The word Serengeti means endless plains in the Maa language (Maasai), and people who live around the Serengeti national park. The park is covered with grassland plains and in the middle of it offers views of distant landscapes (plains). When on safari the only feeling you can get is the typical African wilderness experience. Serengeti is an Award-winning, best national park for an African safari. The park upgraded from a game reserve (big game hunting ground) to a National park in the year 1951 (the first national park in Tanzania), and is located in northern Tanzania and extends to southwestern Kenya.

Serengeti national park covers an area of 5,700 square miles (14,763 square km) and is normally referred to as the great grassland range in Africa as well as vachellia woodland. The park extends 100 miles (160 km) southeast from the shores of Lake Victoria and, in its eastern part 100 miles (160 km) south of the Kenya - Tanzania border. The Serengeti-Mara ecosystem encompasses several protected areas like the Serengeti national park, the Mara national reserve in Kenya, and a number of game reserves and conservation areas (Ngorongoro) that surround the area.

The Serengeti national park is the most famous park and a top safari destination. The Serengeti has so much to offer, from the Big Five and the world’s largest overland migration to stunning landscapes. These are the best things to see and do when visiting Serengeti National Park.

• Walking safari.

Discover the Serengeti on foot during a multi-day walking safari. Go back in time and feel like you are the first explorer.

The wilderness becomes more real when you become part of the environment. Explore remote areas where safari vehicles are not allowed.

Your senses start working when you connect with nature and walk on the same path as lions, elephants, and giraffes. Smell the bush, feel the warm African breeze and hear elephants trumping in the distance. It is such an exciting experience to be so close to nature.

• Balloon safari.

The ultimate way to see the beauty of the Serengeti is by floating in a hot air balloon over the endless plains at dawn. Witness the sunrise over the African savannah and the variety of wildlife below.

Balloon Serengeti National Park

Enjoy a bird’s eye view of this awesome park, while you float in the direction the wind takes you. After a one-hour balloon flight, a glass of champagne and a delicious English breakfast awaits, to celebrate this amazing adventure.

• Great migration.

For a lot of people, this spectacle of nature is the reason why they visit the Serengeti. It’s an impressive sight to witness millions of mammals thunder across the plains in search of fresh grass and water.

Huge lines of wildebeest, storms of red dust, wild river crossings, and predators everywhere. The Great Migration is a year-round circle and can be seen in different parts of the Serengeti & the larger Serengeti ecosystem. with exception of October year-round Serengeti has the edge of the migrational herd's numbers making it best to see the migration from the Serengeti

• Game drive.

Serengeti national park offers to view animals from moving vehicles. When choosing to book a drive-in safari a driver/guide will take you to Serengeti in a 4x4 safari vehicle (and other places to visit depending on your itinerary- along the way. In general, the driver/guide will also be your guide in the Serengeti and take you on the game drives through the park experience at their lodge.

• Bird watching.

The Serengeti national park is a bird paradise. The park has approximately 500 bird species which makes it to be the best spot for bird watching. This open grassland supports other varieties of birds such as kori bustard, larks, fiches, and raptors.

The park is home to the amazing lilac-breasted roller and three endemic species of Tanzania, Fischer's lovebird, grey-rumped spurfowl, and babbler-like Rufous-tailed weaver.

The best time to visit the park is during the dry season (late June to October). However, the Serengeti is visited throughout the year and some travellers prefer different durations as they can be best suited to match your interests. Here is a month-by-month guide to visit the Serengeti national park.

January to February.

• Beginning of Tanzania’s green season. Suitable for birdwatching.
• The famous Great wildebeest migration is concentrated in the Ndutu area and gives birth (calving season).

March

• This is a grey time, not clear if it will be dry or perhaps the rainy season will begin
• Almost the end of the wildebeest calving season

April to May

• It is expected to be rainy season therefore very difficult to move around or enjoying the sun
• Migration expected to be in south/central Serengeti
• Less travellers

June to August.

• This is the beginning of the dry season and the peak season for safari visitors.
• Great migration crossing Grumeti (west Serengeti) river in June
• Great Migration making its way north towards the Mara river for the dramatic river crossings into the Masai Mara reserve.

September to October

• Still dry season
• Travellers reduce
• The migration is expected to be in Maasai Mara Kenya

November to December

• Short rains
• Few travellers (small peak season from late December to early January)
• The migration is back, making its way to south Serengeti & north Ngorongoro

Serengeti national park is located in northern Tanzania and extends to southwestern Kenya. The park can easily be reachable either on the ground or by air. You will first need to get international flights to Tanzania (dar es salaam airport, Zanzibar airport, or Kilimanjaro airport) from these airports you can get a second flight to the Serengeti national park or get to nearby towns of Arusha or Mwanza & from there you can drive to Serengeti

Getting to Serengeti National Park by road.

The most popular way to travel to Serengeti National Park by road is by booking a drive-in safari. In general, the drive-in safaris start from the town of Arusha. As it will take around 7 hours (318 km) to travel from Arusha to the Serengeti National Park, an overnight stay at one or more wildlife sites and the route is usually part of your safari itinerary.

Serengeti access gates.

There are four main entry and exit gates:

•  Naabi Hill Gate: Main and most heavily trafficked access gate if coming from Arusha; 45km from Seronera.
•  Ndabaka: Main gate for Western Corridor: 1.5-hour drive from Mwanza and 145km from Seronera.
•  Klein’s Gate: In the far northeast, it lets a loop trip combining Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Lake Natron.
•  Ikoma Gate: located between Tabora B & ndabaka gate,
•  Tabora B Gate: mostly used by those driving from north Tanzania regions (Mwanza) & would like to head to north Serengeti
•  Bologonja Gate: not in use yet.

Serengeti fly in safaris (airstrips)

This form of getting to the park is dedicated to those who are looking for a faster and even more suitable option. Arranged or private charter flights are always on the way to go or you can search for scheduled flights, with some local charters inducing a route after a booking by a minimum of 2. scheduled flights to the Serengeti are available year out from Arusha, Zanzibar & Dar es Salaam.

Arusha to Serengeti flights.

Serengeti National Park is a vast ecosystem mostly categorized into four zones, north, west, central & south Serengeti. these zones are a little different in vegetation & all experience the great migration cycle making each zone favorable to the other at a particular time of the year. but most animals are residents so both zones are great year and out. In the Serengeti, there are different accommodation options with many options available in central Serengeti making use of seasonal lodges to aid limited availability elsewhere

Accommodation options in the Serengeti:

• Public camping (Budget option only available in central Serengeti "seronera" & northeast "Lobo")
• Special camping
• Seasonal lodges (follow migration in cycle, south, west & north)
• Tented lodges
• Lodges

Accommodation for a Serengeti safari does not come cheap at all, this is due to the fact that food and supplies have to be imported to the hotels and camps from outside the park. With many other licenses and taxes applied

Visiting Serengeti is an awesome experience, but choosing the right place to stay at the right time can be an overwhelming process. This is due to the fact that Serengeti National park is very large and different activities occur at different times of the year depending on the season.