Is Serengeti Bigger than Yellowstone?

Is Serengeti National Park bigger than Yellowstone National Park?

Yes, the Serengeti is considerably larger than Yellowstone. Serengeti National Park is a phenomenal park in Tanzania that is much sought after by many travelers looking for a typical African safari. Yellowstone National Park, found in the USA, is one of the best wildlife parks that many compare to the Serengeti.

Size of Serengeti National Park

Serengeti National Park covers about 14,763 square kilometers. Perspectively, Serengeti National Park is larger than some countries, and a good number of well-known national parks, like Yellowstone National Park in the USA. The size of Serengeti National Park makes it one of the biggest natural wildlife protected areas in Africa.

The park size is large enough that it could take hours, if not days, to travel the full length of the park, exploring from one end to another, and weather permitting. Serengeti National Park is located in the northern part of Tanzania.

Before borders came into place and further demarcations were made later, the park was part of a much larger ecosystem, the Serengeti Mara ecosystem. Now, the Serengeti borders the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, in the north, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the south.

Size of Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park, on the other hand, covers only 8,983 square kilometers. Yellowstone National Park is located in the USA states of Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. It is the world’s first national park, established in March 1872, and still stands as one of the most imposing national parks in the United States of America – it is the jewel of the US National Park system.

Serengeti Vs Yellowstone – Beyond Size

Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and Yellowstone National Park in the USA can be compared further beyond size. Below are some of them to know:

Wildebeest Migration and Elk Migration

Both parks experience the migration of wildlife. Serengeti National Park has the great wildebeest migration throughout the year, as it moves in cycles throughout the park, making its way to the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya via the Mara River.

Over 1.5 million wildebeests, 200,000 zebras, and gazelles embark on a great migration each year, moving throughout the park, braving treacherous crocodile-infested rivers as they cross, and a good number of predators lying in wait all through. The great wildebeest migration in the Serengeti is considered one of the best spectacles in the world.

Yellowstone National Park, on the other hand, experiences the 20,000 elk migration, as they move in and out of the park.

Animal Size and Weight

While Yellowstone National Park has about 800 bears that are indeed big, they do not compare favorably to the elephants in Serengeti National Park in terms of size and weight. Elephants in the Serengeti are 20 times heavier than bears, and the population of elephants is about 10 times higher than that of bears. Bears are not as easily spotted because they spend half the year sleeping. Elephants in the Serengeti, however, are easily spotted, almost everywhere in the park.

Animal Speed

Yellowstone National Park is home to the last surviving pronghorn, which are faster than any of the many ungulate species (30 to be exact), which include Thomson’s gazelle, waterbuck, elands, among others. Nonetheless, the over 300 cheetahs in Serengeti could favorably compete with the pronghorn.

Lions in Both Parks

Both the Serengeti and Yellowstone National Park have lion populations. Lions in Yellowstone, however, do not have manes and are barely seen. Serengeti National Park, on the other hand, has a good population of lions, with manes definitely to the males, that can easily be seen on any Tanzania safari tour in the park.

Local People in the Park or Vicinity

Both parks have locals who dwell in or near the parks, having been the former co-residents of the parks. The Maasai of Serengeti National Park are herdsmen and warriors who dwelt in the park before their eviction for conservation efforts. Yellowstone National Park, on the other has American cowboys that dwell in the vicinity,

Is Serengeti bigger than Yellowstone? Yes, it is. With the size, this makes the Serengeti National Park about 1.5 times larger than Yellowstone. And if you were to consider the wider ecosystems of the Serengeti, that is, including the Masai Mara and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the difference is even more massive compared to Yellowstone.

With the other aspects, has the Serengeti been proven to be better, as seen above, compared to Yellowstone, for wildlife viewing, especially? Get in touch with us to help you plan your ultimate Serengeti National Park safari for a chance to explore the sheer beauty of the park, covering its very large size.