Top 3 Reasons to Visit the Serengeti in the Green Season

Why Southern Serengeti?

The “green season” refers to the period between November/December to to May - typically when the short rains start until the end of the long rains. Rains in the Serengeti mean vivid colour, new life and rich game. Here are my top 3 reasons to visit the Serengeti during this magical time of year..

Wildebeest and Zebra Migration:
The wildebeest and zebra migration will be roaming this vast space due to the abundance of short nutritious grass that should have sprouted from the short rains that typically start in November. With fresh grass, the animals have food in plenty for themselves and the wee ones that will be born in these plains during the month of January and February.

Every year, the herds birth in these open plains which is a sight to behold. You know who else likes to stay close to the huge herds, the Big Cats. Hobbyists, amateur or pro photographers, listen up. Because of birthing and the ease of food for the big cats, dramatic scenes of hunts are possible. Think cheetahs showing off their full-throttle speed bringing down an adult wildebeest or lionesses working together to tackle a zebra. Calves are easy prey. Graphic I know, but nature.

Don’t worry, it’s not only wildebeest and zebra and big cats that you will see. Elephants, birds galore, antelopes of all kinds, possibly the vicious wild-dogs, jackals, and so much more will be around to make this an amazing Safari.

Dramatic skies:
Thunder, lightning, gloomy dark skies, yup, those are what you have to look forward to when heading on Safari during the ‘rainy’ green season. As much as this is a deterrent for a lot of people, if you are comfortable, sitting back for a bit, and enjoying these experiences, you will be well rewarded with drama from nature. Sometimes you will be on drives during these moments, and others, sit back and enjoy these moments from the lovely places we recommend.

Green lush landscape:
The dry season does have its appeal and moments that are magnificent but the rain does make for green lush landscape. I personally love green spaces - it is an escape from my concrete jungle in Houston. And I do love a good contrast between the wildlife and the landscape.

You don’t have to be restricted to Southern Serengeti if you plan on traveling during these green months. We can take you to Northern and/or Eastern Serengeti - the wildlife is always present and the landscapes glorious as ever. Mix in other parks like elephant-rich Tarangire National Park and wild Ruaha National Park in Tanzania. The possibilities are endless.

These times don’t work for a Safari. No worries.

TImeline of where the Wildebeest MIgration is year round. They never disappear. They are constantly moving from area to area throughout the Serengeti, Tanzania and Masai Mara, Kenya eco-system.

Unique Experiences to add to your Safari in Tanzania and Kenya

All Safaris are unique. Nothing quite like being on Safari in my personal opinion.

However, sometimes, we find that we are adding a few experiences that just take your Safari to the next level. Some of our favorite Safari experiences to consider when deciding on your Safari. These are experiences that enrich the soul and give your Safari even more excitement.

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Chimpanzee Trekking in the Mahale Mountains, Western Tanzania

A jungle Safari, on the shores of the tropical lake shores of Lake Tanganyika, to see some the world’s largest protected population of Eastern Chimps.

The Mahale Mountains, home to approx. 800 Chimpanzees. Only one group of about 60, the “M Group” is semi-habituated to humans, so they are the ones that are visited.

The Mahale Mountains National Park lies on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Western Tanzania’s Kigoma region. Your base will be Greystoke Mahale, an exclusive, award-winning camp that is truly one of the most beautifully simple, and luxuriously castaway places to stay on the planet. Your days will be spent Chimpanzee trekking with some of the most experienced guides and trackers in the world who know every Chimp’s personality and characteristics. Some days it will only take a couple of hours to find the group, and other times you can spend the whole day trekking the forrest. This is part of the charm of real tracking. If the Chimpanzees haven’t already blown you away, your base at Greystoke Mahale certainly will. This little Camp set right on a sandy beach overlooking the crystal clear waters of Lake Tanganyika, with the Mahale Mountains as a backdrop is truly one of the most unique, stunning locations on the continent. Time spent at Greystoke isn’t just Chimp Trekking, although that is the main attraction. Spend the rest of your days lazing on the beach, snorkeling in the tropical lake waters, kayaking, and enjoying the shabby-chic luxury of Greystoke.

