Serengeti National Park

Parts of the present Park were made into a National park in 1952. The boundaries were then changed and enlarged in 1959 to 14,763 sq. km. It is part of a coherent ecosystem some 35,000 sq. km in size. The Serengeti is now both a World Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site. The Serengeti is world famous and with good reason. Not only is the migration of over 1 million wildebeest and other plains game through its plains and woodlands the most spectacular wildlife event on earth, but it abounds with other wildlife superlatives. The Serengeti is home to the world’s largest populations of wildebeest, zebra, Cape eland, lion, cheetah, hyena, gazelle (both Thompson’s and Grant’s), and no doubt much more. And on top of this it is scenically beautiful and has a wonderful sunny climate of cool nights and warm days. So… if you are the kind of person that feels uncomfortable with humankind’s restless desire to subjugate nature and to dominate everything, you will enjoy the Serengeti! It is a natural world at its very best. Human beings take second place here. You come only to witness. The towering granite monoliths of the southern plains, the 18 - 20 foot crocodiles of the rivers, shoulder- to-shoulder masses of wildebeest on the move, and chilling openness of the Gol Mountains are safari experiences that instill humility, You get very close to the core of things in the Serengeti - beauty innocence, cruelty violence, and tranquility. When you leave and your thoughts float back to the savannas and the woodlands, they bring with them an ache - a longing to be part of this natural world again. Wildebeest are the Serengeti’s driving force - some 1.3 million of them, probably more. They, together with some 300,000 zebra and attendant predators and scavengers are a vast ecological powerhouse, roaming beautiful landscapes, setting the boundaries, changing the scenery, altering the vegetation, and laying down the limits and the lifestyles of just about everything else that lives here. But don’t let the scale of this natural machine overwhelm you. There is a variety of mammals and birds here that only Africa can boast. It is only when you get into the Serengeti on the ground that the vastness of the place becomes real. Many people think of it as only one destination to be seen in two days before rushing somewhere else. How wrong! There are very different places here with a range of habitats from treeless plains to mountains to closed canopy riverine forests and springs. On top of all this is the question of seasons. The wildlife and the character of places varies dramatically from one season to another.
Maybe this quote by the famous biologist George Schaller says it best, “Yearning for hope and thriving on dreams, we find what we seek in the Serengeti. At least once in a lifetime every person should make a pilgrimage into the wilderness to dwell on its wonders and discover the idyll of a past now largely gone. If I had to select just one such spot on earth, it would be the Serengeti. There dwell the fierce ghosts of our human past, there animals seek their destiny, living monuments to a time when we were still wanderers on a prehistoric earth. To witness that calm rhythm of life revives our worn souls and recaptures a feeling of belonging to the natural world. No one can return from the Serengeti unchanged, for tawny lions will forever prowl our memory and great herds throng our imagination.” Wildlife All the classic big game animals of Africa are found in the Serengeti. Of recent importance are re-introduction programs for black rhino and Cape hunting dogs. The black rhino is being introduced in the north and south of the Park while hunting dogs are beginning to spread throughout. .
Activities
• Game viewing by vehicle
• Walking safaris
• Ballooning is now possible in the north, south and center of the Park
Accommodation
Accommodation options are many. The National Park has,
• Public campsites. These are shared sites that are booked upon arrival at the Park and have simple infrastructures of water supplies, toilets and kitchens. • Special campsites. These have no infrastructure and are booked for exclusive groups only through TANAPA Headquarters in Arusha.
• Seasonal campsites. These have no permanent infrastructure and are booked by a single operator for a specific period of time, on a renewable basis.
• The National Park operates a self-catering hostel for student groups, and has a 2 roomed Rest House for individuals.
In addition there are accommodations provided by private companies, that range from hotels of the highest international standard to simple but comfortable lodges and permanent tented camps. 40
More Details
Outside the Park there are guest houses in Mikumi town on the park border. When to go Mikumi’s dry season lasts between May and November, but despite wet spells during the remaining months, the countryside is green and beautiful and a well established network of roads and tracks ensures enjoyable visits all year round. Safari ideas On a safari from Dar es Salaam, Mikumi is en route to Udzungwa National Park and in the dry season a gravel road links up with Nyerere National Park (formerly the Selous) from where one can fly back to Dar es Salaam. From Mikumi one can also carry on through to Iringa and Ruaha National Park, either by air or road.