Serengeti National Park
Travelers come for the wildebeest migration, the open southern plains and the largest lion population in Africa.
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Serengeti National Park is a savanna park of about 14,763 square kilometers in northern Tanzania. Its northern edge meets the Kenyan border, where the park continues as the Maasai Mara National Reserve. It became a national park in 1940 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is known mainly for the great migration, when wildebeest and zebra herds cross the plains each year. The migration route is about 800 km long, and the herds must cross the Grumeti and Mara rivers, where Nile crocodiles wait.
Lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards, cheetahs, hippos and giraffes live here, and the park has the largest lion population in Africa. More than 500 bird species have been recorded. Kopjes, granite outcrops that rise from the plains, give predators a lookout point, and visitors often see animals on top of them. The dry season, June to October, is the usual time for safaris, with rain mainly falling in March to May. Several days are needed, since drives between areas are long.
Serengeti National Park in five
- Match your camp to the monthCalving is on the southern plains around January to March. River crossings are in the north, usually July to October.
- Book through a licensed operatorMost visitors go with a Tanzanian safari operator who handles park fees, vehicles and camps.
- Fly in to save daysLight aircraft from Arusha reach Serengeti airstrips in about an hour or two. By road it is a full day via Ngorongoro.
- Confirm park feesPark fees are charged per person per day under the TANAPA schedule. Confirm current rates and accepted payment methods with your operator before you travel.
- Consider a seasonal camp in migration monthsMobile camps follow the herds, so you sleep near calving or river crossings instead of driving long transfers each day.
Things to do in Serengeti National Park
See all attractions in Serengeti National Park
Need to know
- Entrance
- Daily park fee per person, set by TANAPA Read more
- Permits
- Park fees follow the TANAPA schedule; confirm before travel
- Season
- Year-round; herds move by month
- Nearest town
- Arusha, or Karatu on the road in
- Getting there
- Flights from Arusha or a full day by road
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- JanuaryRain15 rainy daysHigh28°Low17°Calving southJanuaryRain
Good
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 95 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Calving south
- FebruaryClear10 rainy daysHigh30°Low17°Calving southFebruaryClear
Good
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 62 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Calving south
- MarchRain14 rainy daysHigh29°Low17°Short dry spellMarchRain
Good
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 116 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Short dry spell
- AprilRain19 rainy daysHigh28°Low17°Long rainsAprilRain
Mixed
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 174 mm
- Rainy days
- 19
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Long rains
- MayPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh28°Low16°Rains, rutMayPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 62 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rains, rut
- JuneClear3 rainy daysHigh29°Low17°Herds westJuneClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 13 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Herds west
- JulyClear1 rainy dayHigh29°Low17°Crossings startJulyClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 6 mm
- Rainy days
- 1
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Crossings start
- AugustClear3 rainy daysHigh30°Low18°River crossingsAugustClear
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 13 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
River crossings
- SeptemberClear4 rainy daysHigh31°Low19°River crossingsSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 19°
- Precipitation
- 25 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
River crossings
- OctoberClear8 rainy daysHigh31°Low19°Herds in northOctoberClear
Good
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 19°
- Precipitation
- 53 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Herds in north
- NovemberRain15 rainy daysHigh29°Low18°Herds move southNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 132 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Herds move south
- DecemberRain16 rainy daysHigh28°Low17°Short rainsDecemberRain
Good
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 123 mm
- Rainy days
- 16
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Short rains
Average daily high and low in Seronera, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Serengeti National Park
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
21
- Feels like
- 22°
- Humidity
- 73%
- Wind
- 6 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 51%
Serengeti National Park
12:22 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today31°18°51%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 31°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 51%.
- Wed32°18°41%Wednesday: Rain. High 32°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 41%.
- Thu30°19°37%Thursday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 19°. Chance of rain 37%.
- Fri30°18°22%Friday: Cloudy. High 30°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 22%.
- Sat31°18°51%Saturday: Drizzle. High 31°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 51%.
- Sun31°19°49%Sunday: Drizzle. High 31°, Low 19°. Chance of rain 49%.
Updated 12:12 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 2,635 TZS
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Before you go to Serengeti National Park
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Rules for Serengeti National Park, checked
- Park fees follow the TANAPA schedule: confirm the current rates, pay at official TANAPA gates or payment points, and keep your receipts.Checked Oct 1, 2026 · Source
Plan around Serengeti National Park
Usually the stop on the road in or out
Read the guideAll of TanzaniaParks, Zanzibar, entry rules and seasons
Read the guideZanzibarBeach days after the safari
Read the guideMaasai Mara in KenyaThe northern side of the same ecosystem
Read the guideTours and ticketsHow safari bookings and fees work
Read the guideTravel insuranceCover for evacuation from remote camps
Read the guideSerengeti National Park FAQ
When is the best time to visit the Serengeti?
January to February for calving in the south, and July to September for river crossings in the north. Big cats are there all year.
How many days do I need in the Serengeti?
Three nights at least, ideally in two areas. Combine it with Ngorongoro for a classic northern circuit.
Serengeti or Maasai Mara?
They are one ecosystem. The Serengeti is much bigger and holds the herds for most of the year; the Mara is smaller and easier to reach from Nairobi.
Can you see the wildebeest migration all year?
The herds are in the park all year but move: calving on the southern plains early in the year, then north toward the Mara River. Check the month before choosing your camp area.
Is it better to fly or drive to the Serengeti?
Flying saves most of a day and suits short trips. Driving via Ngorongoro takes a full day but adds the crater and costs less, so it suits trips of a week or more.