CLIMBING & TREKKING
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The world's most famous safari destination — regions, wildlife and when to go.
The Serengeti is the most famous safari destination on Earth — a 14,750 km² wilderness of endless plains, granite kopjes, acacia woodlands and seasonal rivers teeming with wildlife. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it forms the heart of the greater Serengeti-Mara ecosystem and hosts the largest land migration on the planet.
Its name comes from the Maasai word siringet — "the place where the land runs on forever." Whether you come for the Great Migration, the Big Five, or simply the sheer scale of the landscape, the Serengeti delivers an experience found nowhere else.
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Size | 14,750 km² (5,700 sq mi) |
| Location | Northern Tanzania, bordering Kenya's Maasai Mara |
| UNESCO Status | World Heritage Site since 1981 |
| Main Gate | Seronera (central) — fly-in airstrips throughout |
| Best Time | June–October (dry); Jan–Feb for calving |
| Known For | Great Migration, Big Five, predators, endless plains |
The Serengeti is vast, and different regions offer very different experiences. Choosing the right one for your travel dates is the single most important planning decision.
Central Serengeti (Seronera): The most accessible and popular region. Year-round wildlife, resident predators and the classic Serengeti landscapes. Best for first-time visitors. Excellent for leopards, lions and cheetahs.
Southern Serengeti (Ndutu): The calving grounds. From January to March, roughly 8,000 wildebeest calves are born per day, attracting intense predator action. Excellent for big cat sightings.
Western Serengeti (Grumeti): The corridor along the Grumeti River. Famous for the first river crossings (June), chimpanzee-filled forests and quieter camps. Great for luxury lodges.
Northern Serengeti (Kogatende/Lamai): The Mara River region. Best for the famous river crossings from July to October. Remote, wild and uncrowded — a favourite for photographers.
Eastern Serengeti: Less visited, drier and home to the Namiri Plains — excellent for cheetah sightings and quiet game drives.
| Months | Season | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Jan – Feb | Short dry | Calving season in the south; high predator activity |
| Mar – May | Long rains | Green, quiet, cheaper; some camps close |
| Jun – Oct | Dry | Best overall; migration in west (Jun) then north (Jul–Oct) |
| Nov – Dec | Short rains | Green scenery, fewer crowds; herds return south |
The Serengeti rewards good planning. Whether you want the Great Migration, quiet wilderness or the best chance at all the Big Five, talk to our safari specialists — we'll match your dates to the right region and design an itinerary built around the wildlife you most want to see.
Serengeti National Park is in northern Tanzania, bordering Kenya's Maasai Mara to the north. It forms the heart of the greater Serengeti-Mara ecosystem and is about 6 to 8 hours by road from Arusha or 1 to 2 hours by light aircraft from Arusha or Kilimanjaro.
Serengeti National Park covers approximately 14,750 square kilometres. The wider Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, which includes adjacent reserves and the Maasai Mara, spans over 30,000 square kilometres.
June to October is the best time for wildlife viewing, with dry conditions and the northern migration. January to February is best for calving season and predator action in the southern Serengeti. The green season from March to May is quieter and cheaper, though some camps close.
Yes. The Great Migration passes through the Serengeti for most of the year — calving in the south from January to March, moving north through the central and western regions from April to June, and reaching the Mara River in the north from July to October.
Choose the central Serengeti for year-round wildlife and first-time visits, the southern Serengeti for calving season, the western corridor for the Grumeti River crossings in June, and the northern Serengeti for the Mara River crossings from July to October.
The Serengeti is home to the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino), plus cheetah, hyena, giraffe, hippo, zebra, wildebeest, gazelle and over 500 bird species. It is one of the best places in Africa for predator sightings.
We recommend at least 3 to 4 nights. This gives you time to explore different regions, enjoy multiple game drives, and increase your chances of witnessing river crossings or predator action. One or two nights is too rushed for such a vast park.
Yes. Scheduled light-aircraft flights connect the Serengeti with Arusha, Kilimanjaro International Airport, Zanzibar and other Tanzanian parks. The main airstrips are Seronera (central), Kogatende (north) and Ndutu (south).
Yes. Safari visitors stay in vehicles with experienced guides at all times, and camps are fenced or guarded. Follow your guide's instructions, don't walk alone at night, and never approach wildlife on foot. The Serengeti is one of the safest safari destinations in Africa.
The Serengeti is a vast open plains ecosystem famous for the Great Migration and predator viewing. The Ngorongoro Crater is a collapsed volcanic caldera with dense wildlife and reliable Big Five sightings in a small area. Most travellers visit both on a northern circuit safari.
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