Sections in Serengeti National Park
Serengeti National Park is considered the best national park in Tanzania, it covers more than 12, 000 square kilometers and borders Kenyan, where it connects with the Masai Mara National Reserve, creating the Serengeti Mara ecosystem. The park is divided into Four main sections: the central, southern, western, and northern section. Each part of the Serengeti has its own unique beauty, features and wildlife, making it a fantastic place for safaris and game drives.
It’s a good ideal to visit all these sections while on a Tanzania safari in Serengeti National Park. Planning you trip at the right time is important, especially if you want to see the famous wildebeest migration. Most visitors go to the southern Serengeti from Late December to March or April to witness the migration. The center and western sections are best from late April to early July, while the northern section is ideal from mid-July to early November. The park’s wildlife activities tend to slow down from mid-November to mid-December, which is also a good time to visit for a quieter experience. Today, let’s take a closer look at the different sections of Serengeti National Park.
Serengeti Central region
The Central Serengeti, lying at the heart of this spectacular national park, is the most popular section in the park. The central section is famous for its great migration spot in the park. From April to June, herds of animals move north through this area, and then they come back south from October to December. Some of the best places in Central Serengeti to watch the herds include the Seronera Valley and Seronera River, as well as Moru Kopjes, Simba Kopjes and Maasai Kopjes.
If you interested in seeing big cats, the Seronera is the place to go. It’s known as the top location for spotting predators like lions, leopards and cheetah on their hunts. The Seronera River keeps flowing all year round, bringing many animals and making it a great place for sightings. keep in mind, this is also the busiest part of the Serengeti, with many lodges and camps for visitors.
The Northern section of Serengeti National Park
the Northern section of the Serengeti National Park is a vast, untouched area filled with rolling hills covered in tress, open grasslands, and large granite rock formation. This region extends about 55 miles north from Seronera, which is in the middle of the Serengeti, all the way to Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve.
Because it is so remote, the Northern Serengeti is less visited than other sections of the park, like the central Serengeti. The areas of Kogatende, Lobo, and Loliondo are especially hard to access. This section also offers visitors with stunning great views of the wildebeest migration and other interesting animals. Other animals that can be seen within the Northern part of the Serengeti National Park include the giraffes, crocodiles, hippos, elephants, and lions. This is also the best and wonderful section where you will be able to spot the fantastic Rare Oribi antelope and this is great and much interesting for you to see some of the animals that you have never been seen.
Most of the animals seen here are lazy and tired because they have crossed the river and have traveled long distances remember they use a lot of energy as they are escaping the predators. Most of the wild animals here make good use of the riverbank plants for shade. You can find animals like mongoose, bush babies, and hydras around this area. Many nocturnal animals often rest in the nearby fig trees during the day. Additionally, birds such as vultures are commonly seen in this part of Serengeti National Park.
Despite this, the northern section offers some of the best luxury camps and lodges in the country. in July and august, visitors often see the famous crossing of the mar river, and these are opportunities for walking safaris and off-road adventure in serval spots in the north.
The western section of Serengeti National Park
The western section of Serengeti National Park is known as the western corridor. It features the Grumeti River and is filled with many forest reserves and dense forests. This section looks like a big valley stretching from east to west, with steep slopes on both the north and south side. Around let April to June, many wild animals like zebras, eland, and impalas gather south of the river. Watching a hunter in action here isn’t very exciting, but the real dangers of these animals are the Nile crocodiles and the trickly waters ahead. Many animals don’t make it through this part of their journey.
On a Serengeti safari in this western corridor, you’ll be treated to a stunning view of lush green landscape that seem to go on forever, all under a bright blue sky. This corridor, which leads to Lake Victoria, is approximately fifty meters long. You might also see rare animals like the Colobus monkey, Nile crocodiles, massive groups of topi pronghorns, elephants, and big predators that often come together here.
The Grumeti river is home to many animal species, some of which are quite rare. you could spot animals like L’Hoest’s monkey, pantas monkeys, and the river harbors the best destination. Outside the Serengeti National Park, guided wildlife walks are allowing, giving visitors a chance to see a variety of bird species such as Gray-breasted spike fowl, head guardian shrike, Rufus-followed weaver, and Fischer’s lovebird, among hundreds of others. Night game drives are also allowed in this part of Serengeti, offering a unique experience to see wildlife after dark.
Southern Serengeti
The Great Migration officially kicks off in the Southern Serengeti. During this time, hundreds of thousands of calves are born over just a few weeks in February, which is part of the calving season. The Southern Plains of the Serengeti are easy to access and offer a great chance to see herds from December to March. This best time to visit is during February when the calves are being born, though wildlife sightings can be less frequent during the dry months. By March, the wildebeest calves have been born and start gathering around Lake Ndutu before moving north again.
On daily game drives in the Southern Serengeti, visitors can see the Great Migration unfold. This could mean witnessing newborn wildebeest taking their first steps on the lush green plains in the early months of the year, or vast herds on the move as they track their course northwards towards the Masai Mara. The Southern Serengeti is one of the few areas where you can watch the Great Migration journey – herds returning in December as the green season begins, calves being born in January and February and herds leaving as the grass begins to dry towards the end of the rainy season.