A wildlife safari to Africa is not complete unless it includes a Serengeti National Park trip. Of the many wonders in this magnificent universe, Serengeti National Park, without a doubt, makes the list of those to kill for. As Highlights of Africa Safaris, we solely exist to make this Tanzanian safari an adventure to remember. Trips to Serengeti are broadly famous for The Great Migration; an 800-kilometer trek of wildebeest across the vast Serengeti grasslands in search for greener pastures, scaling undulating plains and crossing crocodile-infested rivers, before disappearing below the horizon.
Serengeti Safari trips are popular for this seasonal journey of immense herds of wildebeest across Northern Tanzania in East Africa, which is the largest mammal migration on planet Earth. A legendary spectacle you should not deny yourself. Contact us and let’s plan your Serengeti trip today.
Derived from the Maasai word Siringit, which translates to “a place where land moves forever,” Serengeti National Park truly embodies this poetic adulation with its endless plains. Wouldn’t you want to see these endless plains for yourself? We assure you, Serengeti Safari trips are every bit worth the praise, so what are you waiting for, talk to us, let’s give you the thrill of a lifetime. A Serengeti National Park trip entails sights of the Big Five: lions, leopards, black rhinos, elephants, and the African buffalo, and a variety of wildlife. Serengeti Safari trips take you through savanna plains which hold in their wealth over 2 million hoofed mammals otherwise known as ungulates, 1000 leopards, 400 lions, 550 cheetahs and over 500 species of birds. Who wouldn’t want to see this?
Known as Tanzania’s flagship conservation area, Serengeti National Park spans over 5,700 square miles. Due to the stunning density of wildlife traipsing the vast grasslands, one can be sure to get an experience of their life on a Serengeti National Park trip throughout the year. Within these plains, a tourist is sure to see countless herds of wildebeests on their Serengeti safari trip, and maybe the spellbinding motions of a hunt. Curious about what you’ll see on your trip to Serengeti besides wildlife? Well, within the same plains, this Tanzania safari could lead you to the Maasai villages, a tribe practicing pastoral nomadism in the Ngorongoro Crater Safari Conservation Area.
On a Serengeti trip, a traveler is also likely to hear a hyena cackle, or a lion roar, an elephant trumpet, the chirping and tweeting of flamboyant birds, and the many proud sounds and melodies common to the wildlife orchestra. On a trip to Serengeti, time holds its breath, inviting you into a world so pristine, and virgin of urbanization’s stain. On a Serengeti National Park trip, nature’s heartbeat is even-paced, calm, at peace.
Here, your cloak of stress and anxiety is washed off you like a tranquil shower, ushering you into a new reality of harmony. On this Serengeti Safari trip, time freezes before your eyes, and ahead stretches the warm smile of nature, beckoning you forth to partake of its generosity; the beauty that abounds. Come explore, come experience life wild. You can pick from our packages or contact us and we’ll design an itinerary to your liking.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, explorers and missionaries described the Serengeti plains and the massive numbers of animals found there. Only minor details are all that were reported before explorations in the late 1920s and early 1930s supply the first references to the great wildebeest migrations, and the first photographs of the region.
An area of 2,286 square kilometers was established in 1930 as a game reserve in what is now southern and eastern Serengeti.
Sport hunting activities were permitted until 1937, after which it stopped all hunting activities. In 1940 Protected Area Status was conferred to the area and the National Park itself was established in 1951, then covering southern Serengeti and the Ngorongoro highlands. They based the park headquarters on the rim of Ngorongoro crater.
The original Serengeti National Park, as it was gazetted in 1951, also included what now is the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA). In 1959, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area was split off from the Serengeti National Park and the park boundaries extended to the Kenya border.
The key reason for splitting off the Ngorongoro area was that local Maasai residents realized that they were threatened with eviction and consequently prohibited from grazing their cattle within the national park boundaries. To counter this, protests were staged. A compromise was reached wherein the Ngorongoro Crater Area was split off from the national park: the Maasai may live and graze their cattle in the Ngorongoro Crater area but not within Serengeti National Park boundaries.
In 1961 the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya was established and in 1965 the Lamai Wedge between the Mara River and Kenya border was added to Serengeti National Park, thus creating a permanent corridor allowing the wildebeests to migrate from the Serengeti plains in the south to the Loita Plains in the north. The Maswa Game Reserve was established in 1962 and a small area north of The Grumeti River in the western corridor was added in 1967.
The Serengeti National Park was among the first places to be proposed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO at the 1972 Stockholm conference. It was formally established in 1981.
One of the most exciting activities to engage in while on a Serengeti National Park trip is game drives. Game drives during Serengeti safari trips are done to track wildlife across the game park. They allow tourists to get close enough to the wild animals but still at a safe distance. Koi Safari Holidays is here to ensure you experience the adventure of a lifetime.
Serengeti National Park trip drives involve driving around the game park tracking the famous Big 5, finding the perfect spots to view the sunset and the park’s many breathtaking sceneries. These drives can last a full day: starting in the morning, having a lunch break, and then continuing in the afternoon.
