Weather
Occasional showers can be expected in December. The rains from early
November to late March are usually sporadic and typically do not last
for more then a few hours. There is a chance of heavier rain during
this period but during most years the heavier rains fall in April. These
expected sporadic showers do not usually pose much of an inconvenience
while game driving. If it does rain, it will usually clear in 1-2 hours
and more then likely the rain will be localized. It is rare that rain
clouds will settle over a large area for an extended period of time.
Rain falls in different amounts over various locations throughout Northern
Tanzania. The Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire and Lake Manyara receive
higher rainfall then many parts of the Serengeti. There is a steep rainfall
gradient in the Serengeti from the dry southeast to the wet northwest.
The winds that bring rain blow from the east. The Ngorongoro Highlands
block much of the rain from reaching the eastern and southern plains
of the Serengeti. However, the western and northern parts of the Serengeti
receive a much greater amount (2-3 times more) of participation as compared
to the southern and eastern Serengeti. The wetter western and northern
Serengeti areas are affected by Lake Victoria. This means that in the
southern Serengeti where you should ideally focus your December safari,
the rains should not be an issue and it will rain substantially less
then the other areas of the Serengeti and Tanzania.
Temperatures are pleasant with an average high of 83 degrees and an
average low of 60 degrees. However, the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater
can get quite cold at night and in the early morning. Visitor numbers
will be low in early December and very high in late December with the
New Year's crowd. The good news is that the vast majority of people
are on package tours staying at the main lodges and zipping around the
main roads in only a few popular areas. With careful planning we can
customize your safari so you will encounter more lions than people in
even late December.
Seasonal Wildlife Highlights
Serengeti National Park
Northern Serengeti (Woodlands)
Not recommended during December.
Western Serengeti (Woodlands)
Not recommended during December.
Central Serengeti (Plains/Woodlands Border)
December Recommended Duration of Game Drives: 1 - 2 Days
December Wildlife Highlights: Leopard, Lion, Giraffe, Impala, Buffalo,
Hippo
The Central Serengeti offers superb game viewing year round due to the
abundance of resident animals. Specifically, the Seronera River Valley
in the Central Serengeti is a ‘must see’ on every safari
regardless of the specific month of travel. Game viewing is better during
the dry season (June - October) but during the wet season including
December there is still plenty of resident animal action. Resident herbivores
include impala, buffalo, hippo, warthog, topi, hartebeest and giraffe.
Resident carnivores include lion and leopard.
There are 12 documented resident lion prides just within a one-hour
game drive radius from Seronera. All these prides do shift east and
south in their territories during the wet season but they are still
reachable though not in the same numbers found during the dry season.
The Seronera Valley in the Central Serengeti is also one of the best
areas in Africa to spot the elusive leopard. You will likely encounter
this majestic cat in the branches of the sausage trees that dot the
banks of the Seronera River.
Eastern Serengeti (Plains)
December Recommended Duration of Game Drives: 1 - 2 Days
December Wildlife Highlights: Cheetah, Hyena, Eland Migration, Thomson’s
Gazelle Migration
The Eastern Plains of the Serengeti are extremely seasonal. During the
dry season, you will likely encounter only a few hearty Grant’s
gazelle. However, the eastern plains come to life in the wet season
including December and offer incredible game viewing for certain species
of animals. A day trip at the minimum should be included in every green
season itinerary.
The GOL Kopjes, located on the Eastern Plains, boasts the highest concentrations
of cheetahs in Africa during the wet season. The majority of the cheetahs
in the Serengeti are migratory in that many of them follow the Thomson’s
Gazelle migration to the eastern short grass plains during the wet season
and then back to the Central Serengeti (plains/woodland border) during
the dry season.
The Eastern Plains are also the main wet season range of the giant eland
migration. Additionally, you will likely find large clans of hyenas
numbering up to 30 individuals in a single group. Hyenas are semi-nomadic
and ‘commute’ to the Eastern Plains during the wet season
from their den sites located in the Central Serengeti.
East of the Serengeti way out beyond the GOL Kopjes are the Eastern
Plains of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Hundreds of thousands of
migratory wildebeest range both the southern and eastern plains. You
will likely encounter thousands of wildebeest from the GOL Kopjes, east
through Angata Kiti and into the Salei Plains by the active volcano
Mount Lengai. This is an extremely beautiful and remote area of the
Eastern Plains and if you are adventurous enough to visit you will be
rewarded with superb off the beaten track game viewing.
Southern Serengeti (Plains)
December Recommended Duration of Game Drives: 2 - 4 Days
December Wildlife Highlights: Wildebeest Migration and Zebra Migration,
Lion, Cheetah, Elephant
The Southern Serengeti steals the show in the wet season including December.
The life giving rains that generally begin in mid November and last
through early May trigger the great wildebeest migration into the plains
of the South Serengeti and the northern Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
The green season is a wonderful time to be on safari in the southern
Serengeti and the northern Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Rain means
game in the Serengeti and wildlife should be prolific on the Southern
Serengeti Plains. The southern plains encompass a massive area so it’s
best to locate yourself in more then one area if time allows. The wildebeest
migration will most likely be spread across the now green plains of
the northern NCA and the southern Serengeti. Along with the migration,
predators should be abundant. There should be good cheetah sightings
though not to the extent seen on the Eastern Plains. Lions should be
easily visible, both resident prides and the nomads which have followed
the migration from the woodlands. Elephants can also be found in the
Southern Serengeti in the patches of woodland that dot the plains including
the woodlands around Lake Ndutu and Kusini.
