Serengeti National Park Animals Tour : Serengeti national park is among the best locations for animals tours during safaris around the northern part of Tanzania. An animal tour in Serengeti National Park takes place throughout the year while exploring different parts of the national park in search of wildlife species. Serengeti national park which covers over 14750 square kilometers is also known for its vast plains which are among its outstanding features.
The wildlife species of Serengeti national park can be seen around its endless plains, in the woodlands area and around the riverine forests. The national park is also made up of granite rock outcrops also known as kopjes.
Because of it ecosystem, Serengeti national park is habitat to numerous wildlife and bird species including a big number of predators such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas among others which can be seen as they hunt their prey in the vast savannah plains at the destination.
During animal tours in Serengeti national park, tours are popular in the central part of the park which is also known as Seronera area which is home to many wildlife species. The north and southern parts of the park are also visited but are remote with fewer tourists visiting those areas.
Park entrance fee is among the costs incurred during the animals tour in Serengeti national park and this fee is paid per person and exclusive of 18% tax, the fee is 70 USD for foreign nonresidents, 10000 Tshs for East African citizens and 35 USD for foreign residents.
The best time to engage in the animals tour in Serengeti national park is during the dry season around June to October when wildlife species are easy to spot as they gather around the water sources. However throughout the year, various wildlife species can be seen at the destination.
The big five in Serengeti national park
Among the animals to see during a tour in Serengeti national park are the big five which are a popular attraction in the park.
The big 5 in Serengeti national park include lions, elephants, buffalos, leopards and rhinos which thrive in its savannah plains, woodlands and other parts of the destination. While some of the big five are easy to see during safaris such as buffalos, elephants and lions, the rhinos and leopards are a little difficult to spot while on safari but can be seen occasionally.
Elephants are herbivores and can be seen in their herds which consist of the females and males as well as the young ones. They can be seen in the open grasslands and also around the riverine forests of Serengeti national park during animal tours.
Lions during animals tours in Serengeti national park can be seen around the rock outcrops where they lie in wait observing their prey. They can also be spotted hunting in the vast savannah plains of the park and are also known to hide in the shrubs and under trees where they seek shade.
Buffalos which are also part of the big five animals to see while on tour in Serengeti national park are herbivores which can be seen as they roam around the different parts of the park including the savannah plains, around the water sources among other areas.
Rhinos during animal tours in Serengeti national park can be seen around the open plains of the park as they graze. They can be spotted as individuals and are among the rare wildlife species in the park.
Leopards are solitary animals and during animal tours in Serengeti national park, they can be seen up in the trees since they are good climbers and because of their ability to camouflage, they can blend in with the savannah plains as they hunt their prey.
Great wildebeest migration in Serengeti national park
Serengeti national park animal tours also involve looking out for the great wildebeest migration which is an annual migration of millions of wildebeests across the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem.
The great wildebeest migration in Serengeti national park starts with the calving season in the southern part of the park during the months of December to February when calves are born in the grass plains around the Ndutu area where many predators can also be seen during safari.
From the southern plains of Serengeti national park, the wildebeest herds move towards the central plains of the park where they can be seen as they graze in the open savannah plains during the months of April and May.
Around June, the river crossings along the Grumeti river in the western part of Serengeti national park take place and can be seen during animal tours at the destination. This part of the park consists of riverine forests and different bird species can also be seen around the area.
The wildebeest migration in Serengeti national park also takes place in the northern part of the park where the Mara river crossings take place. During the months of July and August, the wildebeest herds graze around the northern part of the park and cross the Mara river to Masai Mara reserve in Kenya.
Over 2 million wildebeests can be seen around the Serengeti National Park plains during the wildebeest migration as they move from one place to another in search of pasture and water. Their movement is also known to be influenced by rainfall patterns.
The wildebeest migration is also a good time to see many predators which hide close to the grazing area of the wildebeests waiting to prey on the wildebeests. The predators like lions and cheetahs are popularly seen during the river crossings and in the calving season around Ndutu.
Activities to do during animals tours in Serengeti national park
When visiting Serengeti national park, there are various activities which are done around the park including game drives, balloon safaris and guided walking safaris.
Game drives are popularly done during animal tours in Serengeti national park and some of the wildlife tours which can be seen during this activity include zebras, gazelles, impalas, giraffes, hippos, waterbucks, hartebeests, hyenas, warthogs, lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, topi, kudu, elands among others.
Tourists can also engage in balloon safaris during the animal tours in Serengeti national park and enjoy seeing the wildlife species from an aerial view as they watch the sunset over the endless plains of the destination.
Guided walking safaris involve exciting animal tours on foot around the vast savannah plains of Serengeti national park with ranger guides leading the way in the wilderness.
