The Serengeti National Park is 30,000 square kilometers of protected land spanning northern Tanzania. The Maasai people, indigenous to this area, named this land the Serengeti, meaning “the place where the land runs on forever”. The land was designated a national park in 1981 and has since been a beloved tourism area for going on safaris and observing wildlife. Due to its ecological significance, the park has been listed as a World Heritage Site and is a Category II protected area meaning that it should be managed through a legal instrument to protect the ecosystem. The World Travel Awards (WTA) awarded the Serengeti the winner of the top wildlife conservation area, making it the leading national park in Africa in 2019.
The park is known for its high biodiversity and the highly sought after “popular” species. Tourists can come to watch the migration of 1.5 million wildebeest, the largest population of big mammals that are on the planet. Along with the migrating wildebeests are zebras, gazelles, giraffes, warthogs, and hippopotamuses. The Serengeti is also home to the Big Five, the top five animal sightings on safaris: lions, leopards, elephants, rhinoceroses, and cape buffalo. These few animals only scrape the surface of the biodiversity that is present.
A good family friend of mine has their own safari company in Tanzania. Here is more information about the migration safaris that his company runs: https://www.thorntonsafaris.com/serengeti-migration
There is something to say for over-tourism in these types of areas. Too much tourism and human movement throughout these landscapes can cause changes in animal behavior and strain populations. Therefore, in order to be socially responsible when visiting. This means looking into eco-tourism businesses and proper behavior when at the park. Here is a link to get you started: https://www.africaendeavours.com/about-us/sustainable-travel
I encourage everyone to visit Tanzania, not only to marvel in the expansive landscape and animal diversity but to support the continued conservation and preservation efforts of the national park. Anybody I have heard from that has been to the Serengeti has nothing but inspiring and life-changing things to say about it. Whether you are just a fan of The Lion King, or a lover of all things animals (or both like me), the Serengeti National Park is an essential location to put on your wildlife bucket list.
