Serengeti National Park
Building Vast savanna renowned for annual wildebeest migration
Serengeti’s open savanna supports annual wildebeest and zebra migrations, big-cat populations and classic game drives; tourists come for multi-day safaris, photographic opportunities and ecosystem diversity.
Serengeti National Park is a large protected savanna ecosystem in northern Tanzania, established in 1951 and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. It is internationally renowned for its populations of large mammals and the annual wildebeest-led Great Migration.
The park’s habitats range from open grassland to riverine woodland, supporting dense populations of ungulates and predators including lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants and hyenas. Wildlife concentrations vary seasonally with the migration, which moves across the ecosystem in search of grazing and water.
Management of the park has emphasised large-scale conservation and tourism, with infrastructure and lodges concentrated in key areas such as Seronera in the central Serengeti. Research and anti-poaching efforts are ongoing components of park operations.
Serengeti lies in northern Tanzania, extending into the Mara Region and forming a contiguous ecosystem with Kenya’s Maasai Mara to the north; Arusha is the main gateway city for tourism access.
- Size: Covers roughly 14,763 square kilometres and forms part of a larger Serengeti-Mara ecosystem that supports large-scale seasonal migrations.
- Great Migration: Hosts the Great Migration, involving more than a million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles moving annually between grazing areas.
What to See #
- Seronera: Seronera area in the central Serengeti, a year-round wildlife stronghold with lodges and the park's main visitor services.
- Western Corridor (Grumeti): Western Corridor, also called the Grumeti region, a seasonally important migration route with riverine habitats and large concentrations of game during parts of the year.
- Northern Serengeti (Mara): Northern Serengeti (Mara), the area where major river crossings on the Mara River occur during the migration, typically in the mid to late dry season.
- Southern Serengeti (Ndutu): Southern Serengeti (Ndutu), the calving and birthing areas used largely in the wet season and early dry season, important for observing newborn ungulates and predators.
How to Get to Serengeti National Park #
Serengeti National Park is accessed either by small charter/scheduled flights from Arusha or Mwanza to several airstrips inside the park (for example Seronera in the central Serengeti or Kogatende in the north) or by overland safari transfers. Light flights from Arusha typically take around an hour to central airstrips; lodge transfers are normally arranged from the airstrip to camps and lodges.
Overland access from Arusha is a long safari drive of several hours (multi‑hour drives on dirt roads); many visitors book flights or lodge transfers rather than attempting the entire overland route independently.
Tips for Visiting Serengeti National Park #
- Book early-morning game drives when predator activity is highest and light is best for photography; rangers and lodges prioritize dawn departures for wildlife sightings.
- If your itinerary covers different parts of the park, consider small-plane transfers or staying inside the park at airstrip-access camps to reduce long driving times between ecosystems.
- Plan your visit around the dry season (roughly June-October) if your priority is large, concentrated wildlife gatherings; wet-season drives can yield different scenery and birdlife but are more dispersed.
Best Time to Visit Serengeti National Park #
For the classic Great Migration and easier game drives, visit in the dry season (June-October); January-March is best for calving and predator activity in the southern Serengeti.
Weather & Climate near Serengeti National Park #
Serengeti National Park's climate is classified as Tropical Savanna - Tropical Savanna climate with consistently warm temperatures year-round. Temperatures range from 13°C to 29°C. Moderate rainfall (826 mm/year).
January
January is mild with highs of 28°C and lows of 16°C. Regular rainfall (85 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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February
February is mild with highs of 29°C and lows of 16°C. Regular rainfall (83 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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March
March is mild with highs of 28°C and lows of 16°C. Significant rainfall (125 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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April
April is mild with highs of 27°C and lows of 17°C. The wettest month with heavy rain (136 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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May
May is mild with highs of 26°C and lows of 16°C. Moderate rainfall (71 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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June
June is mild with highs of 27°C and lows of 14°C. Moderate rainfall (32 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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July
July is mild with highs of 27°C and lows of 13°C. The driest month with just 14 mm.
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August
August is mild with highs of 28°C and lows of 14°C. Light rainfall and partly cloudy skies.
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September
September is mild with highs of 29°C and lows of 15°C. Moderate rainfall (33 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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October
October is the warmest month with highs of 29°C and lows of 16°C. Moderate rainfall (39 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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November
November is mild with highs of 28°C and lows of 16°C. Regular rainfall (85 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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December
December is mild with highs of 27°C and lows of 16°C. Regular rainfall (95 mm) and partly cloudy skies.