolades yet manages to live up to all the hype. Surrounded by amazing tribes, such as the Masai and Hadzabe, there is even more to this park than meets the eye. In a nutshell, the Serengeti is the mother of all safari parks and the most celebrated wildlife reserve in the world. It is like a lost world. In our view there is nowhere else like it. Absolutely outstanding!
Vast herds, huge predator concentrations, uninterrupted views, river crossings, huge lion prides, great leopard sightings, high concentration of cheetah, some of the best camps in Africa. What more do you want! The Serengeti is one of those very rare places that receives so many accolades yet manages to live up to all the hype. Surrounded by amazing tribes, such as the Masai and Hadzabe, there is even more to this park than meets the eye. In a nutshell, the Serengeti is the mother of all safari parks and the most celebrated wildlife reserve in the world. It is like a lost world. In our view there is nowhere else like it. Absolutely outstanding!
The
Serengeti's Great Migration
Originally created to preserve the
path of the Great Migration, the Serengeti and its surrounding reserves cover
nearly 30,000 square kilometres. Throughout the year the huge wildebeest and
zebra herds move in a clockwise direction around the plains, searching for
fresh grazing grounds. To maximise your chance of viewing the herds, choosing
the right accommodation, for the time of year you are travelling, is crucial.
Serengeti: Where to stay
The Serengeti has a wide variety of accommodation, ranging from large hotels to small luxury lodges and no frills safari camps. The Serengeti is most famous however for its mobile camps - light weight safari camps that effectively move with the Migration herds. There are a number of these mobile camps operating in the Serengeti with our favourites being Alex Walker's Serian, Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp, Asilia's Olakira Camp and finally CCA Serengeti Under Canvas. Ubuntu has been a welcome introduction as a more economical alternative.
If the idea of 'going mobile' is a little too adventurous then our favourite luxury lodges are Singita's Faru Faru, Sabora and Sasakwa or their Singita Mara Tented Camp, as well as Kleins Camp, Sayari Camp and Nomad Lamai Camp. The Serena and Sopa hotels are the best accommodations for those with young children and wanting to be central with good year round safari viewing.
Serengeti: When to go
The Serengeti is one of the very few places in Africa of which you can say the game viewing is outstanding at any time of year. April and May sees the heaviest rains but even then, the lodges are good value and the park is quiet yet the game viewing is remains outstanding. We believe the very best time of year to be in the park is either from January to March which includes the spectacle of the Great Migration calving, or alternatively from the middle of July all the way to the middle of November when the herds are crossing the Mara river to or from Kenya.
Serengeti: What game will you see
There are so many different species in the Serengeti that this list could go on forever. The Serengeti's main attraction is the Great Migration, consisting of up to 2 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebras and 350,000 thompson, impala and grant's gazelles. The predator viewing here is exceptional with approximately 3-4,000 lion and huge numbers of cheetah, leopard and hyena. Other game found in the park include topi, eland, hartebeest, buffalo, elephant, caracal, serval, bat-eared fox, hyrax, genet, hares, porcupine, aardvark, giraffe, jackal, mongoose, crocodile, monitor lizard, aardwolf, many kinds of primates including baboons, vervet and colobus monkeys, and over 500 species of bird.
Serengeti: What activities are on offer
The main activity in the Serengeti is daytime game driving. No night safari is permitted inside the park but there are a number of lodges found in the reserves adjacent to the Serengeti which allow this activity. Most notable are Singita's Grumeti Reserves (Sasakwa, Faru Faru and Grumeti Reserves Sabora) as well as Kleins Camp and the camps in the adjacent Loliondo reserve are where guests can night drive. Walking is also possible outside the park, and a couple of camps in the far North of the park allow for walks within the park boundaries. Alex Walker’s Serian is the only camp in Southern Serengeti area permitted to walk.
Serengeti: The regions explained
The Serengeti National Park is absolutely huge. If you are intent on viewing the Great Migration then where you stay is as much dependant on the time of year you are travelling as it is the style of camp or hotel you are looking for. Get the location wrong and this park is so big that you will not see the herds. The Serengeti is therefore broadly divided into four distinct areas - the central Seronera Valley, the Western Corridor, the Northern Lobo and Kogatende areas, and finally the Southern Plains.
