What it is
A plain that runs from short-grass in the south, through woodland and granite kopjes in the centre, to river country in the north. It is too big to cross in a morning, so where you sleep matters far more than the word Serengeti on your itinerary.
Why go
Resident lions on the kopjes, cheetah on the open ground, leopard along the Seronera river, and — depending on the month — well over a million wildebeest. The scale is the experience: you can drive for an hour with animals in sight the whole way.
When to go
Late January to March in the south for the calving, when tens of thousands of wildebeest give birth inside a few weeks and the predators barely have to work. June and July in the western corridor. July to October in the north for the Mara River crossings. Match the camp to the month, or you will spend your days driving to where the animals are.
Most people stay 4-5 nights.
