Serengeti safaris : Serengeti is among the famous wildlife viewing destinations in Tanzania and Africa and also in the world. The national park is among the most visited parks of Africa which is also known for being home to numerous wildlife species and also for its endless savannah plains. Serengeti national park is also a UNESCO world heritage site and also among the oldest national parks of Tanzania.
Safaris to Serengeti national park can be a short as 3 days safaris or more and tourists can also spend more days exploring the national park since it is large and has many attractions and a variety of wildlife species.
Best time to visit Serengeti national park for safaris
Serengeti national park is among the destinations of Tanzania which can be toured during any month of the year and the different seasons when tourists visit the national park include the high season and the low season.
The dry season or high season from June, July, August, September and October is considered to be the best time for a safari in Serengeti national park. Wildlife species are easier to spot during this time of the year and the weather is also favorable for wildlife viewing and the vegetation is thin making it easy to see the wildlife species when driving around the national park.
During the low season around March, April and May, tourists can also visit Serengeti national park despite the rains. Cost of safaris during the low season is also favorable when visiting Serengeti national park for example luxury lodges can offer accommodation at a discounted rate close to rates charged for midrange or budget accommodation.
How to get to Serengeti national park during safaris
Serengeti national park can be accessed by both driving and flying during safaris in Tanzania. Driving to Serengeti national park from Tanzania can be done from the town of Arusha which is a starting point for most safaris around the northern part of Tanzania and the drive takes about 7 hours,
You can also drive to Serengeti national park during safaris from Kenya or safaris to Ngorongoro conservation area, Karatu, Lake Manyara national park, Tarangire national park, Arusha national park.
Flights to Serengeti national park can also be got from Arusha airport or Kilimanjaro international airport and the different airstrips which tourists fly to during their visits to Serengeti national park include Seronera airstrip, Kogatende airstrip, Fort Ikoma airstrip, Grumeti airstrip, Ndutu airstrip, Lobo airstrip among others.
The different airlines which offer these flights to Serengeti national park include Regional air, Coastal aviation, flight link, auric air among others.
Activities to do during safaris in Serengeti national park
The different activities to take part in when visiting Serengeti national park include game drives, nature walks, hot air balloon safaris, bird watching and also cultural tours.
Game drives around Serengeti national park can be carried out in the morning, afternoon or in the evening ad tourists enjoy driving around the endless plains of the park in search for the different wildlife species at the destination such as elephants, buffalos, lions, rhinos, giraffes, cheetahs, gazelles, waterbucks, elands, zebras, wildebeests, hyenas, hartebeests, kudu, leopards among others. Game drives during safaris in Serengeti are done in the north, central, west and southern parts of the national park.
Safaris around Serengeti national park also involve taking part in walking safaris or nature walks which are carried out in the endless plains of Serengeti in the company of a ranger guide. This experience is exciting and brings the tourists closer to the natural surroundings of the park and wildlife species can also be seen while moving on foot around the park.
Another activity which is carried out during safaris in Serengeti national park is hot air balloon safaris which are carried out across the different parts of the park giving the tourists an aerial view of the park and its attractions.
Attractions in Serengeti national park
There is a lot to see during safaris around Serengeti national park which consists of endless plains, woodlands, rock outcrops or kopjes, rivers and forests.
Among the attractions that can be seen during tours around Serengeti national park is the wildebeest migration. This migration takes place during different months of the year in different locations around the park where over 2 million wildebeests can be seen as they move around the savannah plains of Serengeti national park. Highlights during the wildebeest migration in Tanzania include river crossings along the Mara river which take place around July and August and also the calving season which takes place around December to March in the Ndutu area.
The big five can also be seen during safaris around Serengeti national park and they include elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffalos. Many other wildlife species can also be seen during safaris around Serengeti national park.
Other attractions around Serengeti national park include the Seronera river, hippo pool, Lobo valley and many others.
Park entrance fees for Serengeti national park
When taking part in Serengeti safaris, tourists are charged park entrance fees which is as follows excluding 18% tax;
Nonresidents above the age of 16 years visiting Serengeti national park are charged park entrance fee of 70 USD in the high season and 60 USD in the low season and children aged between 5 and 15 years are charged park entrance fee of 20 USD.
Residents/expatriates visiting Serengeti national park are chared park entrance fee of 35 USD in the high season and 30 USD in the low season for those above 16 years of age and children aged between 5 and 15 years are charged park entrance fee of 10 USD.
East Africans/Tanzanians visiting Serengeti national park in the high season are charged park entrance fee of 10,000 Tanzania shillings for those above the age of 16 years while children aged between 5 and 15 years pay park entrance fee of 2,000 Tanzania shillings.
Children below the age of 5 years during Serengeti park safaris in Tanzania are not charged park entrance fee.
