How Far is from Mwanza to Serengeti National Park?
Distance from Mwanza to Serengeti National Park
Mwanza, a town in northern Tanzania sits around the shores of Lake Victoria. It is the third busiest city in the country and is also known as Rock City due to the numerous stones and rocks scattered throughout the area.

Mwanza town is famous for its stunning beauty. Taking advantage of its situation at the shores of Lake Victoria, Mwanza derives its opulence from the lake; it also has several hills that make it quite unique, a view that can be caught best at night as you enter the town from a distance. The town is well lit at night, with the beautiful view coming from the lights at night.

Besides being just a beautiful town, Mwanza also offers several attractions that keep its frequent visitors on their toes or entertained. Some of them include Sanaane National Park, Rock City Mall, and Sukuma Museum, among others.
Besides Mwanza being a beautiful town, it also doubles as a gateway to Tanzania’s most visited national park, and that’s Serengeti national park.
Speaking of the distance from Mwanza to Serengeti national park, it’s approximately 136km from Mwanza to the western part of Serengeti National Park. While driving, it takes approximately 2:30 minutes.
Mwanza to Serengeti Distances Simplified
| Journey | Approximate Distance | Typical Travel Time |
| Mwanza to Ndabaka Gate | 140 – 150KM | 2-3 hours |
| Ndabaka Gate to Seronera | About 145KM | Several additional hours |
| Mwanza to Western Serengeti | Approximately 150KM and more | Around 2.5-3+ hours |
| Mwanza to Central Serengeti | Significantly much farther | Allow most of the day by road: upside is you game view almost all throughout the drive |
Mwanza Vs Arusha for a Serengeti Safari
Whether you should start your safari in Mwanza or Arusha depends largely on what destinations you want to include in your Tanzania safari package.
Start in Mwanza if:
- You are already visiting Lake Victoria area
- You want to explore Western Serengeti
- Your safari itinerary is focused primarily on Serengeti and western Tanzania
- You are traveling through western Tanzania
- Avoiding unnecessary travel through the Northern Circuit of Tanzania is a priority.
Start in Arusha if:
- You want to experience the classic Northern Tanzania circuit safari
- You want to visit Ngorongoro Crater
- Your Tanzania safari itinerary follows the traditional northern circuit.
The right gateway is the one that makes sense for your complete itinerary. Notwithstanding your location, simply reach out to our experienced team to help you plan your ultimate Serengeti safari from Mwanza, or Arusha.