The main area of Nomad’s Greysoke Mahale. An exclusive, hidden gem in the remote Mahale Mountains.

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Walking with the Hadza Tribe, Northern Tanzania

This is one of my favourite, and accessible Safari experiences that you can do on a Tanzania Safari. The Hadzabe, or Hadza People are Tanzania’s last Hunter Gatherer Tribe, and some of the most incredible people on the planet. Walking with the Hadza is a must on any trip to Tanzania.

The Hadza or the Hadzabe people are one of the last Hunter-Gatherer tribes in Africa that still largely keep to their traditional way of life. They live around the Lake Eyasi region of Tanzania and their way of life is truly remarkable. Unlike other tribes in Tanzania and Sub-Saharan Africa, they have no livestock and they don’t grow their own food. They thrive by hunting with bows and arrows and foraging for plants and berries. There are only around 1200 of the Hadza tribe left in the world, so to walk and learn from them is a truly remarkable experience. We all have a lot to learn from their way of life, their connection to their surroundings and the way they view the earth. There is a great article on the how the Hadza are some of the healthiest people in the world here.

I try to make time to walk and talk to the Hadza, it is truly one of the best experiences you can get from your Tanzania Safari and where you will learn about a simple world.

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Go on a Night Game Drive

The best time to see all the predators of the night and the action that is usually missed whilst your asleep!

Heading on a night game drive is one of the best wildlife experiences you can have in Africa. After dark is when predators do the majority of their hunting so you can expect to see Lions out on the hunt for unsuspecting herds of Impala, or a Leopard stalking its next prey. At night, the wilderness is filled with nocturnal creatures and this is when a lot of action takes place. There is something exhilarating about being out in the wild in the dark in your Safari car, you can’t see far but you can hear rustling in the bushes, and pairs of eyes.

My favourite places to head out on a night game drive are in the Tarangire in Northern Serengeti, Ruaha and Katavi in Southern Serengeti, Mara North Conservancy, and Borana or Lewa Conservancy besides other areas. South Africa, and Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe also offer many night game drive opportunities as a lot of the lodges are in private areas.

You never know what you will see around the corner.

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Go on a Walking Safari

This can be easily incorporated into your Safari and most of the Camps and Lodges I use will have the option to head out on foot with a experienced guide and ranger. This is the best way to explore your surroundings and truly feel part of the wilderness.

My favorite walking Safaris I have been on are in the Ngorongoro Crater from Entamanu Lodge. With your Masai guide, you will walk down the crater escarpment towards the Serengeti plains and be met by a Safari car at the end of your walk that will have a picnic breakfast ready for you. It’s also a great way to keep active and fit on Safari!

The kids enjoying their walking Safari and learning about every detail of their surroundings. The best playground!

If you want to go on a full walking Safari where you walk everyday between Camps and walking is your only mode of transport through the wild, then heading to Zambia is best. The Luwanga Valley is known as the “home of the walking Safari” with some of the best guides and trackers in the industry. However, Northern Kenya is also a great contender. The private and community run conservancies in the rugged North make it a great area to explore on foot with the a Samburu warrior to guide you. Have a look at the Best Places to Stay in Northern Kenya with your family.

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The Migration’s Birthing Season, Southern Serengeti Plains

The Migration is famous for its River Crossings between July and October, but my favorite and most underrated part of the migration cycle is the Calving season at the beginning of the year.

Birthing Season is really incredible!

I have mentioned before how February is one of my favorite time to visit the Serengeti. This is because of the wildebeest calving season that takes over the Southern Serengeti plains and Ndutu region. You will see millions of wildebeest giving birth to new life, and with this, the various dangers that come with the vulnerability of young calves and their weak mothers. It is a remarkable time of year to see big cats and other predators, whilst the lush green plains are a beautiful backdrop for your safari. It’s a time of new life, and new cycles and it really immerses you in the delicate balance of the Serengeti and Masai Mara eco-system. Visiting the Southern Serengeti at this time of year also means much lower visitor numbers, which will make your Safari even more special. There is a whole other blog post that goes into detail on the Top 3 Reasons to Visit the Serengeti in Green Season, which includes birthing season.