Travel Guide to Serengeti National Park

Travel Guide to Serengeti National Park: Serengeti national park is a wildlife viewing destination located in the northern part of Tanzania. This national park is the oldest national park in Tanzania which covers about 14750 square kilometers.

One of the natural wonders of the world which is the wildebeest migration also takes place in this national park and involves the movement of over 2 million wildebeests annually across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem.

Serengeti national park is visited at different times of the year by tourists interested in engaging in wildlife viewing while on their safaris and also exploring the various attractions of Serengeti national park.

The big 5 can also be seen during a safari in Serengeti national park and they include elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos and rhinos. These wildlife species are considered as the most difficult wildlife species to hunt on foot.

How many days to spend on safari in Serengeti national park

Among the factors to consider when planning a safari to Serengeti national park is the length of the safari. The number of days to spend in the national park depends on various factors such as the activities which tourists are interested in carrying out while on the safari.

About 4 days are recommended when considering the number of days to explore the different parts of Serengeti national park which include the central Serengeti or Seronera valley, western Serengeti, northern Serengeti and southern Serengeti.

During the days spent on safari in Serengeti national park, tourists can engage in game drives which are carried out at different times of day such as in the morning, in the afternoon as well as in the evening.

Price of a safari to Serengeti national park

Another factor to consider when planning a safari to Serengeti national park is the price or cost of the safari. This depends on the nature of the safari which can be a group safari or an individual safari.

For group safaris, the costs for the safari are shared therefore the price for the safari in Serengeti national park is less compared to that of individual or tailor made safaris. Different tour operators also charge their clients differently for the transport, accommodation as well as the park fees.

The park fees are paid to the authorities in charge of managing the national park in this case Serengeti national park is managed by Tanzania National Parks Authority. The cost of the accommodations or where to stay while on safari to Serengeti national park varies according to the type of accommodation which includes budget accommodation, Midrange accommodation and luxury accommodation.

Wildlife species in Serengeti national park

Wildlife species are among the major attractions in Serengeti national park which tourists look forward to during a safari to the national park. These wildlife species include the big 5 such as elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffalos.

Other wildlife species in Serengeti national park include hippos, zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, antelopes, impalas, gazelles, waterbucks, hartebeests, cheetahs among others. There are also over 400 bird species which can be seen during a safari in Serengeti national park.

Attractions in Serengeti national park

During a safari in Serengeti national park, various attractions can be spotted and these include the following;

Seronera river valley is an attraction which can be seen during a safari in the central part of Serengeti national park. The Seronera river valley is popular for safaris and different wildlife species can be seen around this area such as the lions, leopards, cheetahs and many others.
Retina hippo pool is a pool which is formed where the Seronera river meets the Orangi river. Many hippos can be seen in this pool which is also in the central part of Serengeti national park.
Nabbi hill is an attraction which is located in the northern part of Serengeti national park. wildlife species which can be spotted around this area include lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, wildebeests, zebras among others on your Travel Guide to Serengeti National Park.
Mara river and Grumeti river are major crossing points for the wildebeest migration where the wildebeest herds struggle to get to the other side through the rivers which are infested with Nile crocodiles.
Moru kopjes are rock outcrops which can be seen over the open savannah plains of Serengeti national park. Different wildlife species can also be spotted during a safari around these kopjes of Serengeti national park which also includes Maasai kopjes and Simba kopjes where lions can be seen.
The Maasai people can also be encountered during a safari in Serengeti national park. The Maasai are a nomadic group of people who are known for their unique culture and way of life and for depending on the livestock such as cattle, sheep and goats. They also have local arts and crafts such as beaded jewelry like necklaces and earrings among others while on your Travel Guide to Serengeti National Park.

Activities in Serengeti national park

Serengeti national park also offers a wide range of activities which tourists can engage in during their safaris and these include;

Game drives in Serengeti national park take place in the morning, in the afternoon or in the evening. This activity can also be carried out for the whole day as tourists enjoy looking out for various wildlife species such as elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos, rhinos, cheetahs, hippos, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, kudu, waterbucks among others.
Hot air balloon safaris are also carried out in Serengeti national park during a safari at the destination and are carried out as early as 5:00 am in the morning.
Guided nature walks are also carried out in Serengeti national park and this activity gives the tourists a close interaction with the natural surroundings in the national park as they explore the national park on foot.
Bird watching is also carried out in Serengeti national park which has over 500 bird species which can be spotted while on a safari at the destination.
Cultural visits to the Maasai villages are also part of the safari experience in Serengeti national park. During this activity, tourists interact with the tourists and get to know more about their way of life and also visit the traditional homesteads and also see local art and craft work.

Best time to visit Serengeti national park

Serengeti national park can be visited at different times of the year during safaris and the dry season from June to October is recommended for wildlife viewing as the wildlife species can be spotted around the water points.

For bird lovers, the months of April to November is recommended to spot the different bird species in Serengeti national park which include both the native and migratory bird species.

Accommodations in Serengeti national park

There are different places to stay in and around Serengeti national park and these include luxury accommodations, midrange accommodations and budget or basic accommodations such as Serengeti Sopa lodge, Serengeti Serena lodge, Osinon camps and lodges, Serengeti heritage luxury tented camps and lodges, Sanctuary kichakani camp, Four seasons safari lodge, and Beyond Grumeti Serengeti tented camp, Kiota camp, Serian Serengeti, Dunia camp, Faru Faru camp, Grumeti river camp and many others.

Airstrips in Serengeti national park

Serengeti national park can be accessed by different means of transport such as flight to the different airstrips like Seronera airstrip, Kogatende airstrip, Sasakwa airstrip, Kusini airstrip, Fort Ikoma airstrip, Kirawira airstrip and many others.

Getting to Serengeti national park by drive is another way of accessing the destination and this takes about 7 to 8 hours to get to the national park from Arusha.

Visit Serengeti national park and explore its different attractions and look out for various wildlife species in the vast savannah plains at the destination.