The Serengeti can be divided into three main regions. The central and southern plains (Seronera Valley), known by the Maasai as serengit or “endless plains,” are classic open savannahs filled with wildlife. The western corridor, shaped by the Grumeti River, features thicker woodlands and dense bush. The northern Lobo area borders Kenya’s Masai Mara and remains the least visited part of the park.

Within the 30,000 km² ecosystem lie two World Heritage Sites and two Biosphere Reserves. Its landscapes and wildlife have remained largely unchanged for over a million years, inspiring writers, researchers, and filmmakers for decades. Evidence of early humans was also discovered in nearby Olduvai Gorge, dating back nearly two million years.

The Serengeti is best known for the Great Migration, where over a million wildebeest and thousands of zebras travel in a continuous cycle following seasonal rains—undeterred by predators, drought, or dangerous river crossings.

Today, the Serengeti holds the highest concentration of large mammals in the world, including around 2,500 lions, one of the largest lion populations anywhere. The park is also home to over 518 bird species, including many migratory birds that arrive during the European winter months.