Premier safari adventures across vast, dramatic landscapes
The Serengeti is one of the world’s most famous national parks, annually hosting the Great Migration of over 1.5 million wildebeest and 250,000 zebra who follow the grass to and from the neighbouring Maasai Mara in Kenya, as well as an incredible variety of wildlife which is resident year-round.
At 14,750 square kilometres (5,700 square miles), roughly the same size as Connecticut, its name derives from the Maasai siringet which means ‘the place where the land runs on forever’, an apt way to describe its panoramic savannah plains which stretch to the horizon. Dotted with umbrella acacia and tumescent baobabs, wandering giraffe, dozing lion prides, lumbering elephant herds and cheetahs on the lookout from atop termite mounds, it is the quintessential East African landscape.
Spanning almost to Lake Victoria, the Western Corridor follows the forested courses of the Mbalageti and Grumeti Rivers. It is on the south banks of that latter where the migration concentrates between May and June, exhausting the grass before braving the enormous Nile crocodiles that have been lying in wait for many months in an incredibly dramatic safari spectacle.
Across the river is the private Grumeti Reserve and the remote (and therefore quiet) northern stretch of the park toward the border with Kenya. The migration reaches the Mara by September and October though many animals still remaining on the Tanzanian side, turning south in November and reaching the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti in December and spreading out across a huge area including the Mwiba Wildlife Reserve and Ngorongoro Conservation Area before calving in February.
The centre of the Serengeti, around Seronera, has some fabulous wildlife on offer, even after the migration passes through on its way northward April and May, but it is also one of the busiest areas, and we prefer to plan safaris to quieter, more remote areas of park (or one of the exclusive private reserves which border it) for the best safari experience depending on when you want to travel. We can also arrange stays at a number of mobile safari camps which move every few months following the migration, which work well paired a stay at a permanent luxury lodge.
Highlights
Visit the park in July and August to witness wildebeest dramatically cross the Mara River on their Great Migration
Experience the pristine natural atmosphere at the break of dawn on exciting morning game drives
Visit the central serengeti at any time of the year to witness the areas excellent resident wildlife
Soar high over herds of wildlife on hot air balloon safaris
Enjoy the mesmerising African sky with star gazing activities from your camp
Let your expert safari guides lead you through the natural wonders of the Serengeti on exciting bush walks
Amie Larsen
Travel Designer
The Serengeti for me is one of the ultimate safari destinations in Africa. It's a pristine wilderness that seems so vast, full of such incredible wildlife, it’s hard to comprehend. For me, hearing the thundering roar of a lion echoing through the night while tucked up in my safari tent is a Serengeti memory I’ll never forget.
Amie Larsen
Travel Designer
Luxury accommodation in The Serengeti National Park
Why book with Jacada?
Personalised design
We’ll plan your trip around your specific interests, tastes and preferences, providing helpful tips and honest advice based on first-hand knowledge of the destination.
Authentic experiences
Our expert guides and brilliant travel concierges are hand-picked to provide a genuine experience, bringing your destination to life with care and passion.
Responsible travel
Our luxury trips are designed with responsible travel principles that prioritise travel experiences that are both good for you and good for the planet.
Trip inspiration
Whatever you want from your Serengeti tour, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.
Discover more of Tanzania
Arusha
Arguably the Safari Capital of East Africa, Arusha is a bustling city in northern Tanzania and the main hub for those who are going to be embarking on a safari in this extensively game rich country.
Discover moreKatavi National Park
For safari experts, the isolated Katavi National Park comes highly recommended. With a combination of grassland plains, marshland, rugged hills, woodland, lakes and rivers, this multifaceted region of Tanzania is home to a dense and varied wildlife quotient - including predators.
Discover moreKilimanjaro Climb
The mighty Mount Kilimanjaro, or ‘The Roof of Africa’, is the continent’s highest mountain. To reach this dormant volcano’s snow-capped peak, hikers have to embark on a challenging yet epic journey. As you ascend the mountain you will camp from point to point, enjoying staggering sights along the way.
Discover moreLake Manyara
Lake Manyara has an abundance of animal species ranging from baboons, blue monkeys and bushbuck in its evergreen forests, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe and zebra on its flood plains. Its acacia woodland is popular amongst its leopards and tree-climbing lions. One of the main draws to the park is its variation of birdlife.
