This morning after breakfast you will Transfer to Serengeti National Park, Serengeti which was established in 1951, and covering an area of almost 15,000 sq. km, Serengeti is one of the most spectacular game parks in East Africa
From its short and long grass plains in the south, which give way to Acacia Savannah in the central area, to the hilly more densely wooded areas of the north, and the extensive woodland in the western corridor, Serengeti offers great variations both geographically as well as with the millions of animals, birds and plants that go to make up this complex ecosystem. The name comes from the Masai
siringet, “endless plains”. 1.5 million wildebeest (gnu), 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle, 250,000 zebras leave the Serengeti in Tanzania in May, lured to the northern Maasai Mara in Kenya by rainfall and the promise of sprouting, nutrient-rich grasses. Predators such as lion, hyena and cheetah follow hot on their heels. From January onwards, massive herds of wildebeest gather on the plains of the Serengeti. This 22 000 square kilometer ecosystem of grass- and wood-land
is home to a staggering two million herbivores. Here the wildebeest drop their calves (numbers estimated at 400 000). Predators like spotted hyena, lion, cheetah, leopard and jackals flourish, feeding on the excessive glut of wildebeest veal. Once the long rains cease in May, the plains dry up quickly and become dry, harsh, and inhospitable. The calves are now strong enough to begin their first journey, and it is then that the long march north begins. From the Simba and Moru Kopjes (hills) in the north-west, the wooded grassland plains of the Serengeti separate into two corridors: to the west lie the Mbalageti and Grumeti Rivers and Lake Victoria, while
the other corridor extends north through woodland and over hills towards the Masai Mara. The rutting season in June is a noisy, dusty affair – with male wildebeest vociferously showing off their genetic superiority. Soon, most of the ‘ladies’ are pregnant. The herds then move on to Lake Victoria – the second-largest lake in the world, which has its own micro-climate and produces sufficient rainfall and pasture along its shores. vultures and Marabou storks line the banks in anticipation as the wildebeest plunge into the river, negotiating both the strong current and crocodiles in their inexhaustible drive for fodder. The wildebeest remain in the Masai Mara for two to three months, sustained by the short rains and pasture. They head south
between October and December, and move along the eastern section of the Serengeti in time to give birth during the life giving long rains of the South.
Overnight at Katikati camp
Game drive En-route Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner