


Location
The Serengeti National Park spans a few key areas of northern Tanzania with the Serengeti ecosystem covering the eastern Mara and northern Simiyu regions.
Size
The Serengeti National Park covers an area of around 5700 square miles.
History
Even though exploration of the Serengeti National Park goes back as far as the late 1800s, the park gained recognition around the 1920s when sightings of the great wildebeest migration were first witnessed and photographed.
In the 1930s the Serengeti Game Reserve was a popular sport hunting destination until activity ceased around 1937 and the park was given a protected area status in 1940. The park headquarters were located on the Ngorongoro Crater rim when the southern part of the reserve became a national park in 1951.
Breaking away from the Ngorongoro conservation area in 1959 the park has stood as one of Tanzania’s most visited and truly incredible national parks. Serengeti National Park was designated a World Heritage Site in 1981.
Entrance Fees & Permits
The entrance into the Serengeti National Park is USD60 per adult and USD30 per child
Hours of Operation
The Serengeti National Park gates are open between 6am and 6pm daily.
By Road
Road travel to the Serengeti National Park from Arusha is an approximate 200-mile journey, which will take approximately eight hours.
By Air
Guests who fly into Kilimanjaro will transfer by road to Arusha, a journey of around 30 miles, and then take a 30-minute flight on a small air hop or air transfer to one of the airstrips in the Serengeti National Park.
Weather & Climate
The Serengeti National Park enjoys a dry winter over the months of June through to the end of August. June can see temperatures up to the mid-seventies, with the climate cooling in July and August. Short rains fall between November and April, with the longer rains falling in March and April. Game viewing is at its best in the dry winter season, with the great migration being a highlight in July and October.
Avoiding Crowds
Consider travelling in the green season of late October through to December, just after the busy winter peak season. Visiting in late May and early June will allow you to go on safari just ahead of the crowds.
Value for Money
Thanks to a diverse range of accommodation options available, it is possible to enjoy a quality safari experience in the Serengeti National Park with a variety of budgets. Guests have the option of choosing lodges and camps in remote areas or settling in the middle of a great migration pathway in one of Africa’s most outstanding safari destinations. Travelling by road also helps with overall pricing.
Popular Wildlife Sightings in the Serengeti National Park
Big cats, the big five, and a big chance to witness the incredible great wildebeest migration puts Serengeti National Park at the top of any safari-goer’s list. The Serengeti is known to have a vast number of animals, complete with sightings of large herds of plains game as well as predators seen on most game drives.
The Terrain
The Serengeti National Park has a terrain made up of mostly vast savannah in the western section, occasional acacia trees breaking the landscape, and a more hilly woodland area sets the scene in the north.
Game Drives
Experiencing the Serengeti National Park in an open or enclosed 4×4 safari vehicle is the most ideal way to see the vast number of animals that call the park home. Early morning and late afternoon drives can be substituted for a full day outing with a picnic lunch packed for guests.
Consider a hot air balloon experience over the incredible savannah and woodlands of the Serengeti. Guests may have the opportunity to witness the incredible great migration during their visit, depending on the time of year they are visiting. Watch as thousands of wildebeest cross the Mara river between Kenya’s Masai Mara and Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park.
Guided Walking Safaris
The Serengeti National Park offers guided walking safaris in the Serengeti National Park that may range from 2 day experiences to a full week. Cover terrain that reaches beyond what you will see seated in a safari vehicle and witness nature up close and personal for hours on end.
There are so many accommodation options in the Serengeti National Park, with options ranging from moderate hotels and lodges to mid-range mobile camping options and even exquisite luxury and high-end tented camps to complete the lodging complement.