Discover moreMahale Mountains
Sitting right by the longest freshwater lake in the world, Mahale Mountains is the best place to visit for spotting chimpanzees in Tanzania. The region also offers plenty of opportunities to spot birds and aquatic life of all kinds.
Discover moreMwiba Wildlife Reserve
Marking the southernmost point of the wildebeest’s migration loop, Mwiba Wildlife Reserve is where the herds spread out across the wider region to calve between January and March. There is only one permanent camp option so you’re guaranteed unbeatable privacy and exclusivity. There is also the possibility of setting off on night drives.
Discover moreNgorongoro Crater
Extending almost 20 kilometres in diameter, the Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world. Outdoor expeditions bring you close to some of Africa’s iconic Big Five. It is also arguably one of the best places to visit in Tanzania for birdwatching.
Discover moreNorth Serengeti
The North Serengeti forms the border with the equally famous Maasai Mara of Kenya. This is the region where the herds are at their most concentrated during the migration, and it’s where you’ll see the infamous river crossings.
Discover moreNyerere National Park
Nyerere National Park is the largest game reserve in all eastern Africa. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region remains relatively untouched by humans but expect to see a huge concentration of elephants (almost half of all of Tanzania’s). With the mighty Rufiji River flowing through the reserve, visitors can also spot crocodiles and hippos.
Discover moreRuaha National Park
Ruaha National Park is the largest national park in Tanzania and East Africa. This pristine area has the same wildlife density and diversity of the Kruger, but with only around 1% of the visitors, so privacy is a given.
Discover moreSingita Grumeti
Singita Grumeti is Tanzania’s largest private reserve. The reserve is exclusive to Singita properties, which means privacy is a given. The region offers unrivalled game viewing experiences, and especially during the Great Wildebeest Migration between the months of June and July.
Discover moreTarangire National Park
Tarangire National Park is home to huge herds of elephants. There are also over 550 bird species including the Yellow-collared Lovebirds and the world’s heaviest flying bird, the Kori Bustard. Depending on the time of the year, you can also see the migratory wildebeest.
Discover moreZanzibar
White sand beaches and a laid back atmosphere are the perfect combination to any adventurous safari. Beachfront hotels, nestled in spice gardens and shrouded in palms are the backdrop to your island activities.
Discover moreMeet your Africa team
When to visit
The migration is usually in the area from July through to September. However, it’s still an excellent place to go right through to November.
River Crossings
July - August
Safari
June - October
Green Season
April - May
Plan your trip to the Serengeti
Whatever you want from your adventure in the Serengeti, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.
All the coordination from the time we entered the country being toured until we left was handled in a seamless and professional manner. Every accommodation was first class, and all employed staff members in the overnight venues were truly professional. The only exception was the airline chosen for internal flights. Their performance was very uneven and disjointed.
We booked our travel to Tanzania and Kenya for our 25th wedding anniversary. Jacada travels This one of the most memorable trips we’ve ever taken. They were always with us throughout the trip without being overbearing and constantly in communication as we were traveling with younger kids. The places that jacads suggested Were top-notch and we felt like we were…
Jacada were amazing all the way from designing our trip to guiding us throughout the journey. Our trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar was truly a once in a lifetime experience. We had knowledgeable, passionate guides on safari and stayed in beautiful accommodations throughout.
Our Tanzania Safari was the second trip through Jacada. Jacada continued to live up to our expectations of personalized experience and attention to detail. Our travel designer (Jamey) and travel concierge (Betty) worked tirelessly to ensure that we had the travel experience we wanted. They took our feedback and made adjustments to the trip. During the trip, we had great…
Jacada was helpful and responsive every step of the process. Jamey Lowis designed our amazing trip to Tanzania. He spent time figuring out what my family was interested in and created the best itinerary. Our Serengeti safari was fabulous. We stayed at the Olakira migration camp, where everyone was wonderful. Our guide, Daniel, was top notch and went out of…
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If you book to travel with us but your plans are impacted by circumstances you can’t control, we’ll change your reservation or cancel your booking for a full credit towards future travel.