Serengeti

Highlights

• The wildebeest migration, which is in the ecosystem all year and simply moves — calving in the south around February, river crossings in the north mid-year
• Exceptional predator density, particularly lion, with cheetah on the open southern plains
• The Seronera valley, where resident game concentrates year-round
• Balloon flights over the plains at dawn
• Kopjes — granite outcrops rising from the grass, favoured by lion and leopard

Getting around

• Light aircraft from Arusha or Kilimanjaro to one of several airstrips.
• By road via Ngorongoro from Arusha, which is long but scenic and lets you combine parks.
• Which sector you stay in matters enormously — north for crossings mid-year, south for calving early in the year.
• Game drives are in your camp's vehicle with a guide.

Good to know

• Three to five nights, and match the sector to the season rather than booking the park generically.
• The migration is continuous, not an event. There is no wrong time — only different things to see.
• Green season brings lower rates, dramatic skies and newborn animals, at the cost of some muddy tracks.
• Mornings in an open vehicle are cold. Pack layers regardless of the season.

Camps are typically unfenced and animals move through them. Accept the escort after dark, keep tents zipped, and never leave the vehicle on a game drive without your guide's say-so.