Safari in Serengeti National Park

After talking about our safari in Lake Manyara National Park and the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, how could I not mention the most famous national park in the world for a safari: Serengeti National Park! If there is one park people know, at least by name, it is this one. During my week on safari, I had the opportunity to spend two full days in Serengeti National Park, guided by our fantastic guide, Moses. So in this article, I’ll share my thoughts on my safari in this famous park in Tanzania!

As a good, self-respecting geographer, let me give you a few facts about this famous park!

• Serengeti National Park is located in northern Tanzania, not far from the Ngorongoro Crater, together with which it was designated a Biosphere Reserve in 1981. In the Maasai language, the name “Serengeti” means “endless plain”,

• The park is known as the setting for many wildlife documentaries, but also as a place where many wildlife photographers gather for photo safaris,

• The park, which extends over almost 15,000 km², is particularly well known for the great migration of millions of wildebeest, zebras and antelopes!

We started this first day of safari with a beautiful sunrise at 5 am over the immense plain. What a joy to discover the beautiful, rich, warm colours of the landscape, with its famous trees so characteristic of the African savannah. This is where I took the photo of my dreams, the one I had wanted, and hoped, to take.

We spent the morning observing the local wildlife: antelopes, zebras, wildebeest and even a few birds.

We were even lucky enough to stop next to a group of monkeys, very close to us, who seemed happy to pose for photos!

Here, we discovered the impressive vastness of the Serengeti plain, stretching as far as the eye can see, and beyond. At times, there was nothing around us except grass, with the occasional tree far away in the distance.

As you drive along its dusty tracks, you come across small oases of vegetation, as if they had been deliberately placed in the middle of the plain. They often offer a chance to observe local wildlife hidden among the rocks…

The highlight of the day came when our guide stopped to check something in the distance. Taking out his binoculars, he told us he could see a family of cheetahs. And indeed, our experienced guide was right: we were able to get very close to this small family resting in the shade of a tree. The scene was splendid, and we all quite rightly savoured this magnificent moment!

We left the little cheetah family in peace and continued on our way, only to come face to face with an ostrich! Actually, I didn’t even know there were ostriches in the middle of the savannah!

Finally, in the middle of the afternoon, we had the pleasure of observing a small group of lionesses resting in the savannah, right next to the track we were on! It was once again a magical moment, and we stayed for more than an hour watching the group!

One of the lionesses was resting on a small mound of earth. We almost wanted to cuddle her!

I don’t know whether I preferred Serengeti National Park or the safari in the Ngorongoro Crater. I still hesitate even now, as the two are very different. In any case, I think that a safari in Serengeti National Park is one of the must-do experiences in Tanzania.

This park will amaze you with the vastness of its plains and its aridity, depending on the season. It is also one of the parks where observing cheetahs and leopards is among the easiest!

If you are planning a safari in Tanzania, then this is a must!

I already mentioned some useful tips to bear in mind in my articles on Lake Manyara National Park and the safari in the Ngorongoro Crater, so I won’t repeat myself again here! Here are some of the most important points:

If you want more information, you can refer to the bottom of this article.

Here are a few tips:

• Try to travel with several people to limit costs,
• Choose an independent guide rather than going through an agency,
• Sleep in campsites rather than lodges.

I went with a Tanzanian guide, Moses Cliff Mwanga, and 4 other people. Overall, the stay was very well managed. We saved a lot of money by sleeping in tents and being in a group of 5.

For information:

• We opted for the 3B safari: 2 days in the Serengeti, 1 day in the Ngorongoro Crater, 1 day in Lake Manyara, and finally 1 day in Tarangire Park,
• You sleep every night in a tent, so of course, you have to like camping!?
• The meals are simple but very hearty.

What you need to know before going on a safari in Tanzania:

• Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) is the main gateway for safaris, located not far from the city of Arusha,
• It is possible to find flights, depending on your departure city, to Arusha Local Airport (ARK).

From Europe, you can fly from almost anywhere to Tanzania, sometimes directly, sometimes with a stopover. I recommend having a look at the great flight comparator that I’ve been using for at least 10 years now. I have always found very cheap flights, as long as I’m flexible with my dates.

From the USA, the cheapest flight is to Dar Es Salaam, the capital city of Tanzania, from around $600/650. However, I recommend landing directly at Kilimanjaro Airport, the closest airport to the safari parks. Prices start at around $700/800 with a stopover. To find the cheapest flights to Tanzania from the main cities in the USA, you can have a look around here.

From Canada, prices will be more or less the same, starting at around C$1000.

It is possible to go on safari in Serengeti National Park all year round, but I advise you to avoid the rainy season as much as possible.

We were there in February and it was great, no rain!

The most commonly recommended periods are from January to March and from June to October.

Well, there you are. I hope you enjoyed this safari trip in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and that my article has encouraged you to go and discover this beautiful country for yourself!

I’m curious to know, have you ever been on safari? In which country? How did you find it? I think, including the day on safari in the Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti is well worth a visit! For me, the safari day in Manyara National Park was a little less interesting than the other parks. Just for your information, you might like to know that I was living in the Indian Ocean when I was lucky enough to go on safari in the Serengeti. If you want to know more about that, don’t hesitate to come and read my Top 20 Things to Do on Mayotte Island.

If you have any questions about our safari, our guide, or if you are looking for photography advice for your own safari, feel free to leave me a comment at the bottom of this article! In the meantime, if you like Africa, I suggest you go and discover the beautiful island of Ibo in Mozambique.

See you soon.

Written by Sylvain PONS

In 2015, Mélanie and I had the opportunity to discover Tanzania during a 2-week holiday. The programme included a safari in the national parks and on the island of Zanzibar!

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