GoGo
All UNESCO SitesUnited Republic of Tanzania

Serengeti National Park

United Republic of Tanzania

Background

World Heritage since
1981
Type of site
Natural
Wildebeest on the move
1.5 million

The vast plains of the Serengeti comprise 1.5 million hectares of savannah. UNESCO says the annual migration of vast herds of wildebeest, gazelles and zebras to permanent water holes, followed by their predators, is one of the most impressive natural events in the world.

Wikipedia: the park stretches over 14,763 km2 of northern Tanzania, was established in 1940 and holds the largest lion population in Africa; the migration involves over 1.5 million wildebeest, 250,000 zebra and hundreds of thousands of Thomson's gazelle. Wikivoyage: the name is Maasai for endless plains; the herds gather on the southern short grass from December to May, move west and north from April to June, and return south in October and November. Everything is by safari vehicle, as there is no public transport inside.

More on the UNESCO listing More on Wikipedia

  1. 1913The first professional hunters reach the Serengeti
  2. 1940The national park is established; boundaries are fixed in 1951
  3. 1959Ngorongoro is split off for the Maasai; Serengeti Shall Not Die is released
  4. 1966The Serengeti Research Institute opens at Seronera
  5. 1981Inscribed as World Heritage

Find Your Way Around

The main parts of the site, in the order most visitors see them

  1. 1
    The Migration
    Wildebeest and zebra in their hundreds of thousands, crossing rivers full of crocodiles.
  2. 2
    Southern Plains
    Wikivoyage: from December to May the herds concentrate between Olduvai, Gol, Naabi and Lagarja.
  3. 3
    Seronera
    The centre of the park, searched for leopards and cheetahs.
  4. 4
    Moru Kopjes
    Rocky outcrops where cliff-dwelling species join the savannah animals.
  5. 5
    Lobo and the North
    Permanent water draws the herds in the dry season; elephants are regularly seen.

Know Before You Go

From Wikivoyage and the GoGo guides

Fly to Kilimanjaro, Then Seronera
Wikivoyage: Kilimanjaro Airport near Arusha is the gateway, with small aircraft on to the Seronera or Kirawira airstrips; almost everyone has transport arranged.
Follow the Herds
South from December to May, west and north from April to June, back south in October and November.
A 4x4 and a Driver-Guide
Distances between Seronera, the Western Corridor, Lobo and Ndutu are huge, and side tracks flood in the rains; most visitors travel with a licensed driver-guide.
Bring the Long Lens
Wikivoyage: a good zoom and a large memory card.

A Day on the Plains

Not yet in a GoGo guide

  1. 06:30
    Dawn Game Drive4 hrs
    Out from camp as the light comes, cats on the move.
  2. 15:30
    Afternoon Drive to the Kopjes3 hrs
    Moru Kopjes or the river crossings, depending on the season.

Best Time to Visit

Best months: Feb, May–Aug.

Typical highs

Best monthsRain: wettest Apr (142 mm), driest Jul (9 mm)

Climate: NASA POWER

Pair It With

Other World Heritage sites nearby, by distance

WORTH A NIGHTDAY TRIPSAME DAYDistance not to scale · tap a site
Do These Together
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is 91 km away, Thimlich Ohinga in Kenya 214 km, the Kondoa rock art 246 km and Kilimanjaro 281 km.
Sources
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, listing 156 · Wikipedia: Serengeti National Park · Wikivoyage: Serengeti National Park (CC BY-SA 4.0) · UNESCO listing