The Serengeti
Even just the name gives me goosebumps. There is still a wildness here that grabs at your soul and drags you into an exhilarating adventure.
What to expect…
What not to expect really? The Serengeti is a wildlife ecosystem that supports everything and has something for every wildlife lover.
Known for the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra that follow the rains in search of lush food all the way from the southern parts of the park where they calve (and upwards of 300,000 wildebeest are born), to the north - making the famous Mara River and Grumeti River crossings - the Serengeti is also arguably the best place in Africa to see cheetahs in good numbers. Massive male lions and incredible prides that look like they are straight out of Disney’s The Lion King in their fixation with spending time on rocky koppies (little hills).
While it can have a bad reputation for crowds, it is very easy to avoid these crowds and still see incredible wildlife like nowhere else.
When to Visit
Being the Serengeti, it is arguably very good all year round. The biggest question is whether you want to see the migration and, if so, you have to be prepared for crowds. If the migration isn’t as important for you then any time of year can be fantastic - it just depends on which part of the Serengeti you go to. The migration moves. In January to March the herds are calving in the southern section which is excellent for seeing predators on the hunt. From April they begin moving northwards again and in May and June the herds are moving through the western corridor and into Grumeti. June through August are peak season and crowds are crazy through the central section of the park and eventually up North as the herds head towards the border with Kenya where the Mara River crossings happen.
My personal favourite time is September in the central section of the park as everyone else is up north still with the migration and you have access to vast swathes of open plains and rocky outcrops just perfect for cheetahs and lion prides without having to fight for space with other vehicles. From November the short rains arrive and the herds begin moving back south.
JAN
Excellent
FEB
Excellent
MAR
Very Good
APRIL
Good
MAY
Mixed
JUN
Good
JUL
Mixed
AUG
Mixed
SEPT
Very Good
OCT
Good
NOV
Excellent
DEC
Very Good
