The Serengeti is Africa's most iconic safari park. Jonas shares everything: the best zones, the Great Migration, when to go, how long to stay — and why this park changes your life.
My name is Jonas, I was born in northern Tanzania and have visited the Serengeti more than a thousand times. Every visit is different. Every visit leaves me with the same thought: this is the most beautiful piece of earth I know.
Let me tell you everything you need to know for your own visit.
What is the Serengeti?
The Serengeti is a national park of 14,763 km² in northern Tanzania. The name comes from the Maasai word Siringet, meaning "endless plains". And endless they truly feel: horizon after horizon, savannah, acacia trees, granite outcrops called kopjes, rivers with crocodiles — and wildlife everywhere.
The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and borders the Masai Mara in Kenya to the north. Together they form the largest wildlife safari ecosystem in the world.
The zones of the Serengeti
Many travellers think the Serengeti is one place. But the park has clearly different zones, each with its own character:
Seronera (Central)
The Seronera River attracts wildlife year-round — lions, leopards, elephants, hippos. If you can only visit one zone, this is it. I know every tree here. There are three leopards I know by name — they regularly appear in the same trees.
The North (Mara)
This is where the Great Migration crosses the Mara River. Kiobo, Lamai Wedge, Mara River Camp — these are the spots where you can witness the crossing. July to October only.
The South (Ndutu)
This is where wildebeest calve in January–March. Tens of thousands of baby wildebeest are born in this area, with predators lurking. If you want to see young animals, this is the season and the zone.
The West (Grumeti)
Quieter, less visited, but spectacular thanks to the Grumeti River with its enormous Nile crocodiles. The Grumeti crossing in June is the park's best-kept secret.
The Great Migration
There are beautiful safaris, and then there is the Great Migration. This is the largest land mammal migration on earth: 1.5 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra and 300,000 gazelle circle annually through the Serengeti and Masai Mara in search of fresh grass.
The cycle is roughly: - December–March: wildebeest calve in the south near Ndutu - April–June: trek west and north - July–October: Mara River crossing in the north — this is the most spectacular moment - November: return south
Every year is different. Wind, rain, grass growth — everything determines exactly when and where the herd appears. I have been reading the signs for twenty years. You won't find that knowledge in a guidebook.
The Great Migration is a circle, not an event. There is always migration activity somewhere in the park — which zone and when depends on the year. Ask your guide for the current herd position the week before you leave.
"I have witnessed the Mara crossing more than a hundred times. And still my heart stops the moment the first wildebeest leaps into the water."
When do you go to the Serengeti?
There is no bad time, but there are clearly good moments depending on what you want to see.
For the Mara River crossing go in July–August. The chance of a crossing is highest, the dry season is pleasant, and animals are concentrated in the north.
For young animals and predator action go in January–March to Ndutu in the south. Baby wildebeest attract cheetahs, hyenas and lions.
For birds the green season (November–April) is beautiful. More than 500 bird species in the Serengeti — all active.
For a combination with Zanzibar June–October is ideal: dry in the parks and perfect beach weather on the island.
How long do you stay in the Serengeti?
My honest answer: at least 3 nights. Two nights feels too short — you just get used to the park and then you have to leave again. With 3–4 nights you have time to explore the Seronera Valley, do two sunrise game drives, and calmly wait for the right moment.
For the migration I recommend at least 2 full days in the Mara zone. The crossing can miss you in an hour or you can experience it for 3 hours — patience is everything.
First-time Serengeti? Combine 2 nights in Seronera with 2 nights in Ndutu (Jan–Mar) or the Mara zone (Jul–Oct). That way you see two completely different sides of the park.
Where do you stay in the Serengeti?
There are three types of accommodation: - Tented camps (our favourite): canvas tents on wooden platforms, in the middle of the bush. At night you hear lions roaring. Morning views over the plains. Incomparable. - Lodges: permanent buildings, more comfort, swimming pool. Good for families or those wanting more ease. - Mobile camps: move with the migration. Expensive, but you always sleep in the best spot.
I have a preferred list of camps per zone. I am happy to share that personally — because the right camp really depends on when you go, what you are looking for, and what your budget is.
What do you see in the Serengeti?
Beyond the migration: almost everything.
The Big Five are all here. Lion is the most commonly seen — the Serengeti has one of the world's largest lion populations (3,000+). Leopard is shy but I know the trees in Seronera. Buffalo come in large herds. Elephant you encounter too. The black rhino is in the Ngorongoro Crater (separate from the Serengeti).
Special extras: wild dogs (rare but present), cheetahs in the grassland, baboons, vervet monkeys, jackals, hyenas, mongoose, monitor lizards, giraffes, zebras — the list is endless.
Practical: what does a Serengeti safari cost?
Park fees alone are high: $70 per adult per day. In peak season (July–August) this adds up. Add accommodation, guide, vehicle, transfers and park fees — a realistic budget is €2,500–€5,000 per person for a full Tanzania safari including the Serengeti.
At Simba Tours the guide is always included. We work without middlemen, so you pay fair prices — not the margin of a large travel company.
My advice as a guide
One thing: take your time. People who stop for two hours on a game drive and then drive to the next park miss the point of the Serengeti. Wait with a lioness and cubs. Observe the social dynamics of an elephant herd. Watch how a cheetah hunts. Those are the moments that stay with you.
And if you ever have the chance to wait at the Mara River until the wildebeest leap — take that chance. It is the most intense thing I have seen in nature. Every single time.
Want to know which zone and camp best fits your travel dates? Send me a message via the trip proposal form. I respond within 24 hours with honest, personal advice.
