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Serengeti Travel Advice
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Visiting the Serengeti Travel Advice
Tips for Planning Your Serengeti Safari
- Plan your timing carefully: if you want to see the Wildebeest Migration river crossings on your safari, make sure your itinerary matches the movement of the herds.
- Book early: well-located safari camps at the Wildebeest Migration's hotspots get booked out early, often a year in advance.
- Choose your activities: morning and afternoon game drives are standard activities, and some lodges also offer hot-air balloon safaris. Activities like night game drives and guided bush walks are only permitted in certain areas.
- Expect other visitors in high season: many areas of the Serengeti are mostly quiet throughout the year, but the Wildebeest Migration's highlights, like the Grumeti and Mara River crossings, attract lots of visitors from about May to August. Consider visiting during low or Green Season (about November to March) if you want to escape the crowds and still enjoy great game viewing plus see the Migration’s mega-herds.
- Go private: if it's exclusivity you want, then head for one of the Serengeti’s private reserves. The accommodation is excellent, game viewing is as good as the main park and extra safari activities (see number 3) are offered.
Flights & Getting Around
Arusha Airport is the gateway to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Park. It is located just outside the town of Arusha, but you’ll need to get there via Kilimanjaro International Airport, which is about 50 kilometres (31 miles) away. There are several airstrips dotted around the Serengeti National Park that can be accessed from the Masai Mara, Lake Manyara, and Arusha or Kilimanjaro.
Note: international flights often arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport late at night, so an overnight in Arusha is usually necessary before setting out the following morning by charter flight into the Serengeti.
Did you know you can book your flights through Go2Africa? For more information and frequently asked questions, please see our Flights page.
Safari Vehicles
Most safari destinations in Tanzania have extensive road networks and closed vehicles are therefore the norm when doing long-distance road transfers between airstrips, camps and lodges. A closed 4×4 game drive vehicle generally has three rows of seating and features a pop-up roof hatch that can be raised for game viewing and taking photographs.
Game drives in the Serengeti and its private areas are usually conducted in open-sided 4X4s, often sporting a canvas roof and flaps that can be rolled down to cover the windows.
For general information on travelling to Tanzania, please visit our Tanzania travel advice page.
What is the difference between a Mobile Tented Camp and a Permanent Lodge?
When planning a Serengeti safari, you'll see options for mobile camps. These are ultra-luxurious, canvas tented camps that feature en-suite bathrooms, king-sized beds, flushing toilets, and fine dining.
The mobility is strategic: mobile camps move two to three times a year to mirror the movement of the Wildebeest Migration herds. Permanent lodges, on the other hand, offer more robust amenities like swimming pools, air conditioning, and stone-built suites, but stay in one spot.
Is the Serengeti family friendly?
Yes, the Serengeti can be a deeply rewarding experience for families, but age restrictions can apply depending on the accommodation. Many luxury properties in the Serengeti welcome children and even offer specialized ‘Junior Ranger’ programs to keep them entertained.
However, because most camps are entirely unfenced, meaning wildlife can (and does) wander freely through the grounds at night, many properties enforce a minimum age limit of 6 to 12 years old.
Furthermore, game drives involve long, bumpy hours in a vehicle. If you are travelling in Africa with younger children, speak to your Africa Safari Expert about booking a private safari vehicle. This gives your family total flexibility to return to camp early if the little ones get restless.
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