Serengeti National park is in the Serengeti ecosystem in Northern Tanzania. The park is Tanzania’s oldest national park and was established in 1951 after the British colonial Administrators realized that lions were hunted and had become scarce. It was the largest national park until 2008 when Ruaha National Park was gazetted and became the largest in Tanzania. The word Serengeti comes from the Masai phrase Siringet which mean ‘‘endless plainsְ’’. This park plays a very big role in the country’s tourism industry.

Its annual migration of over a million wildebeests and thousands of Zebras and gazelles made it famous hence called the home to the great migration. The annual migration takes places in dry seasons between July to October.
The park is in northern Tanzania bordered by Kenya in the north where it is continuous with the Masai Mara National Reserve. There is Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the southeast, Maswa Game Reserve to the southwest, Grumeti and Ikorongo Game Reserves to the west and Loliondo Game control area to the northeast and east. All these areas form the mighty Serengeti ecosystem.
Serengeti National park is divided into three regions namely:

Southern Plains
This area is made up of open grass plains that Serengeti is famous for. The migration always takes on this region for calving from January to March. You can always spot lions and cheetahs watching the herds of herbivores from a far distance. This part of the park which is almost only grassland without trees makes game viewing perfect.
Central Region (Seronera): The Seronera area is in the centre of the park and is the most popular because of its variety of wildlife. This is a grassland area comprised of acacia forests and riverine area. This area can always be visited at any time of the year but April to June and October to December is the best period when the famous great migration is taking place. The seronera region is also referred to as the “Big Cat Capital of Africa” with big numbers of lions, leopards, and cheetahs. You can also enjoy the hot air balloon flight where you will get a better view of these plains.

Western Corridor
The herds of animals normally migrate to the west to an area called the Western Corridor. This area harbours the Grumeti River where the river crossings happen. This river is also a home to the Nile crocodiles that normally feast on the wildebeests during the river crossings.

Northern Serengeti
Open woodlands mainly dominate this region like Commiphora. The Mara river crosses this region. During the migration, this is where thousands of animals are jumping off the very steep banks of river Mara while trying to avoid the hungry crocodiles that are always waiting for them.

Species diversity:
The park’s largest population of animals is the migratory wildebeests which are over a million. These along their journey are joined by thousands of zebras, grants, gazelle, Masai giraffe, Impala and Hippos. The most popular animals for the tourists in this park are the big five which are lions (over 2,500), leopard, bush elephant, eastern black Rhinoceros, and cape buffalo.

Serengeti National Park has got more than 500 bird species which include helmeted guineafowls, lesser flamingo, marabou storks, secretary bird, Masai ostrich, and others.

Several reptiles call Serengeti National Park their home and they include puff adder, black-necked spitting cobra, Nile monitor and African Python.

Size and accessibility:
It covers an area of 14,750 square Kilometres.

By car:
The park can be accessed by driving from either Kilimanjaro or Arusha International Airports and the driving times are approximately 11 and 7 hours, respectively.

By air:
For those who wish to save on the driving time, the park can be accessed by air.
You can fly from either Kilimanjaro or Arusha International Airports to one of the seven Airstrips found in this national park within approximately 2 hours and 1 and a half hours, respectively.

Activities:
Witness the great migration
Game drives
Hot Air Balloon
Visit Serengeti Visitors Centre
Get a history lesson at Olduvai Gorge
Visit the Grumeti River
Explore Retina Hippo pool

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is in Northern Tanzania in Arusha region of Ngorongoro district and is managed by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority. It covers an area of 8,292 square Kilometres and was established in 1959 to promote conservation of natural resources, wildlife and promote tourism.

The word Ngorongoro means “gift of life” in Maasai Language. The area is named after Ngorongoro Crater, one of the largest volcanic calderas in the world. The Ngorongoro Crater is also described as the “Africa’s eighth wonder of the world”. The other two craters in this Conservation area are Olmoti and Empakaai.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area also covers Lake Magadi which is alkaline from sodium Carbonate and is a home to hundreds of lesser flamingos. This lake shrinks in dry seasons leaving crystalline salt pans that supplements diet for animals like hyenas, Jackals, and other animals.

About 2 million wildlife species are supported by the Serengeti plains, archaeological site found at Olduvai Gorge, the catchment forest and the Gol mountains that are located northwest of Ngorongoro but still within the boundaries of Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The conservation area also boasts of the Engare Sero Footprint site which is the largest among human fossil footprints that has ever been discovered in Africa. Because of the harmonious co-existence between people and wildlife, the UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Reserve Programme named the Ngorongoro Conservation Area a world Heritage Site.

Species diversity:
Ngorongoro Conservation Area hosts wildebeests, grant’s gazelles, and plain zebras. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, and spotted hyenas also call this area their home. The endangered animals like black rhinoceros and the African wild dog can be seen. There are over 400 species of birds like superb starlings, lesser flamingos, black kite, silvery-cheeked hornbills, and black-winged lapwing in this area.

