48 hours in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
The second leg of our Great African Safari trail in Tanzania was the Serengeti National Park. Being one of the oldest and largest ecosystems on the African continent, I couldn’t contain my excitement of experiencing Safari at Serengeti. With a tight schedule we had in hand and all the places I wanted to tick off my bucket list while in Tanzania, we got to spend only 2 days at the National Park.
According to our Tour Guide Mr. Deo from Easy Travels, Tanzania, this is the main course in the Northern Circuit Safari and I couldn’t agree with him more. The safari though more rugged compared to the experience at Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater, it was once in a lifetime experience for both my husband and I. The Serengeti National Park, which comprises of about 1.5 million hectares of grasslands with large bio-diversity home to some highly endangered species like the Black Rhinoceros, Cheetahs, and African elephants. The Park aims to protect and preserve the ecosystem and make it habitable for all the species and is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site for its impressive wildlife prevalent and the spectacular annual migration scene.
Related post: Game drive experience at the Lake Manyara National Park
We started from Serena Lodge, Lake Manyara early morning, as we had to cover a long distance to reach our destination. After few stops midway at Ngorongoro crater edge to click pictures and also a quick-lunch break, we finally entered the Serengeti National Park around noon. As the Park begins, the landscape looked like an endless plain for several miles ahead. After driving for few miles on the main road, our guide took a random exit and this where all the fun began for us. Similar to Lake Manyara, we were welcomed to the park by a herd of elephants passing by.
Related post: Safari experience at the Ngorongoro Crater
We then spotted two male Masai Lions resting after feasting on a buffalo under a rock from the afternoon sun. This was my first close encounter with a lion, which wasn’t behind the cage like in zoos. In a way, I was glad they were fast asleep, as I would have totally freaked out if they were up and about. The best part of touring the national park was that no matter what tour company you belong to, the drivers contact each other through when they spot a wild animal so that others get an opportunity to watch them in action as well. Rest of the afternoon we drove around different locations spotting a troop of lions resting with their families under the shade of trees. To be honest, by the end of 2 days I lost count of the number of lions we actually came across.
We ended the day with an exhilarating encounter with the African Leopard, which was leisurely strolling around our vehicle completely ignoring the eager travelers. We then headed to the Tanzania Bush Camp, where we were camping for the duration of our stay, to rest and start afresh the next day.
Related post: Glamping with Tanzania bush Camps, Serengeti
The second day at Serengeti was a full day game drive where Mr. Deo took us to some very scenic locations inside the park. Apart from more Lions and elephants, on the second day, we spotted Giraffes, Thomson Gazelle, African Buffalos, Zebras, Wildebeest, Ostrich, Warthog, Secretary Bird etc.
Related post: How to plan a trip to Tanzania
Serengeti is famous for the annual Wildebeest migration whereby millions of Wildebeests, Zebras, Gazelles and other animals migrate around Serengeti and Masai Mara (Kenya) ecosystem. This is considered as one of the Wonders of the Natural World. Although we did not witness this spectacular event as it wasn’t the migration season in the area we were exploring, we were lucky enough to witness the lions and Cheetahs hunting down its prey and feasting on them (not a great sight for a vegetarian like me). On the third day while driving out of the Park we even got an opportunity to watch a crane gulping down a snake, which again not a pleasant sight but something one cannot miss while in the wilderness.
Driving across the endless Savannah and spotting all these wild animals was such an out of the world experience that I will gladly suggest as a must do while you are in Tanzania.
Hope you guys enjoyed reading our post, do leave us a comment on your thoughts on the National Park and the experience!
Also, subscribe for more updates on upcoming posts!!
I would love to visit the Serengeti! I still haven’t despite having been to Tanzania twice, and it’s the one place I want to check out that I haven’t been able to yet. Your photos are great – so jealous that you got so close to the elusive leopard in particular. And don’t worry about lions; they’re really not the least bit bothered by the presence of us humans unless we provoke them…
Oh, you have to visit Serengeti. The safari there is amazing!
Wow.. Absolutely awesome.. Love reading your posts.. Thanks for this virtual tour..
Thank you
Wow… so many animal sightings in one trip! You managed to see all the big cats!
I must also appreciate the great photographs. The sight of the lions enjoying a siesta is equally wonderful and hilarious. I’d like to see a closeup of that lizard.
Apparently thats how male lions take a nap . It looked even funny upclose.
Cannot believe you saw a leopard!!! AND a Zebra. AND a giraffe…all in the wild. This place is going on my travel bucket list 🙂
Yes, this is a must add to your list if love a safari adventure.
