Safari Guide
Serengeti National Park
Quick answer
How many days do you need in the Serengeti?
Plan three to four nights at least: the Serengeti covers 14,763 km², and fewer nights means more driving than watching. With four or five nights you can see two zones; with a week, the south and the north. Which zone depends on the month, because the wildebeest migration moves through the park all year. Non-resident adults pay TZS 178,850 a day to enter, before VAT, in the season that runs to 14 March 2027.
| Size | 14,763 km², established 1959 (TANAPA) |
| Entry fee | TZS 178,850 per adult per day, excl. VAT |
| Nights | Three or four at least; a week for two zones |
| Migration | In the park all year; the zone changes with the month |
| Getting there | Daily light-aircraft flights from Arusha, or by road |
| After the park | 5–9 nights on Zanzibar |
| Last verified | 2 October 2026 |
The park
What is the Serengeti, and how big is it?
Serengeti National Park was established in 1959 and covers 14,763 km². It is the heart of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, about 30,000 km² across Tanzania and Kenya, and the stage for the wildebeest migration: TANAPA counts over 1.5 million wildebeest, with hundreds of thousands of zebras, gazelles and elands. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Think of it as four working areas rather than one block: Seronera in the centre, where water holds game all year; the southern short-grass plains towards Ndutu, where the herds calve; the Western Corridor along the Grumeti River; and the north around the Mara River, on the Kenyan border.
Length of stay
How many days should you give the Serengeti?
Three to four nights is the sensible floor. With four or five nights you can run two zones, central plus south or central plus north, with a light-aircraft hop between airstrips instead of a day of driving. A week gives you the south and the north properly. What we would skip is a two-night Serengeti squeezed into a hurried circuit: one full game-drive day and the rest in transit.
A common shape: Tarangire or Lake Manyara, then the Ngorongoro Crater, then three or four nights in the Serengeti, flying out from a central or northern airstrip. Then the flight to Zanzibar for the beach; our page on Zanzibar after safari covers that half.
The month
Which Serengeti zone in which month?
TANAPA's own description of the migration gives the year in five steps. The herds follow the rains and the grass, so the timing shifts from year to year; your guide follows them on the day.
| Months | Where the herds are | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | Southern Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area | Calving season; predators follow the herds |
| April to May | Central Serengeti | The herds move north; the long rains turn the plains green |
| June to July | Western Serengeti | The Grumeti River crossings |
| August to September | Northern Serengeti | The Mara River crossings, into Kenya's Masai Mara |
| October to November | Northern Serengeti | The return journey; the short rains begin |
| December | Back to the southern plains | The cycle starts again |
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority gives the best time for the herds at Ndutu, on the edge of the southern plains, as December to April. Month by month: our Great Migration calendar.
Fees
What does it cost to enter the Serengeti?
TANAPA's own tariff, in Tanzanian shillings and before VAT, for the season from 16 May 2026 to 14 March 2027:
| Fee | Amount, excl. VAT | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance, adult | TZS 178,850 | Person and day |
| Entrance, child aged 5 to 15 | TZS 51,100 | Person and day |
| Concession fee, adult, when you stay inside the park | TZS 127,750 | Person and night |
Vehicle and guide fees are added by the safari company. Most companies quote prices including park fees; ask. The other parks: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, and the whole budget in safari costs.
Getting there
How do you get to the Serengeti?
By air or by road. Coastal Aviation's timetable, valid to May 2027, lists daily flights from Arusha to Seronera in the centre and to the northern, western and southern airstrips, most of them via Lake Manyara, and from the same airstrips back to Arusha and on to Zanzibar. Small-plane times are estimates on the day.
By road, the classic route runs from Arusha through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Inside the park all movement is by four-wheel-drive vehicle with your guide; the UK government notes that the park roads are mainly dirt tracks and can become hazardous or impassable after heavy rain.
Green season
Is the green season worth it?
The long rains of April and May are when the herds move north through the central Serengeti and the plains turn green. It suits patient travellers who do not mind afternoon storms; game viewing takes more time when the grass is high.
Two practical limits: some roads become difficult after heavy rain, and Coastal Aviation suspends some of its flights in the long rains, from mid-March to the end of May. A good safari company plans around both. Whichever season you choose, the beach half is waiting: see how many nights to plan in Zanzibar after safari.
Where these facts come from
Official sources
- TANAPA: Serengeti National Park: The park in its own words: area, founding year, the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, wildlife and activities.
- TANAPA: the Great Migration of Wildebeest: Where the herds are, month by month.
- TANAPA: park entry tariffs (online reservation system): The official park fees in Tanzanian shillings, excluding VAT (public "Park Entry Tariffs" tab)
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority: Ndutu Plains: The calving herds on the southern plains at Ndutu, December to April.
- Coastal Aviation: timetable and price list (updated July 2026): The daily flights from Arusha to Seronera and the other Serengeti airstrips.
Checked on 2 October 2026. We link to the bodies that set the rules, not to summaries of them. Rules change: check the page itself before you travel.
Good to know
Questions travellers ask
Get the zone and the month right, and the Serengeti does the rest.
How many days do you need in the Serengeti?
Three to four nights is the sensible minimum. With four or five nights you can combine two zones, often with a short flight between airstrips; a week gives you the south and the north without rushing. Two nights means one full day of game driving and the rest in transit.
How much does it cost to enter the Serengeti?
TANAPA's own tariff lists TZS 178,850 per non-resident adult per day and TZS 51,100 per child aged 5 to 15, both before VAT, for 16 May 2026 to 14 March 2027. Staying inside the park adds a concession fee per night. Safari companies usually include these fees; ask whether yours does.
Can you see the migration all year?
Yes. TANAPA describes the migration as a continuous, year-round movement through the Serengeti ecosystem: calving in the south from January to March, moving north through the centre in April and May, the western Grumeti crossings in June and July, the Mara River crossings in August and September, and the return through the north in October and November.
Do you have to fly to the Serengeti?
No. You can drive from Arusha, usually via Ngorongoro, or fly. Coastal Aviation's timetable lists daily flights from Arusha to Seronera in the centre and to the other airstrips, most of them via Lake Manyara, which saves most of a day each way.
Is the green season worth visiting the Serengeti?
For patient travellers, yes: the herds move north through the centre in April and May and the plains turn green. But the UK government warns that park roads can become hazardous or impassable after heavy rain, and some small-plane flights stop in the long rains, so travel with a company that adapts the route.
What can I see in the Serengeti outside the migration?
TANAPA describes the park as having the highest concentration of large carnivores, among them lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas, over 28 species of herbivores and more than 540 bird species, many of them migrants. The resident game stays when the herds move on.
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