The GREAT Serengeti
Following my February trek up Mount Kilimanjaro, several group members stayed behind. We took advantage of the opportunity to visit the great Serengeti Plains. The Serengeti is a geographical region in Africa that spans the Mara and Arusha Regions of Tanzania and includes the Serengeti National Park and several game reserves. The Serengeti, also known as the Serengeti Plains, is Africa’s most well-known savanna region. It was an amazing experience to see the animals in person. To see them in their natural habitat was an indescribable experience. What a treat!
While there, we were fortunate enough to witness the Great Migration. I had never seen so many wild zebras in my life. They and the wildebeests ran in packs and were migrating across the Plains. To see these wild, undomesticated species up close and personal, in their natural habitat, and marvel at their beauty was an unforgettable experience. We were able to get unbelievably close. I believe they felt very protected and safe. Even the Masaai were relegated to a specific part of the Serengeti because they were killing too many lions. We saw several lions, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra’s, Hippopotamus, elephants, and more!
Fast Facts (thanks Petriece):
-The name “Serengeti” is derived from the Maasai word “Siringit,” which means “place where the land moves forever” or “endless plain”.
-The Serengeti is one of the oldest and most scientifically significant ecosystems on the planet and stretches over 12,000 square miles.
-The Serengeti is home to the world’s largest movement of animals, often called the “Great Migration.”
-The Serengeti area is home to various local people, the most famous of them being the Maasai tribe.
-It is one of the seven wonders of the world.
-The migration begins around July. Thousands of animals move from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya. It is the largest overland animal migration globally.
-The Olduvai Gorge is nicknamed the “Cradle of Mankind” because it is believed to be the site of found remains of the first human beings to walk on Earth
