Treasured Places for Treasured People Like You!
Welcome to Serengeti National Park — the first park to be established, in 1951. It covers 14,763 square kilometres, making it the second largest after Ruaha National Park (20,226 square kilometres), and consists of grassland plains and savannah, as well as forest, rocky hills and woodlands. “Serengeti” comes from the local Maasai language and means “endless plain.”
Wildlife With Events
A male lion strides away, holding firmly in its jaws the carcass of a wildebeest it has just killed. Behind him, vultures gather — everyone wants to share with the King of the Jungle. And do not be surprised to see the King of the Jungle chased off by the roaring of other carnivores each time they approach the spot! This forces the lion to drag its kill away from the road and move deeper into the savannah, stopping only briefly to enjoy the menu. The birds never relent — they keep following, but only manage to feast on the leftovers of the wildebeest littering the scene.
This is one of the most attractive sightings in the vast Serengeti, and tourist vehicles stop briefly to watch and record the event. The wildebeest that survived the lion’s attack were nowhere to be seen — we traced them more than 10 kilometres away. But for seasoned travellers to the vast park, this is nothing surprising: the animal must have been separated from the herd, chased, and finally killed by the lion.
Beyond this, there is a time of the season when the herds of wildebeest concentrate on the south-eastern part of the park, near Naabi Gate. Elsewhere, close to the Seronera River, visitors are drawn by interesting scenery — even fights between elephant bulls, with young calves enjoying maximum protection nearby. These are just some of the many scenes of the Serengeti, one of the most fascinating wildlife areas in the world. For many people, any mention of the Serengeti conjures up images of grazing antelopes, the wildebeest migration, and crocodiles feasting on the ungulates crossing the rivers to drink.
Despite reports of increased human activity, mainly rising traffic and poaching, the Serengeti continues to maintain the ecological niche that has made it famous. As people proudly say: “Serengeti shall never die!” Here in this ecosystem, human settlement is not allowed.
Wildebeest Migration
Wildebeest form most of the over two million animals that migrate annually from the southern part of the park to the adjacent Maasai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya, and back again. The population of wildebeest is believed to have more than doubled compared to the 1970s and 1980s.
The seasonal movement of animals — 1.6 million wildebeest and 500,000 zebras and gazelles, followed by their attendant predators — has been described as one of the wonders of nature. The migration takes many species along, while others remain as residents, together with the oldest animals and those who are sick. DO NOT DENY YOUR HEART THIS EXPERIENCE — COME DOWN TO TANZANIA!!
A pride of lions basking in the sun after feeding is a common sight in many areas, especially on the trails leading to the water. For these carnivores, the abundance of prey is menu enough for them to thrive and multiply in numbers.
Historic Rivers
Here you will find historic rivers, very famous on this plain and a great helper for the animals’ lives: the Grumeti River and the Mara River Basin, famous for the animal migration and home to millions of reptiles.
The transboundary Mara River Basin covers 13,750 square kilometres, lying between Kenya and Tanzania. The 395-kilometre-long Mara River has long been considered one of the most pristine rivers draining into Lake Victoria, which forms part of the upper catchment of the Nile Basin — with Kenya occupying 65% of the river and the remaining lower portion in Tanzania. Originating from the Napuiyapui Swamp in the Mau Escarpment in the highlands of Kenya, the Mara–Serengeti ecosystem contains the most diverse combination of grazing mammals in the world, holding 400,000 wildlife and livestock.
VISIT THE MASAI MARA RIVER BASIN!
A tip from us: for the fullest experience, plan your visit around the migration season — ask us, and we will time your safari so the endless plain is truly full of life!
Serengeti Balloon Safaris
Get above the land of Africa with a Balloon Safari, which gives you the highest enjoyment and a bird’s-eye view over the nature of the whole plains. Each day at dawn over the Serengeti plains, a fortunate few enjoy the ultimate safari experience. As the sun rises over the horizon, our hot-air balloons and their enthralled passengers rise too. The view is so different from up here — sometimes so high we can see for a hundred miles in every direction. The wildlife migration is heading our way! Now at treetop height, we pass directly over a vultures’ nest in an acacia tortilis. We float silently over the river. Hippos snort and yawn. We see giraffe, waterbuck, buffalo, topi and other antelope from an entirely new perspective.
Welcome now — and travel with us!!