Best Times to Visit

Good news! You can enjoy “the Great Migration any time of year, from December, January, February and March is “CALVING SEASON”. April, May and Early June is “THE TREK NORTH AND THE RUT.” In Late June and July its “THE GREAT MIGRATION” and it continues through to August, September and October.

Often referred to as ‘The Greatest Show on Earth,’ it is no wonder that the thousands of guests who flock to Kenya and Tanzania each year in the hopes of seeing this natural event arrive with big expectations! With up to 1,000 animals per kilometers squared, the great columns of wildebeest can even be seen from space. Because the Great Migration can only be experienced in Kenya and Tanzania, these serve as more unique safari destinations than the more standard safaris in southern African destinations. The sought-after safari travel experience gets visitors up close to view animals in an age-old migratory pattern. Since it happens year-round, there’s never a dull moment and visitors receive an up-close experience at any time of year.

The Great Migration takes place in some of the most wildlife-dense regions on the planet: the Serengeti and Masai Mara. It provides opportunities to see wildebeest, zebra, topi, Grant’s gazelle, Thomson’s gazelle, eland and impala. You can think of the animals as two groups: the travelers and the locals. Wildebeest and zebra are the migratory, and the other animals live in the territory that the migration passes through. Beyond the unique dramatic
spectacle of the huge herd of animals moving across the continent, you also see an immense variety of plains game, predators, river-based animals and birds.
The predator-prey relationship is on active display. The migration passes through lion, leopard and cheetah territories, providing Hunting scenes. When crossing the river, wildebeest fight with crocodile in the water, while other predators wait on the plains attempting to ambush the game. During calving season, predators are attracted from far and wide as they seek the chance of easy pickings. The miracle of birth is also observable, as you can witness calves being dropped and learning to walk and run within minutes.

PREDATORS ARE ATTRACTED FROM FAR AND WIDE
AS THEY SEEK THE CHANCE OF
EASY PICKINGS..

The calving: An estimated 400,000 calves are born which can draw a staggering number of predators eager to pray on the vulnerable young.
APRIL
The trek north: Herds move slowly northwards to fresh
grazing.
MAY – JUNE
The rut: May is the mating season but still the journey continues, some herds move west towards the Grumeti River, and this is the first point on the route
where river crossings can be seen.
JULY – OCTOBER
River crossings: The river crossings usually start in July, but the timing all depends on the rains. Although never guaranteed, crossings can regularly be seen at the Mara and Talek rivers.

Since the Great Migration is an eternal annual cycle from place to place, year in and year out, there is no single time of year to experience it. However, depending on either the aspect of the Great Migration you want to witness
(such as river crossings), or the time of year that you prefer to travel, your
safari can be tailored to give you the best chance of seeing what you desire.

Calving Season

Around December or January each year, the migration finishes a southward trek, moving along the eastern edge of the Serengeti and into the Ngorongoro
Conservation Area. Here the plains are rich in nutritious grass, providing the herds with the best conditions for raising their newborn calves. Although there is no real beginning or end to this migratory circuit — other than birth and death — it seems reasonable to call the wildebeests’ birthing season the start of the migration. Around late January or February, the herds occupy the short-grass plains that spread over the lower northern slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater highlands and around Olduvai Gorge. Some 400,000 calves are born here within a period of two to three weeks, or nearly 8,000 new calves every day. The abundance of vulnerable young calves means the surrounding predators also spring into action, hunting with ease due to the sheer numbers of wildebeest.

THE TREK NORTH AND THE RUT

April

As the rains come to an end and the ground dries, the herds start making
their way north into the central Serengeti where the grass is still fresh and they can graze and tend to their young, drawing with them thousands of zebra
and smaller groups of antelope. Moving slowly, they graze as they go, making the most of the fresh grass.

May

By May, impressive columns of wildebeest stretch for several kilometres as the animals start to congregate by the Moru Kopjes, close to Dunia Camp, one of the few camps in the Serengeti that offers migration viewing at this time of year. Mating season begins toward the end of May and male wildebeest battle head-to-head. Throughout ‘the rut,’ the journey continues at leisure with the wildebeest and zebra grazing as they go along.

