SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
This is a plain dwellers' stronghold of 14,763 km² reaching up to the Kenyan border and claimed to be the finest in Africa.
Here are 35 species of plain dwelling animals, including wildebeest and zebra, which feature in the spectacular Serengeti migration, and also an extensive selection of birdlife. Probably the best time to see them is from December to May.
This is one of the best places in Africa to see lion and cheetah close up. The vast, open grasslands of the Serengeti are without doubt one of Africa's finest wildlife areas, and being there at the height of the migration is a never to be forgotten experience. [ Related Safari ]
NGORONGORO CONSERVATION
This is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world, and some scientists maintain that before it erupted, it would have stood higher than Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa. Covering a mere 260km², the 600m deep crater is home to a permanent population of more than 30 000 animals, and is one of the only places in Africa where you stand a very good chance of seeing the “big five” (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant) in the course of a morning or evening's game drive.
Nights on the crater rim (2 400m) where the lodges are, can get icy cold. Unique to the crater is that the local Maasai graze their cattle on the floor, and it is not unusual to see Maasai cattle and buffalo grazing together, with a lion kill just a few hundred metres away. There are around 100 lions in the crater, and about 20 black rhino.
The spectacular Lerai Forest is one of the best places in Africa to spot leopard.
[ Related Safari ]
MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK
This 1300km² park offers a chance to see lion, zebra, hippo, leopard, cheetah, giraffe, impala, wildebeest and warthog.
A popular spot for visitors is the Kikaboga Hippo Pool. Although December to March is the ideal time for viewing at Mikumi, there are animals throughout the year.
