The Serengeti Ecosystem
Life in the Serengeti is a complex and dynamic ecological system in which all the animals and plants interact both with each other and with their environment. No organism is static or exists in isolation and all are dependant on the rains. The park is made up of several different vegetation zones: in the dry south are the short and long grassland plains, where an average of only 50cm of rain falls per year. In the centre lies an area of acacia savannah whilst the western corridor marks a region of wooded highlands and ‘black cotton’ soil curving in a great swathe to the edge of Lake Victoria. To the north is wooded grassland, which concentrates along the watercourses and tributaries of the Grumeti and Mara Rivers.

The Migration
Twice a year, propelled by the rains, 1.3 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle gather to undertake an 800 km trek to new grazing lands. The precise timing of the migration varies but generally the herbivores congregate and move out at the end of May, sometimes over a period of weeks, sometimes over a period of as little as three or four days. They then head west on the first leg of a roughly triangular 800-km circuit that takes approximately 3-4 months and ends in the Masai Mara National Reserve of Kenya. When the grazing here is exhausted the tide of herbivores turns and reverses its progress returning to the short grass plains of Tanzania.

The Climate
There are two distinct seasons: the dry season between June and October, and the wet season, which starts in November and lasts irregularly until May.

The People of the Serengeti
Approximately one hundred years ago, the warlike Maasai first arrived in the Serengeti, bringing their cattle to graze on the rich grasslands. Prior to this the region was uninhabited and visited only by the hunter-gatherer Ndorobo and Ikoma tribes. The Maasai were followed, in 1913, by the Europeans, who were so quick to assess its game-hunting potential that, by 1921, the Serengeti’s teeming herds had been almost entirely decimated. This necessitated the establishment, firstly of a Reserve and finally, in 1951, a National Park. As a result the Serengeti is an area where human habitation is prohibited.

How to Get There
The Serengeti National Park is 335 km from Arusha. However, due to the massive distances involved in traversing it, poor roads and treacherous wet-weather terrain, most visitors arrive by air using the busy airstrip at the Seronera headquarters (30km from Serengeti Serena Lodge and 116 km from Kirawira Camp) or Grumeti airstrip (16 km from Kirawira Camp). There are also flights to several other airstrips to include: Grumeti, Serengeti South and Lobo.

When to go
The Serengeti National Park can be visited at any time of year but the wildlife concentrations are greatest between December and June and comparatively low during the dry season between July and October.

What to wear and carry with you
Dress, for both men and women, should be modest. For women, skirts or shorts to below the knee or loose-fitting long pants and modest tops with some sort of sleeve are recommended. For men, shorts to the knee or long trousers and shirts with sleeves are recommended. When on safari we suggest that you travel light, dress comfortably (in lightweight cottons in muted colours) and carry a light jacket. Also imperative are; sunglasses, sunhat, sunscreen, insect repellent, camera, film, binoculars and a guide book covering your area of interest.

			Distances from other African Serena properties View distances between Kirawira Tented Camp and the other African Serena properties, as well as driving and flight duration.