2.Visit the Seronera River Valley (Central Serengeti)

Encompassing a sizable portion of Central Serengeti, this vast valley teems with wildlife. The valley's river keeps the vegetation plentiful, supporting herbivores throughout the year. Wildebeest, zebras, elephants, giraffes, gazelles and many other species can be spotted here on any given day. The large amount of prey also draws the highest population of predators. The golden grassland rustles with the movement of roaming lions, cheetahs and hyenas

3. Tour the Ngorongoro conservation area

Although it's not technically a part of Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is worth a visit if you're in the area. Flanking the eastern edge of the Serengeti, the site houses the Ngorongoro Crater – the world's sixth-largest intact volcanic caldera – and Olduvai Gorge. This UNESCO World Heritage site, which sprawls across more than 32,000 square miles, is also where more than 25,000 animals and thousands of Maasai pastoralists reside.

4. Tour the Naabi Hill in Eastern Serengeti

Situated in Eastern Serengeti by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Naabi Hill serves as Serengeti National Park's main entrance. After paying your entrance fee (or stopping so your safari guide can fill out paperwork), you can stretch your legs on Naabi Hill's walking trail, which offers some of the best views of the Serengeti. This acacia-covered hill also acts as the home base for a pride of lions and welcomes millions of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles during their annual Great Migration to Eastern Serengeti to breed and find food.

5. Tour the Lobo Valley in northern Serengeti

If you're spending time in Northern Serengeti, a trip to the Lobo Valley should be at the top of your list. It was this sprawling area that American conservationist Stewart White described as a "paradise" back in 1913. Along with the Seronera Valley, the Lobo Valley is one of the only places in the park where all three big cats – lions, cheetahs and leopards – roam.

6. Tour the Moru Kopjes home to black Rhino population (central Serengeti)

Situated in Central Serengeti about 32 miles northwest of Naabi Hill, Moru Kopjes is home to Serengeti National Park's only black rhino population. Though the park made strides to bring this creature back from extinction in the 80s, poaching of the animal's horns has caused this species' population to decrease in recent years. A small herd of the critically endangered animal still resides in the region and is closely monitored by armed anti-poaching rangers. Black rhinos are solitary animals, but if you're hoping to catch a glimpse of these endangered creatures, Moru Kopjes is the place to go.

7. Retina Hippo pool

You're bound to stumble across hippos at other Serengeti watering holes, but nothing can compare to the spectacle of the Retina Hippo Pool in Central Serengeti. Situated where the Seronera and Orangi rivers converge, the Retina Hippo Pool consists of a deep puddle of water with roughly 200 sloshing, playing hippos.

8. Grumeti River (central corridor)

Catching The Great Migration as it crosses the Grumeti River near the Western Corridor's Kirawira region is a must for avid nature lovers, although those with weaker stomachs may want to steer clear. This particular section of the river is known for its large crocodile population; the crocs anxiously await the migrating herd's crossing for a guaranteed meaty feast. Yet despite the obvious danger, the wildebeest and zebras will stop at nothing to reach their final destination. Other animals you'll find swimming in the river and drinking from its water include elephants, hippos and monkeys.

9. Serengeti Balloon Safaris

Not all safaris require a four-wheel-drive vehicle; in fact, one of the most popular safaris requires no wheels at all. Since 1989, Serengeti Balloon Safaris has helped park visitors take to the skies to spot animals and watch the park's famous Great Migration. The company's fleet of eight-, 12- and 16-passenger hot air balloons carries travelers annually across Central Serengeti (and seasonally through the Western Corridor and Southern Serengeti) to give them a bird's-eye view of the park. The safari guide collects visitors at 5 a.m. so that the balloons and their passengers can rise alongside the sun. Flights last about an hour, after which passengers gather, surrounded by the park's lush plains, for a sparkling wine toast and an "Out of Africa" English-style breakfast.

10. Bolongoja Springs (North Serengeti)

Tucked away in the northeast corner of the Serengeti near the border of Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve, the verdant Bologonja Springs attracts hundreds of animals with refreshing waters and verdant canopies. The Bologonja River's headwaters are almost always devoid of tourists, meaning you'll have a superb view of the region's monkeys that occupy the leafy surroundings in solitude. The springs also draw larger mammals like elephants and giraffes, as well as a variety of birds and antelope species like the mountain reedbuck and steenbok.