SERENGETI SAFARI TANZANIA

Tanzania safari tourists travel from various parts of the world to visit this national park and witness the spectacular yearly wildebeest migration spectacle. serengeti lion safari tanzania This migration entails more than 1.5 million animals and observing them is a very fascinating experience.

The movement of the migration includes a huge herd of wildebeests, zebras, antelopes as well as gazelles. These animals migrate to Serengeti every year looking for green pastures as well as water. The large number of thundering hooves of wildebeests and other animals form a huge cloud of dust that follows their trail.

You will in fact see several big cats pursing this great herd to hunt food. Among the large cats are lions, leopards, cheetahs plus hyenas. Hippo serengeti Camping within the Serengeti is the greatest and least expensive way to get ready for this most significant wildlife migration natural spectacle in the whole of East Africa. You may decide to stay in the Serengeti or in Kenya’s Masai Mara

It will likewise be a fantastic experience particularly to those guests who love camping or outdoor activities. Having your Tanzania safari
holiday within the Serengeti Plains, as the thunder of hooves echoes in the background within this natural wildlife sanctuary is a very rewarding experience. Other than this spectacle, the only other companions here will be insects, birds as well as the large cats like lions occasionally heard roaring a distance away. All the wildlife documentaries on Serengeti you have watched on TV before will unfold before you in actual reality.

Because of the great number of visitors traveling to Serengeti Park , numerous lodges plus camps have been established at different places to offer accommodation throughout the wildebeest migration time. In addition there are mobile camps found in the park. The mobile camps are shifted to different locations inside the park based on the movement of the migrating herd across the wide plains of the Serengeti. The majority of camping trips are escorted by a cook as well as a knowledgeable safari guide.
When one talks about Serengeti National Park Safaris; what comes to your mind are the vast savannah plains, large herds of herbivores, the predators, the wildebeest migration, reptiles and an array of birds among others. It is one of Africa’s most visited parks and Tanzania’s oldest and second largest Park. It is a park of wonders; recognized UNESCO site covering an area of 14,750 km² with enormous numbers of wildlife.

For over 200 years the Maasai an ethnic group in Tanzania and Kenya have stayed in the park whereby they graze their cattle along the plains and it is from them that the name Serengeti comes about which means “endless plains”. Every on that visits the Serengeti left mesmerized and this is because of the lots it has to offer; not only the wildlife but also the ecosystem.

Location

It is located in the Northeast of Tanzania bordering the Maasai Mara of Kenya to the north, in the southeast it is bordered by the Ngorongoro Area, Gurumeti and Ikorongo reserves in the West and Maswa Game Reserve to the Southwest. The park is among the parks in the “Northern Circuit” which is comprised of Ngorongoro crater, Lake Manyara, the Tarangire and Serengeti itself. It is very close to the Equator and mainly made up of volcanic soils and moderately undulating and flat plains.
Flora and Fauna

One of the unique things about the Serengeti is the annual migration of the wildebeests which is an interesting activity to watch. This takes place between months October and November and also between months April and June; it involves of 1.5 million wildebeests together with gazelles and 250,000 zebras migrating from the north to south and vice versa throughout the year. As they migrate another interesting thing is also predators such as lions and leopards move closely with them in order to get some as prey.

Serengeti National Park Safaris

Almost every wildlife species found in Africa can be found in the Serengeti; mainly the antelopes, zebras, thousands of wildebeests; the Big 5 including the Rhinos, Lions(over 2,500), Elephants, Buffaloes and Leopards can be traced in the park, the wild dogs and other animals like hippos, cheetahs, crocodiles among others are also a must see. The birders are also cratered for since over 500 bird species have been spotted in the park such as the sunbirds, kingfishers, ostriches, herons, ibises, ducks, storks, spoonbills, egrets, and birds of prey like the vultures, goshawks, eagles, harriers among others.

The ecosystem of the park is too vast; made up of the Maasai Mara plains, Maswa game reserve, Lolindo reserve, and Ikorongo and Grumeti game reserves. It is known among the most stable and oldest ecosystems in the whole world; the Serengeti ecosystems cover as much as 15,000km2 and in this are the endless savannah plains dotted with jagged Kopjes and acacia trees. What makes this ecosystem unique is the flora, fauna, vegetation and the climatic conditions.

Getting there

By Car;

you can use the main road from Arusha to Serengeti by car, the distance covered is 325km which is approximately an 8hour drive. Here you go via Rift valley escarpment, Lake Manyara gate, through the farming lands of NCA, continuing passed the Olduvai Gorge and get to Serengeti. At Lobo and Seronera; there are facilities like garages where you can refuel your cars.

By plane;

the nearest Airport is in Arusha, where one can use an internal flight from Arusha to Seronera Airstrip just in the middle of the park where you can be transferred to your lodge by car.

Best time to Visit

The Serengeti can be visited any time of the year but based on which activity you are to engage in; and since game viewing is the one of the main activities it can be done any time though the best time would be during the dry season; between late June and October and also in this period wildebeests can be spotted.

What to bring

Make sure you carry comfortable clothes of course shorts/light weight clothes, hats, sunglasses to wear during the sunny days, and warm sweaters; to wear during the cold nights. Also carry sturdy shoes, and pair of sandals, cameras, insect repellent, Passport, malaria emergency medication, first aid kit, enough money either in cash/cheques.

Visa and Health Requirements

Virtually every visitor is require to possess a visa except a few from commonwealth nations and a few other countries. The cost of a visa varies basing on your nationality.

Health wise a yellow fever card is required, and anti-malarial tablets. Also most doctors advise you to get a Hepatitis A vaccination. Also while on safari don’t do self-medication especially if you have severe health conditions.