When is the best time to visit Serengeti National Park

Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park is well known for its world’s largest wildlife migration and a high concentration of big cats like lions, cheetahs, and hyenas. The wildlife migration referred to as “the Great Wildebeest migration” is an annual movement of a large group of animals of about 2 million, the largest wildlife being the wildebeest, zebras and gazelle that move from Serengeti National Park northwards to Masai Mara National Park and back to Serengeti. This migration is one of the prime attractions of the park. 

When to visit

Mid-July to September provides the chance to witness huge herds of wildebeest and zebra crossing the Mara River — panic ensues as they try to avoid the jaws of crocodiles and other predators waiting to pounce. You’ll see lots of vehicles in the park at this time of year and this is followed by the wildebeest calving season which takes place in the great Serengeti plains from Late January to early March as the wildebeest cows give birth amidst the huge predator presence, due to the low tourism numbers this is regarded as the best safari experience in East Africa.

Tanzania’s ‘green season, between November and March, is much quieter. While there’s a chance of rain showers, it’s a fantastic time for bird watching as migratory species arrive in their thousands. You’ll also see Great Migration herds with their newly born calves.

The only time we tend to avoid Tanzania is between April and May when heavy rains can disrupt wildlife viewing.