The most anticipated safari tours activity on your trip to Serengeti should be the Great Migration, this happens around July, with the wildebeests crossing River Grumeti and the Mara River on the western side of the park.
Game drives during Serengeti trips are not only exciting but surreal, especially those moments when you catch the wildlife in action e.g., lions hunting the unsuspecting wildebeests in migration, buffaloes having a mud bath or elephants on an odyssey with their calves. However, driving off tracks in the game park is not allowed, as well as driving at night. Let’s plan your trip to Serengeti today!
The 800-kilometer trek of the immense wildebeest herd is the largest mammal migration on earth and only experienced on a Serengeti National Park trip. The timing of the migration coincides with greening of nutritious grasses on the short-grass plains during the wet season. These areas are safer because predators can be easily spotted making it an ideal place for calving.
On a Serengeti safari trip, you experience the perfect representation of the circle of life in the world. The journey starts in Southern Serengeti when wildebeest calves are being born. Predators like lions and hyenas are constantly hunting for babies, and thousands of calves are born within only a couple of weeks.
When the drought comes in May, the herd moves north, towards the Masai Mara in Kenya, chomping down the high green grass, quickly followed by the gazelles and zebras. The migration is not without risk: crossing rivers means facing about 3,000 crocodiles, patiently waiting for a kill. All this and more, to be seen on your Serengeti trip.
Then, with the beginning of the short rains in late October, the migration makes its way back into the Serengeti. By December, the herds trek past Seronera to return to their calving grounds again, and the circle is complete. Planning a trip to Serengeti? Contact us today and we’ll ease you the trouble.
Serengeti National Park trips are more exciting with the Serenegti balloon safaris. Balloon flights are run daily at 0600 from four launch sites within Serengeti National Park: one throughout the year close to Seronera, and others in the Ndutu area (from 25 December to 15 March), in the Western Corridor (from June to October), and in northern Serengeti (from July to October). Highlights of Africa has got you covered, contact us and let’s plan your Serengeti safari trip.
Although not cheap, a balloon safari is worth the expense. Floating serenely over the treetops as the sun peaks over the horizon permits you to experience the endless Serengeti plains from an unforgettable perspective. As we set departure very early in the morning on your Serengeti trip, you may even spot some nocturnal predators getting ready for the day. Totally worth the experience while on your trip to Serengeti!
The Central Serengeti, lying at the heart of this spectacular national park, is the most popular region in the reserve for its abundant wildlife, large numbers of big cats and quintessential Serengeti landscapes of acacia-studded savanna. Resident wildlife makes the Serengeti National Park trip fantastic all-year-round, but the months of April to June and October to December, when the herds of the Great Migration pass through the area, are when your trip to Serengeti is most exciting. Get in touch, let’s plan your perfect adventure.
The Seronera River Valley, located in the south-central region of the park, is one of the most popular areas in the entire reserve. Known as the Big Cat Capital of Africa, the Seronera is rich in lion, leopard and cheetah, making your Serengeti safari trip all the more exciting. Come ready to see leopards, on your Serengeti safari trip around the Seronera River, home to one of Africa’s densest populations of the big cats.
The Serengeti Plains, as you’ll witness on your Serengeti trip, are prime cheetah territory. Other animals to spot in the area’s varied habitats of rivers, swamps, kopjes and grasslands include elephant, hippos and crocodiles in the rivers, buffaloes, impala, topi, jackals and bat-eared foxes. Is there much you want to see? We can design an itinerary to your liking.
One of the top sites you’ll be sure to visit on your Serengeti safari trip is Ngorongoro Crater, found in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Known as the world’s largest caldera, Ngorongoro Crater is found in Northern Tanzania, and southeast of Serengeti National Park. This Volcanic Crater sits in Ngorongoro District, 180km west of Arusha city. Besides Serengeti National Park trips, Ngorongoro Crater is the reason for many Tanzania safaris. Our tour packages are designed to ensure that you experience the magnificence of both sites. Talk to us!
Serengeti National Park trips boast breathtaking highlands and grasslands, and a variety of wildlife strut across its vast savanna grasslands. Voted as one of the Seven Natural Wonders in Africa in 2013, Ngorongoro Crater is home to the big five: lion, elephant, African buffalo, rhino and leopard, all to be seen on your Serengeti safari trip.
Famously known as the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ngorongoro Crater is home to the black rhino, one of the globally threatened species. A trip to Serengeti involves witnessing the annual migration of gazelle, wildebeest and zebra, animals which further augment the high density of wildlife inhabiting the area. It is also the heart of Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a protected area that spans lush savanna grasslands, woodlands and forests.
Naabi Hill Gate is one of sites to look forward to on your trip to Serengeti. It is found in the Eastern side of Serengeti National Park near Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Northern Tanzania. It serves as the main entrance to the park. Covered with acacia trees, Naabi hill’s walking trail offers some of the most spectacular views on your Serengeti safari trip.
During the Great Migration, the most anticipated activity on every Serengeti safari trip, Naabi hill harbors millions of wildebeest, hundreds of lions, gazelle, zebra and many more animals as they journey to Eastern Serengeti gate in search for fresh pastures and to breed. For an exceptional experience on your Serengeti trip, it is advisable to visit this hill between July and December, a time around which you can be sure to catch the Great Migration.
