Visiting the Serengeti has always been one of the most exhilarating experiences of all time. The Serengeti is a vast ecosystem sitting on 31,079 square kilometers in Northern Tanzania, moving all the way to Kenya’s Southwestern region. The area under conservation for wildlife spans an area of 14,503 square kilometers, making it the largest National Park in Africa. It can be visited by air and also by road.
By itself, the Serengeti National Park is not humanly inhabited, though some groups of people such as the Maasai live around northern Tanzania’s and southwestern Kenya’s areas around the Serengeti. Catching the sight of the diverse wildlife in the Serengeti, such as lions, elephants, cheetahs and the famous wildebeests, among others, is the driving force behind why you should consider visiting the ecosystem. Below are additional reasons as to why visiting the Serengeti is worth it.
1. Wildebeest Spend Most of Their Time Here During Their Annual Migration
Over 1.5 million wildebeest find their habitat within the Serengeti National Park. Annually, almost 500,000 are born within the ecosystem between January and March. Throughout April and May, the massive herds remain in Serengeti and then begin a slow journey north toward Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve, searching for water and fresh, greener pastures.
The Great Migration begins in late July at the Kenya border, as hundreds of thousands of wildebeest spectacularly cross the Mara River to Kenya’s Masai Mara game park. This, therefore, is a year-round phenomenon which can only be witnessed in Africa. Every migration proves extraordinary and spectacular. It cannot be flagged off as one already witnessed.
2. The Hot Air Balloon Rides Are Absolutely Breathtaking
Driving off-road is prohibited in the Serengeti National Park. On-road, guided journeys are encouraged. However, hot air balloon rides are the most interesting of all journeys. The huge, cozy balloons are capable of accommodating between 8 and 16 people per voyage. Therefore, you should never be worried about how to travel if visiting the National Park as a family. You will enjoy the hot air balloon rides with all your family members.
At manageable rates of at most USD 599, the tourists are transported from their point of accommodation to the balloon flight site and a champagne breakfast is served after the flight! The flight usually lasts between 50 and 70 minutes depending on the distance to be covered. Up there, you would enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the expansive ecosystem and the wildlife and also take all sorts of photographs through the large windows.
3. The Serengeti Has Some Of The Best Safari Accommodations
If you’re visiting for a number of days, after every few days, the guides will be moving you from one camping site to the other. The Serengeti ecosystem is dotted with luxurious hotels, lodges and campsites, offering you the best camping experience throughout your Safari. Serengeti Pioneer Camp, Karibu Lodges, Sayari Mara camp and the Four Seasons Safari Lodge are some of the luxurious accommodation lodges and camps visitors enjoy.
Though all go at affordable rates, you have a long list to make your choice from, after comparing prices and location. This makes Serengeti easy to stay in, ranking it as one of the best places for a visit. Moving from one accommodation site to the other is also seamless as one is allowed to choose freely on where to stay.
4. The Sunsets Over The Endless Plains Are A Photographers Dream
Early morning sunrises and the evening sunsets mark the time when the wild animals are highly active and visible. Sunsets are the photographers’ favorites, however, since they pant to get shots of the happy animals going to rest after a long day of feeding and socializing.
As the sun sets in the Serengeti National Park, the Waters in the nearby lake Victoria refract the sun rays from Lake Victoria, creating a very catchy phenomenon.
The myriad plains, which define the naming of the ecosystem as Serengeti (meaning endless plains) make every shot spectacular and different, making the visitors not get enough of the wonderful experience. Therefore, while packing for your Safari to the Serengeti National Park, have a camera to capture and store the memories of your Safari where they cannot be erased.
5. It Is Incredibly Easy To Move Between Kenya And Tanzania
Animals can pass freely between the Kenya-Tanzania borders because the Serengeti ecosystem in Tanzania connects with Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve. However, humans do not have the same freedom since international borders are different when it comes to the wild animals of Africa. Nonetheless, people travel easily in and out of the two countries.
Both Kenya and Tanzania use an online eVisa service to make the process faster and remotely accessible. One can then travel by plane, bus, taxi or car. With the Serengeti in Tanzania connecting with the Masai Mara in Kenya, moving from one ecosystem to the other is usually quite easy and breathtaking.
Though a visa is important, especially for visitors from outside Kenya and Tanzania, a temporary pass or entry visa is also issued to Kenyans and Tanzanians wishing to visit any of the two countries for a short period, making it easy to visit any of the two countries and get back.
6. There Is A Great Variety Of Wildlife To Look Out For
The most interesting thing about visiting Serengeti is that it offers you a chance to see a vast number of wild animals, all under one roof. Though most people visit the National Park to catch a sight of the big five, many other wild animals dot the game park. Besides over 1.5 million wildebeest, hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles, giraffes and cheetahs also make Serengeti your favorite National Park.
While traversing the vast ecosystem, the guides scan the habitats and any possible marks and signs left by the animals and offer explanations to the tourists. This makes it easy to detect the presence of any specific animal of interest to the visitors and prepares them for the sight awaiting them. Every moment at Serengeti turns out to be an exhilarating experience never to escape from your mind.