Sounds like you had an incredible time! Your pictures are so beautiful, and I can’t believe you were so lucky to see a leopard! Great article!
Thank you Danielle.
Wow! This is gorgeous! Currently in Rwanda. We love wildlife. I think our next destination should be Tanzania! The Giraffe, lion, leopard, zebra etc. look so nice. Especially you have captured the leopard so well!And the lions having a siesta is just wow!
Thank you guys :). Do try and visit Tanzania while in Africa, it is stunning. Enjoy your time at Rwanda.
What an exciting trip this must have been. So many amazing animals in the wild. I just love the lion, leopard, giraffe and Zebras you spotted. Would love to visit some day. Wildebeast migration is another event I want to experience.
Oh yes, the mogration I have heard is a unique experience. Plan your visit around the same season and you won’t regret it.
It’s really in my bucket list to visit a Safari. This is definitely worth visiting! 🙂
Yep, it indeed is :).
Great blog post and photos! This made me want to visit Tanzania!
Thank you
I am so jealous right now 😀 It is one of my biggest dreams to visit this country and national parks. You have some amazing photos, I love your adventure 🙂
Thank you. Hope your dream comes true soon :).
Oh gosh! this is awesome experience. I would love such visit too. That Tanzanian Lizard look pretty. That Cheetah lying around. Wow!
The entire experience is out of the world! It was so thrilling to watch everything in action.
Seems that you had some fun there. Very nice article and I love your photos! 🙂
Thank you.
Lovely captures ladies. Seems like you got really luck with the spotting.
Thank you Ami!
Amazing . Loved the post and pics.
Thank you!
Loved this post 🙂 National Parks are so beautiful and I’ve always been curiois about Tanzania
Thank you Chiara!
Beautiful photos! Africa is truly something else. Been to Kenya and would love to visit Tanzania.
Kenya is next on my list 🙂
you guys got seriously lucky to see so many animals!
Thank you Poorna
African safaris are so different from the Indian ones but a leopard eluded me even in South Africa! I hope I too will get to see one in the wild sometime! Loved the grandeur of your pictures!
Thank you Mridula :). African safaris are well curated, I hope Indiastarts similar ones soon.
You are so close, I envy you! But I am little scared of being that close to wild animals haha
I can understand. It was the first time close encpunter for me as well
It’s a fantastic experience and you were lucky to see so many exotic animals. But my absolute favorite is that little lizard – what colors!
Yea, The lizard looks cery exotic, upclose its even more exquisite
All these sounds so exciting.
The best part of safaris is spotting animals and even better when captured in lens. And you real cool shots!
Thank you Indrani
This is a dream trip for me! Your welcome committee looks amazing and I’d be terrified to be that close to cheetahs and leopards haha.
I was scared initially when the leopard got close to the vehicle but they are harmless unless you prpvoke them.
That’s a lot of sightings! Quite a feast for your eyes, eh. I’m sure that was a very satisfying safari. 🙂
Oh yes!! It definitely was a satisfying safari
I really want to go there and everytime I read an article about it, my wanderlust get worse. I should just book it!
Yes, You should plan a trip to Tanzania. It’s a beautiful experience.
Awesome…. To be very honest, I got lost in the pictures and could not focus on reading 🙂
Serengeti is one of the best national parks and you captures it’s wildlife so well.
We are glad the pictures enthralled you :). Thank you for stopping by.
Gorgeous photos! I have an African Serengeti on my list ever since my folks went on a safari last year!
Thank you Amrita. The animal Safari at Serengeti is really an amazing experience.
Wonderful pictures. Serengeti is full of wild life.
What a Wonderful National Park! Now I want to take a visit once! I am too much Excited! Thanks for letting me know about serengeti national Park!!
Your welcome Sandeep
I am dying to visit Kenya and Tanzania for so long! And this makes me want to go there all the more. Keep travelling and inspiring! 🙂
I would love to do this! An African safari would be amazing, and I’ve heard how beautiful Tanzania is. I hope to get there one of these days.
Hope you do. Tanzania is a gorgeous country, you will definitely love it.
I am actually having trouble choosing between Serengeti National Park in Tanzania or Kruger National Park in South Africa for my first ever African safari! I guess the good part about Kruger is that I can visit so many other places in South Africa on my trip, along with the safari there. In Serengeti, I will probably be a bit limited because I have already been to Zanzibar and I don’t know if there’s much else to explore around that area. Nevertheless, the safari experience itself looks pretty awesome. You saw leopards, giraffes and lions, the highlights of a safari!