Ninety seconds on Serengeti National Park
Pick the month first and the camp second, because the herds circle the park all year: the southern plains around Ndutu in February, the Mara River in the north from July to September.
From December to March the herds graze the short-grass plains around Ndutu in the south, where the wildebeest calve and the predators gather. February and March are the best months there, and Ndutu is the easiest part of the migration to reach by road from Arusha.
By June the herds are moving north and west, and some cross the Grumeti River in the Western Corridor. For the Mara River crossings, base yourself near Kogatende in the north from July to September, with the peak in August and September. A crossing can take days to come, so a two-night stay is a gamble.
Seronera, in the centre, has most of the lodges. In October and November, look for cheetahs on the plains around Namiri, east of Seronera.
You see the park on guided game drives in a 4x4, booked through your camp or an operator in Arusha. There are no official hiking trails, but some camps run walks with an armed ranger. Wear khaki or light neutral colours, since dark blue and black draw tsetse flies, and pack a jacket, because nights turn cold.
Arusha, and further afield
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