Have you ever visited the Serengeti National Park? If not, we suggest that one of your next vacation destinations be this one. The Serengeti National Park is located in Tanzania. It covers a massive space with beautiful landscapes, animal species, and other natural beauty. Therefore, all these features make it one of the most beautiful and visited national parks in Africa.
According to statistics, the average number of tourists visiting the Serengeti is from 150,000 to 200,000 annually. The most common reason for visiting is to enjoy the beautiful wilderness that spans a whopping 14,760 square kilometers. However, as you know, it is essential to provide accommodation during your trip, no matter where you are. When it comes to the Serengeti, this national park offers different types of accommodation for all its visitors to bring only the best memories after a great time in Tanzania. Therefore, if you are planning a trip to this African country, we suggest you try horseback riding from which you can check more on the website “African Horse Safari“.
In this article, you can find out everything you need to know about Serengeti National Park, types of accommodation, history, and more interesting and useful things. Well, if you’re ready, let’s get started.
A Brief History of the Serengeti National Park
Image source: bestnorthernsafaris.com
Africa is a huge continent that has really many beautiful destinations, historic sites and protected natural areas worth visiting. One of many is the Serengeti National Park, whose beauty and amazingness can be compared to the very popular places in the world that attract millions of tourists every year. Yet, this piece of our planet has long been unknown to both the African peoples and the European colonizers.
The first people who became more interested in the values of the area were Austrian explorers who began exploring the wildlife of Tanzania National Park in the late 19th century. After that, the Europeans came, most of all the British. Namely, that period was marked by a sharp decrease in the number of animals that are characteristic of this area. The cause was a safari, which fortunately is banned today.
After the settlers left, this beautiful landscape was able to begin its new ascent to being a magnificent place that today attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists and nature lovers around the world. The Serengeti National Park has been officially protected by UNESCO since 1981 when it was designated a World Heritage Site.
Serengeti National Park Section
So, as mentioned above, the Serengeti is today a beautiful place with very heterogeneous biodiversity. We have a huge number of different species here, and certainly the most dominant are ungulates that include gazelles, wildebeest, and zebras. However, the list doesn’t end here, and we’ll talk more about that later. Now let’s see what are the sections of the Serengeti.
1. Central Serengeti
Image source: discoverafrica.com
Besides being known to many as the Central Serengeti, this part of the national park is also called the Seronera by the river that flows there. This area is the place where you can see the most wildlife during the year, so the Seronera is an ideal place for nature lovers. Most importantly to point out is that the Central Serengeti is on the wildebeest migration route so that no matter what part of the year, you will always be able to see amazing animals in their natural habitat.
Perhaps the most interesting fact is that the Seronera River is the place with the highest average density and number of leopards on Earth, so you will also have the opportunity to photograph these wild cats. Of course, it is important to mention the plant species, and baobab trees and acacia stand out and dominate the savanna.
2. Southern Serengeti
If you want to witness the beginning of the Great Migration, then the Southern Serengeti is the right place. This area is located between the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Serengeti so it is beyond doubt that it gives you a fantastic view of the savannah and the landscapes. The period especially suitable for visiting this part of the Serengeti is from December to March when the number of individuals in the herds actually increases and the animals begin to prepare for their Great Migration. The starting point is Lake Ndutu.
3. Northern Serengeti
Image source: liquidgiraffe.com
If you decide to visit the Serengeti during July or later, then our suggestion is to choose the northern part of the national park. The period from July to September is particularly dramatic in the Northern Serengeti as a huge number of herd animals cross the Mara River on their journey to greenery, food and water. This area can be dangerous because like we said, there is a large number of wildebeest crossing the river. However, if you are careful, nothing will really happen.
4. Western Corridor
The last major section of the Serengeti National Park is the so-called Western Corridor, or western part of the park. Another river flows through this area and is the Grumeti River. We must emphasize that this river is also dangerous because it is a habitat for Nile crocodiles that are really huge (over 6 meters in length). Also, there are plenty of lions, leopards and other predators in the area that are ready to await the upcoming migrating animals. It is interesting to note that the most active part of the year for Western Corridor is from May to June. It is not too long, but it can still be dangerous if you are not careful.
Accommodation in the Serengeti National Park
Image source; pinterest.com
In addition to being a habitat for a huge variety of animal and plant species, Serengeti is a place that attracts a large number of people every year to see these fantastic phenomena (Great Migration), different wild animals as well as the breathtaking landscapes. However, you need to find the right accommodation to have an unforgettable experience. Fortunately, Serengeti has a different offer for everyone. For example, there are mobile tent camps that follow migration as well as permanent tent camps.
In addition, there are characteristic lodges in each of the aforementioned sections of the Serengeti National Park. Of course, there are villa hotels and other forms of accommodation. Simply, you just need to choose the time of year when you want to visit the Serengeti, determine your budget and you will surely find what works for us. Below, you can read about the best accommodation locations in each of the sections we have listed. We would especially like to point out SerengetiAcaciaCamps, which offers fantastic accommodation in any part of the national park during the Great Migration. Their offer is really great so no doubt this is one of the best choices when it comes to visiting the Serengeti.
As for the central part of the Serengeti, we can say that this part is characterized by lodges. Still, the choice is not too big, but it is certainly a great option to book a permanent lodge rather than a mobile tent camp, first of all because throughout the year this part is beautiful, there are always breathtaking animals and landscapes. Above all, this is the heart of the national park. Here, we would like to point out Acacia Central Camp. In the South Serengeti, the easiest way is to find private tents and lodges at really affordable prices. The Northern Serengeti offers a really large number of affordable budget lodges and tents. Certainly, one of the best accommodation solutions is Acacia Migration Camp. In the end, the Western Corridor has a pretty similar offer as the Northern Serengeti. This means that you will have no problems with accommodation no matter which part of the national park you want to visit.
