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Serengeti National Park Overview
Serengeti National Park quite simply offers the finest game viewing
anywhere in Africa. Unrivaled concentrations of wildlife, stunningly
beautiful landscapes and vast pristine areas make Serengeti National
Park our pick for the best national park in the whole of Africa.
With so much hype and praise surrounding the Serengeti, you might
expect to be disappointed upon finally visiting this infamous park.
However, it really is this good and you will undoubtedly fall in
love with this last great wilderness (we certainly did). Even in
the dry season (July – October) when the great herds have
retreated into the woodlands from the plains, game viewing in Serengeti
National Park still rivals that of any park in Africa.
The Serengeti National Park is a massive park encompassing 5,700
square miles, and as one of our customers best said it, ‘even
during the high season there are only a few hundred vehicles roaming
around an area the size of Connecticut.’ The greater Serengeti
ecosystem encompasses 10,395 square miles (the size of Massachusetts)
and includes many other game reserves and conservation areas including
the Ngorongoro, Masai Mara, Loliondo, Masawa, Grumeti and Ikorongo
reserves. This is a more relevant figure as there are no fences
and many of the animals freely migrate in and out of the official
park borders. Additionally, many of our safari itineraries include
some time in these adjacent game reserves and conservation areas
as game viewing can be just as rewarding during certain times of
year. The Serengeti National Park is about 90 miles wide (west to
east) and about 120 miles long (north to south). The surrounding
Serengeti National Park ecosystem is roughly double this size.
The Serengeti National Park ecosystem supports not only the largest
herds of migrating ungulates but also the highest concentrations
of large predators in the world. At a quick glance, the numbers
are astonishing. Estimates put the wildebeest at about 1.7 million,
zebras at 250,000 and Thomson's gazelles at about 440,000. Hyenas
are the most numerous of the large carnivores at about 9,000, lions
at 2,800 and leopards at about 1,000. In general, cheetahs live
at much lower densities than other large predators. However, the
Serengeti boasts the highest density of cheetah in Africa (at certain
times of year) with up to 40 animals per 60 square miles found on
short grass plains during the wet season.
The Serengeti National Park is the most famous national park in
Africa and is the best place for wildlife viewing for a variety
of reasons. First of all, the variety and abundance of animals you
will likely encounter exploring the Serengeti is far greater then
any other park in Africa. With a couple well-planned days (adjusted
for seasonal wildlife movements), you will likely encounter representatives
of just about every large and medium sized animal in East Africa.
Every day, every game drive and every horizon brings new, exciting
and unexpected wildlife encounters.
Second, the Serengeti National Park offers exceptional year round
game viewing. Though much of the wildlife in the Serengeti is migratory,
abundant wildlife concentrations can be found throughout the year
by basing yourself in the appropriate areas depending on your specific
month of travel. Additionally, resident animals are plentiful. Regardless
of when you travel, both resident and migratory animals can be found
due to the size and nature of the Serengeti.
Third, the Serengeti encompasses a massive and pristine wilderness
area. Thousands of square miles filled with plentiful wildlife beckon
your exploration. Because of its large size, the Serengeti has retained
a raw and wild feel that many of the other parks in Africa have
lost. There are a few areas of the Serengeti including the Seronera
Valley that may feel congested during peak travel months. Once outside
these tourist areas and off the main arteries, you will likely encounter
very few other visitors. The unpredictability of such a large area
filled with so many large carnivores and herbivores makes for an
adventure of the grandest proportion.
Fourth, the Serengeti ecosystem encompasses a variety of habitats
providing for a diverse and well-rounded safari. There are short
grass plains, long grass savannahs, riverine areas, open woodlands,
thick bush, wetlands, mountains and lakes. The south and east are
home to the famous Serengeti plains where over two million animals
congregate in the wet season. The central areas are home to the
Serengeti’s famous lion prides and resident leopards. The
remote western and northern corridors are home to the woodlands
and offer wild and off the beaten path game viewing.
Lastly, the Serengeti rests on huge plateau situated at an altitude
ranging from 6,000 feet in the east to 4,000 feet in the west. This
means that the strong equatorial sun is tempered and conditions
are ideal for comfortable game viewing. The weather is generally
pleasant and temperatures rarely exceed 85 degrees. This is in stark
contrast to the many hot and humid areas found in low-lying areas
throughout Africa.
Serengeti Wildlife Census
The Serengeti ecosystem contains the greatest remaining concentration
of plains animals in the world. The below data is based upon the
latest census data available, which was conducted from 1989 –
1991. The counts are for the entire Serengeti Ecosystem including
adjacent game reserves.
Large and Medium Size Animals in the Serengeti Ecosystem:
Herbivores:
Wildebeest: 1,686,079
Zebra: 257,387
Thomson’s gazelle: 440,845
Grant’s gazelle: 31,276
Eland: 13,813
Impala: 109,677
Topi: 77,966
Buffalo: 67,339
Hartbeest: 22,771
Giraffe: 12,450
Warthog: 5,624
Waterbuck: 1,418
Ostrich: 6,604
Elephant: 2,000 – 4,000
Black Rhinoceros: 12
Predators:
Lion: 2,800
Hyena: 9,000
Leopard: 1,000
Cheetah: 500
Wild Dog: Rare (1-2 transient packs)
Black Back Jackal: 6,300
Mongoose (all species): 130,000
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