Serengeti tours
Serengeti tours : Serengeti national park in the northern part of Tanzania is a wildlife viewing destination which is known for having numerous wildlife species.
The different wildlife species which can be seen during a Serengeti tour include the big 5 such as elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos and rhinos. Other wildlife species in Serengeti national park include cheetahs, giraffes, hippos, kudu, dik dik, zebras, wildebeests, hyenas, waterbucks, hartebeests, elands, impalas, gazelles and many others.
Serengeti national park is also known for the wildebeest migration which takes place annually and involves movement of over 1.5 million wildebeests. This migration is considered the largest animal migration in the world.
The wildebeest migration in Serengeti national park during the months of April, May, June and July and some of the highlights of the migration is the river crossings which can be seen along the Grumeti river and the Mara river.
Activities which are carried out during Serengeti tours include the following;
- Game drives
During Serengeti tours, tourists engage in game drives as they explore the savannah plains in the national park in search of wildlife species like elephants, lions, rhinos, buffalos, wildebeests, zebras, antelopes, impalas, giraffes, kudu, and dik dik among others.
The game drives around Serengeti national park are carried out in the morning and can also be done in the afternoon or evening. Serengeti tours also involve engaging in full day game drives around the national park.
Game drives around Serengeti national park can also be carried out around the central area of the national park, western Serengeti, northern Serengeti and also around the southern plains or the Ndutu area.
- Hot air balloon safaris
Serengeti tours also involve engaging in hot air ballooning in the national park. This activity gives the tourists an aerial view of the savannah plains and the different attractions around Serengeti national park.
Hot air balloon safaris in Serengeti national park are done in the northern part of the national park, the central area or Seronera, the western Serengeti around Grumeti and also around the Ndutu area. The hot air balloon activity takes about one hour.
After enjoying a hot air balloon experience in Serengeti national park, tourists enjoy an English breakfast and champagne before returning to their lodges to continue with their safaris.
- Nature walks
Another activity which tourists engage in during their Serengeti tours is the guided nature walks. The nature walk activity is for nature lovers and is also done on foot and in the company of a ranger guide.
The nature walks around Serengeti national park offers the tourists on safari a closer experience with their natural surroundings in the national park. Wildlife species like elephants, zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, hippos among others can also be encountered while walking on foot in the grass plains of Serengeti national park.
Nature walk experiences in Serengeti national park also offers the visitors a chance to learn about how to track the wildlife species in the wild following tracks left behind by the different animals.
- Bird watching
Serengeti national park is also a destination for bird lovers to visit as they enjoy tours in the northern part of Tanzania.
There are over 450 bird species which can be spotted around Serengeti national park during a tour at the destination. These bird species include secretary birds, rufous tailed weavers, kori bustards, lilac breasted rollers, black headed heron, crowned cranes, eagles, hornbills, shrikes among others.
The best time of the year to engage in bird watching in Serengeti national park is during the months of November to April when migratory birds can also be seen in the national park.
Cost of a Serengeti tour
Serengeti national park is a popular tourist destination which is visited at different times of the year by tourists. The cost of a Serengeti tour depends on the preference of a visitor or tourist such as the type of safari (luxury or budget safari), individual or group safaris.
Some of the costs incurred during Serengeti tours include park entrance fees, concession fees, and camping fees among others.
Park entrance fee for Serengeti national park is among the requirements which visitors to the national park such as nonresidents, residents and East Africans are expected to pay in order to enter the national park and engage in activities at the destination.
The park entry fee for Serengeti national park is 82 USD in the peak season and 71 USD in the low season for nonresidents. Residents on a tour around Serengeti national park are charged par entry fee of 41.3 USD in the peak season and 35.4 USD in the low season.
East Africans (nationals from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan) are charged park entry fee for Serengeti national park of 10,000 TSH both in the low and high season.
Children aged between 5 and 15 years on a tour around Serengeti national park are charged park entry fee of 23.6 USD in the low and high season and children below the age of 5 years are not charged park entry fee for Serengeti national park.
Concession fee is another charge incurred during safaris to Serengeti national park. This fee is paid by visitors who are staying in the lodges inside the national park.
Nonresidents and residents on a Serengeti tour are charged concession fee of 71 USD in the peak season and 59 USD in the low season. Children are charged concession fee of 11.8 USD in the low and peak season.
The lodges where tourists can stay during their Serengeti tours include luxury lodges, midrange and budget lodges which are found in the different parts of Serengeti national park.
How many days needed to visit Serengeti?
For an amazing wildlife viewing experience around Serengeti national park, about 3 days are recommended in the national park.
Serengeti national park is a destination which can be visited at any time of the year. The best time for a Serengeti wildlife tour is during the dry season from June to October when wildlife species can be seen around water points in the national park.