Size and accessibility:
It covers an area of 8,292 Square Kilometres
Ngorongoro Conservation Area mainly the Ngorongoro crater can be accessed by both road and air transport

By car:
The Conservation area can be accessed by driving from either Arusha or Moshi town.
The drive is about 3 to 4 hours from Arusha town and 5 to 6 hours from Moshi Town

By air:
The driving distance from Arusha can be cut short by opting for a flight from Arusha or Kilimanjaro International Airpot to the Airstrips near the crater.

Activities:
Game Drives
Experience Ngorongoro Crater
Birding
Visit a Maasai Village
A tour to lake Magadi the home of lesser flamingos
Visit Empaakai Crater
Farm visits
Visit the archaeological site (Olduvai Gorge)

Tarangire National Park is 2,850 square kilometres large and was established in 1970. It is in the northern part of Tanzania in the Manyara region about 118 km from Arusha. It is the sixth largest national park in the country.

Tarangire National Park is unique for its annual wildebeest migrations and thousands of animals such as elephants, giraffes, impalas, and zebras. Others that participate in the migration are dwarf mongoose, ostriches, lions, leopards, even wild dogs can be spotted during this massive walk. Its 550 species of birds, the greater and lesser Kudus as well as oryx are also another wonder.

Dotted by baobab trees, a crested landscape makes it scenically one of the most beautiful national parks in Tanzania. During the months of June and September, the park witnesses a small migration to Tarangire river during which thousands of wildebeests and zebras head to the park for better grazing grounds and water. Tarangire River is the only permanent water source in the park. It has been claimed that about 2,000 elephants reside in the park during these months with some coming from as far as Amboseli National Park in Kenya.

Species diversity:
Tarangire National Park has an incredible diversity of both landscapes and vegetation plus fauna. Its ecosystem and biodiversity are defined by the long-distance migration of animals. Animals converge in Tarangire National Park from the surrounding areas in search for water along Tarangire river, the only permanent water source in the area during the dry season.

Its biodiversity is one of the best in Tanzania with large numbers of elephants, baobabs and tree climbing lions. The topography of the hills covered with baobabs, anthills and the Tarangire river valley attract many animals migrating in the dry season acting as habitat for the many species. Some of the species such as Gerenuk and Lesser kudu cannot be found in any other park in Tanzania. Other animals in Tarangire National Park include: antelopes, elephants, buffalos, lions, wild dogs, waterbucks, giraffes, dik dik, impalas, elands, Grant’s gazelles, vervet monkeys, banded mongoose, olive baboons ,leopards, cheetahs, caracals, honey badgers, and the African wild dogs.

In Tarangire, the migration is at its climax during the dry season in the months of June-November since most animals migrate from Lake Manyara National Park to Tarangire in search of water from the only water source in the national park at the time.

Size and accessibility:
Tarangire National Park covers 2,850 square kilometres with diversity of landscapes and vegetation.

By car:
Driving from Arusha it takes about 2-3 hours. To connect from Serengeti/Ngorongoro the drive will take between 4-5 hours.

By air:
There is an airstrip (Kuro airstrip) in the park that can be accessed from most of the airports in Tanzania.

Activities:
Day and night game drives
Hot air balloon
Walking and cultural safaris
Birdwatching

Lake Manyara National Park is in Northern Tanzania underneath the cliffs of the Manyara Escarpment and offers a varied ecosystem. As it is located along the way to Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. Established in 1960 to mainly to protect the elephant herds, Lake Manyara National Park is among the smallest parks in Tanzania and worth a visit.
In terms of diverse habitats, the park offers a great wilderness experience ranging from its dense woodlands, rift valley, soda lake to steep mountainsides. Lake Manyara National Park is known to have the largest concentration of baboons in Africa, huge elephant herds and the tree climbing lions.
Lake Manyara covers two thirds of the park providing a reliable supply of water throughout the year to the animals and the over 300 species of birds including some migratory birds like the pink flamingos. You can also see termite mounds that are scattered across the terrain giving an impressive and eye-catching feature, bearing in mind that they are formed because of the tiny termite’s hard work. You will find the hot springs called Maji Moto on the Southern side of the park.

Species diversity:
The park boasts of several types of animals like the tree climbing lions, elephants, hippos, large buffalos, wildebeests, warthog, waterbuck, zebra herds and the largest concentration of baboons In Africa. There are over 400 species of birds like the migratory pink flamingos, pelicans, storks, and Cormorants.

Size and accessibility:
The park covers an area of 325 Square Kilometres and can be accessed by road and air

By car:
The drive from Arusha to the National park takes about 2 hours

By air:
One can fly from Arusha to the airstrip located outside the park and it takes half an hour.

Activities:
Game drives
Night Game drives
Birdwatching
Canoeing on lake Manyara
Cultural Tours
Nature walks