The best time of year for safari in Serengeti

July is generally considered to be a very strong month in which to visit the Serengeti, the dry season, with good weather and strong wildlife viewing (other than potentially elusive migration herds in the first two weeks). However, visitor numbers increase significantly.

Conditions

Average daily temperature : 24C/75F
Average nightly temperature : 13C/55F
Rainfall : 12mm/0.5″ : very low

Temperatures and humidities are pretty constant and comfortable year round in Serengeti. The prevailing conditions are warm and sunny, with a very small chance of intermittent showers.

Migration

The key action migration action area at this time is Serengeti Mara.

Having spend potentially weeks dispersed through the northern woodlands, by around the middle of July the herds usually start to emerge and mass on the open plains of the far north. This is the time of year when big river crossings can often be witnessed.

Resident wildlife

With reference to resident wildlife elsewhere in the Serengeti the wildlife viewing should now be very strong, as the dry season conditions oblige the animals to cluster around the few permanent water sources. This is most pronounced in central areas, where the density of lions and cheetahs rises to become the highest in Africa and sightings are often prodigious.

Visitor traffic

Visitor numbers remain very high through this month, with the main focus now being the Seronera area and the open plains to the far north, where the migration should be arriving. Traffic avoidance measures are now extremely important, namely booking well in advance to ensure rooms at the best lodges and choosing your safari routes carefully.

The remote plains of Serengeti Southeast and Serengeti Southwest should be very quiet, although the resident wildlife there is not so strong.

start of the migration river crossings

August is generally considered to be a strong month in which to visit the Serengeti, the dry season, with good weather and strong wildlife (including the migration herds). However, visitor numbers are at their highest.

Conditions

Average daily temperature : 25C/77F
Average nightly temperature : 13C/55F
Rainfall : 25mm/1.0″ : low

Temperatures and humidities are pretty constant and comfortable year round in Serengeti. The prevailing conditions are warm and sunny, with a very small chance of intermittent showers.

Migration

The key action migration action area at this time is Serengeti Mara.

By now the herds should be well established on the open plains of the far north, with ongoing river crossings, which can often be witnessed up close.

Resident wildlife

With reference to resident wildlife elsewhere in the Serengeti the wildlife viewing should continue to be very strong, as the dry season conditions oblige the animals to cluster around the few permanent water sources. This is most pronounced in central areas, where the density of lions and cheetahs rises to become the highest in Africa and sightings are often prodigious.

Visitor traffic

Visitor numbers remain reach their peak through this month, with the main focus now being the Seronera area and the open plains to the far north, where the migration should be in position. Traffic avoidance measures remain extremely important, namely booking well in advance to ensure rooms at the best lodges and choosing your safari routes carefully.

The remote plains of Serengeti Southeast and Serengeti Southwest should be very quiet, although the resident wildlife there is not so strong.

great wildlife, but high visitor traffic

September is generally considered to be a very strong month in which to visit the Serengeti, the dry season, with good weather and strong wildlife (including the migration). However, visitor numbers remain high.

Conditions

Average daily temperature : 26C/79F
Average nightly temperature : 14C/57F
Rainfall : 30mm/1.2″ : low

Temperatures and humidities are pretty constant and comfortable year round in Serengeti. The prevailing conditions are warm and sunny, with a very small chance of intermittent showers.

Migration

The key action migration action area at this time is Serengeti Mara.

Through September, the herds should continue to graze en-masse on open plains of the far north, with continued crossings of the Mara River.

Resident wildlife

With reference to resident wildlife elsewhere in the Serengeti the wildlife viewing should continue to be very strong, as the dry season conditions oblige the animals to cluster around the few permanent water sources. This is most pronounced in central areas, where the density of lions and cheetahs rises to become the highest in Africa and sightings are often prodigious.

Visitor traffic

Visitor numbers start to recede slightly through this month, falling from although tend to remain very high, with the main focus now being the Seronera area and the open plains to the far north, where the migration should be in position. Traffic avoidance measures remain extremely important, namely booking well in advance to ensure rooms at the best lodges and choosing your safari routes carefully.

The remote plains of Serengeti Southeast and Serengeti Southwest should be very quiet, although the resident wildlife there is not so strong.

great wildlife, with high visitor traffic

October is generally considered to be a very strong month in which to visit the Serengeti, the peak of the dry season, with good weather and very strong wildlife (including the migration). Visitor numbers are falling from their peak.

Conditions

Average daily temperature : 27C/81F
Average nightly temperature : 15C/59F
Rainfall : 45mm/1.7″ : low

Temperatures and humidities are pretty constant and comfortable year round in Serengeti, although it may become slightly oppressive in advance of the rains. The prevailing conditions are warm and sunny, with increasing chances of impressive thunderstorms rolling across the plains, accompanied by intermittent showers.

