South & Ndutu
Calving country and short-grass plains.
SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
The Serengeti is not one place—or one season.
The right part of the park changes with the rains, the herds and your month of travel. That is where good planning begins.
Private vehicleExperienced guideRoute planned for your dates
OUR VIEW OF THE SERENGETI
Start with the landscape, not the checklist.
Most people arrive knowing the Serengeti by name. Far fewer realise how much the experience depends on where they stay.
The park covers nearly 15,000 square kilometres, from the short-grass plains in the south to the wooded hills and river country of the north. The migration moves through this wider ecosystem with the rain; resident lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, buffalo and plains game remain when the great herds are elsewhere.
The practical decision is simple: first choose the area that suits your dates, then select a camp that makes the route work. A famous camp in the wrong place is still the wrong camp.
EASTCO has planned private Serengeti safaris from Arusha since 1992.
14,763 km²National park
4 regionsDifferent routes and seasons
3–5 nightsOur usual recommendation
Year-roundWildlife beyond the migration
WHEN TO GO
Follow the season, without pretending it is a timetable.
These are useful patterns, not promises. Rain can move the herds earlier, later or across a much wider area than any month-by-month chart suggests.
Central to west
Green season and herds moving towards Grumeti.
North
Dry-season wildlife and possible river crossings.
Turning south
Short rains begin and the pattern changes again.
THE IMPORTANT BIT
The migration is a reason to plan carefully—not the only reason to visit.
Seronera and other areas hold resident wildlife throughout the year. We would rather design a strong all-round safari than chase a crossing that no operator can guarantee.
ONE PARK, FOUR DIFFERENT JOURNEYS
Choose the region before the lodge.
Each region has its own character, access and seasonal strengths. Your route should be built around those differences.
Usually December to March
Southern plains & Ndutu
Short-grass plains, calving herds and strong cheetah country. Ndutu lies across the Serengeti and Ngorongoro conservation boundaries, so the right camp position matters.
Useful throughout the year
Central Serengeti
The Seronera river valleys support resident wildlife in every season. It is a reliable part of many routes, but also the busiest, so we plan the timing of each day carefully.
Often May to July
Western Corridor
Longer grasslands, the Grumeti River and a westward-moving migration. It can be very rewarding when the herds are present and a long detour when they are not.
Usually July to October
Northern Serengeti
Rolling country around Lobo and the Mara River. River crossings may happen, but they never run to a timetable and should not be sold as a guaranteed performance.
HOW EASTCO PLANS IT
Give each safari day a purpose.
We look at arrival point, camp location, gate times and the next day's route together. Two camps can both be described as “Serengeti” while sitting many hours apart.
- Your travel month and likely wildlife pattern
- Realistic driving and flying times
- Current camp availability and standards
- Time to stay with a good sighting