Highlights of Africa Safaris will see to it that you get the best Naabi Hill experience, from bookings, to game drives, hot-air balloon experience, nature walks and more. Are you in need of a campsite, lodge, resort, or hotel? Koi Safari Holidays gives you that assurance of indelible adventure.
Fed by permanent sources of water, Lobo Valley sits on 90 square miles of land, sustaining an abundance of wildlife. It also offers the best view of the big cats North of Serengeti National Park: lions, leopards and cheetahs in great numbers. A perfect stop for on your Serengeti safari trip.
Lobo, a pristine valley scattered with woodlands, open plains, ranges of hills and studded with spectacular granite kopje, is a remarkable place of great beauty and solitude. It’s no wonder a preference for many tourists on their Serengeti National Park trip. Some of the world’s most ancient rock formations estimated at 2-3 million years old can be seen here.
It has been known to have Open Acacia Woodlands, Granite Kopjes, Small Grass Plain, Hills, Springs, and Riverine Areas. Be sure to find Klipspringer, Elephant, Giraffe, Lion, Leopard, Impala, Baboon, Topi, Buffalo, and Steinbok.
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Southwest of the Central Serengeti lies Moru, home to the black rhino. Moru Kopjes is home to the remaining population of black rhinos in the park, an important stop on your Serengeti National Park trip. The Serengeti Rhino Project has a visitor’s center here where one can learn more about the conservation strategies being employed.
Another highlight at Moru is Gong Rock where a short walk leads to a series of Maasai paintings. Just to the east lies the saline Lake Magadi, a great spot for pink flamingos to gather, attracting tourists on their Serengeti safari trip.
Have you ever seen a black rhino? If not, you’re in luck. Be sure to see one on your trip to Serengeti. Black rhinos inhabit the area year-round, but if you want to increase your chances of seeing other animals like wildebeest and zebras, visit Moru Kopjes between July and November when The Great Migration comes to Central Serengeti.
Moru Kopjes, which is free to visit 24 hours a day, is sandwiched between the Seronera and Ngare Nanyuki rivers on the eastern side of the region. Central Serengeti is easily accessed by car or safari vehicle, and Serengeti Sopa Lodge can be found approximately 18 miles away.
In addition to Moru Kopjes’ rock paintings and plains, travelers on a Serengeti trip can head to the northern part of the area to snap photos of Lake Magadi’s pink flamingos.
The Masaai is one of the most fascinating and well-preserved tribes in Africa that still maintains its cultural practices as was decades ago. Almost all tourists on their Serengeti National Park trip will choose to visit the Maasai village. Known for their semi-nomadic way of life, rearing large herds of cattle and sometimes goats and sheep. The Masaai contribute a great deal to the cultural heritage of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, having been three-time victors over other tribes who sought to settle within the same land.
For years, the Maasai’s cattle and the wildlife have shared the pastures and water in the Crater rim mostly during the dry seasons. They are a friendly and welcoming lot who freely share about their culture and perform some really energetic dances for tourists on a Serengeti safari trip. Arrangements are usually made for tourists interested in learning more about them in their villages and homes, ahead of their Serengeti trip, so they can interact with them in person. Be sure to return with a piece of their craft.
Among the many places to visit on your Serengeti National Park trip, Grumeti River should make your list. Famously known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World, The Great Migration, without a doubt is best watched at Grumeti River. Here, as millions of wildebeest cross the mucky waters while being hunted by crocodiles manifests the survival-for-the-fittest motif.
A spectacle of great magnificence as tourists on their Serengeti safari trip witness over 1.5 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebras, 350,000 gazelles, 12,000 elands crossing the rivers after the seasonal rains in search for fresh pastures. This migration normally happens between May to July.
Flowing westward into Lake Victoria, Grumeti River trails and traces out the western terrains of Serengeti National Park. The Serengeti trip leads you to the western corridors about 50 km long, shifting from savanna grassland to undulating hills, riverine woodlands to sparse acacia forests.
Bologonja is a lush and idyllic spot hidden away in the remote reaches of the North Serengeti, ideal for every Serengeti National Park trip. Many varieties of colorful birds can be found here including kingfishers, hoopoes and rollers. Bologonja’s flourishing resources support some unusual antelope species including the mountain reedbuck and steenbok.
The nearby Larelemangi Salt Lake is a haven for wildlife and large herds of buffalo and elephants are regular visitors. Tucked away in the northeast corner of the Serengeti near the border of Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve, the verdant Bologonja Springs attracts hundreds of animals with refreshing waters and verdant canopies. A perfect spot for tourists on their Serengeti safari trip to witness wildlife in motion.
The Bologonja River’s headwaters are almost always devoid of tourists, meaning you’ll have a superb view of the region’s monkeys that occupy the leafy surroundings in solitude. The springs also draw larger mammals like elephants and giraffes, as well as a variety of birds and antelope species like the mountain reedbuck and steenbok.
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