First half of June

Gradually, the movement gathers momentum and the wildebeest start to mass in the Serengeti’s Western Corridor. At this time of year, the wildebeest face their first challenge of crossing the crocodile-infested Grumeti River. The herds form in huge numbers along the pools and channels of the river, which they have to cross in order to continue on their journey. This may not be as spectacular as the famous Mara crossings, but there are still enough wildebeest to provide The Grumeti crocodiles with a veritable feast. It is worth noting that since May and June are low season at many camps, this time offers lower accommodation rates, since there are relatively low numbers of tourists in the
Serengeti, yet the wildlife viewings remain excellent.

THE RUT
WHERE MALE WILDEBEEST
BATTLE HEAD TO HEAD

RIVER CROSSING SEASON BEGINS

The herds head toward the north of the Serengeti. The river crossings, considered by some to be the most exciting events of the Great Migration, usually start in July, but timing all depends on the rains.

June

During June, the dry season starts with large concentrations of wildebeest in the western Serengeti and on the southern banks of the Grumeti River. Each migrating animal must face the challenge of crossing the river, filled with
crocodiles — the first of many daunting and tense river encounters.

July

As June moves into July, the migration gathers momentum and huge herds of wildebeest can be seen spread out across the Western Corridor as they continue the journey north. These hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra move along the western edge of the park toward an even riskier barrier: the Mara River in the north of the Serengeti. These river crossings are arguably one of the most exciting wildlife events on Earth. They usually begin at the onset of high season in July, but timing all depends on nature. The herds will typically be found in the northern Serengeti in the month of July, where access s provided by Kilimanjaro classic safari’s two mobile migration camps as well as Sayari Camp (enviably positioned as the closest camp to the Mara River crossing points in the northern Serengeti). Later in July, those animals that have successfully made it across the Mara River will also be found in Kenya’s Masai
Mara, where guests of Rekero Camp can watch river crossings right from the main deck of the camp. At this time, daily river crossings can be seen at the Mara and Talek rivers, both often central to incredible scenes.

River crossing continues

August

By August, the herds have faced the challenge of crossing the Mara River and
are spread throughout the Masai Mara’s northern region, with many remaining
in the northern Serengeti. In years when the river is in full flow, the panic and
confusion at the crossings combined with waiting predators and surging
currents — can cause massive loss of life. Many will perish but the thousands of calves that are born more than make up the numbers. Nevertheless, in years of relatively gently flowing water, the crocodile take their toll, not to mention
the lion and other large predators that patrol the banks, ready to ambush any wildebeest that make it to the other side. There is no single crossing: at some spots, there are just a few individuals, while others see a mass of animals
moving without break for hours.

September

By September/October, the main chaos has ended and the migrating columns have gradually moved eastward. The herds are mostly concentrated in the Maasai Mara in Kenya, the northernmost range of the trek, but many still remain in the Serengeti.

October

The wildebeest face the swollen waters of the Mara River once more as they
prepare to cross again on their return journey back south. One of the best
views of the herds migrating out of Kenya across the treacherous Mara River can be found at Baobab luxury tented camp

Calving season begins

November:

After the East African short rains in late October and early
November, the wildebeest move down from Kenya and into
the rejuvenated grasses and eastern limits of the Serengeti
past Namiri Plains, an area known for outstanding cheetah
sightings.

December

By December, the wildebeest are spread throughout the eastern and southern reaches. The Southern Plains are lush with fresh, sweet grasses for the wildebeest to graze on. The areas around Ndutu and the northern Ngorongoro
Conservation Area are where the herds will spend some time enjoying the abundant grazing in preparation for the birth of the new calves in the early months of the new year. The cycle continues as the calving season starts once again

THE SOUTHERN PLAINS
ARE LUSH WITH FRESH
SWEET GRASSES