Best Time to visit Serengeti : We don’t say this lightly: the Serengeti is always full of surprises, regardless of the season and time you visit it. The Serengeti National Park provides exceptional animal-watching chances all year – you only need to know when and where to go to see one of nature’s last real spectacles: the Great Migration. For example, winter is the ideal time to see the herd in the Southern Serengeti, while summer and fall are the best times to visit the Western Corridor and Northern Serengeti.
It’s common to imagine that the only time to visit the Serengeti is during the dry season, although the cycle of life continues all year. Wildlife viewing is fantastic all year, but some sites are better at certain times. When to go depends a lot on what you want to see (attractions). A trip/safari/tour to the Serengeti National Park is an once-in-a-lifetime experience. When you go depends on what kind of wildlife you want to view. The dry season is perfect for viewing wildlife congregating at waterholes and witnessing the big wildebeest migration, while the wet season is ideal for birdwatching and calving.
Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of the best times to visit Serengeti National Park. The guidelines present attractions/what to do in Serengeti month by month to help you decide which month fits your interest in visiting Serengeti and to help you plan your safari tour to Serengeti, Tanzania safari destination based on what you intend/want to see and do.
January-February
January and February are the best times to visit the Southern Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area since at this time the wildebeest migration herds are back from Kenya’s Maasai Mara and they are at this place. The place is called Ndutu, and at this time it is the calving season, so expect to see a lot of new born wild animals and a lot of predators in action.
During this time (February and January) the weather is not much conducive for safari tour since it might be rainy season. Expect Days with highs of up to 29 degrees Celsius and some rain — 14 days per month on average.
March-May
March is near the conclusion of the green season and provides some of the best wildlife viewing possibilities of the year. The Serengeti plains are a gorgeous shade of green, the dust is low, and most wildlife species are easily visible. The well-known migration is concentrated in great numbers in the Serengeti plains, attracting a large number of predators. March is a time of plenty, and many animals plan their family births to coincide with the green season.
In March to May, because most guests are put off by the rain, you may expect lower pricing on excursions and hotels. However, keep in mind that most semi-permanent campgrounds and several lodges close their doors to travelers during this season, so prepare beforehand.
June-September
The Great Migration travels northern Serengeti during the summer and fall, when the plains are ablaze with beautiful flowers. During the early summer months, the herd is most likely to be found near the Grumeti River in the park’s Western Corridor, though a smaller rogue group may be seen in the Lobo Valley. Seeing the grazers battle the river’s ferocious crocodile population can be an unforgettable experience. Between July and September, wildebeest and zebras interact with elephants and giraffes in the park’s northern Lobo and Bologonja Springs.
Also, this time is considered the best time to visit Serengeti National Park since it is the dry season, the weather is friendly with no rainy, and hence wildlife safari is best at this time in Serengeti. At this time, most of the tourist activities are more excellently done, for example, walking safaris, game drives, balloon safaris etc. again don’t forget this is the tourism peak season in Serengeti and all tanzania so expect to see a lot of safari vehicles in the park but also most of accommodations increases their rates at this time.
October to December
Late October marks the end of the tourism high season in the Serengeti and other Tanzania safari locations, as the start of brief rains approaches. Because of the rain, the park is less visited from October to December, and some accommodations drop their rates. This is the greatest time to come if you are on a budget.
December is amid the Serengeti’s “short rains” period, and receives slightly less rain on average than November. The daytime high is 28 degrees Celsius, and the nighttime low is 16 degrees Celsius. The Great Migration herds are concentrated in the Seronera region of the Central Serengeti at the beginning of the month, and in the Southern Serengeti and Ndutu Region at the end of the month.
December is an excellent month to photograph herds migrating from the Central to Southern Serengeti. The calving season may also begin towards the end of the month, depending on the precipitation. While December is one of the rainiest months in the Serengeti, afternoon thundershowers normally clear off fast, so they don’t cause too much disturbance to a safari. The rains have made the Serengeti grasslands lush and verdant, and the skies are clear, making for excellent photography.
Here is a full explanation of the advantages of visiting Serengeti National Park and other Tanzania safari parks at different times of the year.
