Serengeti National Park Southern part

Serengeti National Park Southern part is located in the northern part of Tanzania. This destination provides the best wildlife viewing opportunities in its different sectors such as the western sector, the central region, the northern part, and the southern part.

The southern part of Serengeti national park comprises grassy plains and granite kopjes and it stretches from the central part of the national park also known as the Seronera area to Ngorongoro conservation area and also to Maswa reserve.

The cycle of the wildebeest migration can be experienced by tourists visiting the southern part of Serengeti national park since the wildebeest return to this part of the national park in December due to the greener pastures and then in January and February the calving season takes place and then the migration continues to other parts of the national park.

Safaris in the southern part of Serengeti national park also favors tourists who wish to explore other attraction sites such as the Ngorongoro conservation area during their trips which is near this part of the national park.

The landscape of Serengeti national park is characterized by open endless plains and rock kopjes which act as look out points for the lions as they watch their prey grazing around the national park.

Different activities also take place in the southern section and other parts of Serengeti national park and they include the following;

Game drives take place at different times of day in Serengeti national park and they include morning game drives, evening game drives, and full-day game drives. Tourists explore the endless plains of this national park during the morning hours and this provides them with a chance to see a variety of wildlife species since they are more active during this time of day. The chances of tourists seeing a variety of wildlife species during the evening hours is slightly hard since the animals are hidden and seek shelter from the evening heat of the sun. Full day game drives give tourists a chance to explore the national park and observe the wildlife species at different times of day as they graze and roam in the savannah plains. Tourists can also enjoy their meals in the wilderness of the national park during their game viewing experiences. This can be done at the designated picnic sites within the national park where tourists can enjoy their meals and view the beautiful scenery around the national park. Different categories of tourists opt for game drives that suit their interests in the national park for example researchers may go for full day game drives while film crews and photographers may opt for night game drives to see the nocturnal wildlife species.

Nature walks are a unique way of exploring Serengeti national park and it provides close interaction with the surroundings in the national park. tourists are able to view the beautiful scenery as they explore the savannah plains on foot in search of different attractions within the national park such as wildlife species, plant species, bird species among others. This activity is carried out in the company of a ranger and a guide in order to ensure the tourists are safe as they explore the savannah plains of Serengeti national park.

Hot air balloon safaris give tourists a wildlife viewing experience from an aerial view of the rest of the national park. This activity takes about one hour of seeing the beautiful scenery and seeing the different attractions within the national park such as wildlife species among others. The hot air balloon safaris start early in the morning and tourists can also enjoy watching the beautiful sunset and also share an early breakfast and champagne toast after their adventure in the hot air balloons. This activity is at its best during the months of June to October which is the dry months of the year when the winds are not very strong and this which favors the hot air ballooning activity.

Bird watching is another activity which takes place in Serengeti national park and it involves searching for different bird species within the national park such as secretary birds, rufous tailed weaver, fishers love a bird, grey breasted spurfowl, black-headed gonolek, sterling, southern ground hornbill, shrikes, eagles, vultures among others.
Cultural visits in Serengeti national park involve interaction with the local community which consists of the Maasai people. During these cultural visits, tourists engage in activities such as watching traditional dances, seeing local arts and crafts, visiting the traditional homesteads called “manyattas”, listening to folk stories among other activities. The local community of the Maasai people has greatly influenced tourism in Serengeti national park in a way that the Maasai engage in conservation practices and are also employed in the different accommodations within the national park. Maasai people also act as tour guides for the tourists as they explore the different parts of Serengeti national park and see the different attractions within the national park.

Attractions in the southern side of Serengeti national park include the following;

Wildlife species can be seen around the national park by tourists as they engage in different wildlife viewing activities such as game drives, nature walks, hot air ballooning among others. The wildlife species which can be seen in Serengeti national park include lions, leopards, elephants, cheetahs, giraffes, buffalos, rhinos, wildebeest, hartebeest, waterbucks, antelopes, zebras and many others.
Bird species can also be seen in Serengeti national park and they include both migrant and native birds such as black headed herons, grey headed sparrows, red backed scrub robin, white crowned shrikes, yellow throated sand grouse, secretary birds and many others.
Maasai people are the local community which inhabits the Serengeti national park. They are known for their unique culture and nomadic way of life. Tourists interact with the Maasai people to get to know more about their way of life such as traditional arts and crafts like beaded jewelry, “manyattas”, folk stories, traditional ceremonies, cultural dances and many others.
Wildebeest migration is a natural wonder which takes place between Serengeti national park and Masai Mara national reserve in Kenya. This migration involves an all year-round movement of a large number of wildebeest to different parts of the national park in search of greener pastures and water.

Other parts of Serengeti national park which can be visited by tourists include;

The northern part of Serengeti national park is also known as the Lobo area. It is characterized by green rolling hills acacia woodland, open savannah plains and granite outcrops. A variety of wildlife species can also be seen in this part of the national park which has a big concentration of elephants and the second-largest lion pride.
Western part of Serengeti national park consists of the Grumeti river which acts as a crossing point for the wildebeest during the wildebeest migration which involves movement of a large number of wildebeest in search of greener pastures and water. This part of Serengeti national park is also characterized by a dense bush and forest which acts as a habitat for the wildlife species.
Central section of Serengeti national park is also known as Seronera area and is named after the Seronera valley. There is a high concentration of wildlife species in this part of Serengeti national park and it is also famous among tourist visiting this national park. the landscape in the central part of Serengeti national park is characterized by rivers, swamps, grasslands and rock outcrops. Wildlife viewing is best done at this national park during the months of April to June.

Best time to visit the national park

Serengeti national park offers amazing wildlife viewing opportunities all year round. However, the recommended time of the year to visit this national park is during the months of December and May.

In the months of December and May, tourists can also experience the wildebeest migration as well as the calving season which takes place in this part of Serengeti national park in February. Tourists also get to watch as the young wildebeest are hunted by predators such as lions and leopards.

May and October in the southern region of Serengeti national park is characterized by dry plains which means pastures for the wildlife species is not sufficient to sustain their large numbers and this leads to the movement of the wildlife to other parts of the national park in search of greener pasture.

Visit the southern part of Serengeti national park and experience the beauty of the wildebeest migration and other attractions within the national park.