The Central Serengeti and the Seronera River Valley (good all year round)
The centre of the Serengeti is called Seronera. Seronera is a network of river valleys that ensure year-round water supplies and keep the region incredibly rich in wildlife throughout the year. The area has phenomenal concentrations of game and sees the migration herds move North from mid April to late June and back South again in November to December. Dunia Camp is our favourite camp here, along with the mobile camps when the migration moves through, specifically the Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp and Serengeti Under Canvas. For a more economical option, there is always Kati Kati.
Serengeti: The Western Corridor and Grumeti (May through to mid July)
The Western Corridor follows the path of the Grumeti River up towards Lake Victoria. This region provides superb wildlife viewing action in May and June, when the migration crosses the crocodile infested waters of the Grumeti. At this point camps such as &beyond's Grumeti River Camp, Kirawira and Mbalageti come into their own. The two mobile camps that are superb at this time of year are the Serengeti Safari Camp and Serengeti Under Canvas.
Serengeti: The North, Kogatende, Lobo and Lamai, Serengeti
The Northern reaches of the Serengeti remain fantastically quiet and now gained a lot of visitors compared to previous year due to improved tourist facilities like lodges and luxury campsites but also the establishment of a new balloon safari i.e Aloft Adventure Balloon Safari. The Kogatende area used to be cut off from the rest of the Serengeti, but recent years have seen some of the best camps in the country spring up. This area is mainly use either by extended driving safaris or with flying safari's to two superb permanent tented camps - Sayari Camp and Nomad Lamai. From July through to the end of October the Migration is resident in the area and is the finest place to see the Migration's river crossings; as the herds often cross the Mara River daily. This region has been described as 'ultimate paradise' for keen safari buffs and is the best place for walking safari inside the park. All the mobile camps move up for here for the whole period, Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp, Serengeti Under Canvas, Olakira and of Alex Walker’s Serian.
The Southern Short Grass Plains of the Serengeti (December through to March)
The Serengeti's Southern plains are where the name of the park comes from. Huge endless grass plains stretch from Southern Seronera into the Ngorongoro Conservation area. The area is not as good for game out of the migration season as the central Seronera region, or the Western Corridor, but from December through to April the migration covers the entire area. February is a superb time of year to be here for the calving season when 8,000 wildebeest are born every day for a two week period! The only two permanent lodges here are Ndutu Lodge and Kusini Camp, however, all the mobile camps move down to the area for the whole period. Alex Walker’s Serian is perfect choice for this area, being close enough to the migration and far away from the other mobile camps. For a more migration intense location, Olakira, Nomads Serengeti Safari Camp and Serengeti Under Canvas work very well
Serengeti: Where to stay
The Serengeti has a wide variety of accommodation, ranging from large hotels to small luxury lodges and no frills safari camps. The Serengeti is most famous however for its mobile camps - light weight safari camps that effectively move with the Migration herds. There are a number of these mobile camps operating in the Serengeti with our favourites being Alex Walker's Serian, Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp, Asilia's Olakira Camp and finally CCA Serengeti Under Canvas. Ubuntu has been a welcome introduction as a more economical alternative.
If the idea of 'going mobile' is a little too adventurous then our favourite luxury lodges are Singita's Faru Faru, Sabora and Sasakwa or their Singita Mara Tented Camp, as well as Kleins Camp, Sayari Camp and Nomad Lamai Camp. The Serena and Sopa hotels are the best accommodations for those with young children and wanting to be central with good year round safari viewing.
Serengeti: When to go
The Serengeti is one of the very few places in Africa of which you can say the game viewing is outstanding at any time of year. April and May sees the heaviest rains but even then, the lodges are good value and the park is quiet yet the game viewing is remains outstanding. We believe the very best time of year to be in the park is either from January to March which includes the spectacle of the Great Migration calving, or alternatively from the middle of July all the way to the middle of November when the herds are crossing the Mara river to or from Kenya.
Serengeti: What game will you see
There are so many different species in the Serengeti that this list could go on forever. The Serengeti's main attraction is the Great Migration, consisting of up to 2 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebras and 350,000 thompson, impala and grant's gazelles. The predator viewing here is exceptional with approximately 3-4,000 lion and huge numbers of cheetah, leopard and hyena. Other game found in the park include topi, eland, hartebeest, buffalo, elephant, caracal, serval, bat-eared fox, hyrax, genet, hares, porcupine, aardvark, giraffe, jackal, mongoose, crocodile, monitor lizard, aardwolf, many kinds of primates including baboons, vervet and colobus monkeys, and over 500 species of bird.
