01
Two million hooves, one grassland
The southern plains of Serengeti National Park run flat to the horizon. This is short-grass country, grazed by herds so large they reorder the landscape itself. It is the stage for the great migration: over a million wildebeest and zebra, moving through the ecosystem year-round, drawn on by the rain and the fresh grass that follows it. Around February the herds gather here to calve.
The southern plains of Serengeti National Park run flat to the horizon
Calving concentrates the predators. Lion, cheetah and spotted hyena work the edges of the herds while thousands of calves drop within a few short weeks. Then, as the southern grass dries through April and May, the columns turn north and west. By the dry months they reach the Mara River in the far north, where crocodiles hold the banks and the herds press across in their thousands.
The migration moves, but the Serengeti does not empty. Resident lion prides hold their territory around Seronera in the central grasslands, where permanent water and rolling savannah support big cats throughout the year. Cheetah hunt the open eastern plains around Namiri, ground that sees fewer vehicles. Each region keeps its own rhythm, which makes the park rewarding in any month the timing fits the place.
The migration moves, but the Serengeti does not empty.
Geography sorts the herds by season. The short-grass south draws them for calving from January to March. The Western Corridor and the Grumeti River carry them through roughly May to July, and the Kogatende sector and the Mara River hold them from July to October. The name comes from the Maasai word siringet, the land that runs on forever, and the granite kopjes breaking the plains give lions and leopards their lookouts.
Where you stay matters as much as when you come. Mobile camps move with the seasons, repositioning to the calving grounds near Ndutu in the green months and to Kogatende for the river crossings, which puts guests close to the herds without long daily drives. Permanent lodges hold fixed ground in the central Seronera region and elsewhere, trading the flexibility of canvas for swimming pools, solid walls and reliable access to the resident game that stays put year-round.
The other choice is between the busy centre and the wilder corners. Seronera offers dense big-cat sightings and the deepest pool of camps, but also the most vehicles. The far north around Kogatende and the Western Corridor along the Grumeti feel quieter and more remote. There are longer distances between sightings here, and with them a stronger sense of open country.
Mobile camps move with the seasons, repositioning to the calving grounds near Ndutu
Serengeti National Park is administered by Tanzania National Parks, and its rules are strict. Game drives run on designated tracks in daylight, while off-road driving, night drives and walking are restricted inside the park. Walking is possible in defined zones with an armed park ranger, and at dawn hot-air balloon flights operate under concession over the central and western plains. For wider freedoms, the adjoining reserves and concessions, including the Grumeti reserves and Loliondo, permit off-road driving, night drives and longer walks under their own rules.
Beyond the wildebeest, the wider ecosystem holds buffalo, giraffe, elephant, topi and eland, alongside more than 500 bird species. Black rhino survive here under close protection, a population recovering from the poaching that nearly erased them in the 1980s. The Serengeti carries a remaining animal migration of global significance, and the pressures on it are real: bushmeat poaching, agricultural expansion at the park’s edges and water abstraction in the Mara catchment upstream in Kenya. Long-term partners work alongside the park authority to hold the line.
The best time to visit Serengeti National Park
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Recommended
Transitional
Challenging conditions
The Serengeti has two prime windows. February brings the wildebeest calving on the short-grass plains near Ndutu, drawing the densest predator action of the year. The heart of the dry season, July to October, pulls the herds north to the Mara River, where the great crossings peak in August and September. The green season from November to January suits birding; the long rains are weakest.
accommodation in serengeti national park
The Serengeti carries the full range of safari accommodation. Mobile camps relocate through the year to follow the herds, offering canvas suites with en-suite facilities close to the migration front. Semi-permanent and seasonal tented camps range from understated to highly luxurious. Permanent lodges, concentrated in central Seronera, provide solid-walled rooms, swimming pools and year-round access. Exclusive-use houses and private villas in the adjoining concessions suit families and groups seeking privacy.
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
01
activities
Game drives and dawn balloon flights
Game drives on designated tracks are the core activity, running by day across all sectors of Serengeti National Park. Hot-air balloon flights operate at dawn over the central and western plains. Guided walks with an armed park ranger are possible in defined zones. Night drives, off-road driving and longer walks are available in the adjoining private concessions rather than the park itself.
02
conservation
Rhino recovery and migration protection
The Frankfurt Zoological Society is a long-term partner in research, monitoring and anti-poaching work in the Serengeti, including rhino recovery efforts. The Grumeti Fund manages the adjoining Grumeti reserve and has reintroduced black rhino there. The Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute conducts the wildlife censuses that guide management across the ecosystem.
03
getting around
Light aircraft to bush airstrips
Light aircraft are the primary access, with scheduled and charter flights from Arusha and Kilimanjaro to airstrips across the region: Seronera in the centre, Kogatende in the north, Grumeti in the west, and Ndutu and Kusini in the south. Connections run to Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam. Road access via Naabi Hill Gate is possible from Arusha but lengthy; flying suits luxury itineraries.
other areas in tanzania
The Serengeti combines naturally with the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the southeast, where the crater holds lion, black rhino and elephant in a contained caldera. Tarangire National Park, known for large elephant herds and baobab country, and Lake Manyara, with its alkaline lake, flamingos and groundwater forest, complete the northern Tanzania parks. Many trips finish on the coast in the Zanzibar archipelago, with its reefs, white-sand beaches and the Swahili heritage of Stone Town.
rated five stars by our clients
our approach
remote, exclusive
& personal
Every journey starts with a conversation. We take the time to understand your vision before we start planning.
Whether by phone or in person, we work with you directly to shape something that is considered, personal, and expertly delivered.
Every journey starts with a conversation. We favour a direct, personal approach: understanding your vision before anything else.
Whether by phone or in person, we work with you directly to shape a journey that is both thoughtfully considered and expertly delivered.
Get in touch to start planning yours.