As one of the seven natural wonders of Africa and one of the ten natural travel wonders of the world, the Serengeti ecosystem in Northern Tanzania is one of the oldest and most scientifically significant ecosystems on the planet. Its weather patterns, fauna and flora are believed to have changed very little for as long as a million years or more, giving the area an incredible prehistoric presence.
The region contains the Serengeti National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) in Tanzania and several other game reserves, and spans approximately 30,000 km2 (12,000 sq mi) of stunning African landscapes.
The Serengeti has become world-famous for its annual wildebeest migration, an iconic and dramatic scene in wildlife documentaries for decades, and a true bucket list experience.
The migration begins in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area of the southern Serengeti in Tanzania and loops in a clockwise direction through the Serengeti National Park and north towards the Masai Mara reserve in Kenya. This migration is a natural phenomenon determined by the availability of grazing. Over a million wildebeest can be witnessed running across rivers and fields as they fight for their lives from the possibility of getting attacked by various predators including crocodiles.
Even though one can get fully mesmerized by watching the wildebeest, the Serengeti has a prolific array of other wildlife; and big game at that approximately 70 large mammal and 500 bird species are found there.
This high diversity is a function of diverse habitats, including riverine forests, swamps, kopjes, grasslands, and woodlands. Packs of African Wild Dog, prides of Lion (the population here is over 3000), Cheetah, Leopard and Spotted Hyaena are often seen tailing the herds of wildebeest, Plains Zebra and Thompson’s Gazelle. The Serengeti is also home to a diversity of grazers, including African Buffalo, African Elephant, Common Warthog, Common Eland, Waterbuck, and Topi. With so much on the go, it’s not hard to see a full spectrum of African wildlife whilst on safari.
The local Maasai people have a name for the Serengeti; ‘Siringet’ or ‘the land that goes on forever’. Great stretches of grassland dotted with flat-topped Acacia trees give the Serengeti that classic “Out of Africa” feel. Many people claim that the sunsets in the Serengeti are the most spectacular on earth, with the sky turning a palette of pinks, purples and oranges before disappearing over the horizon. The dust that had been kicked up from the migrating wildebeest and the threatening rain clouds sometimes even add to the whole scene. Truly magical!
The Serengeti is blessed with a world of variety not just in its wildlife but also in its accommodation facilities, ranging from basic tents to luxury campsites and bush lodges to suit even the most discerning traveller’s tastes.
Join us on one of our Nature Travel Africa safaris to the iconic Serengeti to witness the magical migration. For more information, visit www.naturetravelafrica.com or enquire at info@naturetravelafrica.com