Why Tanzania’s Serengeti is a Dream Destination for Wildlife Lovers

Looking for a place where you can satisfy your inner wildlife enthusiast while going on a vacation? Do you love being surrounded by the raw beauty that nature has to offer while watching the diverse wildlife and the complex prey-predator relationships around you?

Well, if this sounds like you, we’ve got just the right place for you! Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park is the ideal vacation spot for you. The Great Migration of the Serengeti, also known as one of the “USA Today’s Seven Wonders of the World”, is an immensely majestic phenomenon that will leave you stunned. Watch as close to 2 million herbivores migrate from Serengeti to the Masai in Kenya, following the rains in search of food and water.

However, that’s not the only event Serengeti has to offer!

Here are other reasons why Tanzania’s Serengeti is a dream destination for wildlife lovers:

The Big 5:

• The Big five include lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and black rhinos.
• The Serengeti is home to large prides of lions, and they are fairly easy to spot. You’ll probably spot them doing what they love the most: napping under a tree!
• Leopards, also known as the “Princes of Darkness”, are the shyest and elusive of the big five. Masters at the art of hide-and-seek, they’ll just hide away if they don’t want to be seen. In the Serengeti, you will most likely spot a leopard resting on a tree branch, especially on the large branches of sausage trees. Therefore, never forget to look up: a leopard might be enjoying his lunch on a tree so that lions and other predators don’t bother it!
• Buffalos are one of Africa’s most dangerous animals with very few predators other than lions. Buffalos need to drink every day, so they are often found at waterholes. There’s a good chance you’ll see herds of them around sources of water!
• The African Elephant is the world's largest land animal, and in Serengeti, these grey giants roam the plains and disappear into the woodlands.
• There are two types of Rhinos in the Serengeti: white and black. Unfortunately, because of rhino poaching (their horn is worth more than its weight in gold) their number has drastically decreased from 1000 to around 70, making them super difficult to spot.

Birds:

• For bird enthusiasts, there are more than 500 species in the park, including a few Tanzanian endemic species, such as Fischer’s lovebird, grey-breasted spurfowl and Rufous-tailed weaver. Other birding highlights include kori bustard, secretary bird, usambiro barbet, yellow-throated sandgrouse, grey-crested helmet shrike, and Hildebrant’s starling.
• Luckily, bird watching in Serengeti is good year-round! However, it’s at its very best between early November and late April. Not only is this the prime time when European and North African migratory birds are present, but it is also the nesting time for resident species.

Other Big Animals:

• The very best place to spot hippos is at the Serengeti Hippo Pool, located in Mageso Chember. Here, you’ll find countless hippos squished tightly together in a small lake.
• As participants in the Great Migration, your chances of seeing zebras in Serengeti National Park are extremely good, especially during the wet season. Keep an eye out for the massive herds - after all, over 200,000 zebras live in the park!
• The giraffe is the national animal of Tanzania, which means giraffes are fiercely protected by the government. You’ll be able to find large herds (sometimes up to forty or more!) of Masai giraffes roaming the plains of the Serengeti.

So, what are you waiting for? Visit Serengeti and let your inner Animal Planet enthusiast enjoy animal heaven!

While you’re there, you might also want to check out the Expert Guide on Selous Game Reserve Tanzania