GuideMara, Tanzania8 min read
Serengeti: Big Cat Country
Lions on kopjes, cheetah on the plains and leopards in the sausage trees
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4.01 review
The central Serengeti is the most reliable place in Africa to see all three big cats in a single game drive. Here is how to make the most of it.
Seronera, the heart of the park
The Seronera valley sits in the middle of the Serengeti and stays green when the plains around it dry out. That permanent water keeps resident prey here all year, which in turn supports one of the highest concentrations of big cats on the continent.
Lions favour the granite kopjes that rise out of the grassland: Simba Kopjes, Moru and the Gol Kopjes to the east all have resident prides, and the rocks give them shade and a view. Leopards are harder. Look for a tail hanging from a sausage tree or yellow-barked acacia along the Seronera River, especially in the late afternoon. Cheetah prefer open short-grass plains where they can see and sprint, and the southern plains between December and March are the best place to find them hunting gazelle.
Seronera is also the busiest part of the park. Leave camp at first light, and you will have most sightings to yourself for an hour.
Residents of the central Serengeti
Where to look
- Lions: Simba, Moru and Gol kopjes, early morning and late afternoon.
- Leopards: sausage trees along the Seronera River.
- Cheetah: the southern short-grass plains, December to March.
- Servals: the long grass after the rains, often near the road at dusk.
Off-road driving
About this story
Neema MushiAuthor
Wildside ExpeditionsPublisher
Reviews
Write a reviewAverage rating 4.0 out of 5
1 review- ENEmily Nguyen4 out of 5 stars28 Sept
Excellent wildlife advice. The transfers between parks take longer than suggested.
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