What is special about Serengeti national park? There is a lot that makes Serengeti national park special and this destination is found in the northern part of Tanzania. Some of the things that make Serengeti national park special include the following;
- wildlife species
Serengeti national park is a famous national park in Tanzania and it is home to numerous wildlife species. Among the things that make Serengeti national park special is that a variety of wildlife species can be seen during the year.
Some of the wildlife species which can be seen during safaris around Serengeti national park include wildebeests, zebras, lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalos, elephants, impalas, gazelles, waterbucks, gazelles, kudu, hippos, giraffes, elands, hyenas, warthogs, topi, cheetahs among others.
Wildlife viewing around Serengeti national park can be done throughout the year and the best time to see the wildlife species is the dry season from June, July, August, September and October and also around December, January and February.
Another season which is experienced during tours around Serengeti national park is the rain season from March, April to May and also around November. The rain season is also a green season and a low tourist season with fewer people taking part in Tanzania safaris around the national park as compared to the dry season which is a peak or high season.
Apart from wildlife species, Serengeti national park also has over 350 bird species which can be seen during the year and the best time for bird watching is during the months from November to April.
- the wildebeest migration
When visiting Serengeti national park, you can also see the great wildebeest migration which is the largest movement of animals in the world.
The great wildebeest migration is the biggest migration and a natural wonder in the world which involves movement of over 2 million wildebeests as well as gazelles and zebras across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem.
Throughout the year the wildebeest herds can be seen in different parts of Serengeti national park. At the beginning of the year around January to March and also in December the wildebeests can be seen in the southern part of Serengeti national park around the Ndutu area where over 2,000 wildebeests are born daily in the grass plains. The time of the calving is also a good time during safaris around the national park to see predators like lions, leopards and cheetahs among others.
The wildebeest migration in Serengeti national park can also be seen in the western and northern part of the national park around June, July to August. in the northern part of the national park, the river crossings take place along the Mara river as they cross to Masai Mara reserve in Kenya.
In the central part of Serengeti national park, the wildebeest migration can be seen during the months of April to May.
- vast savannah plains and diverse landscape
Serengeti national park is also known for its vast savannah plains or endless plains where wildlife species can be seen.
The park also consists of diverse landscape and is made up of woodlands, dotted acacia and there are also riverine forests around Serengeti national park. Serengeti national park also has kopjes or rock outcrops as well as marshes.
Serengeti national park is so big in size covering over 14,750 square kilometers and consists of different parts such as the northern, southern, central and western parts of the national park. the central part of the national park is also known as Seronera area and is home to numerous wildlife species such as elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalos, elands, impalas, zebras, waterbucks among others.
The national park also has waterholes where wildlife species are known to gather especially during the dry season and during safaris the animals can be spotted around these waterholes.
During the dry season the savannah plains are thinner making it easy to spot wildlife species when on safari around Serengeti national park. In the rainy season in Serengeti national park, the vegetation is greener and wildlife species are a little difficult to spot but photography at this time of the year is amazing.
- the big five
The big five are among the wildlife species which can be seen during a safari in Serengeti national park and they include elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos and rhinos.
The ultimate safari experience in Serengeti national park is marked by seeing these wildlife species during tours to Tanzania. Many tourists are interested in seeing the big 5 as they visit Serengeti national park.
These big five are referred to as so due to the difficulty in hunting them. Some of the big five are easy to see during safaris such as buffalos and elephants around Serengeti national park which can be seen as they roam around the savannah plains.
Predators like lions among the big five can sometimes be spotted in many numbers while some people may see a few of the lions as they explore the savannah plains of Serengeti national park. Serengeti national park has over 4000 lions and you can watch as these predators hunt their prey around the national park. When it comes to leopards, it is a little difficult to spot them since they are solitary and can camouflage in the savannah plains.
Rhinos are the rarest of the big five in Serengeti national park but they can be spotted around the destination.
- various activities
Something else which makes Serengeti national park a unique destination is the variety of activities which can be done during safari.
When visiting Serengeti national park, activities which are carried out during safaris include game drives, guided nature walks, hot air balloon safaris, bird watching and also cultural tours.
Game drives in Serengeti national park are done in the morning and also in the afternoon. Full day game drives can also be carried out around the national park and this activity involves seeing various wildlife species while exploring the vast savannah plains in 4×4 safari vehicles.
Guided nature walks involve moving on foot around Serengeti national park in the company of a ranger guide while getting closer to nature around the national park.
