Serengeti National Park

Spanning across 5,700 square miles of savannah, the Serengeti National Park is a valued destination both for safari lovers and migrating herds of wildlife. Located in the northern region of Tanzania, bordering Kenya and its Maasai Mara Game Reserve, the Serengeti is not only Tanzania's oldest national park, but also holds large numbers of a vast array of wildlife. It was declared a partial game reserve by the British in 1921 due to the over-hunting of lions, and in 1929 it became a full game reserve.

The diverse palate of the Serengeti landscape provides habitats for many different wildlife. The almost treeless grasslands of the Serengeti Plains provide the perfect habitat for breeding wildebeest during the Great Migration. Black clay soil covers a swamp savannah, making a home for Nile crocodiles, colobus monkeys and martial eagles. Elephant, giraffe and dik dik could be found in the open woodlands and hills.

The region also holds the largest population of lions due to the abundance of prey species available. The increase in numbers of wildebeest and zebra provide them with enough sustenance to thrive in this erratic climate. The intense rains bring lush vegetation to the Serengeti, but the gradual onset of the dry season forces many of the migrating herds to continue on to greener lands. 

In order to preserve the wildlife populations in the Serengeti, the resident Maasai people who lived on the plains were relocated to the Ngorongoro Highlands. UNESCO has declared the park a World Heritage Site and the region has been great interest not only to tourists but also to researchers. Dr. Bernhard Grizmek did aerial surveys of the region's wildlife which resulted in the best-selling classic, "Serengeti Shall Not Die".

Experience the beautiful landscapes and exciting wildlife encounters in the Serengeti National Park on many of our Tanzania safari vacations.