Serengeti National Park
The park is located in Tanzania and the park is well known for its vast plain stretching for an area of 1473 square kilometers. The park is therefore known to be the biggest in the northern part of the country. Other parks that make up the magical northern circuit include; Lake Manyara National Park, Tarangire, and the great Serengeti. The natural beauty of the park is true evidence of why most tourists choose to visit this park. This has made it to be called the wildlife sanctuary since its beauty is attributed to its diverse wildlife that roam around all year through.
The word Serengeti comes from the Masai word ‘Serengeti’ which literary means open endless plains. The park was established in 1951 and 1981, it was designated as a national park which makes it one of the oldest national parks in Africa. In addition to its wildlife, the park is known for its largest population of annual wildebeest migration of over 1.5 million together with thousands of zebras, it also has the largest population of lions in Africa, breaking another record. There is also a wide range of flora and fauna in the park apart from the one mentioned above and these include cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, crocodiles, gazelles, hyenas, and different species of birds among others.
All these have attracted tourists from all corners of the world to come and explore the beautiful Serengeti National Park, due to the different activities and experiences there in.
Activities in Serengeti National Park
Hot air ballooning
This adventure is done early in the morning when tourists fly in the skies using a hot air balloon. As tourists are in the air, they get a chance to view the plains with an eagle eye. Spot different animals such as cheetahs, lions, elephants, hyenas, rhinos, crocodiles, and leopards among others. An amazing moment comes after the experience where you will be served with a glass of champagne or juice in case you don’t take alcoholic drinks. This will be a unique way of viewing different attractions and also it is accompanied by a short game drive to and from the accommodation facility.
Game drives
One of the most common activities done in this park is either all day or half day. The best time to take a game drive is early morning or late evening. This is when animals are active and you can spot more. Also, visitors can explore and witness the annual wildebeest migration together with zebras.
Other wildlife that will be spotted are the big five (lions, leopards, buffalos, elephants, and the rhino), hyenas, gazelles, cheetahs, and giraffes among others. Game drives are normally done using tourist vehicles with open roofs and this allows unimaginable viewing opportunities as tourists stretch their eyes to the endless plains.
Bird watching
Since Serengeti National Park boasts over 500 bird species, it has led to the growth of bird-watching activity. This is normally done with the guidance of the armed park guide for protection and through designated places such as swamp areas, and river sides among others for birding expeditions. Birders spot birds like grey-crowned cranes, starlings, herons, vultures, eagles, lesser flamingos, Kori bustards, and ostriches among others. During wet seasons, it is considered to be the best time to take a bird-watching tour in Serengeti and this is because food for the birds is abundant such as flowers and fruits.
Community or cultural experiences
This is done outside the park premises where visitors explore the Masai people. The unique and diverse culture rewards you with the best of the Serengeti National Park safari through the cultural music and dances, cultural food preparation and tasting, and storytelling among others.
The Masai people co-exist with wildlife and you will notice that they graze their cattle in the premises of the park. In addition to that, you will enjoy the traditional dress code with their beads, Shuka with strips, hats for men, and much more.
The best time to visit Serengeti National Park
The best time to visit the park is from mid-June to October since it’s a dry season. You should know that due to global warming, both dry and wet seasons keep changing, and predicting normally becomes difficult. As you plan to watch the annual migration of wildebeests which is one of the world’s amazing wonders, travelers are recommended to take a tour during June and July.
For birders, the best time for birding in Serengeti National Park is between April and May during a rainy season and plants have already started flowering. Birds are always active during this period. This means that there is no specific right or wrong time to visit since the travel times are determined by the kind of activities to be done by travelers.
How to access the Serengeti National Park?
Serengeti National Park is one of the most isolated areas in Tanzania, located at the northern border of Kenya. This made it most attractive but hard to access since it’s located in farthest places. The most convenient option is to take a flight. You can fly from Moshi or Arusha with charter flights to the premises of the park at any airstrip near your booked place of accommodation.
You can also use road transport with a strong tourist 4×4 vehicle from Arusha to Serengeti National Park. The drive takes about 5 hours but rewards you with another experience where you can opt to visit and see several national parks along the way. The distance from Arusha to Serengeti is about 320 km.
