Serengeti National Park

Serengeti National Park is a 14,763 km² protected area in northern Tanzania, managed by Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. It is the core of a much larger ecosystem, roughly 35,000 km² by TANAPA's count, that includes the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, several game reserves and Kenya's Maasai Mara.

Most people come for the wildebeest migration, and for good reason: UNESCO describes it as the largest remaining unaltered animal migration in the world. But the park is worth visiting in any month. Lion, leopard, cheetah and spotted hyena are resident, and the short-grass plains, granite kopjes and the Mara, Grumeti and Seronera river systems each have a different character.

The honest trade-off is distance. The Serengeti is big, the drives between areas are long and the best areas change with the season, so a rushed two-night visit tends to mean long hours in the vehicle. Three nights or more, split between two areas, gives you a far better chance of seeing the park properly.

Where is the Great Migration each month?

The herds follow the rain and fresh grass, so their position shifts every year. The typical pattern, as described by TANAPA, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) and UNESCO, looks like this:

• December to April: herds spread across the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti and the Ndutu area of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Calving peaks around January and February.
• Around April to June: as the southern plains dry, the herds usually move north and west through the central and western Serengeti, towards the Grumeti River.
• Around July to October: many animals reach the northern Serengeti and cross back and forth over the Mara River, with part of the population moving into Kenya's Maasai Mara.
• November: the short rains pull the herds south again through the east of the park.

UNESCO describes this as a roughly 1,000 km circular trek across Tanzania and Kenya. Late or early rains can shift it by weeks, and a river crossing can happen in the morning you are elsewhere, so no honest operator can promise a crossing on a given day.

Which part of the Serengeti should you visit?

Choose the area by month rather than by name. Each region has a different feel:

• Southern plains and Ndutu: open short grass, calving season from about December to April, strong predator activity around the herds.
• Central Serengeti (Seronera): the park's hub, with its main airstrip and year-round resident game. Being the easiest area to reach, it is also the busiest.
• Western corridor: woodland and the Grumeti River, usually at its best when the herds pass through, often around June.
• Northern Serengeti: rolling hills and the Mara River, the place for river crossings from around July to October.

A common plan is two nights in one area and two in another, driving between them on a game drive rather than a transfer.

How do you get to the Serengeti from Arusha?

By road, the usual route runs west from Arusha past Lake Manyara, up through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and down onto the plains to Naabi Hill Gate. It is a full day with stops, so most itineraries break the journey with a night at Ngorongoro or Karatu. TANAPA lists entry points including Naabi Hill, Ndutu, Ikoma, Lamai and Kleins, and park fees are paid online.

By air, scheduled and charter flights use all-weather airstrips at Seronera in the centre, Kusini in the south, Lobo in the east, Kirawira in the west and Kogatende and Lamai in the north. Many people drive in and fly out, or the reverse.

What wildlife can you see apart from the migration?

Plenty. UNESCO's figures for the ecosystem include around 4,000 lions, 1,000 leopards, 3,500 spotted hyenas, 70,000 buffalo and 2,700 elephants, alongside the migratory wildebeest, zebra and Thomson's gazelle. These are ecosystem-wide estimates.

Open plains, granite kopjes, riverine forest and woodland give each predator somewhere to hunt and rest, which is why the park is so good for big cats. Black rhino are present in small, protected numbers, and TANAPA runs reintroduction programmes for rhino and African wild dog, so sightings of either are rare. Birders have more than 500 species to work with. UNESCO notes the park has Tanzania's largest ostrich population, and TANAPA says about a quarter of the species are migrants, such as European storks, Eurasian rollers and barn swallows.

How many days do you need in the Serengeti?

Three nights is a sensible minimum; four or more lets you cover two regions without rushing. With only two nights, much of your time goes on the drive in and out.

The Serengeti is usually combined with the Ngorongoro Crater, and often with Tarangire or Lake Manyara on the way. A typical northern-circuit safari of six to eight days covers all of them. See our pages on Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Lake Manyara, or the Tanzania safaris overview.

Can you combine the Serengeti with a Kilimanjaro climb?

Yes, and it works well in that order: climb first, then rest your legs in a safari vehicle. Both start from the Arusha and Moshi area and share Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). Allow at least one rest day between coming off the mountain and a long drive to the Serengeti. Our Kilimanjaro and safari page explains how the two fit together, and you can ask Kili Aventura to put dates around the migration season you are aiming for.

Sources

• UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Serengeti National Park
• Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) — Serengeti National Park
• Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) — National parks brochure
• Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) — Ndutu Plains
• Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) — About NCAA

Checked 2026-09-25.

It depends on what you want to see. January and February are usually best for calving on the southern plains, while July to October gives the best chance of Mara River crossings in the north. June to October is the driest period overall, which makes resident wildlife easier to find.

No. The herds follow rainfall, which varies from year to year, so their timing and route shift by weeks. A good plan puts you in the right region for the season, but no one can guarantee a river crossing on a particular day.

The park covers 14,763 km², according to TANAPA and UNESCO. It sits within a wider ecosystem of roughly 35,000 km² that includes the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Kenya's Maasai Mara.

The national park is entirely in Tanzania. The ecosystem continues north into Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve, and part of the migration moves between the two.

Lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo are all present and seen regularly. Black rhino live in the park in small numbers and are rarely seen, so the Ngorongoro Crater is usually a better bet for rhino.