10 top things in Serengeti national park
10 top things in Serengeti national park
10 top things in Serengeti national park( top 10 things to do in Serengeti national park), Serengeti national park is one of the most popular parks in the world where each nature lover wants to experience when in Africa. The primary activity in Serengeti is the wildebeest migration which happens on the Northern Section of Serengeti in Mara echo system.
Although the park is most famous for the wildebeest but there are many other things the park has hence we highlight for you the 10 top things to do in Serengeti national park that will spice up your package to Serengeti national park. You will enjoy the best game viewing on your open roof land cruiser when encountering a number of wildlife safari in Serengeti.
Below are the 10 top things in Serengeti national park:
Game drives
This is the dream of every traveler who wishes to come to Serengeti National park. The full day game drives of Serengeti national park take you to have a close view of the Tanzania wildlife like the wildebeest migration if you came at the right season, zebras, Elephants, Cheetahs, lions, Topi and many more.
The game drives also give birders good time to enjoy a variety of bird species found in the vast national park, Serengeti hosts over 500 bird species which sing and free move around the protected area, super starling are around almost all the camping areas, love birds, mourning doves, different type of Eagles, francolins, Secretary bird among others. You will enjoy long drives in this open endless plains of Serengeti national park, you will have lunch boxes during your game drives to avoid driving back to the camp for lunch again.
Nice game drives of Serengeti are achieved by the guest openly telling his or her wanting list before the game drive so that the driver guide will know which sector of the park we can drive to to see the specific animals you need to. The park is large as the name suggests endless plains and not all sectors are the same though there are some animals in common but some sectors have specific in habitats like tree climbing lions can only be seen on the central seronera area where the umbrella Acacia trees and Sausage trees are found.
Night game drives are done on the outside park of the park around the Ikoma area at the game reserve areas and they are organised by specific camps. Please note that night game drives are not allowed inside the park.
Visit Serengeti visitor center
The Serengeti information centre is found at the central part of Serengeti called Seronera next to the park headquarters, public bas terminal and an airstrip. There are several facilities in this area like public clean toilets, balloon offices, restaurants and above all guide information offices.
The guide information offices give you brief information about Serengeti national park, nature walks around the high Kopjes of Serengeti next to the information center where one can have an aerial view of the park. You can also book your balloon safari at this area, have a chilling cold drinks as you enjoy the fresh view of the African air in the bush. Birds and Monkeys are all over where by you should never leave your car open or else everything eatable will be gone.
The information center is one of the key 10 top things in Serengeti national park, acts as a luch break center for the day after early morning game drive since most of the camps are far away from the game drive area of Serenora. You will open your lunch boxes here and enjoy your lunch comfortably at the wilderness while sharing information with other guests.
Visit Maasai Villages
Serengeti national park ecosystem was occupied by the maasai locals not until they were relocated out side the park. The Maasai is one of the famous tribes in Africa well-known for their unique culture that inspires every one. Along Ngorongoro conservation area as you head to Serengeti are many Mayatas of the Maasai where tourists always have stop over for cultural tours.
In some camps the Maasai entertain guests every evening during camp fire with their dances and songs where guests are invited to free join the team. They also tell story on their culture, how families are run, roles of the family members at home, how to get married or how love is sweet and respected in the Maasai land.
Night Game drives
Night game drives give you a unique view of the open plains of Serengeti as you experience the cold dark part of the park. The night game drives are strictly not allowed inside the park but can be organized by some classic accommodations in the park and others outside the park around Ikoma area along the game reserves. The camps that organise night game drives are: Ikoma safari camps, Kleins camp, TAASA lodge and others.
The night game drive is much rewarding since its action parked game drive seeing most of the nocturnal animals trying to get the day go well as they look for what to eat. Most of the nocturnal animals are predators hence a lot of hunting is done at this time of the night like Bush babies, civets, aardvarks, leopards, lions, hyenas and other birds like Owls, Nightjars among others.
Visit Moru Kopjes
Game drive or a visist to Serengeti national park without reaching out to these Moru Kopjes is incomplete. Moru kopjes are unique inselbergs doted in the park of Serengeti that inhabits different animals especially the lions and leopards hence making them one of 10 top things in Serengeti national park. The little rocks are mostly termed as little islands in the sea of grass due to their dotted points at the vast endless plains of the park.
