Mwanza Serengeti National Park Day Trip Tanzania

Our 1-day trip from Mwanza to Serengeti National Park is a popular and feasible option for travelers with limited time, as Mwanza serves as the gateway to the park’s Western Corridor. These excursions typically involve a very early start (around 0500 Hours – 530 Hours) to maximize game-viewing time before returning to Mwanza in the late evening.

Driving Time & Distance: The nearest entrance is the Ndabaka Gate, located approximately 140–145 km (90 miles) northeast of Mwanza. The drive typically takes 2 to 3 hours one-way along the Mwanza–Musoma road.

Estimated Cost: Prices are generally higher during the Peak season (June – Oct and Jan – Feb), the Shoulder season (Nov – Dec), and the Low Season (March – May). Rates often include round-trip 4×4 transportation, park entry fees, a professional guide, and a picnic lunch.

Serengeti National Park Day Trip Itinerary from Mwanza

0530 Hours: Pick-up from your Mwanza hotel
0800 Hours: Arrival and registration at Ndabaka Gate. Morning: Game drive in the Western Corridor, visiting the Grumeti River to see hippos and giant Nile crocodiles
1300 Hours: Picnic lunch at a designated site within Serengeti National Park
1400 Hours: Extended game viewing, to look for the  “Big Five” (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino), sometimes reaching the Seronera/Central area. 
1700 Hours: Later, exit the park and return to Mwanza
1900 Hours – 2000 Hours:  Arrive back at your residence/ hotel in Mwanza

What You Will See

Day trips from Mwanza offer access to diverse habitats and “Big Five” sightings
Western Corridor: Known for the Grumeti River, home to massive Nile crocodiles and pods of hippos
Wildlife: Common sightings include lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and various antelope species
The Great Migration: If visiting between June and July, you have a high chance of seeing the wildebeest migration crossing the Grumeti River

Why Visit Serengeti National Park?

Serengeti Safaris are renowned for their vast open plains, abundant wildlife, and the breathtaking Wildebeest Great Migration. Home to the Big 5 of Africa – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino – the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is a year-round safari destination.

The huge herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelles are matched by large predator populations, making the Serengeti one of the top safari destinations to see predator-prey interactions. Whether witnessing the drama of river crossings on the Great Migration, seeing lions and cheetahs on the hunt, or floating above the plains in a hot air balloon, the Serengeti Park offers an African safari like no other.

2. Year-Round Wildlife

The Serengeti National Park is a haven for wildlife throughout the year. From the northern reaches, on the border of the Masai Mara in Kenya, to the southern areas that join the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Serengeti Safaris offers exceptional year-round game viewing.

While the central Seronera region is a predator hotspot, where lions, leopards, and cheetahs roam the acacia-dotted plains and granite kopjes, the southern Ndutu Region hosts the Wildebeest Great Migration’s calving season from January to March.

The Northern Serengeti is best known for the dramatic Great Migration river crossings from July to October. At this time, thousands of wildebeest must cross the crocodile-infested waters of the Grumeti and the Mara Rivers.

The Serengeti in Tanzania supports a vast array of wildlife. From huge numbers of antelope and the predators and scavengers that rely on them, as well as giraffes and elephants, Serengeti Safaris deliver some of Africa’s most exciting wildlife encounters.

3. The Great Migration

The Great Migration in the Serengeti is one of the world’s most spectacular wildlife events. Over 1.5 million wildebeest, over 200,000 zebras, and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelles cross the open plains in search of fresh grazing. The cycle begins in the Southern Serengeti from late December and early January, where thousands of wildebeest gather to give birth.

Predators follow, resulting in some of the best predator action in Africa. From April, the herds begin crossing the predator-rich central Seronera. From June, they begin crossing the Grumeti River, and by August, the herds have reached the Mara River, where massive crocodiles lie in wait. 

As the dry season draws to a close, the migration herds disperse across the Serengeti before gathering again in late December in the south. While the Great Migration is best known for the movement of the herds of wildebeest, predators, including lions, cheetahs, and hyenas, are never far behind.

Seeing the Wildebeest Great Migration on a Serengeti safari is the quintessential wildlife experience. Thrilling wildlife encounters are part and parcel of the last great terrestrial migration on Earth.

Mwanza Serengeti National Park Day Trip Tanzania is a full day tour/ excursion (12 hours) from Mwanza Tanzania to the famous Serengeti National Park by road.

Our 1-day trip safari from Mwanza approaches the Serengeti National Park from the western corridor.

Serengeti National Park is huge – it is broadly divided into four distinct areas – the central Seronera Valley, the Western Corridor, the Northern Lobo and Kogatende areas, and finally the Southern Plains.

Mwanza is Tanzania’s second-largest city and is set on Lake Victoria’s shore. Serengeti National Park Ndabaki Gate is about 140 kilometres northeast of Mwanza along the Mwanza – Musoma road and gives direct access to the Western Corridor.  

The drive from Ndabaka to Seronera which is central Serengeti takes about 3 hours. The western corridor of the Serengeti landscape is more wooded and it is common to see giraffes, elephants, zebra, impala, topi, ostrich, hippos, waterbuck and many smaller animals. 

Then we drive to the central Serengeti which is a large plain and full of tall grass. Here we find the big cats such as lions, leopards and cheetahs.

If the time is right, the wildebeest migration is incredible to see. The Serengeti is the mother of all safari parks and the most celebrated wildlife reserve in the world.

Renowned for its incredible concentrations of predators and the Great Migration of 2 million wildebeest, the Serengeti guarantees an exceptional safari.

Mwanza Serengeti National Park Day Trip Tanzania Rates Include:

✓ Mineral bottled water during tour
✓ Professional experienced driver-guide
✓ All applicable Game Park entrance fees
✓ Extensive Game drives in 4×4 Safari vehicles
✓ Picnic lunch box in the Serengeti National Park & Return road transport from Mwanza to the Serengeti National Park and back to Mwanza

Notes

* Make sure you bring repellent for the day out in the Serengeti National Park

Mwanza Serengeti National Park Day Trip Tanzania Rates Do Not Include:

* International Airfare
* Cost of obtaining a passport and visas
* Accommodations in Mwanza, Tanzania
* Gratuity for your professional driver-guide
* Gratuity for Game rangers, porters/ waiters at hotels, camps, and airports
* Personal expenses such as transfers to/ from the airport (supplement airport transfer cost applies for tours starting from the airport)
* Personal expenses such as traveling insurance, excess baggage fee, communication charges that include laundry, emails, faxes, and phone calls, beverages including luxury champagne, luxury spirits, beer, and wines during meals or meals not indicated in the itinerary

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