Migration

Through October, the main herds should be well established on the open plains of the Serengeti Mara in the far north, with continued river crossings.

However, there is a small chance that early rains may push the herds south into Serengeti North and Serengeti Central.

Resident wildlife

With reference to resident wildlife elsewhere in the Serengeti the wildlife viewing should continue to be very strong, as the dry season conditions oblige the animals to cluster around the few permanent water sources. This is most pronounced in central areas, where the density of lions and cheetahs rises to become the highest in Africa and sightings are often prodigious.

Visitor traffic

Visitor numbers continue to recede through this month, with the main focus now being the Seronera area and the open plains to the far north, where the migration should still be in position. Traffic avoidance measures remain extremely important, namely booking well in advance to ensure rooms at the best lodges and choosing your safari routes carefully.

The remote plains of Serengeti Southeast and Serengeti Southwest should be very quiet, although the resident wildlife there is not so strong.

great wildlife, with easing visitor traffic

November is generally considered to be a rather unpredictable month in which to visit the Serengeti, with unpredictable rain showers having dramatic effects on wildlife movements. With good planning it can be great.

Conditions

Average daily temperature : 27C/81F
Average nightly temperature : 15C/59F
Rainfall : 95mm/3.7″ : medium

Temperatures and humidities are pretty constant and comfortable year round in Serengeti, although it may become slightly oppressive in advance of the rains. The prevailing conditions are warm and sunny, with a likelihood of impressive thunderstorms rolling across the plains, accompanied by intermittent showers and occasional torrential downpours.

Migration

When it comes to migration movements, this month can be very difficult to call.

Up to now the herds should have been ranged across the plains of Serengeti Mara and Maasai Mara (Kenya) .

However, at the first sign of lightning on the volcanoes of Ngorongoro far off the south, the herds lift their heads and start heading off in that direction, apparently led by the zebras. Their aim is to reach their calving grounds just as the plains are starting to sprout the nutritious short grasses that they crave. This movement can start any time between Oct-Dec, so the herds could be almost anywhere.

It’s therefore usually a good idea to plan to stay in all three of Serengeti Mara, Serengeti Central and Serengeti Southcentral to ensure you maximise your chances of good sightings.

Resident wildlife

With reference to resident wildlife, as the long dry season drags on, the animals are gasping for rain. The grazing around the permanent waterholes has long since been eaten up and most herbivores are now migrating daily in and out between water and fodder, always running the risk of getting nailed by lions at the waterholes. They too are ready to disperse, but cannot do so until significant rains occur, which is usually at least a few weeks later. So lion and cheetah viewing should remain pretty reliable in central areas throughout this month.

Visitor traffic

Visitor numbers should be relatively low through this month, with the main focus now being the Seronera area and the open plains to the far north, where the migration should still be in position. Traffic avoidance measures should be a lot less important, but we still recommend choosing your safari routes carefully.

start of the migration southbound trek

December is generally considered to be a good month in which to visit the Serengeti, with early migration calving season action in the south and some lovely quiet areas further north. The weather is usually good, but rain showers can be disruptive.

Conditions

Average daily temperature : 26C/79F
Average nightly temperature : 15C/59F
Rainfall : 109mm/4.3″ : high

Temperatures and humidities are pretty constant and comfortable year round in Serengeti, although it may become slightly oppressive in advance of the rains (if they arrive this late). The prevailing conditions are warm and sunny, with a likelihood of impressive thunderstorms rolling across the plains, accompanied by intermittent showers and occasional torrential downpours.

Migration

December should see the arrival of the main herds into central areas and edging down onto the main southern plains. Their aim is to reach their calving grounds just as the plains are starting to sprout the nutritious short grasses that they crave. However the exact timing of this movement is notoriously unpredictable, so the herds could be almost anywhere in the Serengeti region.

It’s therefore usually a good idea to plan to stay at a lodge in each of Serengeti Mara, Serengeti Central and one or more of the more southerly areas.

Resident wildlife

With reference to resident wildlife, as the long dry season drags on, the animals are gasping for rain. The grazing around the permanent waterholes has long since been eaten up and most herbivores are now migrating daily in and out between water and fodder, always running the risk of getting nailed by lions at the waterholes. By now the rains should have arrived and the animals should have started to disperse, but you should be able to find plenty of lions and cheetahs between the central and southern areas.

Visitor traffic

Visitor numbers continue to remain at relatively low levels for the first half of the month, after which they leap dramatically to their peak levels of uncomfortably high, mainly focused on central areas and in the migration areas around Ndutu. Once this increase takes place, traffic avoidance measures become essential, namely booking well in advance to ensure rooms at the best lodges and choosing your safari routes carefully.

It might also still be worth including Serengeti Mara, where the migration herds may still be in position and the resident wildlife is strong, but which should be very peaceful and removed from the holiday crowds.

start of the migration river crossings