Serengeti National Park Lodging – Distance from park entrance
| Lodge or Hotel | Distance to park entrance (in miles) |
| Four Seasons Safari Lodge | 53.3 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Melia Serengeti Lodge | 30.5 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Ole Serai Luxury Camp – Turner Springs | 39.5 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Lemala Nanyukie Lodge | 40.3 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Siringit Serengeti Camp | 39.0 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Nimali Central Serengeti | 39.3 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Kirawira Serena Camp | 93 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Elawana Serengeti Explorer | 208 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Mbuzi Mawe Serena Camp | 52.8 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Kubu Kubu Tented Camp | 40.7 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Serengeti Serena Lodge | 40.5 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Mbali Mbali Soroi Serengeti Lodge | 39 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Naskia Migration Camp | 21.3 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Lahia Tented Lodge | 64 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Serengeti Sametu Camp | 40.6 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Serengeti Mara River Camp | 123 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Serengeti Woodlands Camp | 23 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Serengeti Acacia Bliss Luxury Tented Camp | 79.3 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| The singing Grass Bush Camp | 28.5 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Ang’ata Serengeti Camp | 18.3 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Seronera Wildlife Lodge | 31.7 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Nyikani Central Serengeti Camp | 41.9 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Acacia Seronera Luxury Camp | 47.5 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Serengeti Kichakana Serengeti Camp | 46 miles from the Ndabaka Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Serengeti Bushtops Lodge | 39 miles from the Fort Ikoma Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Olakira Migration Camp | 37 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Serengeti Under Canvas | 40 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Ole Serai – Moru Kopje | 42 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Ole Serai – Kogatende | 90 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Lemala Serengeti – Mara & Ndutu | 87 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Nimali Mara | 92 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Kati Kati Serengeti | 23.5 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Mara Under Canvas | 95 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Acacia Central Camp | 25 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Angata Kemarishe Tented Camp | 35 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Angata Migration Camp | 37 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Lobo Wildlife Lodge | 55 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Nyikani Migration Camp | 35 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Elewana Pioneer | 56 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Elewana Migration Camp | 37 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Kirurumu Under Canvas: Northern Camp | 93 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Kirurumu Under Canvas South | 31 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Kirurumu Under Canvas Central | 62 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Mawe Tented Camp | 47 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Gnu Migration Camp | 106 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Embalakai Serengeti | 62 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Kaskaz Mara | 106 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Naona Moru Camp | 16 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Serengeti Safari Lodge | 47 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Serengeti Tanzania Bush Camp | 87 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Serengeti Simba Lodge | 93 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Mbalageti Safari Lodge | 50 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Africa Safari Lodge | 50 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Serengeti Sound of Nature | 47 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| ThornTree Camp | 47 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
| Serengeti Sopa Lodge | 19 miles from the Naabi Hill Gate of the Serengeti National Park |
Hot Air Balloon Experience
Take to the skies in one of the most amazing safari experiences one can have. A hot air balloon ride will take you over the savannahs and woodland areas of the great Serengeti National Park, with the opportunity to spot animals near and far.
Cultural Tours
Visit local communities and spend time immersed in Masaai culture, learning traditions and timeless rituals as you see how they are integrated into today’s society.
The dryer winter months between June and August is the best time to visit the Serengeti when the grass is low and the temperatures mild and game viewing is optimal.
The pricing of accommodation ranges from larger hotel options to mobile tented adventures and intimate luxury camps, pricing ranging from USD450 per person sharing to over USD1400 per person sharing per night.
Visitors to the Serengeti can drive from Arusha, the 200 mile journey taking around eight hours, or a 30-minute flight is an option onto one of the Serengeti airstrips.
Spending time in the Serengeti is always a treat as it is a vast area with a large number of animals, making game viewing an exciting and successful adventure. It is also home to the great wildebeest migration, a phenomenal crossing between Kenya’s Masai Mara and Tanzania’s Serengeti national parks.
Home to the “Big Five”, visitors have a chance to see elephant, rhino, leopard, buffalo and lion as well as a plethora of plains game and birdlife.
The gates to the Serengeti National Park are open from 6.30am to 6.30pm daily.
A safari package that includes a stay in the Serengeti will need to be booked quite far in advance. Availability can be scarce during peak safari season, which falls between late June and the end of October each year.
An enclosed or open 4×4 safari vehicle is the best way to explore and experience the Serengeti National Park. Game walks and a hot air balloon ride are two other ways to search for animals and see the park.
The Serengeti Serena Lodge offers a large selection of accommodations for groups and families looking for the more “classic” safari lodge experience. The Sanctuary Bushtops is an example of luxury tented accommodation in the Serengeti National Park. Mobile camping, of the four star and five star level, is popular in the Serengeti with the AndBeyond Under Canvas experience creating an “up close and personal with nature” adventure.
