If you’re planning your next African safari adventure to the Serengeti National Park, we have put together all you need to know to maximise your time in this East-African haven. The park was established in 1951 and named a UNESCO World Heritage Site thirty years later. Now the Serengeti National Park welcomes 350,000 visitors each year.
We were lucky enough to experience this wonderland from the air on a once-in-a-lifetime balloon safari… definitely something for every safari lover’s bucket list. For a sneak peek of the magic that awaits click here:
Whatever has drawn you to this magical place – witnessing the Great Migration, seeing all of the Big Five or taking out some R&R time with your significant other – it is always a good time to visit.
Despite the distinct dry and wet season, the weather is pleasant throughout the year. The high (dry) season runs from January to March and June to October. From January to March you can expect to experience the Great Migration and June to October provides good weather conditions for spotting wildlife. The dry season has clear blue skies and is the perfect time to add a beach destination to your itinerary.
The highlight of your trip during this time of year will be spotting almost 1.7 million wildebeest and other game traversing in search of new grazing grounds. The sheer sound of the migratory animals will leave you speechless. Around February, the wildebeest give birth and then move towards the Grumeti River and cross the Mara River by July.
During the low season, the wildebeest will have reached the Maasai Mara National Park in Kenya.
The low (wet) season is a good time to visit if you are looking forward to a bush spa experience. The rainy season expects fewer visitors, offering guests a quiet and private time in the wilderness. The wet season doesn’t mean day-long rain. With short periods of heavy downpours, there is still enough time for game drives and time to relax on the deck and spot wildlife in the distance. Temperatures can reach 27℃.
What animals can you see in the Serengeti?
- Lions
- Buffalo
- Giraffes
- Leopards
- Rhinos
- Hippos
- Zebras
- Elephants
Top activities in the Serengeti:
- Visit a Maasai village
- Experience a night game drive
- Get an aerial view of the Serengeti
- Witness the Great Migration
- Visit the paleoanthropological Olduvai Gorge site
There are a number of ways to reach the Serengeti National Park – by plane and car. One of the recommended routes is to fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport and take an 8-hour drive to the park or alternatively transfer by plane to Arusha Airport and then fly to one of the smaller airstrips inside the park.
From the incredible natural events that take place in the park to the wildebeests’ departure and arrival back in their breeding grounds, Serengeti has something magical on show all year round. And if you’re struggling to spot the rare black rhino or the elusive black leopard, you can always book yourself a much-deserved spa treatment and overlook the rolling plains after with a G&T in hand after.