Things to do in Serengeti
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Serengeti
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Calving in Ndutu and the south, peak in February, with intense cheetah, lion and hyena action around the herds.
Long rains, herds moving west, many camps closed, green and quiet with dispersed game and lower prices.
Western Corridor and Grumeti River crossings, with strong resident game as the park dries out.
Mara River crossings in the north, peak in August and September, with peak prices, crowds and sell outs.
Short rains, herds return south through the east and centre, birding improves and prices sit below peak.
Herds arrive back on the southern plains, late December builds toward calving in Ndutu.
What's on
- Calving Season February peak, late December to March
Hundreds of thousands of wildebeest calves born on the Ndutu short grass plains.
- Grumeti River Crossings June to early July
Herds cross the Grumeti River in the Western Corridor among very large crocodiles.
- Mara River Crossings July to October, peak August to September
Wildebeest crossings at Kogatende and Lamai, never guaranteed on a single day.
Best things to do in Serengeti
Seronera
The year round heart of the park, with resident lions, leopards and elephants along the Seronera River valley.
Mara River
The northern river where wildebeest crossings happen from July to October, best with three or more nights nearby.
Ndutu
Short grass plains where the herds calve from January to March and cheetahs hunt in the open.
Grumeti River
The western river the herds cross in June, with big crocodiles, riverine forest and very low vehicle numbers.
Retima Hippo Pool
A crowded hippo pool below a fenced viewpoint near Seronera, best as an early stop on a morning drive.
Moru Kopjes
Granite kopjes south west of Seronera where lions rest on warm rock and rhino are tracked in the Moru area.
Serengeti Visitor Centre
The park visitor centre at Seronera, worth an hour at the start to understand the migration system.
Olduvai Gorge Museum
A small museum over a famous early human gorge, best as a one hour stop on the road between Ngorongoro and Serengeti.
Where to stay in Serengeti
Seronera
first trip and year round resident game
Central river valley with cats all year, Seronera Airstrip and the widest range of beds in the park.
Western Corridor
June migration and private concession exclusivity
Grumeti River corridor where herds funnel in June, with riverine forest and very low vehicle density.
Ndutu
calving season January to March
Short grass plains by Lake Ndutu where herds calve and cheetahs hunt, seasonal camps only in season.
Kogatende/North
Mara River crossings July to October
Northern hills and river crossing points, reached by Kogatende Airstrip, needing three nights minimum.
Lobo
quiet resident game and space
Wooded north eastern valley with elephants and cats all year and far fewer vehicles than Seronera.
Gateway Arusha/Karatu
staging, recovery and a Ngorongoro crater day
Arusha starts the safari and Karatu serves the crater, but neither is a base for day tripping the Serengeti.
Think twice about
- Arusha as a Serengeti base
Arusha is seven to eight hours by road from Seronera. Day tripping wastes dawn and dusk and pays park fees for a transfer.
- Wrong zone for the month
Ndutu in August or Kogatende in February puts you hundreds of kilometres from the herds, however good the lodge is.
Best restaurants in Serengeti
Kula's Restaurant
The main restaurant at Four Seasons Seronera, the most conventional fine dining room in the park.
Boma Grill
An open fire African grill in a boma setting, the in park splurge dinner for an occasion night.
Khan's Barbeque
Arusha famous night grill for chicken tikka, mishkaki and naan at shared tables on Mosque Street.
Machweo Wellness Retreat & Fine Dining
Arusha special occasion table at Onsea House, small, garden set and book ahead.
The Blue Heron Restaurant
A relaxed Arusha garden restaurant for pizzas, salads and cakes on an arrival day.
Shanga
A social enterprise workshop and garden restaurant in Arusha where lunch supports disabled artisans.
Lilac Café
Karatu top rated small cafe for coffee, breakfast and cakes on the Ngorongoro road.
Five Chutneys - Mambo Cafe (ngorongoro)
An Indian snack cafe on the Karatu highway for samosas and masala chai between Arusha and Ngorongoro.
Outdoor things to do in Serengeti
Serengeti Balloon Safaris
A dawn balloon flight over the plains with a champagne toast and bush breakfast on landing.
Miracle Experience
The second strong balloon operator, a dawn flight with toast and bush breakfast matched to your camp.
Mark Thornton Safaris
Serious guided walking in private areas bordering the park, reading tracks and approaching game carefully on foot.
Ngorongoro Crater
A crater floor day with lions, rhino and hippos in one bowl, done en route to or from the Serengeti.
Mto wa Mbu
A working farming town with guided village walks, local lunch and easy cycling to the Lake Manyara shore.
Lake Duluti
A small forest crater lake near Arusha for canoeing, walking and birding on an arrival or departure day.
Best hotels in Serengeti
Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti
A large luxury lodge in Seronera with an infinity pool facing a waterhole where elephants drink.
Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge
The classic large lodge above the Seronera valley, a reliable first trip base with plains views.
Seronera Campsite
A public campsite near Seronera used by camping safaris, the honest budget floor inside the park.
Singita Faru Faru Lodge
A contemporary lodge in the private Grumeti Reserve facing a waterhole on the Grumeti River.
andBeyond Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge
Suites with plunge pools on a quiet Grumeti River oxbow, with hippos and colobus monkeys in the forest.
Kirawira Serena Camp
A small luxury tented camp on a western hill, best for the June movement through the corridor.
Ndutu Safari Lodge
The long standing permanent lodge at Lake Ndutu, the best value base for calving season.
Lake Masek Tented Lodge
A luxury tented lodge on Lake Masek at the edge of the calving plains.
Is Serengeti expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | $260 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | $500 a person |
| Splurge | $1,400 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Mara River: months ahead
- Ndutu: months ahead
- Serengeti Balloon Safaris: months ahead
- Miracle Experience: months ahead
- Mark Thornton Safaris: months ahead
- Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti: months ahead
- Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge: weeks ahead
- Seronera Campsite: weeks ahead
- Northern crossing camps and balloon places for July to October sell out nine to twelve months ahead.
- Ndutu in February books out at the best lodges, and balloons should be booked with the safari, early in the stay.
- Tell lodges dietary needs when you book, not on arrival, because remote camps resupply on a schedule.
Is Serengeti safe?
- Stay in the vehicle except at gates, picnic sites and lodges, and use the camp escort after dark every time.
- Malaria is present year round. Discuss prophylaxis with a clinician and use nets, repellent and long sleeves from dusk.
- Carry medical evacuation cover that explicitly includes safari and air evacuation to Arusha or Nairobi.
Serengeti travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Do not chase crossings all day at the most crowded points while predators hunt in quieter valleys nearby.
- Watch for cheap quotes that exclude park fees, concession fees, Ngorongoro transit, flights or the balloon.
- Never feed picnic site wildlife and never mistake a staged roadside village stop for an unmediated community visit.
Getting around Serengeti: public transport and more
- Fly into Seronera, Kogatende, Grumeti or Ndutu airstrips in one to two hours from Arusha, or drive in via Karatu and Ngorongoro in seven to eight hours.
- Drive in through Ngorongoro with a crater day and fly out of the park to buy back a safari day on longer trips.
- Inside the park your operator Land Cruiser and guide are your transport. There is no public transport or unguided walking.
Who Serengeti suits
| Solo travellers | OK |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Serengeti your trip
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