The massive wildebeest herds are usually located just south of the Serengeti
border in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. There will undoubtedly be
smaller herds actually within the Serengeti proper but the main herds
should be located in the extreme south. This makes Olduvai Camp and
Ndutu Lodge in a prime position to catch the herds. Kusini Camp is also
an excellent choice. More Serengeti
National Park Information.
Ngorongoro Crater
December Recommended Duration of Game Drives: 1 - 2 Days
December Wildlife Highlights: Black Rhino, Elephant, Buffalo, Lion,
Cheetah
The Ngorongoro Crater, described as one of the wonders of the world,
is an amazing natural sanctuary not to be missed. Game viewing here
is among the very best Africa has to offer and is excellent at any time
of year. The crater is very small at only about 10 miles across. With
just one game drive in the Crater, it is possible to circumnavigate
the crater several times and see all the main highlights. However, every
safari we offer includes two separate game drives in the Crater over
a course of two days including one early morning 6AM drive. The goal
on the early morning game drive is to be the first person in the Crater
that day. Animals are generally more active in the morning, which makes
the early morning game drive option an excellent choice.
The crater is not a self-contained ecosystem and some animals do migrate
in and out of the surrounding NCA but not in any significant numbers
to warrant tailoring your itinerary. The main factors for planning are
weather and visitor numbers. In December, the crater should be beginning
to turn green which makes it a bit more dramatic and visitor numbers
will be moderate until late December. More Ngorongoro
Crater Information.
Tarangire National Park
December Recommended Duration of Game Drives: 0 - 2 Days
December Wildlife Highlights: Elephant, Giraffe, Impala, Raptors
At 1,600 square miles, Tarangire National Park is much smaller and lesser
known than its famous neighbors to the north. However, during the dry
season wildlife concentrations rival that of the Serengeti. The wildlife
rhythms of Tarangire are almost directly opposite to those of the Serengeti.
Tarangire comes into its own during the dry season (July - November)
when enormous populations of elephants and other animals are drawn to
the Tarangire River and other sources of permanent water within the
park. During the wet season, many of the animals disperse into the surrounding
areas of the greater ecosystem.
During August, September and October, the outlying areas were completely
parched. Massive herds of buffalo, wildebeest, zebra and elephant congregated
around the remaining rivers and swamps inside Tarangire. Sporadic showers
are expected in Tarangire in late October. These showers and the continued
light rains in November disperse the large herds of zebra and wildebeest
into the surrounding ecosystem. It takes a few heavier rains in either
November or December to disperse the larger elephant herds.
By December many of the animals will have dispersed into the greater
ecosystem, as the rains will likely have been sporadic since November.
Wildlife viewing will be fair to good as there are moderate numbers
of resident animals around. Expect to see fairly large concentrations
of elephants but just not massive numbers found in the dry season. With
a little luck, you might see herds numbering up to 100 individuals as
opposed to the 300 or more strong herds commonly found in the drier
months. Lions are still resident within the park but they are generally
more difficult to find in the wet season. Though game viewing will not
be at its best, the landscape will be especially beautiful and there
still should be great elephant encounters.
Due to the above conditions, we generally only recommend Tarangire for
the curious adventures or for longer itineraries during December. Game
viewing in the Serengeti will be superb during December and we feel
that a visit to Tarangire is usually only warranted on longer safaris.
Accordingly, all of our itineraries up to 8 days do not include Tarangire
and only itineraries 9 days or longer incorporate a few nights in this
seasonal park. However, everything is (as always) completely flexible
and we can include even just one night in Tarangire for any December
itinerary. Feel free to give us a call to discuss whether Tarangire
may or may not be a good choice during December. More Tarangire
Information.
Lake Manyara National Park
December Recommended Duration of Game Drives: 0 - 1 Day
December Wildlife Highlights: Elephant, Baboons, Giraffe, Impala, Birding
Game viewing is generally fair to good in Lake Manyara at any time of
year. However, Lake Manyara does not offer the abundance of wildlife
nor quality of wildlife viewing experiences found in the other parks
of Northern Tanzania. Similar to Ngorongoro Crater, seasonal wildlife
patterns are not significant enough to warrant tailoring your itinerary.
Lake Manyara is a beautiful little park and is famous for its tree-climbing
lions, elephants and large troops of baboons. The park is home to an
amazing variety of birds and animals considering its small size. A short
visit to this serene park will greatly diversify your safari experience
as the lush green jungle habitat is of stark contrast to the other parks
you will visit during your safari.
We find that a quick day visit to Lake Manyara before either heading
back towards Kilimanjaro or on the way from the Crater to Tarangire
is sufficient and ideal for most travelers. The park gate is just a
few feet from the main road and this combined with the fact that the
park is small allows for quick and rewarding forays into the park. A
one to four hour visit to Lake Manyara makes a superb addition to any
safari itinerary. More Lake
Manyara Information.
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