The Serengeti National Park located in north west Tanzania is a vast, picturesque expanse of gently rolling African savannah plains measuring approximately 30,000 square kilometers in land area including surrounding game reserves and bordering the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya to the north. The Serengeti is a one of a kind protected wildlife conservation area, Tanzania's most icocnic National Park, famed for its amazing natural diversity of wildlife and also know for the Wildebeest Migration. Serengeti is a literal animal paradise and a leading Safari location in Tanzania as well as East Africa, offering visitors the chances to spot Lions, Cheetah, Elephant, Rhino, African Buffalo, Wildebeest, Giraffe, Zebra and many more animals, found in large numbers inside the park in their natural habitat, unconfined and free to roam the vast wilderness stretching for miles on end. It is no surprise then that tourists from the world over travel here not least because this National Park has been voted one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. Regarding the origin of the name, the word 'Serengeti' comes from the language of Maasai tribe, nomadic inhabitants of the area. The word 'Serengit' in Maa language means "endless plains", very much suited to the vast unending grassy plains of the Serengeti.
A classic safari in the park can be enhanced with unique experiences in the savanna. Travelers visiting the Serengeti can enjoy the following additions to their safari tour: Hot air balloon safari: Drone use is prohibited in the Serengeti, making hot air balloon flights the only way to view the savanna from a bird's eye perspective. The view from above offers especially picturesque scenery and the opportunity for stunning panoramic photographs. The endless plains of the Serengeti inspired Disney's 'The Lion King', and they are especially impressive from above. Breakfast and dinner in the savanna: Most lodges in the park can arrange breakfast or dinner right under the open sky in the Serengeti, allowing travelers to enjoy fine dining in one of the most scenic spots on the planet, accompanied by the sounds of the savanna. Night safaris: While night safaris are prohibited within the park itself, they are allowed in neighboring private reserves. Ikoma is one of the most popular locations for night safaris, offering a chance to see leopards, civets, genets, and other nocturnal inhabitants of the savanna.