There are no stand-alone restaurants near the Serengeti National Park, with guests dining in the restaurants located at the lodge or camp of their choice.
Hot Air Balloon Rides
Get a bird’s eye view over the incredible Serengeti National Park with a hot air balloon ride, a chance to scope the landscape for animals while taking in the scenic beauty.
Maasai Cultural Village Experience
Enjoy some time experiencing true Maasai culture and heritage as you learn about traditions and the rich history of the Maasai community.
Tanzania is alive with colorful wildlife herding in dense and unusual parks – we’ll explore two of these dynamic areas on this spirited Tanzania Safari. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is unique in the world of safaris – it’s the largest intact volcanic crater on Earth. We’ll travel down into this dense, self-contained world of active wildlife in our 4 x 4 Jeep.
The Serengeti. Ngorongoro Crater. Oldupai Gorge. The names are exotic, the locations even more so. This Tanzania Safari will bring you into the heart of the country – to immense savannahs heaving with wildebeests and big cats, and an ancient crater filled with Zebras, gazelles, cheetahs, and flamingoes.
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We’ll touch the origins of mankind at Oldupai Gorge, a millions-year-old record of humankind’s earliest inhabitants. And then, when you’ve explored the best of Tanzania from the ground, our safari will take you to the air with a flight over these same magnificent landscapes and a return to Arusha.
These are Tanzania’s finest parks and we give you a choice to begin this Africa safari adventure at either Lake Manyara or Tarangire National Parks. Manyara is a colorful jewel, filled with thousands of pink flamingoes settled on the shores of a cobalt blue lake. Tarangire is known for its elephants, lots of migrating wildlife, and few tourists. Take your pick of the parks.
Serengeti National Park is perhaps the most famous wildlife reserve in the world, with its horizons filled with wildebeests and zebras. The lion population here is the largest of any park in the region, if not all of Africa. But for sheer density of big cats, nothing beats the Ngorongoro Crater, the largest intact volcanic caldera on the planet.
We’ll visit these wild, colorful and memorable parks and all the wildlife that live upon these vital lands on this five-day Natural World Kenya Safaris exploration.
5 DAYS, 4 NIGHTS: NGORONGORO CRATER – NDUTU AREA -LAKE MANYARA PARK
We created this safari to bring you up close to the wonders of Tanzania… wonders like the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera, and a wildlife universe unto itself, cut off from the rest of Africa.
The Ndutu Area is the engine of the Great Wildebeest Migration – it’s where the millions of wildebeests and other grazers settle for the calving season, from December through March, giving birth to up to half a million newborns every winter.
From Ngorongoro Crater to Enchanting Lake Manyara
Tour includes:5 DAYS, 4 NIGHTS: NDUTU AREA – NGORONGORO CRATER
This is where you’ll find astonishing and active wildlife – the Ndutu Area is one of the best spots to witness the drama of the Great Migration and Ngorongoro is unmatched for its density of animal life.
dutu pulsates with limitless numbers of wildebeests and zebras as these are the calving fields that ultimately populate the migration. From December through April, the fresh grasses of Ndutu attract millions of herding grazers to give birth to their young, as many as 8,000 a day!
Here the newborns take their first steps, issue their first cries and quickly learn and grow to keep up with the vast herds of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles. Then, come spring, they move north toward still more fresh grasses in the unending cycles of the Great Migration.
Witness The Great Migration, Plus Incredible Ngorongoro
Tour includes:We designed this Total Tanzania Safari to show you the best of our beautiful country – its overflowing wildlife on boundless plains, across sterling lakes, and even down into lush, teeming crater floors. Serengeti National Park is home to more lions than any other spot in Africa – an astonishing range of animals populate its sweeping tracts stretching out to the horizon.
The Ngorongoro Crater is a world unto itself – over 25,000 animals dwell across this isolated volcano floor – lions, leopards, rhinos, baboons, even pink flamingoes thrive in these nether reaches. You’ll discover elephants, buffalo, lion, and leopard on our sojourn to Tarangire National Park, and small but exquisite Lake Manyara National Park always delights with its thousands of bright pink flamingoes filling its sparkling shores.
