Is Serengeti National Park in Kenya or Tanzania? Located in East-Central Africa, the Serengeti is a vast environment home to a wide variety of flora, fauna, and birds. Serengeti truly lives up to its name, encompassing an area of 12,000 square miles, according to NASA. The word “Serengeti” means “vast, limitless plains” in Maasai. The Serengeti is an area that stretches from Tanzania’s northern regions to Kenya’s southwest. It encompasses numerous more protected game areas in addition to the Serengeti National Park. The governments of Kenya and Tanzania appropriately care for the protected areas. The largest significant mammal migration in the world takes place in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, which is also a popular destination for African safaris.
As per UNESCO’s findings, the heights of the Serengeti range from 30,20 feet to an astounding 6,070 feet. Although there are periodic periods of rain, particularly in March and May, the area is typically pleasant and dry. Between October and November, the rainy season is shorter. Two main categories can be used to categorise the Serengeti landscape. Usually, the vegetation in that location determines this classification. Among these are the Grasslands and the Woodlands. The verdant areas brimming with trees are called woodlands. The Terminalia woodlands and Acacia trees are prevalent in this area. As an alternative, the Grasslands comprise smaller plans, rivers, and other derived grasslands of a moderate scale. The grasslands that were formed as a result of frequent fires are referred to as derived grasslands.
What makes Serengeti National Park unique
There are many distinctive features in the Serengeti. It is one of the world’s seven wonders, to start. Because of its unusual vegetation, birds, and animals, this park is well-liked liked Tanzania safari tour destination by those who enjoy wildlife. Secondly, the Serengeti ecosystem is among the planet’s oldest and largest. There has been very little change in the flora and animals, nor in the weather patterns. Lastly, you will get the opportunity to see Swahili culture if you visit this region, which is also the Maasai tribe’s ancient home.
Why you should visit Serengeti National Park
There are many distinctive features in the Serengeti. It is one of the world’s seven wonders, to start. Because of its unusual vegetation, birds, and animals, this park is well-liked by those who enjoy wildlife. Secondly, the Serengeti ecosystem is among the planet’s oldest and largest. There has been very little change in the flora and animals, nor in the weather patterns. Lastly, you will get the opportunity to see Swahili culture if you visit this region, which is also the Maasai tribe’s ancient home.
The Best time to visit Serengeti National Park
The ideal months to visit this animal reserve are typically January and February. This is the finest time to view wildebeest calving, and you will see several of them roaming around during this period. Visit the park between June and September if general wildlife is more your thing. Keep in mind that June and July are peak season, when there is nearly a crowd in the park, and offer the best chances of watching The Great Migration. The low season, on the other side, is April and May. Try coming between June and October if you want to go while the weather is at its best.
Wildebeest Migration
The famous wildebeest migration occurs in the Serengeti every year. From the Ngorongoro region in the Southern Serengeti, this normally starts in December. Rich meadows in these places attract a large number of wildebeest, who come here to feed. Though many people think it’s intense and fleeting, it’s actually a leisurely walk that makes for a great tourist attraction.
The big migration comes in pursuit of water and newly matured grass caused by rain. This migratory trail is used by the 1.2 million wildebeest, the approximately 750,000 zebra, and hundreds more species, including Thompson’s gazelle and eland, that are part of this famous great migration. Although far more numerous than zebras, wildebeests seem to make poor decisions about routes and time. In contrast, zebras seem to be the leaders of their herds. The animals migrate in a circle, heading north into Kenya’s Maasai Mara and then west across the Serengeti Plain. After that, they head back south into the Serengeti.
During February and March, the migratory wildebeests give birth to their offspring. This unintentionally sets off the predators. Eventually, by May, the herd of wildebeests migrate across the northern and western portions, via the famous Grumeti River, as the plains in the south and east dry up. Not to be overlooked is the abundance of young, fragrant grass near the river. Because there is a consistent water source along this path, wildebeests like to travel it.The migration will return to the Serengeti before the end of summer, which is usually in September, when the rainy season begins again. Deaths among wildebeest are especially frequent during the migration. In transit from Tanzania to the lower regions of Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve, almost two hundred fifty thousand wildebeest perished.
During the migration, deaths among wildebeest are very frequent. While migrating from Tanzania to the lower regions of Kenya’s Masai Mara Reserve, some 250,000 wildebeest perished. The World Wildlife Fund claims that this encompasses a 500-mile radius. The main causes of death are dehydration, fatigue, and extreme hunger. Predation does, however, also occur occasionally. The lack of a clear beginning or end is one of the characteristics that make the Great Migration so unique. Rather, it rotates in a clockwise manner with rhythm. This somewhat eases the prediction of the migration track. Knowing the migratory route and scheduling your trip when you believe the animals will be present will help you have the best possible Tanzania safari tour experience. Naturally, seasons can shift abruptly and early, so seeing something isn’t always certain. However, a wide range of animals is consistently reported to exist in the Serengeti all year round.
Animals found in Serengeti National Park
Blue wildebeests, the recognisable gazelles, zebras, buffalos, hyenas, and the powerful lions—mentioned in the legendary Lion King—are among the common creatures of the Serengeti National Park. A few more well-liked creatures are foxes with bat ears, giraffes, baboons, hyraxes, warthogs, honey badgers, golden wolves, and porcupines. Agama lizards, Nile lizards, and chameleons are some of the more unusual species. The Serengeti’s animal population was greatly affected by the ongoing diseases and droughts in the 1890s. At this stage, the wildebeests suffered the most. However, by the middle of the 1970s, the wildebeest and buffalo populations had finally rebounded because of effective conservation measures.
