The Serengeti’s Four Regions And Why They Are Important : Yes, thanks to Disney, we are aware that the Serengeti is a place where lions roar, eagles soar, hyenas laugh, and hippos lounge. What, however, is the Serengeti? How does it function? What area of the Serengeti is most conducive to a safari for your needs?

Look nowhere else. The Serengeti’s WHAT, WHY, and WHERE are the main topics of this article. Where exactly is the Serengeti located, and where do safaris usually go? Because in Maasai, the word Serengeti literally translates to “endless plains” or “the place that rolls on forever.” Without a compass, you risk getting lost here. Take this article as your compass.
QUICK HISTORY: THE SERENGETI’S BEGINNINGS
The Serengeti, as well as other mythical locales like the Egyptian Pyramids, Mount Everest, or the Amazon rainforest, can sometimes become so ingrained in our minds that we lose sight of their actual size. These places can be given meaning by learning more about their background and subtleties. Let’s get started right away because the Serengeti is so big (so big, in fact that it should be on everyone’s bucket list: here).
The Serengeti ecosystem, which is primarily in Tanzania but also spans the political borders of Kenya and Tanzania, is, at its most basic level, a region of exceptional biodiversity. These plains were essentially unknown to the outside world for millennia when Austrian explorers arrived at the end of the 19th century, ushering in a wave of imperial hunting camps.
Up until the British stopped hunting in a significant portion of the region—which would eventually become the Serengeti National Park—wildlife populations plummeted. This park, which is the size of Northern Ireland, is now home to over 2 million ungulates, including wildebeest, gazelles, zebra, and countless other species. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981.
Serengeti vs. Serengeti National Park
As frequent as seeing a blue-balled vervet monkey swinging from the Tanzanian canopy is hearing tourists confuse the terms “Serengeti” and “Serengeti National Park.” They are not the same thing in theory. Although the greater Serengeti Ecosystem, which covers an area of 30,000 square kilometers (12,000 square miles), is much larger than the Serengeti National Park, which has an area of 14,000 square kilometers (5,700 square miles), this national park and several other game reserves make up the Serengeti. For our purposes, we’ll concentrate on Serengeti National Park, the region’s crown jewel and a place that welcomes more than 350,000 tourists each year.
SERENGETI’S FOUR REGIONS: CENTRAL (SERONERA), WESTERN CORRIDOR, NORTHERN, AND SOUTHERN
A Maasai word that roughly translates to “endless plains” or “the place where land runs on forever” is the basis for the name Serengeti. To the west of the Great Rift Valley in Tanzania, there is a sizable grassland region. The Serengeti National Park was established in 1951 to safeguard the abundant populations of wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson’s gazelle in the region.

Outstanding biodiversity can be found throughout the Serengeti ecosystem. It is continuous with the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and spans the border between Kenya and Tanzania, mostly in Tanzania. There are no fences between Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve.
Until the first European explorer, Austrian Oscar Baumann, visited the region in 1892, these grasslands were essentially unknown to the outside world for thousands of years. This visit opened the floodgates for hunting camps. Before the British outlawed hunting and created an 800-acre partial game reserve, wildlife populations rapidly declined. Following the efforts of Bernhard Grzimek and Michael Grzimek, a father-son team of conservationists in the 1950s, the Serengeti became even more well-known. Together, they created Serengeti Shall Not Die, a book and movie that is regarded as one of the most significant early nature conservation documentaries.
Currently, The Serengeti cover 14,750 square kilometers, or the size of Northern Ireland. More than 1.5 million wildebeest, gazelles, zebra, and other animals call the park home today. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. The Serengeti is divided into four main regions:
- The Central (Seronera)
- Western Corridor
- Northern, and
- Southern regions.
Serengeti’s Four Regions: Central (Seronera) Serengeti
Seronera is the best place to go if you only had one choice for where to go to increase your chances of seeing the most wildlife in the shortest amount of time. Wildebeest will be passing through in large numbers both in April and in November. This is regarded as the Serengeti’s beating heart, though you will probably find a few other outfitters nearby. One of the highest leopard densities on the planet can be found in the Seronera River. Imagine picture-perfect savannah stretches, you, and enormous acacia and baobab trees.
Serengeti’s Four Regions: Western Corridor, and Grumeti
The Western Corridor and the infamous Grumeti River are reached by turning the Serengeti dial to the west. The Grumeti River is one of the most dramatic river crossings for the millions of wildebeest that endlessly migrate in search of grasslands and water. Late May through June is when the Great Migration enters the Western Corridor, and this is where you can see wildebeest weaving through lions, leopards, and Nile crocodiles, some of which are over 20 feet (6.5 meters) long!
Serengeti’s Four Regions: Northern Serengeti
Beginning in early July, the migration moves north to the park’s higher, less-traveled regions, where the majority of the animals will stay until September. More hills and forests can be found here, in addition to the Mara River, which is the main attraction. Wildebeest will cross the river several times during this time, and like the Grumeti River, these crossings can be fatal.
Serengeti’s Four Regions: Southern Serengeti
Short-grass plains make up the southern Serengeti, which is where the Great Migration officially starts. In the south, near Lake Ndutu, which is shared by the Ngorongoro and the Serengeti, wildebeests start to increase in size and congregate in large numbers between December and March.
WRAPPING UP!
The Serengeti is a real ecosystem that thrives off its millions of animals, its migrations, and its drama between predators and prey, not just some fleeting dreamscape. You will have an advantage if you are more familiar with these various pockets before you arrive because they are all one seething mass of life and beauty. If you’re interested in the migration, keeping track of their movements will enable you to determine where they’re most likely to go at any given time of year. The Serengeti never has a dull moment. The four regions each offer unmatched adventure and one-of-a-kind opportunities to interact with some of the most magnificent creatures on the planet.
Start planning your Serengeti Safari adventure by getting in touch with Focus East Africa Tours right away. Our top-notch customer service team thrives on creating personalized itineraries that fit your busy schedule and particular safari objectives.
