Serengeti National Park
Endless grass plains, granite kopjes and some of the greatest concentrations of wildlife on Earth. The Serengeti is home to the Great Migration, when well over a million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebra follow the rains in a year-round loop.
At a glance
- Size
- About 14,760 km²
- Getting there
- A full day’s drive from Arusha through the Ngorongoro highlands, or a short flight to one of the park’s airstrips
- Best for
- The Great Migration, big cats, first safaris
- Best time
- All year; where you stay depends on where the herds are
- Status
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Why go
The name comes from the Maasai word for “endless plains”, and on the short-grass plains of the south it can feel exactly that. In the centre, around the Seronera valley, rivers and rocky kopjes hold lions, leopards and cheetahs all year. In the north, the herds cross the Mara River between about July and October, and in the south they give birth on the Ndutu plains from about January to March.
Because the herds keep moving, we plan where you stay around the time of year you travel, so you spend your days with the wildlife rather than driving to find it.
Highlights
- The Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra
- Calving season on the southern plains, roughly January to March
- Mara River crossings in the north, roughly July to October
- Lions, leopards and cheetahs around the Seronera valley
- Hot-air balloon flights at sunrise (extra cost)
The conservation story
The Serengeti is the heart of a much larger ecosystem that crosses into Kenya’s Maasai Mara, and the migration only works because the herds can still move freely across it. Protecting that freedom to move, against fences, farms and roads at the edges, is one of the great conservation challenges in Africa. The money visitors spend here is a big part of what keeps the land wild: park fees pay for rangers and anti-poaching work, and lodges and camps provide jobs in communities around the park.
How your visit helps. The park and conservation fees in your trip price go to the authority that protects this place, paying for rangers, anti-poaching patrols and park upkeep. We hire local guides and staff and use locally owned suppliers wherever we can.
Trips that visit the Serengeti
From US$4,889 per person
Private trip
From US$2,200 per person
Private trip
From US$4,753 per person
Private trip
From US$2,300 per person
Private trip
When to go
January to March: calving season on the southern plains around Ndutu.
April and May: the long rains; quiet, green and good value, though some camps close.
June and July: herds move through the west and centre.
July to October: river crossings in the north.
November and December: the herds return south with the short rains.
Where to stay
Lodges and camps we work with here include Nyota Luxury Camp, Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma and Tanzania Bush Camp in Ndutu. We suggest the best fit for your budget and dates in your personal itinerary and quote.
Combine with: Ngorongoro · Tarangire · Lake Manyara
Ready to plan your visit to the Serengeti?
Tell us your dates and how you like to travel, and we will send you a personal itinerary and quote. No obligation to book.
Our partners
Adventure That Gives Back
Private safaris, treks and beach holidays across Tanzania, planned by a Tanzanian team.
Forest Hill, Kihimbwa St, Morogoro, Tanzania
Talk to us
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ecolegacy@ecolegacy-africa.com
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