Central Serengeti vs Northern Serengeti: Where Should You Stay?
An honest comparison of the two most popular places to base a Serengeti safari — wildlife, the Great Migration, access and season — from guides based at RAFIKI Camp on the Orangi River.
The short answer
For most visitors the Central Serengeti is the better choice: exceptional year-round wildlife supported by the permanent Orangi River, the highest big-cat density in the park, and consistent game viewing every month. Choose the Northern Serengeti only if witnessing Mara River crossings is your main goal and you are travelling between July and October.
The Central Serengeti (Seronera)
Permanent water — including the Orangi River — supports resident lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, hippo and crocodile all twelve months, independent of migration timing. The Seronera corridor has the highest year-round wildlife density in the park, and the Great Migration passes through twice a year: north between March and May, and south between October and November.
The Northern Serengeti (Mara River)
The Northern Serengeti is famous for the dramatic Mara River crossings between July and October. Outside that window game viewing is far less consistent, and many northern camps close between November and June.
Getting there
The flight from Arusha to Seronera Airstrip in the Central Serengeti takes approximately 35–45 minutes; by road via the Ngorongoro Crater the journey takes about 6–7 hours.
Where RAFIKI sits
RAFIKI Orangi River Camp is in the heart of the Central Serengeti, directly in the migration corridor, and open all twelve months of the year.