Serengeti National Park

Serengeti National Park is a World Heritage Site teeming with wildlife: over 2 million ungulates, 4000 lions, 1000 leopards, 550 cheetahs, and some 500 bird species inhabit an area close to 15,000 square kilometers in size. Join us on a safari and explore the endless Serengeti plains dotted with trees and kopjes from which majestic lions control their kingdom; gaze upon the Great Migration in awe or find an elusive leopard in a riverine forest. Or perhaps see everything from a bird’s-eye view and soar over the plains at sunrise during a hot air balloon safari. Accommodation options come in every price range – the sound of lions roaring at night is complimentary.

The Serengeti is a popular destination for people who want to go on safari. It is located in the northern part of Tanzania and shares boundaries with the Kenyan Masai Mara Game Reserve to the north and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the south.

The Serengeti is famous for the annual migration of over a million gnus and a hundred thousand zebras, which can be seen in the park along with other animals. The migration is a three-week frenzy of territorial conquests, mating, and survival of the fittest. The animals travel 1,000 km (600 miles) to reach their destination and produce more than 8,000 calves daily.

The southern plains of the park are home to mostly flat grasslands with trees appearing only around the granite formations called kopjes. The kopjes are home to rock hyraxes, reptiles, lions, leopards, and cheetahs. The animals use these rocks as a vantage point for potential prey and shelter for their young. The kopjes are named, and the most popular ones include Simba, Gol, Research, and Moru.

The Seronera Valley is the park’s heart, and it is a great place to spot lions and leopards. The area around the Seronera River is lined with palm trees, sausage trees, and towering yellow fever acacias. The river is home to different bird species and large flocks of black-headed herons, marabou storks, and birds of prey. The Retina Hippo Pool is another spot in the Seronera region where you can see hippos in their natural habitat.

Further towards the Western Corridor, the vegetation changes again, with swampy, wooded savannah land that is impassable in the rainy season. The two large rivers in this area, the Grumeti and the Mbalageti River, flow into Lake Victoria in the west. The Grumeti River is famous for its huge crocodiles, while the riverine forest around this area is home to the rare patas monkeys.

The northern part of the park is mainly made up of open woodlands, riverine forests, and mountains. The Mara River flows here, and it is the most feared obstacle for the migrating animals because of the crocodiles that lurk in its waters. The northern part of the Serengeti is less frequented by visitors, making it a great place for an intimate safari experience.

Apart from the annual migration, the Serengeti is also home to the “big five” – lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard. The Serengeti is claimed to have the highest population of lions in Africa. Leopards are often seen relaxing, while large herds of elephants and buffaloes graze on the savannah. The park also has a few black rhinos, but they are rarely seen as they tend to hide in the bushy areas of the park.

The park is also home to over 500 species of birds, including ostriches, secretary birds, different types of vultures, eagles, Egyptian geese, black-headed herons, crowned cranes, Kori bustards, and many more.