Northern Circuit · National Park · UNESCO World Heritage Site

Serengeti National Park

The endless plains — home of the Great Wildebeest Migration.

Year-round. January–March for calving in the south; June–October for the dry season and river crossings in the north
approx. 14,750 km²

Serengeti National Park

Type: National Park · UNESCO World Heritage Site
Region: Northern Circuit
Area: approx. 14,750 km²
Established: 1951
Best time: Year-round. January–March for calving in the south; June–October for the dry season and river crossings in the north
Access: 6–8 h by road from Arusha or a 1 h flight

Overview

“Serengeti” means endless plains: golden grassland, granite kopjes and the greatest remaining concentration of plains game on Earth.

The Serengeti is Tanzania’s most celebrated park and the stage for the Great Wildebeest Migration, a year-round journey of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle that follows the rains across the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem. Short-grass plains in the south, rocky kopjes in the centre and woodland and rivers in the west and north each have their own rhythm.

It is also big-cat country. Cheetahs hunt on the open plains, lion prides rest on the kopjes and leopards drape themselves over acacia branches along the Seronera River. Between January and March the herds gather around Ndutu to give birth, drawing predators from every direction — one of the most dramatic wildlife events in Africa.