Best Time To Visit Serengeti National Park In Tanzania: When is the best time to visit Serengeti for a Tanzania Safari is one of the frequently asked by tourists planning African safari, Serengeti is one of the most epic destinations in the world thanks to its wildlife density offering a superb safari experience regardless of the time of the year you visit.
In Serengeti National Park, temperatures remain steady throughout the year with average lows of about 15℃ and highs of about 27℃. This incredible Tanzania safari park has open savannah plains, the climate is mild and the vegetation is never to dense to see animals.
However, if you are looking for optimal wildlife game viewing conditions, the best time to visit Serengeti National Park is from January to February and June to October. Also, this is the best time to go to Serengeti and Zanzibar beaches for a beach and bush experience.
Month By Month Guide to Visiting Serengeti National Park on a Tanzania Safari
January
This month marks the beginning of the green season in Serengeti, this is when the Serengeti Plains are a beautiful shade of green with flowers blooming, dust levels are minimal and most wildlife species are easier to see.
January is one of the warmest months in Tanzania but the weather is still ideal for wildlife viewing, in this month the famous migration is concentrated in massive numbers in the Ndutu Plains Area (Serengeti Plains). The presence of mass number of wildebeests, zebras and gazelles attract large numbers of predators.
January is the time of the year when various animals give birth to their off springs, this month coincide with the green season and occasional showers can be expected in January. These expected sporadic showers do not usually pose much of an inconvenience while on game drives, it will usually clear in 1-2 hours. However, the western and northern parts of Serengeti National Park receive a much greater amount of precipitation 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 is ideal to visit in January. The rains should not be an issue and it will substantially be less than the other areas of the Serengeti.
February
February is one of the most popular months for safaris in Serengeti National Park and marks the middle of the green season, the Serengeti Plains are lush shade of emerald and there is hardly any dust and the game viewing is excellent. A safari to Serengeti during this time of the year offers an excellent opportunity to witness the spectacular sight of wildebeest calving season of the Great Migration – one of the seven wonders of the natural world.
In this period, around half a million wildebeests are born within 2 to 3 weeks in the vast southern Serengeti plains near Ndutu area, here over 8,000 calves are born in a single day.
While it is certainly adorable and tender sight to witness the birth of new calves, it is essential to remember that this also means that opportunistic predators are always lurking, looking for a way to make a meal of the vulnerable and weak wildebeest calves.
Although the little calves can run few minutes after their birth with the herd, they are still at risk of being preyed upon. These events are a photographer’s dream making this time of the year incredibly special.
March
With the beginning of long rains, March marks the end of the green season. In this period, Serengeti National Park enters a period of low season when number of visitors drop and the migrating herds start to leave the Ndutu area in the southern region of the park and move to the west. During March, the humidity rises but this is the best time to visit Serengeti for discounted rates on accommodation.
Because of the rain, there is a risk of heavier rain which may pose an inconvenience while game drives. This risk is alleviated by the fact that it tends to rain less on the southern Serengeti plains where the best game viewing is found during March.
April
Numbers of visitors start to drop in Serengeti National Park mostly due to the humidity and wet weather during the month. It is not generally the best time to visit Serengeti National Park but if you are a safari enthusiast, April can be an ideal time to get off beaten path and explore the remote corners of the park.
May
The beginning of May see very heavy rainfall and the camp, most of the camps and lodges in Serengeti National Park are relatively quiet. This is not the best time to visit Serengeti for a safari unless you make your way to the central and western regions of the park to follow the Great Migration. Towards the end of May, the weather usually begins to clear and the park begin its season of change.
June
The month of June marks the beginning of the dry season in Serengeti National Park as well as the start of the northward migration wildebeest season. Dry conditions prevail and the occasional afternoon or evening thundershower is a welcome relief.
Wildlife viewing in June can be tremendous when the migration is on the move and the great herds pour through the Central and Western region of the Serengeti.
The number of visitors is still slow in the beginning of June which makes it the best time to visit Serengeti just before the peak season safari. But the number of visitors begin to rise moderately high at the end of June.
