Serengeti National Park Travel Guide - Tanzania

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The Ultimate Wildlife Destination on Earth

The enchantment of the Serengeti National Park defies simple description. Beyond just seeing, the hum of millions of wildebeest reverberates through the air, creating a sensation that resonates through your entire being. The honey-lit plains at sunset are so stunning, they alone are worth the journey. The genuine warmth of the Maasai people brings an inner glow of happiness. Whether it’s the season of the migration or not, the Serengeti National Park is magical all year round, constantly teeming with wildlife.

The Perpetual Cycle of the Great Migration

Serengeti National Park was one of the inaugural sites to be listed as a World Heritage Site when the United Nations convened in Stockholm in 1981. By the late 1950s, the area was already recognized as a unique ecosystem, offering insights into the natural world and demonstrating the dynamism of ecosystems of the Serengeti.

Today, most visitors arrive with a singular goal: to witness the great migration of millions of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, and elands as they embark on a mass journey in search of water and fresh grass. This cyclical movement is dictated by rainfall and grass nutrients, creating a spectacle unmatched anywhere else. Unlike other renowned wildlife parks, the Serengeti is unfenced, allowing animals the freedom to complete their ancient migratory routes. Learn more about the Great Migration.

Beyond the Great Migration

While the migration is a major draw for many travelers, Serengeti National Park offers much more beyond this grand event of the Serengeti. Nature cannot be scripted, and having realistic expectations is crucial. A river crossing, for instance, may last only thirty minutes and can be easily missed. However, don’t be discouraged; there are countless other reasons to visit the Serengeti. Whether it’s the vast expanses that seem endless, the vibrant skies, or the thrill of an approaching thunderstorm on the horizon, the Serengeti has it all. The park is home to one of the largest concentrations of predators globally, with about 7,500 hyenas, 3,000 lions, and 250 cheetahs. Additionally, elephants roam the plains into the woodlands, feasting on leaves and branches. Discover more about Serengeti wildlife.

Tribes in the Cradle of Human Life

Although animals dominate the Serengeti plains, the area boasts a rich history of human occupation of the Serengeti. Human ancestors, including Australopithecus afarensis, inhabited the region nearly 4 million years ago. Today, Serengeti National Park remains home to several indigenous tribes, including the Maasai, renowned for their enduring culture. Despite modern influences, the Maasai have preserved their traditional way of life, symbolizing Tanzanian and Kenyan culture. Learn more about the Maasai people.

Vibrancy, Variety, and Vastness

In this world-renowned National Park of Tanzania, you’ll quickly realize that amazement knows no bounds of the Serengeti. The Serengeti is a transition zone, with diverse landscapes ranging from rich flat soils to poor hilly soils in the north, attracting a wide array of vegetation and wildlife. Whether you’re seeking big cats, birds, or even smaller creatures, Serengeti National Park delivers. Experiencing even a small part of this ecosystem will transform your perspective on the world and the environment. After being captivated by the vibrancy, variety, and vastness of this land, you will be forever changed.

History of Serengeti National Park

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, explorers and missionaries documented the Serengeti plains and the abundant wildlife. Early references to the great wildebeest migrations and the first photographs of the region emerged from explorations in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

In 1930, an area of 2,286 square kilometers was designated as a game reserve in what is now southern and eastern Serengeti of the Serengeti. Sport hunting was permitted until 1937, after which all hunting activities ceased. In 1940, the area was granted Protected Area Status, and the National Park itself was established in 1951, encompassing southern Serengeti and the Ngorongoro highlands. The park headquarters were initially located on the rim of Ngorongoro crater.

The original Serengeti National Park, as gazetted in 1951, included what is now the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA). In 1959, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area was separated from Serengeti National Park, and the park’s boundaries were extended to the Kenya border. The separation was prompted by protests from the Maasai, who feared eviction and the inability to graze their cattle within the park. A compromise allowed the Maasai to live and graze in the Ngorongoro Crater area but not within Serengeti National Park.

In 1961, the park in Kenya was established, and in 1965, the Lamai Wedge between the Mara River and the Kenya border was added to Serengeti National Park, creating a permanent corridor for wildebeest migration from the Serengeti plains in the south to the Loita Plains in the north. The Maswa Game Reserve was established in 1962, and a small area north of the Grumeti River in the western corridor was added in 1967.

The Serengeti National Park was among the first sites proposed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO at the 1972 Stockholm conference and was formally established in 1981.