The Serengeti is an area of grass and scrubland that covers most of Northern Tanzania and extends into neighbouring Kenya. It is one of the richest ecosystems in the world, largely devoid of human habitation, and is home to the single largest annual land animal migration on the planet.
The Serengeti has been kept largely free from settlement for hundreds of years, first by the wild game and fearsome Masaai warriors, then by a large tsetse fly population, and finally by the establishment of the most densely populated (by animals) nature preserve in the world.
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The Great Migration
The great migration is the largest animal migration on earth starting in Tanzania’s southern Serengeti and ending in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve following a clockwise circular migratory pattern. Over 1.3 Million Wildebeest, 300,000 Zebra, and 500,000 Gazelle another other herbivores make this journey every year in pursuit of the grassy lower plains of the Masai Mara and escaping the dryer southern plains. It is estimated that 250,000 wildebeest never complete the migration.
During January and March the south-eastern Serengeti plains and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area are a birthing ground for Wildebeest. It is this time of year that these plains are covered in lush grasses giving life to over 2 million herbivores.
In mid-February to April, once the calving is complete and the resources of the southern Serengeti dry up, the Great Migration starts taking the animals north west deep into the Serengeti National Park.
The herds start to reach the Grumeti River in July and many wildebeest become victim of the deep waters of the river and the Nile Crocodiles that live here. The herds then continue north crossing the Mara River and into the lower grassy plains of the Masai Mara.
From October to December the herds return to the Southern Serengeti to graze and give birth to their young before the cycle starts over again.
The People of the Serengeti
The Serengeti was known for many centuries as Masaailand, as it has traditionally been home to the proud Masaai nation. The Masaai are a group of fierce warriors and cattle-rustlers who can trace their history back through oral accounts to the 15th century, when they migrated down from the Nile Delta. They have traditionally dwelt on the edges of the Serengeti, and live a semi-nomadic lifestyle that is heavily centered around raising livestock.
Unlike some indigenous tribes of East Africa, the Masaai do not hunt birds or game for food, instead choosing to subsist almost entirely on their cattle. These cattle (usually cows) also form the basis of their wealth system and economy, although lately there have been many attempts made by the Tanzania and Kenyan governments to integrate them more completely with these nations’ economies.
During the days of the colonization of Africa, the Masaai became known by European settlers as highly skilled warriors and athletes, the equal to any well-equipped infantry unit of the time. Their extensive knowledge and skilled use of the land made them invaluable allies, or formidable foes. They are widely known for the ability to jump extremely high from a standing position – a display used in dancing, war-cries, and many tribal rituals.
Types of Safari
There are many different ways to experience the Serengeti and the Great Migration, and the only limits are your imagination and willingness to get up close to the action.
Walking Tours
Many lodges offer guided walks through sections of the reserve where you are likely to encounter trail game. Walks are done under supervision from a guide, who is armed in case of emergencies, and a small team of trackers and emergency personnel. Walks are usually long, and the heat can be extreme, so these are advised for experienced walkers only.
Jeep Tours
For the less physically inclined, there are many driving safaris that can be booked, or simply joined during the quieter months. Trips are typically done in an open-top 4×4 vehicle, and usually leave early in the morning (sunrise) or late in the afternoon (just before sunset) when game activity is greatest.
Hot Air Balloon Trips
A truly breathtaking experience that should be on every traveller’s bucket list. Trips range from day flights to week-long airborne safaris that aim to track the Great Migration – though direction is largely dictated by the wind. These trips can be booked through most tour operators, and are surprisingly inexpensive, even for longer journeys. Departure points are closer to some lodges than others, most notably Ngorongoro Crater and Serona Serengeti.
It is advised to do hot air balloon trips during migration season. Trips at other times are still majestic, but there are few experiences to equal flying in total silence over nearly 2 million wildebeest.
Helicopter Flyovers
For those wishing to view the Great Migration on the grandest scale possible, private helicopter charters and guided tours can be booked through most tour companies. These trips are usually an hour or two long, and give you an unparalleled chance to see the migration from a bird’s eye view, as well as up close.
Map of the Serengeti
Click For Larger Image - The Serengeti - Tanzania
Seronera Serengeti
Seronera Game Lodge in the heart of the Serengeti is a luxury lodge that is ideally suited to view the migration of the wildebeest. It consists of two large lodges on either side of an area that is typically traversed by migrating animals during the peak season, and is otherwise densely populated with local game.
Seronera Sergenti has 78 rooms over two levels, including one presidential suite and two junior suites. While one of the lower-cost options for luxury safaris in the Serengeti, Seronera is perfectly placed for ideal game viewing and access to activities like hot air balloon trips.
Olduvai Gorge
Olduvai Gorge is a 45km long ravine in the Great African Rift Valley that is often referred to as the “Cradle of Mankind”, because it is the place most widely believed to have first given birth to modern man. It is a dramatic landscape of stark beauty, with history on a timescale beyond human imagination.
Stone tools have been found in Olduvai Gorge that date from a million years before homo sapiens first walked the earth, and the area contains the earliest known evidence of activities like jewelry crafting and animal butchering – the behaviors that first distinguished us from animals. Needless to say, it is well worth a visit.
Grumeti River
Grumeti River is home to a tented safari camp with excellent views over the hippo-filled river. There is a stunning pool and some beautiful décor, but it should not be forgotten that this simple camp’s sole purpose is to give visitors a good place to drink a cocktail while watching wildebeest plunge through a gauntlet of crocodiles.
Ndoha Plain
Ndoha Plain is a section of the Serengeti through which the migration must pass, and is often a stop-off point for grazing and watering. It is greener than most areas on the migration path, and so is host to a number of permanent predators such as wild dog and hyena. During peak season this area becomes one of the most densely populated areas on earth.
Musabi Plains
The Musabi Plains is a rich, verdant green area in the heart of the Serengeti. It sees more rainfall than most areas, and so is a perfect place to spot a wide variety of game. There are a number of luxury lodges on the edge of the plains.
Togoro Plains
The Togoro Plains are a gazelle conservation area in which cheetah used to hunt in great numbers, but are now seldom spotted here. The ground is very clear for miles, with few trees or features, and during the grazing months the area is filled with many different species of gazelle.
