The Maasai called the plains of Serengeti National Park “the place where the land moves on forever”. And here, in undoubtedly the bestknown wildlife sanctuary in the world, you can witness the famous Serengeti annual migration, the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth.
The Serengeti can be divided into 3 sections. The popular southern/central part (Seronera Valley) is what the Maasai called the “Serengit”, the land of endless plains. A classic savannah, dotted with acacias and filled with wildlife. The western corridor is marked by the Grumeti River, and has more forests and dense bush. The north, Lobo area, meets up with Kenya’s Masai Mara Reserve, and here at the Mara river you can experience the dramatic crossing of the annual Migration.
The great Serengeti wildebeest migration is the movement of vast numbers of the Serengeti’s wildebeest, accompanied by large numbers of zebra, and a smaller numbers of Grant’s gazelle, Thompson’s gazelle, eland and impala. These move in an annual pattern, which is fairly predictable. They migrating throughout the year, constantly seeking fresh grazing and, it’s now thought, better quality water. The precise timing of the Serengeti wildebeest migration is entirely dependent upon the rainfall patterns each year.
During my visit, we stayed at Dunia Camp, a small intimate tented camp in a secluded location in the southwest corner of the Serengeti. 8 luxury tents with en-suite bathrooms was the perfect base from which to explore this exquisite part of the Serengeti. The camp is on a gentle slope, which allows you the most wonderful views of the plains and the far far away horizon. Some elephants roaming around our tent the next morning… Truly remarkable!
We then moved onto the Ngorogoro conservation where between December and February the herds head for the endless plains and green grasses of this area, the perfect place to calve, graze and rest before they start the big move north to the magnificient Masaai Mara again .
Text & photos : Robbert Koene
How to get to the Serengeti National Park :
The drive from Arusha to the Serengeti is about 325km/202mi and will take 8 hours. From Arusha, fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) which is situated about 46km/29mi from Arusha. It will take 8 hours.
Accomodation : www.asiliaafrica.com
Best time to visit: June to september
Mosquito repellent and antimalarials.
Weather & climate: the climate in Serengeti is usually moderate and pleasant. It is advised to take warm clothing for early morning game drives.