July
July is a dry season month which makes it a great time to plan a safari in Serengeti, many visitors flock to the park to witness the Great Migration as it will be surging through the pristine Northern Serengeti. This is also the time for the famous Mara River Crossing.
The dramatic river crossings are exhilarating to watch, but patience is need to witness this spectacle first hand. Wildebeests can take hours to full days to cross the river. The herd eagerly waits for one of their comrades to take the first step-literally.
However, it is quiet a scary prospect going first, there are predators to watch out for with monstrous crocodiles in the river and lion and other big cat waiting on the other side of the river to pick off the weaker ones of the herd.
Around the river, there is the muddy riverbed to navigate, the herd make sure they do not get stuck and some sides of the riverine turn out to be too steep to climb up forcing the herd back across the treacherous river to start the exercise all over again.
In the end, one of the brave wildebeests takes their first step or rather jump into the river causing a cascading movement of the whole herd, one following the other in a simultaneous effect – definitely this is a must see event.
August
August is an extension of a peak season and is generally considered the best time to witness the dramatic river crossing from the northern Serengeti National Park into Masai Mara.
This is also the best time to visit Serengeti National Park for thrilling wildlife encounters as the herds are easier to spot and there are many predators around. You will see some of Africa’s big cats – cheetahs, lions and leopard on the hunt.
September
September is still very busy with visitors on a Tanzania safari in the Serengeti, particularly on the Kenyan and Tanzania borders as the herds of animals travel over the Mara River in smaller batches. The southern parts of Serengeti are quieter during September.
October
By the month of October, the plains of Serengeti National Park are mostly parched but the dry season is now coming to an end. Although the migrator herds have made their way into Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve. Wildlife game viewing in Serengeti is still nothing short of spectacular.
November
This month marks the end of the dry season in Serengeti National Park and the start of the southward migration season. During this time great herds stream through the woodlands and flood onto the plains as stunning thunderclouds form in anticipation of the approaching green season. It is a spectacle to see thousands of wildebeests, zebras and gazelles thundering southwards with lion, cheetah and spotted hyenas up-close.
Occasional showers can be expected in November. In late November, towering thunderclouds off set the green season and it is perfect time to take advantage of lower rates.
December
The rains continue and the scenery changes from dry dusty plains to rolling grasslands, the cycle of the Great Migration in the Serengeti continues in December.
The migrating herds make their way to the southern plains of the Ndutu region where they prepare for the breeding season. The temperatures and the humidity begin to rise for the wet summer months, the festive season can be very busy so it is advisable to book your accommodation in advance.
FAQs About When to Visit Serengeti
What Month is The Serengeti Migration?
The Great Migration through the Serengeti follows a reasonably predictable annual cycle but there is also variation from one year to the next, dependent mainly on rainfall.
July to August is the prime wildlife safari season, these months mark the annual migration of wildebeest from Serengeti across Mara River to Masai Mara as they make their epic river crossings – an exciting safari experience.
What is The Best Time To Visit Serengeti and Zanzibar
Serengeti National Park and the Indian Ocean Island of Zanzibar are very incredible destinations in Tanzania, visiting both of these stunning places provides a wonderful experience of the best that Tanzania has to offer.
The best time to visit Serengeti is the dry season months of January, February, June, July, August, September and October.
Zanzibar is very much a year-round destination, it is always warm enough to go to the beach.
How Many Days Is Enough for Serengeti?
Serengeti National Park is a massive Tanzania safari park spreading out over 14,763 square kilometers. The very name of Serengeti alludes to its grand scale, the word “Serengeti” is an approximation of the word “Siringet” used by the Maasai which means “endless plains” or the place where the land runs on forever. That said, a minimum of four days is the ideal number of days for sufficiently exploring the Serengeti and its wildlife.
Serengeti National Park is so extensive, you will need this time to spend driving around with your guide in your safari vehicle looking for the Big Five and other animals.
In conclusions
To some extent, the best time to visit Serengeti depends on your interests. Whether it is the calving season, the river crossing or the tranquility and exclusivity of the less busy seasons. Each season in Serengeti National Park offers a unique and memorable safari experience.