6 Day Tanzania safari visiting Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro.
Safari proceeds to Lake Manyara, the expansive Serengeti Reserve and the amazing Ngorongoro Crater.
The safari is starts and ends in Arusha visiting the best of Tanzania national parks.
Safari proceeds to Lake Manyara, the expansive Serengeti Reserve and the amazing Ngorongoro Crater.
7 DAYS, 6 NIGHTS: TARANGIRE PARK – NDUTU AREA – SERENGETI PARK – NGORONGORO CRATER
This specially designed tour will give you opportunities to see the birthing fields when up to 500,000 wildebeest newborns are dropped onto the vast fields of the Ndutu Area of the Serengeti.
On this tour we will explore Tarangire National Park, Ndutu Area, Serengeti National Park, and Ngorongoro Crater.
Witness the Awesome Cycles of The Great Migration
Tour includes:This is a combination of Wildlife and Cultural safari in Tanzania.
The 10 day tour visits the first class national parks in Tanzania, Arusha Naitional Park, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manayara, the world famous Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park.
An amazing 9 day (8 nights) safari exploring Kenya and Tanzania. 5 parks visited. Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Lake Victoria, Maasai Mara and Nairobi.
See 5 famous Parks & Reserves
An amazing two full week adventure – experience Kenya’s finest parks alongside Tanzania’s Serengeti. Tour includes Samburu, Ol Pejeta, Lake Naivasha, Masai Mara, Lake Victoria, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Amboseli,
Two full weeks East Africa safari adventure
ThornTree Camp is a classic tented safari camp located in Seronera area of Serengeti National Park, about fifteen minutes from the Seronera airstrip and visitor’s centre. The camp is open year round; offering traditional Tanzanian hospitality and great food.
The camp operates mostly in December to March and June to October with 10 comfortable safari tents spread out of the central mess area.
Kirurumu Serengeti Central Camp is a lovely mobile camp, moved seasonally to take best advantage of the vast Serengeti. The camp is used as a base, a spring board for an early morning game drive, a break for a sumptuous lunch, a respite from the heat of the day and the finale to a days adventure where stories can be swapped around a fire. As a small and intimate camp the staff are on hand just to look after a very limited number of guests and so the level of attention and service is always excellent.
Kirurumu Serengeti North Camp is a luxury mobile camp, moved seasonally to take best advantage of the vast Serengeti. The camp is used as a base, a spring board for an early morning game drive, a break for a sumptuous lunch, a respite from the heat of the day and the finale to a days adventure where stories can be swapped around a fire. As a small and intimate camp the staff are on hand just to look after a very limited number of guests and so the level of attention and service is always excellent. The entire camp may be exclusively reserved for your private party.
Located on the edge of the escarpment overlooking the plains of the south-western Serengeti National Park, home to many thousands of wild and rare animals, Serengeti Sopa Lodge lies within an area of out-standing natural beauty. An oasis of cool relaxation from the equatorial sun.
Kirurumu Serengeti South Camp is a luxury mobile camp, moved seasonally to take best advantage of the vast Serengeti. The camp is used as a base, a spring board for an early morning game drive, a break for a sumptuous lunch, a respite from the heat of the day and the finale to a days adventure where stories can be swapped around a fire. As a small and intimate camp the staff are on hand just to look after a very limited number of guests and so the level of attention and service is always excellent.
The Ang’ata camps are mobile camps situated in Tanzania’s most beautiful National Parks & Conservation areas. These camps are designed to offer the highest quality accommodations one would expect from a tented lodge.
Mbalageti Tented Lodge is quite lovely which can hold a maximum of 80 guests. The rooms are very good and the main area is inviting and warm
Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge is an award-winning gem of a hotel in one of the most beautiful settings in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park
This Luxury Camp is ideally located within Central Seronera area of the famous Serengeti National Park in Tanzania around the vicinity of the famous Moru Kopjes and Lake Magadi.
This camp is strategically located to ensure that all areas of the Serengeti are within reach of our guests, including legendary locations like the famous Maasai kopjes, the Museum of Olduvai Gorge, Seronera and the Grumeti River.
The best time to go gorilla trekking in Uganda is during the dry season (December– February and June - August) when conditions are especially good for trekking to view mountain gorillas. Game drives in the national parks are also fruitful during this time.
