Serengeti National Park
Tanzania's best-known park: the Great Migration, big cats and plains that run to the horizon.
- Great Migration
- Lion and cheetah
- River crossings
- Calving season
- Balloon flights
- Leopard on the Seronera
Our view
The Serengeti is the park everyone has heard of, and it deserves the reputation. What people don't always realise is how different its corners are, and how much the time of year decides where you should be.
The wildebeest and zebra of the Great Migration move in a loop that follows the rain. From January to March they gather on the short-grass plains in the south to give birth, and the predators follow. Around the middle of the year they move west and north, and from July to October they are in the far north, crossing the Mara River. Choosing the right camp for your dates matters more here than anywhere else in Tanzania.
The migration is only part of it. The central Serengeti around the Seronera River has resident game all year, and it is one of the best places in Africa for leopard. The east has open plains with cheetah and some of the largest lion prides in the park, and the north is wilder and much quieter outside the crossing season.
My advice is to split a Serengeti stay between two areas rather than spend it all in one camp. It gives you two different landscapes, and a far better chance of being in the right place at the right time.
Areas within the park
Central Serengeti (Seronera)
Resident game all year, with the Seronera River well known for leopard. The busiest part of the park, but central for every season.
Southern plains (Ndutu and Kusini)
Where the herds calve from January to March, with intense predator action. Ndutu itself lies just inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Western corridor and Grumeti
The herds pass through around May to July, crossing the Grumeti River. Includes the private Grumeti Reserves, which have their own page.
Northern Serengeti (Lamai and Kogatende)
Mara River crossings from July to October. Remote and quiet for the rest of the year.
Eastern plains
Open short-grass plains and granite kopjes, known for cheetah and big lion prides, with very few vehicles.
When to go
A guide only: the herds follow the rain, and their timing shifts by a few weeks from year to year. The central Serengeti has good game all year.
Where to stay
Serengeti, Tanzania
Serengeti Safari Camp
$1,000 – $1,445
Serengeti, Tanzania
Namiri Plains Camp
$1,400 – $2,320
Serengeti, Tanzania
Mila Tented Camp
$1,370 – $1,680
Serengeti, Tanzania
Ubuntu Migration Camp
$780 – $1,120
Serengeti, Tanzania
Kusini Serengeti
$1,000 – $1,445
Serengeti, Tanzania
Lemala Ewanjan
$624 – $868
Serengeti, Tanzania
Serengeti Walking Camp
From $675
Serengeti, Tanzania
Lamai Serengeti
$990 – $2,365
Safaris that go here
10 Days Naboisho, Eastern Serengeti and Ruaha
Nairobi › Naboisho › Eastern Serengeti › Ruaha
From US$17,654 pp · 2026 rate
A flying safari across Kenya and Tanzania, staying in a private conservancy, a remote corner of the Serengeti and Ruaha, Tanzania's great southern wilderness
9 Nights Chem Chem, Ngorongoro and Northern Serengeti
Arusha › Burunge WMA › Lake Manyara › Tarangire › Ngorongoro › Northern Serengeti
2027 rates on request
A private-guided safari through three of northern Tanzania's most distinct landscapes, travelling by road through the north and flying to the far northern Serengeti
9 Nights Tarangire, Serengeti and Masai Mara
Arusha › Tarangire › Southern Serengeti › Masai Mara
From US$13,450 pp · 2026 rate
A flying safari across one great ecosystem and two countries: Tarangire's elephants, the Serengeti migration and the Masai Mara, staying at three camps chosen for their wildlife
Ngorongoro’s Rim to Serengeti’s Herds – 7 Days
Ngorongoro › Southern Serengeti
2027 rates on request
7 Days Privately Guided Safari to Northern Tanzania visiting: 3 nights Ngorongoro Crater at Entamanu Ngorongoro and 3 nights Southern Serengeti at Kusini Serengeti. Drive in / Fly out
Passage to Kusini – 7 Days
Tarangire › Randilen WMA › Ngorongoro › Southern Serengeti
2027 rates on request
This 7 Day Privately Guided Safari to Northern Tanzania, visits Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and Southern Serengeti National Park. Your skilled guide will collect you from Kilimanjaro airport and…
Northern Tanzania Through Kusini – 9 Days
Tarangire › Randilen WMA › Ngorongoro › Northern Serengeti
From US$8,745 pp · 2026 rate
This 9 Day Privately Guided Safari to Northern Tanzania, visits Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and 2 locations in Serengeti National Park. Your skilled guide will collect you from Kilimanjaro…
Combine with
Grumeti ReservesNgorongoroMwiba Wildlife ReserveTarangireZanzibar
Questions
When is the best time to see the Great Migration?
It depends on what you want to see. January to March is calving season on the southern plains. July to October is the season for river crossings in the north. The herds are on the move in between, through the west and centre.
How many nights should I spend in the Serengeti?
Four to six nights, ideally split between two areas so you see different landscapes and give yourself the best chance with the migration.
Is it better to fly or drive to the Serengeti?
Flying from Arusha takes about an hour and saves a long day on the road. Driving lets you combine Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro on the way in, so many trips drive in and fly out.
Can I go on a balloon safari in the Serengeti?
Yes. Balloon flights run at dawn in the central, southern, western and northern Serengeti, depending on the season, and are best booked in advance.
Plan a safari to Serengeti
Tell us roughly when and how you would like to travel, and we will reply with ideas and a detailed quote within one working day.