Serengeti

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The Serengeti takes its name from the Maasai word siringet, which means “endless plains.” The plains certainly are that, and the park itself is endless, covering 5,700 square miles (14,763 sq km) of dry rolling grassland, acacia speckled savanna, and dense riverine woodland.
In the south one finds short and long grass plains, desiccated much of the year, brought briefly back to vibrancy by the short rains of November and December. It is no coincidence that the wildebeest calving season occurs in the months that follow; the entire Serengeti ecosystem follows the rhythm of the pattering rains, great herds of grazers following the rainfall and briefly rich forage. The Serengeti supports millions of hoofed animals – wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles – and the predators that harass them. This ecosystem extends beyond the boundaries of the park, some of it protected within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area on the park’s eastern border and a knuckle of it within the Maasai Mara Reserve across Tanzania’s northern national border with Kenya.
While the bulk of the park consists of grassland, the western reaches, near Lake Victoria, feature wooded highlands, and woodlands line the tributaries of the Mara and Grumeti rivers.

Quick Facts

• The Serengeti National Park covers 5,700 square miles (14,763 sq km).
• East Africa’s greatest spectacle – The Wildebeest Migration – occurs primarily in the Serengeti National Park.
• A million wildebeest or more make the trek, joined by 300,000 zebras and 200,000 assorted antelope.
• While the Serengeti National Park stops at Tanzania's northern border, the protected area stretches into Kenya and the Maasai Mara Reserve.
• “Serengeti” is derived from the maasai word siringet, which means “endless plains”.

The Migration
The wildebeest migration is by far the Serengeti’s most famous wildlife attraction.
The migration begins in the southeastern corner of the park, on the border of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area where volcanic soils – and rain – promote the growth of the nutrient rich short grasses favored by the wildebeest. Foaling occurs here and in a brief few weeks, hundreds of thousands of calves are born each spring.
As the grasses brown and wither, the herds begin to move in search of better forage.
Predicting the precise location of the animals is difficult as the procession makes its circuit of the Serengeti in fits and starts. Generally speaking, the route takes the animals first to the northwest, through the “Western Corridor” on the park's western border near Lake Victoria. The ultimate destination is the lush grassland of the Mara Triangle in Kenya’s Maasai Mara Reserve. The journey is an arduous one, taking as long as three or four months. A host of carnivores, primarily lions and hyenas, bedevil the herds along the way.
After a couple of months spent grazing the Mara, the herds turn south, returning to their calving grounds on the Serengeti.

The Wildlife
The Serengeti hosts the entire menagerie of East African wildlife, including a large population of lions, many of which fitted with radio transmitters to track their movements (the Park takes its responsibility for conservation seriously).

Significant Animals
Greater Bush Baby
Olive Baboon
African Hedgehog
Cape/Spring Hare
African Civet
Hyena
African Wildcat
Serval
Caracal
Leopard
Lion
Cheetah
Bat-eared Fox
Jackal
Wild Dog
Ratel or Honey Badger
Zorilla
Scaly Anteaters
Wildebeest
Burchell’s Zebra
Maasai Giraffe
Thomson’s Gazelle
Grant’s Gazelle
Eland
Impala
Klipspringer
Elephant
Hippo
Crocodile

Significant Birds
Ostrich
Marabou Stork
Secretary Bird
Kori Bustard
Crowned Crane
Verreaux's Eagle-Owl
Helmeted Guineafowl
Tawny Eagle
African Fish Eagle
Vultures
Lesser Flamingo
Southern Ground Hornbill

Activities
Game Drives: Early morning game drives begin just before sunrise, when one is woken to a cup of Kenyan highland coffee. As the sun rises, you are comfortably aboard your 4x4 or safari van, witnessing the reserve and its wildlife. Afternoon game drives begin late after the mid-day heat has relented and end just before darkness falls. You are accompanied by a driver-guide who is knowledgeable about the flora, fauna, landscape, and the local culture.

Bird watching: In the Serengeti bird watching is done during safari walks or game drives accompanied by competent bird guides. Because so much of the reserve is open grassland or bush, the birds are relatively easy to spot.

Balloon Safaris: Typically, a balloon safari begins at break of dawn, and the ride lasts for about an hour, during which you will drift silently over the plain and its wildlife. Your balloon ride is followed by a champagne breakfast "in the bush," with a well-laid meal and waiters on hand for a fitting finale to a memorable flight.
Balloon flights are available daily and launch from designated sites where the disturbance to wildlife is kept to a minimum. Space is limited; plan ahead.

Sundowners: The best way to catch the African sunset is with a cocktail in hand!

Bush Meals: Drive, walk, or ride to a secluded gathering place in the wild. There, enjoy a selection of local dishes as a bonfire warms the chilly evening air and Maasai dancers introduce you to their vibrant culture.

Cultural Visits: The Maasai are a proud, semi-nomadic cattle-rearing people who have wagered that they can protect their way of life by protecting their landscape. They have a reputation as fierce warriors and stubborn pastoralists, resistant to change, but, ultimately, their lifestyle depends on the health and vitality of their cattle, which must have access to range and forage.
During a cultural visit, you will take a brief peek into the Maasai way of life.

How to Get There
Serengeti National Park is 208 miles (330 km) from the northern Tanzania town of Arusha.

By Road: The average drive time between Arusha and Serengeti is four or five hours. Most travelers break up the trek with a stop at Lake Manyara or Ngorongoro along the way.

By Air:There are several scheduled and charter flights from Arusha, Lake Manyara and Mwanza arriving into Grumeti, Serengeti South, and Lobo. Flight times vary between 30 minutes and an hour.