Wear neutral colored, lightweight clothing on your Uganda safari. Dress in layers and bring a warm sweater for morning and nighttime game drives. For gorilla trekking, bring a waterproof rain jacket, hiking boots, long socks, hiking pants, bug repellant, and a daypack. A sunhat and gardening gloves are also a good idea; the jungle is dense and thick.
Natural World Kenya Safaris offers Gorilla Trekking Safaris in Uganda with basic accommodations starting at $96 per person, per day, plus the Uganda gorilla trekking permit which costs $700 per person per day (the permits are required, and those fees are non-negotiable.) Costs increase from there.
Natural World Safaris can provide basic, mid-range, and luxury trekking safaris and is eager to work with almost any budget.
Suggested tips range from $10 to $20 per person per day for a private guide and the same amount for your driver if that is a different person than your guide.
If you are on a guided safari or gorilla trek in Uganda, your chances of encountering problems are minimal. However, it is always a good idea to take precautions on your safari, particularly when traveling through urban areas or in regions close to the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The trek to spot gorillas can be strenuous. It could take anywhere from two to eight hours to find and observe the gorillas, depending on the time of year. Be prepared to hike for multiple hours through uneven terrain at high altitude. It is advisable to train before any gorilla trekking trip by walking uphill, or better yet, by taking day hikes.
When it comes to wildlife viewing, there are never any guarantees. There are no fences in the parks in Uganda and the gorillas are free to roam. However, our expert guides and gorilla trackers have years of experience taking guests to see these magnificent creatures. They know their favorite spots to congregate and work closely with park officials each day to provide the best possible chance of seeing gorillas in the wild.
Most mountain gorillas in Uganda live at between 4,900 to 7,500 feet. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to the country’s mountain gorillas, has a high point of 8,550ft.
The best time to go on a gorilla trek in Rwanda is during the dry season (June - September) when conditions are best for trekking to view the country’s highlight: the fascinating mountain gorillas.
Wear neutral colored, lightweight clothing on your Rwanda gorilla trek. Dress in layers and don’t forget a sweater for chilly morning and nighttime game drives. For gorilla trekking, bring a waterproof rain jacket, broken-in hiking boots, long socks, hiking pants, bug repellant, and a daypack. A sun visor and protective gloves – such as gardening gloves - are also useful.
Natural World Kenya Safaris offers Gorilla Trekking Safaris in Rwanda with basic accommodations starting at $720 per person, per day, plus the Rwanda gorilla trekking permit which costs $1,500 per person per day (the permits are required, and those fees are non-negotiable.) Costs increase from there.
Natural World Safaris can provide basic, mid-range, and luxury trekking safaris and is eager to work with almost any budget.
Suggested tips for your guide are $25 per person, per day for a private guide and the same amount for your driver if that is a different person than your guide.
Rwanda is one of the safest countries in Africa, particularly if you are on a guided safari or gorilla trek. Your chances of encountering problems are minimal. However, it is always a good idea to take precautions on your safari, particularly when traveling through urban areas. Cross-border travel into the Democratic Republic of the Congo or Burundi is not safe, however, so steer clear of this.
The trek to spot gorillas can be strenuous. It could take anywhere from two to eight hours to find and observe the gorillas, depending on the time of year. Be prepared to hike for multiple hours through uneven terrain at high altitude. It is advisable to train before any gorilla trekking trip by walking uphill, or better yet, by taking day hikes.
When it comes to wildlife viewing, there are never any guarantees. There are no fences in the parks in Rwanda and the gorillas are free to roam. However, our expert guides and gorilla trackers have years of experience taking guests to see these magnificent creatures. They know their favorite spots to congregate and work closely with park officials each day to provide the best possible chance of seeing gorillas in the wild.
Most mountain gorillas in Rwanda live at between 8,000 to 13,000 feet. Volcanoes National Park has a high point of 15,000ft.
Contact us for more information
For more information about our safari excursions, or to book your dream safari trip with Natural World Kenya Safaris, simply get in touch with our friendly travel advisors. Give us a call on +254 704 001 122 or leave your details on our contact us page, and we'll reply as quickly as possible.
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