Serengeti National Park

If you have ever seen a documentary on the Serengeti....it is nothing compared to the real thing!!

I was somewhat concerned about going in May, as it is the end of the rainy season. We could not have asked for a better trip though. No rain, temperature was about 80 during the day, the Park was not too crowded and it was baby time in the park (which was awesome to see). I stayed 2 nights at the Serena Serengeti Lodge and really enjoyed the accommodations and especially the thrill of staying right in the park. Our guide Justin (Ranger Safaris) was terrific. He knew exactly where to go and always made sure we got our "shot". We were sad to leave him at the end of our trip. He really took care of us. Highlights were the Hippo Pool, seeing a pride of lions on a large rock and spotting a leopard and it's kill in a tree. We also did a hot air balloon ride. The scenery was beyond words and eating breakfast under a huge tree in the park made me feel like I was in a brochure. Words cannot describe the beauty here.

Serengeti during the dry season is the image the people have when they think safari. It is The Lion King brought to life. Brown grasses as far as the eye can see, sometimes with a tree breaking the monotony.
We decided to spend a morning viewing the Serengeti from a hot-air balloon. It was expensive, but well worth the money we spent for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Everyone’s experience in the Serengeti will be different. Some will see a kill. Others may see a stampede, or a display of dominance, or a cheetah running, or a lion cub playing. We saw a juvenile elephant discover three lions stalking him, and then turn the tables on them. But everyone will see something that few other people in the world have seen, and that’s what makes Serengeti so fascinating.

Serengeti, Lake Manayara & Ngorongoro Safari experience within budget.

It wasn't the way we had envisaged going on safari when we originally decided to go, but a camping safari was definitely the best we have experienced to date. Previously we have stayed at lodges in safari parks, and they have been very good. This time we were working to a budget and had to go during peak times so we had to look for alternatives. We booked a package directly with the tour operator based in Arusha and gave them details of what we wanted to see and do, they arranged everything: pick-up at the coach station, car, driver, cook, sleeping bags, tent, food. The tour guide/driver knew exactly which camping sites to stay at, the amount ot time needed to view the wildlife and also specifics about the wildlife. This allowed us plenty of time to see and enjoy the beautiful national parks (Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti). Once you arrive in Arusha it takes a couple of hours to get to Lake Mayara and the road is good. Getting to Ngorongoro takes a further 3 hours, but to get to Serengeti you have to go through Ngorongoro and it takes a good few hours, and be prepared for a rough ride, as the road is not smooth. But the whole experience was fantastic. Apart from the amazing wildlife the experience of staying in tented camps was graet. One night was spent in the middle of the Serengeti, where we could hear wildlife around at night and when we woke up we were a facing a glorious sunrise and giraffes and zebra roaming within a few hundred metres. Another night was a freezing cold night at the top of Ngorongoro Crater, but where you could see the stars so clearly that you felt you could touch them. Generally, the washroom facilities in these camps weren't great but the were usable. And having a cook travelling with us was great, he provided breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. All-in-all this was a great adventure holiday for the family (2 adults and 2 boys) which we will never forget and which will provide us with stories to tell.

Best park of our safari!

Three friends & I booked a private safari and visited the Masai Mara (3 days), the Serengeti (3 days -- 1 in the western area & 2 in central area), Ngorongoro Crater (1 day), and Tarangire (2 days). Without a doubt, our favorite area was the Central Serengeti -- although it didn't have the masses of wildebeest and zebra as the Masai Mara (since the Great Migration was in the Mara during that time), the sheer variety of wildlife and animal interactions in the central Serengeti was astounding.

In our two days in the central Serengeti, we saw two cheetah hunts (both unsuccessful), five leopards (including a mother with two teenage cubs in a tree), ostrich dancing & mating (not to be missed), hippos fighting in the Retina hippo pool, and so much more. The other safari areas were wondeful as well, but the central Serengeti was the real highlight and highly recommended, any time of the year. However make sure you have a great guide as our Tanzanian guide had so much more bird & wildlife knowledge than our Kenyan guide, and that made a huge difference in the enjoyment of our trip.