The southern plains
Short grass over volcanic soil, almost treeless, and the calving grounds from roughly January to March. Sightlines run for kilometres, which makes predator activity unusually visible.
Northern Tanzania
Serengeti
Endless plains, resident predators, and the rhythm of the migration.
- Country
- Tanzania
- Area
- Roughly 14,750 km²
- Getting there
- Light aircraft from Arusha, or driven via Ngorongoro
- Suggested stay
- 3 – 5 nights
Why go
The Serengeti is less a single place than a system — short-grass plains in the south, granite kopjes and river country through the middle, and woodland and river crossings in the north. The wildlife moves through it continuously, and where you stay matters more than how long you stay.
We plan Serengeti time around the season first and the camp second. In February that means the calving grounds near Ndutu; from July it usually means the north, within reach of the Mara River.
Seronera and the kopjes
The central corridor holds water year-round, so it holds resident lion, leopard and cheetah year-round too. It is busier than the rest of the park, and worth an early start.
The northern crossings
From July into October the herds gather along the Mara River. Crossings cannot be scheduled — you position, you wait, and sometimes you wait again the next day.
Through the year
- January – March
- Calving in the south. Concentrated predator activity, soft light, green plains.
- April – May
- Long rains. Quiet, green and good value; some tracks are difficult.
- June – October
- Dry season. Herds move north; river crossings build from July.
- November – December
- Short rains and the return south. Dramatic skies, few vehicles.
Safaris that include Serengeti
All safarisSerengeti & Ngorongoro
Open plains at first light, a descent into the crater floor, and unhurried afternoons where the only schedule is the one the wildlife keeps.
Best months: June – October, January – MarchPace: BalancedFrom On request
The Great Migration
Follow the herds across the Mara River and the western corridor, timed season by season with guides who read the grass before the guidebooks do.
Best months: July – OctoberPace: ActiveFrom On request
Nearby regions
- Ngorongoro
A caldera of extraordinary density, best entered before the light arrives.
- Zanzibar
Indian Ocean quiet, dhow sails and slow days to close a journey.
- Tarangire
Baobab country and elephant herds along the river.
- Nyerere
Boat safaris on the Rufiji and wilderness on a scale that is hard to picture.