Serengeti national park Tanzania
Serengeti national park Tanzania is among the famous safari destinations of Tanzania which is known for wildlife viewing and also the wildebeest migration.
Many wildlife species are found in Serengeti national park and they can be seen during safaris around the destination and they include lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, buffalos, antelopes, impalas, reedbucks, kudu, gazelles, waterbucks, hartebeests, dik dik, cheetahs, hyenas and many others.
The national park covers about 14,750 square kilometers and is made up of open savannah plains, acacia woodland, riverine forests and also kopjes which act as habitat for the Tanzania wildlife in Serengeti national park. Serengeti national park is also a UNESCO world heritage site and among the oldest and biggest national parks of Tanzania.
Serengeti national park is made up of different parts such as the northern Serengeti, western Serengeti, southern Serengeti and also the central part of Serengeti national park where safaris are carried out during tours in Tanzania.
A number of activities are also carried out during safaris in Serengeti national park and they include game drives, nature walks or walking safaris, hot air balloon safaris, bird watching and also cultural tours.
The wildebeest migration in Serengeti national park
The great wildebeest migration is also among the attractions in Serengeti national park and this migration takes place annually. Over 2 million wildebeests can be seen during safaris in Tanzania in Serengeti national park.
The wildebeests move across the savannah plains of Serengeti national park during different months of the year and this migration starts in the southern part of Serengeti national park around January, February and March which is a time for the calving season when over 8,000 wildebeest calves are born around the park.
From April and May, the wildebeests continue their movement to the central part of Serengeti national park where they gather around the savannah plains and can be seen grazing in the open plains of the Seronera area.
The month of June is a time when the wildebeest herds can be seen around the western part of Serengeti as they continue their movement to the northern parts of the national park. It is also a time when the river crossings take place along the Grumeti river.
July to August is also the time for river crossings in Serengeti national park where the wildebeest migration takes place in the northern part of Serengeti national park. from the Mara river the wildebeests cross to the Kenya side where the migration takes place in Masai Mara national reserve. The wildebeests after the months of August to October return to the Serengeti plains and the wildebeest migration starts all over again.
Park entrance fees of Serengeti national park
Park fees for Serengeti national park are among the requirements for tours to the national park and concession fees and camping fees are also charged to tourists visiting the destination during different months of the year. Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) regulates the different fees charged during tours to Serengeti national park.
During tours in the high season, nonresidents above the age of 16 years are charged park entrance fee of 70 USD to visit Serengeti national park and 60 USD in the low season excluding 18% tax. Children aged between 5 and 15 years visiting Serengeti national park are charged park entrance fee of 20 USD.
Residents of Tanzania visiting Serengeti national park who are above 16 years of age are charged park entrance fee of 35 USD in the high season and 30 USD in the low season and children aged between 5 and 15 years visiting the park are charged entrance fee of 10 USD excluding 18% tax.
Tanzanians visiting Serengeti national park for safaris are charged a fee of 10,000 Tanzania shillings for those above the age of 16 years and for those aged between 5 and 15 years visiting Serengeti national park for safaris are charged entrance fee of 2,000 Tanzania shillings excluding 18% tax.
Best time to visit Serengeti national park
Serengeti national park is a destination in Tanzania which can be visited at any time of the year. The best time for safaris in the national park is the dry season from June to October especially for wildlife viewing. This is because wildlife species can be seen around water sources in the park. The weather during the dry season is also favorable for the different activities in the Serengeti national park and the road conditions are also good.
For bird watching the months of November to April are considered the best time to visit Serengeti national park which is a time when also the migrant bird species are present in the park.
For photography around Serengeti national park, you can visit the destination at any time of the year including the dry season and also in the rainy season or green season when the vegetation s green and lush making the national park very scenic. Photography is also amazing during the wildebeest migration as you get to capture different moments of the wildebeest movements including the river crossings, calving, predator- prey moments among other things during a safari.
Serengeti national park during safaris in Tanzania can be accessed by flights and also by driving. The drive from Arusha to Serengeti national park takes about 7 hours.
When traveling to Tanzania for safaris to Serengeti national park, the airport to use for international flights is Kilimanjaro international airport. From Kilimanjaro international airport depending on your time of arrival, you can drive to Serengeti or spend the night in Arusha and visit Serengeti national park the next day. You can also visit other parks in the northern part of Tanzania and combine the safari with a tour in Serengeti national park such as Tarangire national park, Lake Manyara national park and also the Ngorongoro conservation area.
The airstrips to fly to around Serengeti national park include Seronera airstrip, Kogatende airstrip, Grumeti airstrip, Lobo airstrip, Fort Ikoma airstrip, Ndutu airstrip, Kirawira airstrip among others.
