Hotels in Serengeti

Serengeti: Tanzania's Great Migration Heartland

The Serengeti sits in northern Tanzania, roughly 325 km west of Arusha, covering 14,763 sq km of savanna managed by Tanapa (Tanzania National Parks Authority) since the reserve's gazettement in 1951. The ecosystem hosts the largest terrestrial mammal migration on Earth — approximately 1.5 million wildebeest, 400,000 zebra, and 200,000 gazelle cycling north toward the Masai Mara each July and returning south by November. The Seronera Valley, at the geographic centre, concentrates predator activity year-round and anchors most mid-range lodges.

Where to Stay in the Serengeti

Accommodation clusters around three corridors: Seronera for central access, Lobo in the north for river-crossing season, and Ndutu on the southern border for calving season (January–March). Options range from permanent tented camps to mobile camps that follow the migration.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: Charter flights from Arusha to Seronera airstrip take about 45 minutes; the overland drive from Arusha via Ngorongoro runs 8–10 hours.
• Best timing: Mara River crossings peak July–September in the northern Serengeti.
• Entry fees: Non-resident adults pay USD 71.80 per 24-hour period (2024 Tanapa rates).
• Pack light layers for early-morning game drives where temperatures drop to around 12 °C.