Serengeti: What activities are on offer
The main activity in the Serengeti is daytime game driving. No night safari is permitted inside the park but there are a number of lodges found in the reserves adjacent to the Serengeti which allow this activity. Most notable are Singita's Grumeti Reserves (Sasakwa, Faru Faru and Grumeti Reserves Sabora) as well as Kleins Camp and the camps in the adjacent Loliondo reserve are where guests can night drive. Walking is also possible outside the park, and a couple of camps in the far North of the park allow for walks within the park boundaries. Alex Walker’s Serian is the only camp in Southern Serengeti area permitted to walk.
Serengeti: The regions explained
The Serengeti National Park is absolutely huge. If you are intent on viewing the Great Migration then where you stay is as much dependant on the time of year you are travelling as it is the style of camp or hotel you are looking for. Get the location wrong and this park is so big that you will not see the herds. The Serengeti is therefore broadly divided into four distinct areas - the central Seronera Valley, the Western Corridor, the Northern Lobo and Kogatende areas, and finally the Southern Plains.
The Central Serengeti and the Seronera River Valley (good all year round)
The centre of the Serengeti is called Seronera. Seronera is a network of river valleys that ensure year-round water supplies and keep the region incredibly rich in wildlife throughout the year. The area has phenomenal concentrations of game and sees the migration herds move North from mid April to late June and back South again in November to December. Dunia Camp is our favourite camp here, along with the mobile camps when the migration moves through, specifically the Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp and Serengeti Under Canvas. For a more economical option, there is always Kati Kati.
Serengeti: The Western Corridor and Grumeti (May through to mid July)
The Western Corridor follows the path of the Grumeti River up towards Lake Victoria. This region provides superb wildlife viewing action in May and June, when the migration crosses the crocodile infested waters of the Grumeti. At this point camps such as &beyond's Grumeti River Camp, Kirawira and Mbalageti come into their own. The two mobile camps that are superb at this time of year are the Serengeti Safari Camp and Serengeti Under Canvas.
Serengeti: The North, Kogatende, Lobo and Lamai, Serengeti
The Northern reaches of the Serengeti remain fantastically quiet and now gained a lot of visitors compared to previous year due to improved tourist facilities like lodges and luxury campsites but also the establishment of a new balloon safari i.e Aloft Adventure Balloon Safari. The Kogatende area used to be cut off from the rest of the Serengeti, but recent years have seen some of the best camps in the country spring up. This area is mainly use either by extended driving safaris or with flying safari's to two superb permanent tented camps - Sayari Camp and Nomad Lamai. From July through to the end of October the Migration is resident in the area and is the finest place to see the Migration's river crossings; as the herds often cross the Mara River daily. This region has been described as 'ultimate paradise' for keen safari buffs and is the best place for walking safari inside the park. All the mobile camps move up for here for the whole period, Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp, Serengeti Under Canvas, Olakira and of Alex Walker’s Serian.
The Southern Short Grass Plains of the Serengeti (December through to March)
The Serengeti's Southern plains are where the name of the park comes from. Huge endless grass plains stretch from Southern Seronera into the Ngorongoro Conservation area. The area is not as good for game out of the migration season as the central Seronera region, or the Western Corridor, but from December through to April the migration covers the entire area. February is a superb time of year to be here for the calving season when 8,000 wildebeest are born every day for a two week period! The only two permanent lodges here are Ndutu Lodge and Kusini Camp, however, all the mobile camps move down to the area for the whole period. Alex Walker’s Serian is perfect choice for this area, being close enough to the migration and far away from the other mobile camps. For a more migration intense location, Olakira, Nomads Serengeti Safari Camp and Serengeti Under Canvas work very well
Wildlife viewing in Serengeti National Park is good
throughout the year, but certain areas are better at specific times. The dry
season (from late June to September) offers the best wildlife viewing in
general- with the wildebeest migration as its absolute highlight. The timing of
the migration varies every year (the best chance of seeing it is during June
and July) while the wildebeest calving is from late January to February.
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