Some of these Moru Koples have rock art that was painted by the local Maasai worriers when they were still leaving in this areas like the Gong Rock which got its name from the local musical instrument called the Gong
Most times especially in the morning large prides of lions with the cubs are found sunbathing on these rocks. They are mostly the ones at the seronera area as you go to Turner 2,3 and 4 and the rock has been named the Lion Kings Pride Rock. The Moru Kopjes are the only area one can see the rare black rhinos in Serengeti national park.
Witness the Great Migration
Wildebeest migration, which is one of the seven wonders of Africa and accounted among the 10 wonders of the world is the greatest animal events in the world. This live show happens in the Serengeti and its one of the 10 top things in Serengeti national park. Serengeti is a home of the great wildebeest migration.
Wildebeest migrates from Serengeti crossing Mara River to the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. This happens from June to july and return from October to early November. Its every ones dream to witness this live action parked experience in Northern Serengeti.
Other animals that move with the wildebeest are Zebras, Gazelles, Eland, antelopes and others while predators like Lions, Leopards cheetahs and others are always on ambush waiting for what to eat.
Step Back in Time at Oldupai Gorge
Olduvai Gorge is on our way from Ngorongoro conservation area to Serengeti before the Nabbi gate. This is the a historical site where the remains of the old age person was discovered by Dr Leaky, Dr Leaky set up a museum at this area which is worth visiting with some of the foot marks clearly seen at the site ground.
Olduvai Goerge site has over 60 remains of the human kid discovered in this area and the fossils are at the museum. Near the museum is also another simple but most important archaeological site called Laetoli archaeological site. This is the only place one can see the 27m long human footmarks that are believed to be stepped 3.6 million years ago.
Get an Aerial View of the Serengeti
An aerial view of Serengeti open plains is one of the lifetime experience, observe the endless plains at an eagle eye when floating above the dotted trees. Mostly The balloon safaris are best during the wildebeest migration and also to catch up mostly with live wild life action which may not be easily seen during on road game drives since the Serengeti park rules are tight.
The aerial views are done in the morning depending on the weather it can take like two to four hours.
There are two ways of having an aerial view of the Serengeti national park:
- The flight from Arusha to Serengeti
The precision airlines have daily domestic flights from Arusha airport got serenora where one can have brief aerial view of the open endless plains before you land and also on your return flight back to Arusha
- Balloon safari
The second is through the wonderful balloon safari, which operates daily from the central, Northern and southern Serengeti. The Southern Serengeti is around Ndutu area and the central is in Seronera and finally the North at Masai mara ecosystem.
Stay at a Camp or Lodge that allows you to hear the Wildlife at Night
The trip to Serengeti is more experiential from the time you leave Arusha till the time you drive back passing through endless plains of the most gifted land of volcanicity. You will enjoy the Maasai culture, animals and the scenic view of the landscape. The animals are encountered from the time you enter the main gate of Ngorongoro till the time you reach Serengeti national park.
Accommodations in Serengeti can be found inside the park and some are found out side the park but just at the border of the park gates like in Ikoma and Ndutu areas. The accommodations are mostly permanent tents which are self-contained built are the center of wilderness. All the tents are echo friendly a must for the proprietors of the camps.
The camp balcony allows your great privacy and above all being close to the wildlife seeing elephants pass by, topi across all the camp, hyenas move around at night looking for what to eat as you hear the lions roar all the night.
The camps of Serengeti are precious with privacy paramount at all the camps, safety a must with radio calls in each room, lights at all passes leading to the tent.
View Wildlife and Nature on Foot
This is a rare experience not even allowed at the park of Serengeti national park but it’s one of the key things most guests do among the 10 top things in Serengeti national park and much experience one should not miss. The nature walks can be organized privately by the camps which are licensed, not ever camp at Serengeti park are allowed to do nature walks due to the security and safety of the guests.
Nature walks are regulated by the park authority and permission is given by the park authority for a camp to organized the nature walks. 10 top things in Serengeti national park are the best activities that can be done in Serengeti national park, they are designed to make our guests feel the real and true African wildlife experience. All the above activities when fully packaged well will make your trip to Serengeti lifetime experience.
