Overview - Serengeti National Park

The Serengeti is a vast ecosystem in east-central Africa. It is home to the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth - the great migration of wildebeest and zebra. The resident population of lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, and birds is also impressive. There’s a wide variety of accommodation available, from luxury lodges to mobile camps. 

The Wildebeest travel through a variety of parks, reserves and protected areas and through a variety of habitat. Join us to explore the different forms of vegetation and landscapes of the Serengeti ecosystem and meet some of their most fascinating inhabitants.

  • Best Time To Go January to February,June to September and June - July
  • High Season July to March
  • Size 30,000 Sq KMs

Pros & Cons

June to October : Dry season

Pros:

  • June and July are the best months to see the wildebeest migration in the western corridor and August to September in the north of the park
  • Animals are easier to spot since they concentrate around waterholes and rivers and the vegetation is less thick
  • It is mostly sunny and there is very little rain
  • There are very few mosquitoes and the chance of contracting malaria is minimal

Costs:

  • The park gets quite crowded around the Seronera area
  • Mornings and nights get cold – warm clothing is recommended for early morning game drives from June to August

November to May : Wet Season

Pros:

  • Late January to February is the time to see the calving in the southern Serengeti – this is an excellent time to see predator action
  • The scenery is lush
  • April and May are low season, so it's usually less crowded and rates might be lower
  • Although wildlife is easier to spot in the Dry season, the Serengeti offers good wildlife viewing throughout the year
  • Migratory birds are present and bird-watching is at its best
  • Except for March, April and May, rains are mostly short afternoon storms and seldom interfere with your trip

Cons:

  • March to May is the peak of the Wet season

Best Time to Visit

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 October) 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.

Wildlife

The Serengeti is arguably Tanzania's best park. Great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe and many other ungulates (hooved animals) such aseland,topi,kongoni,impala and grant's gazelleare resident at any time of the year. All three big cats are easily seen.Lion are everywhere and are often found on a kill.Cheetah are very common on the southeastern plains, while Leopard can typically be found lazing in one of the big trees along the Seronera River.

Weather & Climate

The climate in Serengeti is usually moderate and pleasant. The average temperatures are quite uniform throughout the year. It never gets very hot, but it is consistently cool to cold at night and in the early mornings. It is advisable to take warm clothing for early morning game drives. The altitude in the Serengeti varies widely from 1,140 to 2,099m (3,740 to 6,886ft). Temperatures drop by about 6.5°C for every 1,000m you climb (or 3.5°F per 1,000ft), so even within the park, there are wide climatic variations.

Serengeti's Dry season is from June to October. There are two Wet seasons. The ‘short rains’ are from November to December, and the ‘long rains’ are from March to May. During the Wet season, it rarely rains all day, but afternoon thundershowers can be expected.

Wild Life

  •   Occasional
  •   Common
  •   Very Rare
  •   Rare
  •   None
  • Giraffe

      Common
  • Elephant

      Common
  • Zebra

      Common
  • Hippo

      Common
  • Leopard

      Occasional
  • Buffalo

      Common
  • Hyena

      Common
  • Lion

      Common
  • Cheetah

      Common
  • White Rhino

      None
  • Black Rhino

      Very Rare
  • Wildebeest

      Common
  • Wild Dog

      Rare

Wild Life

  •   Occasional
  •   Common
  •   Very Rare
  •   Rare
  •   None
  • Giraffe

      Common
  • Elephant

      Common
  • Zebra

      Common
  • Hippo

      Common
  • Leopard

      Occasional
  • Buffalo

      Common
  • Hyena

      Common
  • Lion

      Common
  • Cheetah

      Common
  • White Rhino

      None
  • Black Rhino

      Very Rare
  • Wildebeest

      Common
  • Wild Dog

      Rare

Best time to Visit- Serengeti National Park

  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
  •   Excellent
  •   Good
  •   Fair
  •   Poor

Each year the great wildebeest migration begins in December in the Ngorongoro area of the southern Serengeti of Tanzania, which offers rich grasslands for feeding. This is a huge attraction for tourists, and while many think it is an intense and short-lived phenomenon, it is actually a fairly slow trek. It occurs during this time because there plenty of rain-ripened grass available for the 750,000 zebra that precede 1.2 million wildebeest and then the hundreds of thousands of other plains game bringing up the rear of the migration path.Wildebeests bear their young in February and March, which sparks predators. Then, in May as the plains of the south and east dry out the mass moves on to the north and west crossing the Grumeti River, where there is more grass and more a more reliable water supply.

 

 

 

  • Best Time January to February,June to September and June - July
  • High Season July to March
  • Low Season April and May
  • Best Weather June to October (Minimal rainfall)
  • Worst Weather March and April (Wet Season)

Best time to Visit - Serengeti National Park

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 October) 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.

Dry Season

June to October

June, July, August, September & October – Afternoon temperatures are usually around 25°C/77°F. Most days have a fine, clear sky. It is possible for the short rains to begin in October, should they start early. It gets cold at night with minimum temperatures around 14°C/57°F. Occasional cold fronts are possible, with temperatures close to freezing. It’s usually cold early in the morning.

Wet Season

November to May

As in the Dry season, temperatures are moderate during the Wet season. Afternoon temperatures are usually around 26°C/79°F, and night temperatures are around 15°C/59°F.

  • November & December – 'Short rains' – An unpredictable period of about a month of rains occurs sometime between October and December. The rains will be unlikely to interfere with your safari. Daytime temperatures are usually around 27°C/80°F while night and early morning are around 15°C/59°F.
  • January & February – There tends to be a dry spell between the short and long rains. The exact timing is unpredictable.
  • March, April & May – 'Long rains' – These are the wettest months. It tends to rain most days, although seldom for the whole day. It is often cloudy. The average maximum and minimum temperatures are 26°C/79°F and 16°C/61°F respectively. In April and May, cold fronts might bring colder peak temperatures.

Safety

As with most parks and reserves, it is very safe to travel to and around the Serengeti in our opinion. Basically, the people you’ll meet are either tourists or staff working for the tour operators, accommodations or park authorities. All these people are there to make sure you’ll have a great trip.

Medicine & Vaccines

Malaria is a health concern, and you should take measures to protect yourself by applying mosquito repellent that contains at least 30% DEET and by taking antimalarial medication. It’s a good idea to cover up exposed skin in the evening too. Several vaccinations are also advisable when travelling to Tanzania in general and to the Serengeti – seek advice from your local healthcare professional.

Weather And Climate

 

The climate in Serengeti is usually moderate and pleasant. The average temperatures are quite uniform throughout the year. It never gets very hot, but it is consistently cool to cold at night and in the early mornings. It is advisable to take warm clothing for early morning game drives. The altitude in the Serengeti varies widely from 1,140 to 2,099m (3,740 to 6,886ft). Temperatures drop by about 6.5°C for every 1,000m you climb (or 3.5°F per 1,000ft), so even within the park, there are wide climatic variations.

Serengeti's Dry season is from June to October. There are two Wet seasons. The ‘short rains’ are from November to December, and the ‘long rains’ are from March to May. During the Wet season, it rarely rains all day, but afternoon thundershowers can be expected.