Across East Africa, December ushers in a remarkable seasonal shift. As the short rains soften the landscapes and the air grows heavy with renewal, the region transforms into a mosaic of movement, stillness, and quiet beauty. This is the season when wildlife rhythms change , and every Serena destination unveils a unique trail to explore.

This month’s Nature Trails Snapshot takes you through the ecosystems surrounding our safari lodges, lakeside retreats, and coastal sanctuaries, revealing the scenes that make December and January one of the most magical windows for travel.

The Serengeti–Mara Ecosystem: The Pause Before New Life

In the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem, the great migration eases into a peaceful pause.
The massive herds that thundered northward earlier in the year now slow to rest in smaller, scattered groups across the plains. With the first rains greening the grasslands, wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles feed quietly, gathering strength for the calving season ahead.

Predators, lions, hyenas, leopards — respond to the shift in rhythm. They move with patience rather than urgency, following the rains and the herds’ grazing paths. This is a rare invitation to witness the ecosystem in its softer mood: subtle, unhurried, and profoundly alive.

For travellers, December offers intimate wildlife encounters and quieter landscapes — a perfect time for contemplative game drives and breathtaking photography.

 Lake Manyara: Flamingo Trails Across the Rift Valley

Across Lake Manyara, the short rains spark one of East Africa’s most delicate natural spectacles.
As nutrient-rich waters return to the lake’s edge, flamingoes sweep in — their soft pink silhouettes dancing across the horizon. While Lake Bogoria and Lake Nakuru often host dramatic congregations, Manyara’s flamingo trail is more rhythmic and understated, creating a serene encounter with these iconic birds.

Flocks move in gentle arcs along the shoreline, feeding on algae and spirulina, then lifting in unison as a pale pink wave. For photographers, bird enthusiasts, and travellers seeking a quieter wildlife moment, December and January mark a spectacular time to visit.

Swahili Coast: The Beginning of Turtle Nesting Season

Along the Swahili Coast, December signals the first signs of turtle nesting.
On the shores near Serena Beach Resort & Spa, female turtles quietly make their way up the sand under the cover of darkness, selecting safe grounds to lay their eggs.

Our conservation teams work closely with local partners to protect these fragile nests, ensuring that once the hatchlings emerge weeks later, they reach the ocean safely.

This is one of the coast’s most moving natural rituals ,a reminder of the delicate balance between wildlife and the communities that safeguard it.

Guests visiting during this time may have the opportunity to learn about these conservation efforts, making the experience both meaningful and memorable.

Amboseli & Northern Tanzania: Green Season Renewal

In Amboseli and across northern Tanzania’s circuits — including Manyara and the Serengeti plains ,the first rains breathe new life into the earth.
Fresh greenery carpets the landscape, drawing elephants back to the marshlands, attracting antelope herds to graze, and igniting a surge of seasonal birdlife.

The views of Mount Kilimanjaro are often crystal-clear in the early mornings, while the evenings glow with soft, pastel skies after the rains. For guests seeking unhurried exploration, this season offers some of the most rewarding drives of the year.

The wildlife is relaxed, the scenery is lush, and the light is extraordinary ,ideal for photographers and nature lovers.

A Season of Movement, Stillness, and Renewal

December into January is a month shaped by contrast:
movement and rest, migration and nesting, rain and renewal. Each Serena destination carries its own story, shaped by the pulse of nature and the quiet shift into a new year.

Whether you seek wildlife encounters, coastal serenity, immersive photography, or simply a deep reconnection with place, this is the season when East Africa reveals its most intimate beauty

For those dedicated to the reduction of global warming and the preservation of our planet for generations to come, the Mara Serena Safari Lodge makes the ideal eco-accommodation. The only lodge to be located within the world-famous Mara Triangle of the Masai Mara National Reserve, it enjoys prime position and stands centre-stage to the impressive theatre of the wild.  Built high on a hill, its rooms promise long views over the plains and easy access to the Mara River where the local hippos provide a backdrop to the ever-popular Hippo Breakfast.  In concept, the lodge has been styled to echo the distinctive building-style of the Maasai people while the interior décor draws heavily on traditional Maasai motifs and colours.

The lodge also promises an impressive eco-pedigree. In the first instance it is 100% solar-powered thanks to the installation of its own solar farm, secondly it uses water only from its own borehole. As one might expect, the lodge also adherers to a rigorous regime with regard to the minimal use of water, chemicals, lights, energy and plastic. Also, to the eco-compliant disposal of effluent and waste. Wherever possible, the lodge sources food from the local farms. It also works with local pig farmers in the disposal of non-consumed food.

Long committed to the greening of the Mara, the lodge promotes an impressive tree-planting programme. Tens of thousands of indigenous trees have been planted just outside the Mara Triangle and many more in the Isokon area. The lodge also works closely with local schools in the planting of indigenous trees. Latterly the lodge has also embarked on a fascinating programme devoted to the replanting of the endangered African cycad genus Encephalartos.

Dedicated towards maintaining the pristine character of the Reserve, the lodge cooperates twice-monthly with the local community to carry out a litter-collection drive. The staff also participate in a number of wildlife censuses in cooperation with the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Mara Conservancy. Recent census work has included that of the counting cheetah and rhino.

As part of its pan-ecological programme, the lodge is committed to a carefully calibrated policy of community development designed to promote the Maasai culture, integrate with the local community and provide health and educational services. 34% of the staff are drawn from the local area while the local Isokon Primary School enjoys significant support from the lodge. Examples of this support include the drilling of a well for the school, the provision of major water storage tanks, the setting up of a vegetable garden to provide fresh vegetables for the children’s lunch, and the general provision of beds, clothing, shoes and classrooms. In partnership with the Lions School organization and the Aga Khan Foundation, the lodge has also provided a library for the school which is stocked with over 100 story books in local languages. The library is allied to a more extensive programme dedicated towards promoting literacy and early childhood development.

Isokon Primary School is not the only educational facility to work with the lodge which also works to support the local Maasai Educational Centre. This facility provides training across a broad range of disciplines designed to provide viable futures for the local youth. The lodge enhances the educational reach of the Centre by offering internships to the students many of which lead to employment within the lodge itself.  The lodge also works to support the local Kini Children’s Home and Rescue Centre by providing food and equipment; also, by inviting the children to perform at their Christmas events – for which they are rewarded with monetary support for the Kini projects, as well as a Christmas dinner and Christmas presents.

With regard to the promotion of the Maasai Culture and the financial support of the Maasai Community, the lodge works closely with the local community by promoting guest-visits to the villages of Enkerreri, El Kinye, Hard Rock and Enkutoto. The proceeds of these visits go direct to the community and are used in such initiatives as the building of schools, the sinking of wells and the provision of health services. Similarly, the lodge employs a group of Maasai dancers who perform for events such as celebrations, conferences or weddings. The lodge also stages authentic Maasai weddings and provides a space for local women to stage a craft market by the lodge’s pool.  Finally, on Boxing Day annually, the lodge works with the community to stage a grand Maasai Festive Ceremony that showcases the Maasai culture in all its many facets.

By Jane Barsby