Imagine huge herds of wildebeest, gazelle and buffalo roaming the savannah. Imagine groups of elephants and giraffes grazing under the watchful eyes of lions and cheetahs. Now imagine taking all of this in person, while walking, driving or soaring above the plains. In the Serengeti National Park in northern Tanzania, you can do just that.
Serengeti National Park is not only the oldest national park in Tanzania, it is also the most popular, and with good reason. On this vast expanse of land, visitors can catch a glimpse of some of Africa’s most natural wonders, where plants and animals exist exactly as they did thousands of years ago. There is an extremely diverse mix of predators and prey here, and the same can be said for the variety of plants and landscapes. Serengeti National Park has one of the largest populations of African lions living within its boundaries, numbering more than 3,000. You will also see black rhinos, elephants, leopards and buffalo. There are hundreds of different species of birds here, making it a great park for bird watchers.
One of the best times to visit the park is during the annual wildebeest migration. From December to July, thousands of these magnificent animals make their instinctive journey in search of food, water and a mate. Accompanied by zebras and other herbivores, huge herds roam the grasslands, wade through crocodile-filled rivers and constantly search for what is necessary to ensure their survival. Thousands of calves are also born during this period, and seeing the baby wildebeest join the adults is a sight to behold. Another popular time to visit the Serengeti National Park is from June to October, when the fierce predators can be best viewed. See lions, cheetahs and other big cats in their natural environment, doing what they were born to do.
There are several different ways to experience all that the Serengeti National Park has to offer. One of the best ways to do this is to stay in the park at one of the lodges or campgrounds, so you can spend several days watching the animals. You also have several options when it comes to tours of the park. You can go on walking safaris, game drives, bush picnics and even hot air balloon rides over the plains. Whichever tour you choose, taking any of the guided tours on offer will give you a glimpse of some of Africa’s most precious animals, living wild and free just as they were born to do.