Unforgettable. Unique.

SERENGETI TOURS AND SAFARIS

The Serengeti, forming part of the iconic Mara–Serengeti ecosystem, is Tanzania’s premier safari destination and home to the Great Wildebeest Migration. Its endless golden plains, translated from Maa as “the land that moves on forever,” are teeming with wildlife year-round. Beyond wildebeest, you’ll find elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffalo, and countless antelope species—closely followed by predators like lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, and wild dogs. A truly unforgettable safari experience awaits first-time and seasoned travelers alike.

Experience Magnificence

The annual Wildebeest Migration is one of the last mass terrestrial animal movements left on the planet, and the main reason why so many wildlife enthusiasts visit the Serengeti – especially at mid-year. Watching herds of biblical proportions move across the plains will stir your soul unlike anything else. It truly is one of Mother Nature’s greatest spectacles! The herds undergo challenges and hardships as they move from region to region, constantly under attack from predators like Africa’s big cats and the notoriously huge crocodiles that lie in wait at river crossing points.

Mobile camps move regularly to stay as close to the herds as possible.
Some accommodations offer easy access to river crossing points.
Calving season (January to March) delivers plenty of bittersweet predator action.

Excellent Year-Round Game Viewing

At almost 15 000 square kilometres (5 790 square miles), the Serengeti is an enormous park with distinct regions that each offer a different game viewing experience. You will need to choose carefully where and when to go on a safari in the Serengeti, especially if you want to see the annual Wildebeest Migration. The herds move in a clockwise direction around the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem (roughly the size of South Carolina) and their concentrations are dictated by the seasons, available water and fresh grazing.

The Serengeti offers superb game viewing year-round—not just during the Wildebeest Migration. While some herds move with the seasons, many animals stay, and predators remain year-round. The open plains and mild climate make wildlife spotting easy in any season.

High Season (July–October): Prime time for game viewing and predator sightings.

Green Season (November–March): Quieter, lush landscapes with fewer crowds.

Migration River Crossings: Best seen from June to September.

A Safari for Every Traveler

Whether it’s your first or fifth visit to Africa, the Serengeti delivers an unforgettable safari experience. Its unmatched wildlife diversity and growing range of luxury and specialty accommodations cater to all types of travelers.

Romantic camps offer the perfect setting for honeymoons and special occasions.

Family-friendly lodges provide engaging safari experiences for kids.

Adventurous options like mobile camping, biking, nature walks, and horse riding are becoming more popular.

Dietary needs? Many lodges now cater to vegetarian, vegan, and other dietary preferences.

Grumeti Reserves

A Model for Conservation and Luxury : Nestled beside Serengeti National Park, Singita Grumeti is a private reserve spanning 350,000 acres of pristine wilderness along the path of the Great Migration. Established to protect this vital ecosystem, the reserve is now managed through a partnership between Singita and the Grumeti Fund. Together, they focus on world-class, low-impact tourism while driving meaningful conservation efforts and community upliftment. This unique model balances luxury safari experiences with long-term sustainability and biodiversity protection, offering guests both adventure and purpose.

Central Serengeti

Seronera is one of many world famous attractions in the Central Serengeti. Seronera Valley supports a much greater diversity of resident wildlife than anywhere else in the Serengeti including elephant, giraffe, impala, waterbuck, hippo, topi, reedbuck, buffalo and baboon. This resident prey in turn attracts the highest concentrations of large predators in Africa (lion, hyena, leopard and cheetah) and a multitude of smaller predators (mongoose, jackal, serval and bat-eared fox).

Northern Serengeti

The vast, rolling savannah of the Northern Serengeti, is known as the hub of the great migration. The landscape is characterised by vast stretches of savannah interspersed with acacia trees and riverine woodlands. Wildlife can be seen along the banks of the Mara River and visitors can view the annual spectacle of the half a million migrating wildebeest. Commonly spotted wildlife include: a multitude of plains game such as buffalo, zebra, gazelles, impala, giraffe as well as lion and leopard. Visitors can look forward to bird watching, hot air ballooning, game safaris and guided bush walks.

Southern Serengeti

Grassy plains studded with granite kopjes extend endlessly across the scenically beautiful Southern Serengeti, which stretches from the bottom of the Central Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Maswa Game Reserve. It’s one of the best areas to see the animals of the Great Migration: visit between December and May to see the huge herds of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle arriving to calve, and then at the beginning of the dry season making their way northwards again in search of green grass. February is a particularly good month to visit the Southern Serengeti to see thousands of baby wildebeest taking their first steps on the savanna – and being targeted by hungry lion, cheetah and hyena, which are in abundance in the region.

