The Serengeti National Park is probably the most famous wildlife refuge in the world. This national park covers 14,763 km2, an area similar to the size of Northern Ireland. The full Serengeti eco-system, however, extends over a much larger area and includes the Maasai Mara in Kenya and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, linking over 25,000 km2 of land in which animals can move freely. Much of this is nutritious grassland which acts as a magnet for wildebeest, zebra, impala and Thomson’s gazelle.
On the south-east side of the Serengeti (adjacent to Ngorongoro) is Lake Ndutu, where open grasslands stretch as far as you can see. You are able to see wildlife throughout the year here, but from December to March it is full of additional wildebeest and zebra (please see the migration chapter below for more on this). Predators, such as lions, hyenas and jackals follow these herds closely. You can also see the large birds such as the secretary bird and the ostrich.
In the middle of the park lies the Seronera Valley, one of the richest wildlife areas in the park and very popular with tourists and researchers. A good place to visit in all seasons, thanks to its varied habitats, it includes the perennial river that gives the Seronera Valley its name, with all its tributaries and dams. It lies amid a transition zone between the long-grass plains to the south and the southeast and the woodlands to the west and north, with kopjes and hills for good measure, all of which ensures a wealth of wildlife throughout the year. The valley is known for its large, mainly resident, predators. It is not unusual to see the four largest predators - lion, leopard, cheetah and spotted hyena - in a morning game-drive. The wooded areas include baboons, monkeys, buffaloes, giraffes, eland, bushbuck and dik-dik antelopes. Waterbuck and Reedbuck populate the banks of the river and are being watched by leopards who enjoy lying in the shade of the trees. This area is also an excellent location for taking a balloon ride. There is almost nothing as enchanting as gliding over the landscape at sunrise, sometimes just over the tree tops and at other times high enough to fully experience the vastness of the wilderness.
The track into the Western Corridor from Seronera heads northwest, between the Seronera River and the Nyaraswiga Hills. The river then bends to the north to join the Grumeti while the track continues along another range of hills, the Kamarishe, emerging alongside the Grumeti. This area is an especially good place to see the Black-and-White Colobus Monkey, who seek refuge in the Wild Fig trees, one of the largest of the riverine trees to be found both here and elsewhere. The track continues westwards almost through the entire length of the Corridor, leaving the river near Kirawira to head for the western entrance on the shores of Lake Victoria. The country through which is passes is a mosaic of acacia woodland, open grassland and black-cotton mbugas (seasonally swamp areas or very wet grasslands). After crossing an extension of the Musabi Plain the track passes to the north of the Varichoro, Nyambogo, Mumughia and Simiti Hills.
Imagine, if you can, half a million wildebeest stretched over the plains in a patient and never ending search for food. Add to that 300,000 zebra, 300,000 Thomson’s gazelles and about 30,000 Grant’s gazelles. Furthermore, imagine the lions and hyenas pacing along the flanks of the herds in their quest for weakened animals. Now you will have an idea of the great migration, an annually recurring wildlife spectacle. The Serengeti migration continues the whole year. The cycle begins in May when the grass on the southern plains has been consumed and the herds start moving slowly through the western corridor to the north. This is also the breeding time, in which the bulls build and defend their harems until they are completely exhausted. The migration reaches the Maasai Mara by the end of July, where the herds remain until September. Then they start turning back – following the rain - through the Lobo area back to the south of the Serengeti. In December they reach the southern plains again and stay there while they give birth and gain energy from the nutritious grass. In a period of three weeks between February and March 90 percent of the females give birth (about 50,000 animals). Calves can stand within seven minutes and are able to escape from a lion within two days. The herds remain in the south to strengthen their young before they withdraw to the north in order to start the cycle again.
It is important to remember that the migration is heavily dependent on rainfall, which is becoming increasingly difficult to predict. The Serengeti is a beautiful park year round with a huge quantity of game, and makes an excellent destination for your safari.
The following accommodations are recommended by Africa Miracles:
Southern Serengeti: Ndutu Safari Lodge, Ikoma Camp (south-west), Kusini Camp
Seronera Central Serengeti: Serengeti Sopa Lodge, Serengeti Serena Lodge, Mbuzi Mawe Tented Camp (central-north)
Serengeti Western Corridor: Mbalageti Tented Camp, Grumeti River Camp, Kirawira Camp
Northern Serengeti: Klein's Camp, Migration Camp, Olakira Olakira (mobile camp), Sayari Camp (mobile camp).
Distances and location:
There are three main ways of reaching the Serengeti by car; through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and entering the Serengeti from the south, from Lake Victoria into the
Grumeti area or from entering the Lobo area to the east. Due to its size it is difficult to give accurate estimates of distances, but as a rough estimation the drive
from Arusha to the Serengeti Seronera area is about 10 hours. Another way to enter the Serengeti is by plane and there are many scheduled flights to various airstrips
in the park.
Excursion options:
A. Take a balloon flight over the Serengeti plains.
B. Multiple day walks outside the national park, but within the Serengeti Conservation Area.
C. Sundowners at special locations.
