Serengeti National Park
Serengeti National Park is Tanzania’s Iconic safari destination where one can see Millions of wildebeests migrate from the Park to Kenya’s Maasai Mara Reserve along the Maasai Mara River, which is a popular safari destination in Tanzania. Serengeti National Park is the largest park in Tanzania with 14,763 square kilometres in size and borders Kenya’s Masai Mara. It almost reaches Lake Victoria.
Over 2 million ungulates, 4,000 lions, 1,000 leopards, 550 cheetahs, and almost 500 different bird species live in the Serengeti National Park, a World Heritage Site. Explore the boundless Serengeti grasslands, which are interspersed with trees and kopjes from which majestic lions rule their domain; be in awe of the Great Migration or track down an elusive leopard in a riverine woodland by joining us on a safari. Or perhaps go on a hot air balloon safari at daybreak to fly over the plains and observe everything from a bird’s eye perspective. There are lodging alternatives for any budget, and the sound of roaring lions at night is free.
History of Serengeti National park
The Serengeti National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1951 in the Serengeti Plain in north-central Tanzania and has a long and storied history. The majority of tourists come Tanzania so they can experience the country’s oldest national park. It is partially next to the Kenyan border and lies to the northwest of the neighboring Ngorongoro Conservation Area. It is the only place in Africa where large-scale migrations of land mammals like wildebeests, gazelles, and zebras still takes place on a regular basis. The park has been a major draw for foreign visitors ever since it was included to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, explorers and missionaries recorded the vast Serengeti plains and the abundance of wildlife there. Before investigations in the 1920s and 1930s, very little was known about the huge wildebeest migrations, and the first photos of the region were only from the 1920s.
The Maasai phrase for “a place where land stretches forever” is Siringet, from which we obtain the name Serengeti. The Masai had already been residing in the Serengeti grasslands for nearly two centuries before the first European explorer, Oscar Baumann, showed up there in 1892. Sport hunters from Europe and the United States flocked to the Serengeti because it is widely considered to have the highest concentration of large mammals in all of Africa. Unchecked lion hunting forced British colonial officials to turn it into a game reserve in 1921. Before 1937, hunting was legal for recreational purposes. The southern Serengeti and the Ngorongoro highlands were included in the protected area established in 1940, and the National Park was established in 1951. The park’s administration complex can be found at the edge of the Ngorongoro crater.
Top Rated Lodges in the Serengeti National Park
The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is the most visited park in Africa. The Great Wildebeest Migration, one of nature’s greatest spectacles, takes place here, and it is also home to one of the world’s highest concentrations of species. There is no need to sacrifice comfort when exploring the African wilderness thanks to the abundance of high-end lodges and affordable camps located here in the Serengeti National Park. Here we talk about the finest lodges and camps in the Serengeti have been selected by our African Travel specialists.
Activities in Serengeti National Park
Tanzania’s best safaris take place in Serengeti National Park. Bird watching and balloon safaris usually follow the Grumeti river. The dry season migration of wildebeest herds from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara from July to October is a major draw. Thus, December–June has more animals.
Early Morning Game Drive.
Serengeti game drives are the most popular activities. It’s ideal for seeing the African big 5 and other animals. Mornings and evenings are busy for Serengeti animals. Sunrise to 11:am is the morning game drive. Tourists can see nocturnal animals return to their dens or herbivores graze. Hyenas, wild dogs, lions, cheetahs, leopards, and hippos (after grazing outside the pools) can be seen during the early game drive. Predators prefer hunting in the night and the early morning.
Hot Air Ballooning.
If one can afford it, a hot air balloon safari is a great way to see the Serengeti. You can see the grasslands and their animals from thousands of feet high. Hot air balloon excursions during the wildebeest migration are popular. Morning hot air balloon expeditions culminate with champagne breakfast in the African wilderness. Hot air balloons in the Serengeti hold 12–16 people. Pre-book your excursion and expect to pay $500. Honeymooners and birthday and anniversary celebrants love hot air balloon safaris. Seeing the Serengeti plains and Africa’s wildlife from above is unforgettable.
Guided Nature Walks
Nature walks are a great opportunity to explore the Serengeti beyond game drives. Nature walks are unplanned. You can see reptiles, birds, insects, and unusual flora this way. Some hotels arrange nature walks. An armed ranger who knows the terrain and park fauna will accompany you.
- Visit the Olduvai Gorge
The Olduvai Gorge is also referred to as the “cradle of mankind” because this is the location where the Leakey family discovered the very first remains of a human being during their excavations. The Gorge can be located within the East African Great Rift Valley as well as in the neighboring Ngorongoro Conservation Area. In the process of establishing a research station there, the Leakey family came upon a number of artifacts and fossils that dated back more than 2 million years. A modest museum located within the building provides access to these artifacts, which include human skeletal remains.
Picnics
If you are traveling with a significant other or if you are going to spend your honeymoon in the Serengeti, having dinner in the heart of the African wilderness will be an experience that you will remember for the rest of your lives. Dinner beneath the stars, complete with elegantly set tables, may be arranged at the majority of the better hotels.
Visit the Moru Kopjes
Anyone to remember the Pride Rock from The Lion King Movie, right? That was a Kopje for sure. The Serengeti grasslands are dotted with kopjes, which are rocky outcrops. You’ll find flora, puddles, and shade there. Predators like lions and other large cats rest here between hunts. The Moru Kopjes are the most famous and breathtaking in all of Serengeti. They also feature traditional Masai artwork. You can get stunning views of the plains’ fauna from atop the Kopjes using a pair of binoculars. Black rhinos are easiest to see on the Moru Kopjes.
Visit the Local Maasai community.
Semi-nomadic Maasai pastoralists live in most of Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania. East Africa’s most famous tribe. They’re tall and colorful. The Masai have resided near the Serengeti for 300 years after moving from Sudan. They adhere to historical customs. Visit a boma to learn about their culture and values. They are friendly and will teach you to hunt, milk domestic animals, cook traditional dishes, and more. Visit a local school, watch traditional dances, and buy handicrafts after touring the homesteads.
- Visit the Lobo Valley.
Lions and other Serengeti large cats are best seen at Lobo Valley. Prey and persistent waterholes draw large cats to the valley. Baboons, elephants, and giraffes visit Lobo Valley along with large cats. The valley hosts the big migration from July to November. Zebras, wildebeest, and gazelles enjoy the valley’s abundant grass, drawing tourists.