Serengeti National Park was established in 1940, after the government of Tanganyika established a system of national parks compliant with the Convention Relative to the Preservation of Fauna and Flora in their Natural State. It was granted strict protection in 1948 when the Serengeti National Park Board of Trustees was formed to administer the national park. The government restricted the movements of the resident Maasai people, and the park boundaries were finalized in 1951. Later in 1950's, an area of 8,300 km2 (3,200 sq mi) was split off in the eastern part of the national park and re-established as Ngorongoro Conservation Area intended to accommodate the traditional land use interests of the Maasai people in a multiple land use area. Serengeti National Park was among the first sites to be listed as a World Heritage Site at 1972 Stockholm conference. It was formally established in 1981.
A magnificent collection of wild animals, stunning landscapes with wide open spaces for as far as the eye can see, superb year round climate and internationally acclaimed accommodation which ranges from exclusive luxury Tented Camps and safari lodges to budget camping options, Serengeti ticks all the right boxes when it comes to visiting a stunning destination in Africa. Many thousands of travelers also specially come to see the world famous annual wildebeest migration when a million plus wild animals migrate north from Serengeti in Tanzania to Masai Mara.
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Giraffe pictured in the Serengeti
The Serengeti stretches 14,763 (5,700 sq miles) stretching North to Kenya and bordering Lake Victoria to the West. The park is part of a much larger eco system which includes the bordering Masai Mara National Reserve, ( located south east Kenya). Serengeti covers a larger area of approximately 25,000 sq km, equivalent to 9,700 sq miles. The two major rainfall seasons typical to Tanzania also loosely apply to Serengeti, with the months from April to May and September to November seeing brief rainly spells nonetheless accompanied by hours of sunshine.
The terrain in the park is typically open grassland and rolling hills, punctuated by a non-seasonal Mara River ( scene of the migration crossings) and seasonal riverlets.
Some basic geographical facts are as below:
Altitude: 1,480–2,280 m approx (4,900–7,200 ft);
Rainfall: 85 mm (3.4 inches) per month;
Temperature range: 12–31 °C (54–87 °F)
Typical Serengeti Landscape ~ Grassland dotted with short Trees known as "Desert Dates" (Botanical Name: Balanites Aegyptiaca)
Stunning Views of Serengeti National Park.
The Maasai are one of East Africa's famous nomadic tribes
Arguably the single most iconic tribe in Africa, the Maasai are nomadic pastrolists who traditionally make a living out of herding cattle. Originally a Nilotic ethnic group which is said to have migrated centuries ago from the semi arid Nile valley north of Lake Turkana, the Maasai inhabit the region around Serengeti and Masai Mara as well as large portions of Great Rift Valley. The Maasai have their unique nomadic culture and way of life not to mention their traditonal dress of red or brightly colored ''shukas'' or body drapes.
Though Wildebeest are the most numerous of the many mammals found in Serengeti, there are healthy numbers of a richly diverse wildlife eco system, and it is possible to see in a single gamedrive not just the Big Five ( Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo and Rhino ) but much more to include the Big Nine such as Cheetah as well. There are also over 450 species of Birds recorded in the Serengeti Eco system.
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Herds of Wildebeest make the annual trek across Serengeti into Masai Mara
One of the most spectacular events of nature, the wildebeest migration is the mass movement of over a million plus animals including wildebeest, antelope, Zebra and the Big Cats such as Lion from Serengeti into Masai Mara. The migration is actually a continuous year long clockwise movement encompassing Serengeti in Tanzania and Masai Mara in Kenya, influenced by a number of factors including weather, pasture and mating~birthing cycles.
Click here to read more about the Wildebeest MigrationPlanning a Safari to Serengeti or for that matter a Tanzania Safari is often a challenge for any traveler due to the complexity of options and variables available both online and offline via traditional travel agents. Here are some basics which could help you plan a better all round Safari in Tanzania or Africa.
How to Plan and book a Safari to Serengeti, Tanzania
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