Serengeti National Park

Overview

The Serengeti National Park is the only place where you can witness millions of wildebeest migrating over the acacia plains. This alone makes it more than worth visiting, but it is also the cradle of human life, and probably the closest to an untouched African wilderness you will ever find. Here, time seems to stand still, even though thousands of animals are constantly on the move. 

The magic of the Serengeti is not easy to describe in words as it is a feast for the senses. Of course, the views are incredible, but so are the sounds as millions of wildebeest on the move make noise. The numbers of wildebeest and zebra are so high that the air vibrates through your entire body. This is something you will try to describe to friends and family before realizing it’s impossible. You can also enjoy vistas of honey-lit plains at sunset so beautiful that it’s worth the trip just for this alone.

The Serengeti is also home to the Maasai people: friendly native people who are happy to meet visitors and tell you about their way of life. Visiting the Serengeti National Park is magical year-round, but it’s particularly special between July and October as this is when the famous river crossings of the Great Migration occur in the Northern Serengeti.

Wildlife

The Serengeti National Park boasts large herds of antelope including Patterson’s eland, klipspringer, dikdik, Zebra, gazelles, lion, impala, leopard, cheetah, hyena and other larger mammals like the rhino, giraffe, elephant and hippopotamus. Nearly 500 species of birds have been recorded in the park. The Serengeti is an opportunity for one of the best game-viewing in Africa.

History

The history of human inhabitation revolves largely around the history of the African people, from the hunter-gatherers who wandered the plains, to the people of today who protect it as a main destination for travelers. The Serengeti’s history has been virtually ignored, except Olduvai Gorge, where the Leakey family discovered fossils of human and animal ancestors dating back to almost two million years, and which is part of the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area.

Tsetse flies in the woodlands, and sleeping sickness, guaranteed that the Serengeti was spared of European settlement, and with it the extinction of the wildlife that other African countries were subjected to.

When to visit

The Serengeti’s climate is warm and dry. The tropical rainy season is from March to May, with short rains from October to November. The Serengeti is lush and green after the rains, but a steady drying up follows which inhibits plant growth and encourages the animals to migrate in search of waters.
With altitudes ranging from 920 to 1,830 metres average temperatures vary from 15 degrees to 26 degrees Celsius. The coldest temperatures are experienced from June to October.

Migration in the Serengeti

Serengeti is renown for the migration of animals. Every October and November, more than a million wildebeest and about 220,000 zebras travel south from the northern hills to the southern plains for the short tropical rains, and then journey west and north after the long rains in April to June.

The wildebeest migration, like a discernible thread, embraces and connects the Serengeti’s ecosystem much as it has done for at least two millions years. Every year, with some seasonally dictated variations in timing and scale, one million wildebeest leave the southern Serengeti’s short grass plains in search of the grass and water they need to survive.

During their annual pilgrimage they will travel some 2.000 miles devouring 4.000 tonnes of grass a day. A quarter of a million will be born, many will die. The animals’ ancient instinct to move is so strong that no drought, gorge or crocodile infested river can hold them back. The Wildebeest migrate through a number of parks, reserves and protected areas and through a variety of habitat.