January through February (Classic Safari)
While the exact time is unknown, the dry spell between short and long rains usually occurs in January and February.
March through May (Season of the Long Rains).
The long rainy season begins in March and lasts until May, when the most rain falls. While it may still be a wonderful time to visit Serengeti National Park, your journey will be influenced by the amount of rain and the type of weather that year. Tourists who dislike hot, humid weather should avoid visiting during these months.
From June to October (Classic Safari)
From June to October, there is little to no rain, resulting in the Serengeti’s dry season. Seeing wildlife is easier during these months since the forest thins out and animals congregate around waterholes and rivers.
While it may be frigid in the early mornings and evenings, the temperature throughout this time is pretty dependable and frequently exceeds 25 degrees Celsius (77F). Many guests prefer it to the hot, humid rainy season. However, there is a chance of a cold front in July, when temperatures can drop below freezing. Another advantage to consider is that there are fewer mosquitoes and a lower risk of malaria during this time of year.
From November to December
The Serengeti’s wet season lasts from November to May and consists of two sorts of rainy periods. The herds are drawn back to the southern grasslands by the unpredictable “short rains” that occur from November to December. While wildlife is easier to observe during the dry season, the Serengeti offers wildlife viewing all year round.
The short rains are not as protracted as the Serengeti’s extensive rainy episodes, but they are less predictable. Thunderstorms are common in the afternoon, but safaris are unlikely to be affected. As a result, the brief wet season is still regarded as an ideal time to explore the Serengeti. To reduce the danger of malaria during the wet season, anti-malarial precautions must be taken, and it is strongly encouraged to bring repellent and anti-malarial medication.
LOW SEASON/ OFF-PEAK SEASON IN SERENGETI
Safari on the cheap
While the dry season is generally regarded as the ideal time to visit the Serengeti, travelers who brave the wet season (November-May) benefit from lower safari and lodging fees.
Fewer people/less crowded
Smaller crowds are a big lure for seasoned safari-goers during the low season Serengeti. Serengeti safaris offer great wildlife watching all year, and fewer people means lower safari costs and the option to stay at lodges that would otherwise be beyond your reach. The safari experience is further enhanced because you won’t have to deal with peak-season crowds.
It may surprise you to learn that some people plan trips to the Serengeti specifically to avoid the Great Migration. Beyond the spectacular wildebeest migration, the Serengeti National Park has so much more to offer.
Excellent birdwatching
Bird watchers will be happy to learn that the Serengeti is home to over 500 bird species, five of which are found nowhere else on the planet. While bird watching is enjoyable all year, the best season is from November through April. During this time, migratory bird species from Europe and North Africa make the Serengeti their home.
SEASONS OF THE GREAT WILDEBEEST MIGRATION
Understanding the Great Migration pattern will assist you in determining the perfect/best time of year to visit the Serengeti. In general, the migration occurs in the Southern Serengeti during the calving season, which lasts from February until mid-March. At the same time, between December and March, the herds migrate towards the direction of the Ngorongoro Crater. The migration is best seen between June and September, when animals congregate near drinking holes and rivers.
The calving season is from late January to February.
As the migration slows, this phase not only provides an opportunity to see the wildebeest give birth, but also provides an exceptional potential for predator action sightings as lurking large cats attempt to strike when the herds are most vulnerable.
Calving season is perhaps the ideal time of year for experienced safari travelers to have more intense wildlife interactions with young wildebeest, cheetah cubs, elephant calves, and other animals. During this period, herd movement is most predictable. The wildebeest then migrate north in search of fresh, fertile grasslands. During this time, visitors can see over 1.7 million wildebeest and countless herds of different types of antelope march across part of their 800 kilometer journey.
Wildebeest River crossing—June to September
From June through July, the herds are easier to detect in the park’s Western Corridor, where they congregate near the Grumeti River. From August through September, the grazers migrate to Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve and the Northern Serengeti. You may see the famed river crossings through the crocodile-infested Grumeti River from June to July and the Mara River from August to September when they travel into Kenya during this season. The sweeping herds then return to the Southern Serengeti, where the cycle begins again.
