The Seronera Valley, in the centre of the Serengeti, is the park's most reliably productive wildlife area. The Seronera River and its tributaries create a band of riverine woodland cutting through the open grassland, attracting both resident and migratory animals year-round. Large prides of lions use the kopjes — the granite rock outcrops — as lookout points and rest sites. Cheetahs hunt the adjacent plains. And the fig trees along the river are famous for leopards.
Seronera is where the park's main facilities are concentrated: the Seronera Visitor Centre (worth stopping at for context), fuel, a small airstrip, and several of the more accessible lodges and campsites. Most visitors entering from Arusha or from Ngorongoro pass through Seronera on their circuit. The valley can feel busy in peak season (July and August), but the wildlife density compensates.