Eastern Serengeti

The rich acacia-dotted plains of the Eastern Serengeti are home to abundant wildlife. Visitors flock here to view the world-renowned wildebeest migration. Some of the best game-viewing can be enjoyed from Lobo on the eastern edge of the Serengeti National Park along the Grumeti River. Popular activities include: taking a guided walk through the spectacularly scenic terrain of the wild Serengeti, jumping on a hot air balloon safari, picnics in the bush, and learning about Maasai culture and history. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the world famous Gol Kopjes for the best cheetah viewing in Africa.

Western Serengeti

The Remote Western Corridor : Stretching 50 km along the Grumeti River from Seronera toward Lake Victoria, the Western Serengeti—also known as the Western Corridor—offers a dramatic and less-traveled safari experience. Characterized by lush riverine forests, valleys, hills, and alluvial plains, this area is rich in biodiversity.

From May to July, the Great Migration brings thrilling river crossings as wildebeest and zebra brave Nile crocodiles at the Grumeti. Despite rougher roads and limited access, the region rewards adventurers with sightings of elephants, lions, leopards, giraffes, hartebeests, bat-eared foxes, and a dazzling array of birdlife, especially birds of prey.

Nearby, the Grumeti Reserve adds a layer of conservation-focused, luxury safari experiences, while permanent wildlife populations ensure year-round game viewing in a unique landscape unlike any other part of the Serengeti.

Accommodation and Planning

Accommodation in the Serengeti is as rich and varied as the landscape itself. From romantic tented camps under starry skies to luxurious lodges and private villas nestled in remote corners, there’s something for every kind of safari-goer. While public park areas offer iconic game viewing, private reserves nearby provide added exclusivity and allow unique experiences like night drives and guided bush walks. Planning around the Great Migration? Book early—prime locations fill fast as travelers flock to witness nature’s greatest show.

Our Accommodation Selections Include

The Serengeti is a year-round destination, but if you’re planning around the Wildebeest Migration, it’s important to choose the right region for the right time. Top camps book up early, so advance planning is essential.

Mobile camps that follow the Wildebeest Migration’s movements.
Properties perfect for families or groups travelling together.
Superb luxury lodges that are tucked away for the most romantic safari honeymoon.

Time Execution

If you want to see the Wildebeest Migration river crossings on your safari, make sure your itinerary matches the movement of the herds.

Book early: well-located safari camps at the Wildebeest Migration’s hotspots get booked out early, often a year in advance.

Choose your activities: morning and afternoon game drives are standard activities, and some lodges also offer hot-air balloon safaris. Activities like night game drives and guided bush walks are only permitted in certain areas.

Expect other visitors in high season: many areas of the Serengeti are mostly quiet throughout the year, but the Wildebeest Migration’s highlights, like the Grumeti and Mara River crossings, attract lots of visitors between about June and September. Consider visiting during low or Green Season (about November to March) if you want to escape the crowds and still enjoy great game viewing plus see the Migration’s mega-herds.

Go private: if it’s exclusivity you want, then head for one of the Serengeti’s private reserves. The accommodation is excellent, game viewing is as good as the main park and extra safari activities (see number 2) are offered.

Flights & Getting Around

Arusha Airport is the gateway to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Park. It is located just outside the town of Arusha, but you’ll need to get there via Kilimanjaro International Airport, which is about 50 kilometres (31 miles) away. There are several airstrips dotted around the Serengeti National Park that can be accessed from the Masai Mara, Lake Manyara, and Arusha or Kilimanjaro.

Note: international flights often arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport late at night, so an overnight in Arusha is usually necessary before setting out the following morning by charter flight into the Serengeti.

Safari Vehicles

Most safari destinations in Tanzania have extensive road networks and closed vehicles are therefore the norm when doing long-distance road transfers between airstrips, camps and lodges. A closed 4×4 game drive vehicle generally has three rows of seating and features a pop-up roof hatch that can be raised for game viewing and taking photographs.

Game drives in the Serengeti and its private areas are usually conducted in open-sided 4X4s, often sporting a canvas roof and flaps that can be rolled down to cover the windows.

For general information on travelling to Tanzania, please visit our Tanzania travel advice page.