Established in 1952, the Serengeti National Park is considered one of the world’s most famous and significant wildlife sanctuaries, where unparalleled natural beauty and scientific value merge together.
Every year, the site witnesses a phenomenal migration event, where over a million wildebeests, as well as hundreds of other animals like gazelles and zebras, move together in search of pasture and rainwater.
Covering around 14,750km2 of grassland plains, savannah, riverine forest, and woodlands, the Serengeti ecosystem is undoubtedly one of the oldest on earth, with potentially unchanged features of climate, vegetation, and fauna for over a million years. Due to its outstanding values and unique character, the site was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981 under the criteria
Serengeti Migration
The Serengeti plains harbor the largest remaining unaltered animal migration in the world where over one million wildebeest plus hundreds of thousands of other ungulates engage in a 1,000km long annual circular trek spanning the two adjacent countries of Kenya and Tanzania. This spectacular phenomenon takes place in a unique scenic setting of ‘endless plains’: 25,000 km2 of treeless expanses of spectacularly flat short grasslands dotted with rocky outcrops (kopjes) interspersed with rivers and woodlands. The Park also hosts one of the largest and most diverse large predator-prey interactions worldwide, providing a particularly impressive aesthetic experience.
There are over 500 species of birds that are perennially or seasonally present in the Park, of which five species are endemic to Tanzania.
Serengeti National Park is at the heart of the larger Serengeti ecosystem, which is defined by the area covered by the annual migration. The property is contiguous with Ngorongoro Conservation Unit, an area of 528,000ha declared a World Heritage Site in 1979. The entire ecosystem also includes the Maswa Game Reserve (2,200km2) in the south, Grumeti and Ikorongo Game Reserves in the east, Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya (1,672km2) to the north, and Loliondo Game Controlled Area in the west.
Predators
During the Great Migration, all sorts of predators, also in huge numbers, follow the migrating animals, creating a particularly impressive aesthetic experience and offering a unique and spectacular view.
Major predators include 4,000 lions, 1000 leopards, 225 cheetahs, 3,500 spotted hyenas, and 300 wild dogs.
Join the Mikumi holiday safari team to show you the beauty of Serengeti and its amazingness.