{"id":4166,"date":"2015-04-14T16:51:43","date_gmt":"2015-04-14T16:51:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/streetshepherdsafrica.org\/site\/?page_id=4166"},"modified":"2015-04-15T07:31:06","modified_gmt":"2015-04-15T07:31:06","slug":"the-serengeti-national-park","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/streetshepherdsafrica.org\/site\/the-serengeti-national-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Serengeti National Park"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Endless Plains<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Derived from a Maasai language the name Serengeti\u00a0 refers to an \u2018Endless plains\u2019, in the Maasai language.These rolling distances of short grass plains are the ultimate safari country.The\u00a0 land is justifiably famous for its huge concentrations of wildlife, especially the big cats, as well as being the stomping ground of the Great Migration, a massive accumulation of 1.5 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebras and 350,000 gazelles stretching their legs over 1,200 miles in an annual race to find enough water and green grass for their survival, driven by the same ancient rhythm, fulfilling the inescapable cycle of life.<\/span><\/p>\n

A million wildebeest… each one driven by the same ancient rhythm, fulfilling its instinctive role in the inescapable cycle of life: a frenzied three-week bout of territorial conquests and mating; survival of the fittest as 40km (25 mile) long columns plunge through crocodile-infested waters on the annual exodus north; replenishing the species in a brief population explosion that produces more than 8,000 calves daily before the 1,000 km (600 mile) pilgrimage begins again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tanzania’s oldest and most popular national park, also a world heritage site and recently proclaimed a 7th world wide wonder, the Serengeti is famed for its annual migration, when some six million hooves pound the open plains, as more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle join the wildebeest\u2019s trek for fresh grazing. Yet even when the migration is quiet, the Serengeti offers arguably the most scintillating game-viewing in Africa: great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe, and thousands upon thousands of eland, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant\u2019s gazelle.<\/span><\/p>\n

The spectacle of predator versus prey dominates Tanzania\u2019s greatest park. Golden-maned lion prides feast on the abundance of plain grazers. Solitary leopards haunt the acacia trees lining the Seronera River, while a high density of cheetahs prowls the southeastern plains. Almost uniquely, all three African jackal species occur here, alongside the spotted hyena and a host of more elusive small predators, ranging from the insectivorous aardwolf to the beautiful serval cat.<\/span><\/p>\n

But there is more to Serengeti than large mammals. Gaudy agama lizards and rock hyraxes scuffle around the surfaces of the park\u2019s isolated granite koppies. A full 100 varieties of dung beetle have been recorded, as have 500-plus bird species, ranging from the outsized ostrich and bizarre secretary bird of the open grassland, to the black eagles that soar effortlessly above the Lobo Hills.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\nAs enduring as the game-viewing is the liberating sense of space that characterises the Serengeti Plains, stretching across sunburnt savannah to a shimmering golden horizon at the end of the earth. Yet, after the rains, this golden expanse of grass is transformed into an endless green carpet flecked with wildflowers. And there are also wooded hills and towering termite mounds, rivers lined with fig trees and acacia woodland stained orange by dust.<\/span><\/p>\n

Popular the Serengeti might be, but it remains so vast that you may be the only human audience when a pride of lions masterminds a siege, focused unswervingly on its next meal.<\/span><\/p>\n

About Serengeti<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Serengeti National Park covers 14,763 square kilometers of vast open plains that stretch across the area between the Kenyan border and the outskirts of Lake Victoria and studded here and there by ancient volcanic rocky outcrops called kopjes (pronounced \u2018copy\u2019).<\/span><\/p>\n


\nSize:<\/strong><\/span> 14,763 sq km (5,700 sq miles).
\nLocation<\/span><\/strong>: 335km (208 miles) from Arusha, stretching north to Kenya and bordering Lake Victoria to the west.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Getting there<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Most visitors enter the Serengeti through the southern Naabi Hill Gate, which opens onto the Seronera Valley; a vibrant wildlife area at the heart of the Serengeti. This is the region in which the migration commonly calves in march each year. The Seronera region is mainly wide open grassy plains and rocky kopjes, patched together within a network of rivers that ensure year-round water supplies and keep this region incredibly rich in wildlife throughout the year. All other areas of the Serengeti are more seasonal and much of the time wildlife viewing is dependent on the path of the migration.<\/span><\/p>\n

Visitors can get to Serengeti National Park via Scheduled and charter flights from Arusha, Lake Manyara and Mwanza or Drive from Arusha, Lake Manyara, Tarangire or Ngorongoro Crater.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What to do<\/strong><\/span>
\nHot air balloon safaris, walking safari, picnicking, game drives, bush lunch\/dinner can be arranged with hotels\/tour operators. \u00a0Maasai rock paintings and musical rocks.<\/p>\n

Visit neighboring Ngorongoro Crater, Olduvai Gorge, Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano and Lake Natron’s flamingos.<\/span><\/p>\n

When to go<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nTo follow the wildebeest migration, December-July. To see predators, June-October.<\/span><\/p>\n

Accommodation<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nFour lodges, six luxury tented camps and camp sites scattered through the park; one new lodge will be opened next season (Bilila Lodge); one luxury camp, a lodge and two tented camps just outside.<\/span><\/p>\n

More info on accomodation<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

NOTE<\/span><\/strong>
\nThe route and timing of the wildebeest migration is unpredictable. Allow at least three days to be assured of seeing them on your visit – longer if you want to see the main predators as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Endless Plains Derived from a Maasai language the name Serengeti\u00a0 refers to an \u2018Endless plains\u2019, in the Maasai language.These rolling distances of short grass plains are the ultimate safari country.The\u00a0 land is justifiably famous for its huge concentrations of wildlife, especially the big cats, as well as being the stomping ground of the Great… <\/p>\n

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