The sheer amount of wildlife which can be found in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park is probably the most captivating feature of this vast and gently rolling safari area. The national park itself covers 15,000km2, but the Serengeti ecosystem, which includes a number of game reserves bordering the park, is almost double this, giving a liberating and exciting sense of freedom and space. The name Serengeti is derived from the Maasai word for 'endless plain', which describes it well.
Over two-million wildebeest and half-a-million zebra are thought to reside in the region - and their annual migration through the Serengeti is one of the most incredible wildlife shows on earth. Their movements follow the annual rainfall pattern, so are predictable to an extent, but while the migration can sometimes be seen during a camping or luxury safari to Tanzania, there's a fair amount of variation year on year.
Although, our Tanzania safaris to the central Serengeti pass through the areas where at certain times of year you are likely to witness the migration, none of them are specifically tailored to see it. Despite this, as there are excellent game viewing opportunities in the Serengeti throughout the year, and good numbers of wildlife even without the migration, you are likely to experience memorable game on any of the Tanzania safaris we offer.
From the end of December through to January, February and March, hundreds of thousands of animals graze in the short grasses of the southern Serengeti plain. This is peak calving season and thus attracts large numbers of predators, so while you are not likely to see herds on the move whilst on safari during these months, the sheer volume of wildlife on the Serengeti plains is impressive.
From the end of March through April and May, Tanzania's heavy rains begin to move northwards and so the migration slowly shifts northwest towards the central areas of the Serengeti National Park.
From May through to September the migration moves up to the Western Corridor - crossing the Grumeti River and providing an annual feast for the resident crocodiles! October sees the migration enter Kenya's Masai Mara before the herds begin to return southwards towards Tanzania and the fresh green pastures of the southern Serengeti, and the cycle starts again…
The immense volume of plains game here throughout the year naturally attracts a great number of predators. The Serengeti ecosystem is thought to support the largest single population of lions anywhere in Tanzania or Africa, making sightings of these incredible creatures whilst on a camping or lodge safari almost a certainty.
However, the flip side to this potential is the high number of tourists who visit the area. Often several vehicles surround one animal, which can somewhat ruin the sense of wilderness and space the Serengeti is famed for.
That said, we have worked hard to find knowledgeable and passionate guides to lead our camping and lodge safaris to Tanzania. They are experienced in working around the vast number of tourists on short visits to the Serengeti to show you some of the best places and wildlife spectacles that this area has to offer.
