Turners Spring

Named after the Serengeti’s legendary first chief warden, Turner’s Spring is a secluded dry-season sanctuary. This 5-mile-long woodland track offers some of the park’s most intimate encounters with habituated giraffes and "park-place" lion prides.

Details

Turner’s Spring is a hidden gem located in the heart of the Central Serengeti, tucked within a dense thicket of acacia and scrub. This remote area is named in honor of Myles Turner, the park’s chief game warden from 1956 to 1972, whose tireless anti-poaching efforts during the Serengeti’s “darkest days” ensured the survival of the great herds we see today. The springs themselves are a critical magnet for wildlife during the dry season (July to November). Because of its isolation and thick cover, Turner’s Spring offers an exclusive atmosphere far from the busier Seronera loops, making it a favorite for those seeking the “old Africa” safari experience.

“Myles Turner epitomized the Serengeti. Others visited it, he was part of it; others observed it, he knew it; others analyzed it, he comprehended it; others enjoyed it, he loved it.” — Norman Myers

The Woodland Corridor

The topography consists of thick acacia woodlands punctuated by small, sun-drenched clearings where animals congregate to drink. The game track into the springs is a 5-mile stretch heading east from Seronera, cutting through a high-biomass region of various acacia species and large, heavily vegetated kopjes. During the dry season, the lack of water elsewhere forces a diverse range of species—including buffalo, impala, and elephants—into this concentrated woodland corridor.

The Reign of the Big Cats

Turner’s Spring is a premier location for predator enthusiasts, particularly for those interested in the social dynamics of the Serengeti’s resident carnivores:

The Resident Prides: There are three distinct lion prides within a 10-mile radius, all closely monitored by the Serengeti Lion Project. The area is considered “park-place” territory due to the permanent water and high prey density.
The Sound of the Serengeti: If camping nearby, the night is dominated by the spine-tingling roars of lions. As Craig Packer notes, roaring is a territorial advertisement:
“Roaring tells the strangers how many lions occupy a given territory and where they are at the moment… Males are on the constant lookout to keep other males away from ‘their’ pride.”
Leopard Viewing: The acacia trees lining the track provide perfect “shadow perches” for leopards. These elusive cats are so comfortable here that they are often seen lounging just a few feet from the road, with only a flicking white-tipped tail giving them away.
Habituated Giraffes: The giraffes at Turner’s Spring are famously relaxed around vehicles. They will often browse on whistling thorn trees within a few feet of the car, offering unparalleled opportunities for close-up photography.

While the lion’s roar is legendary, the Spotted Hyena is actually the most vocal resident of Turner’s Spring. Researcher Hans Kruuk identified a wide vocabulary of sounds here, from the “who-oop” to the “maniacal giggle.”

“The giggles, yells and growls which accompany the attacks over food around a kill may attract hyenas from a great distance… I sometimes found myself watching the hyenas over a kill and wishing for their own sakes that they would be quiet, because their deafening noises attracted lions from miles away!” — Hans Kruuk

Seasonal Highlights

Month	Season	Weather	Wildlife Sightings	Rec.
Jan	Green Season	60 - 85 F Mostly sunny with few showers	Leopard, Lion, Giraffe, Impala, Buffalo, Hippo	Yes
Feb	Green Season	60 - 85 F Mostly sunny with few showers	Leopard, Lion, Giraffe, Impala, Buffalo, Hippo	Yes
Mar	Green Season	60 - 83 F Mostly sunny with few showers	Leopard, Lion, Giraffe, Impala, Buffalo, Hippo	Yes
Apr	Green Season	60 - 83 F Mostly sunny with few showers	Leopard, Lion, Giraffe, Impala, Buffalo, Hippo	Yes
May	Northward Migration	56 - 81 F Mostly sunny	Leopard, Lion, Giraffe, Impala, Buffalo, Hippo, Possibility of the Wildebeest Migration in mid to late May	Yes
Jun	Beginning of Dry Season	56 - 81 F Mostly sunny	Wildebeest Migration, Zebra Migration, Thomson's Gazelle Migration, Cheetah, Leopard, Lion, Giraffe, Buffalo, Hippo	Yes
Jul	Dry Season	60 - 83 F Mostly sunny	Thomson's Gazelle Migration, Cheetah, Leopard, Lion, Giraffe, Impala, Buffalo, Hippo	Yes
Aug	Dry Season	55 - 81 F Mostly sunny	Thomson's Gazelle Migration, Cheetah, Leopard, Lion, Giraffe, Impala, Buffalo, Hippo	Yes
Sep	Dry Season	55 - 81 F Mostly sunny	Thomson's Gazelle Migration, Cheetah, Leopard, Lion, Giraffe, Impala, Buffalo, Hippo	Yes
Oct	Dry Season	60 - 83 F Mostly sunny	Thomson's Gazelle Migration, Cheetah, Leopard, Lion, Giraffe, Impala, Buffalo, Hippo	Yes
Nov	Southward Migration	60 - 83 F Mostly sunny with few showers	Leopard, Lion, Giraffe, Impala, Buffalo, Hippo, Wildebeest Migration, Zebra Migration	Yes
Dec	Beginning of Green Season	60 - 83 F Mostly sunny with few showers	Leopard, Lion, Giraffe, Impala, Buffalo, Hippo	Yes