Serengeti National Park

The best Serengeti safari holidays will follow the famous Wildebeest migration through northern Tanzania and across into northeast Kenya. The Wildebeest Migration through the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem is one of the largest mass movements on earth. Thousands of wildebeests, zebras and Thompson’s gazelles migrate throughout the year, always seeking fresh grass and water. They follow an annual pattern through both Ecosystems, with broadly predictable timing, however, their movement does depend on rain.

Wildlife to see in the Serengeti 

The animals of the Serengeti National Park are great in diversity and quantity and one of the most famous species is the ‘humble’ wildebeest, which migrate through the Serengeti in their hundreds of thousands. This huge movement of Wildebeest, Zebra and antelopes attracts large numbers of predators and that is why Serengeti National Park tours are famous as the best place to see the Big 5. Large lion prides will follow this migration, especially the Wildebeest calving season which happens in the Serengeti every year in February and early March.

Best time to visit the Serengeti

Tanzania has two rainy seasons – the ‘long rains’ between March and May and the ‘short rains’ between November and December. After the short rainfalls, the wildebeest migration is expected to arrive from the north in late November / early December on the short-grass plains of the south. These grass plains include southern Serengeti, located in Serengeti National Park; and Ndutu Area, located inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Through January, February and March, the wildebeest migration is expected to stay on these southern plains as the grasses are very nutritious and most wildebeest calves will be born in a coordinated bound of calving. Many regular safari-goers to Tanzania consider this the best time to visit Tanzania for wildlife.

Of course, many predators rely on the Wildebeest calving in the Serengeti to provide food for themselves and their offspring but two cats, in particular, are often the star of the show. There is a large concentration of Cheetahs in the Serengeti and although they must be wary of the territorial lion prides, this can be a very good time of year to observe cheetahs hunting.

Best wildlife lodges and camps in the Serengeti

Because the Wildebeest and antelope migrations are not ‘fixed’ and will change course each year depending on weather patterns and availability of grass, the best wildlife camps to stay in the Serengeti are the mobile camps which can quickly react to a change in wildlife movements and put their clients in the front seats to watch one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth. One of our favourite Serengeti National Park safaris is at Serian’s Serengeti Mobile Kusini. One of the best camps in the Serengeti to witness the Wildebeest migration and offering a high level of comfort with some of the best wildlife guides in Tanzania.