The Great Migration

What and where?

In a nutshell, it’s huge herds of wildebeest and zebra moving around the Serengeti and the Masai Mara  in search of pastures new. Over two million of them follow the rains – and just like the rains, their movements can be unpredictable.

What you can be sure of is that they are always somewhere – however the area they cover is vast so the trick is making sure that you are in the best possible position, at the right time. Their paths are not set in stone and their movements do depend on the weather, but their circular route from the south of the Serengeti up to the Masai Mara and back again roughly follows this pattern:

January to March

The herds gather in the southern sector of the Serengeti and neighbouring Ndutu area to give birth. Expect to see vast numbers of adults and baby wildebeest, and the predators that follow them.

April to June

It’s the wet season (the ‘long rains’) in the Serengeti, so the herds will move to where the rain falls and the grass is green. As they are migrating, they may be more difficult to encounter and will be more spread out. They will be heading north-west towards the Grumeti side of the Serengeti and the Mara River.

July to October

The herds continue north – you may be lucky enough to see one of the dramatic river crossings. Large herds gather in the northern Serengeti and spill over into the Masai Mara in Kenya.

November to December

November is another migrating month when the herds turn south and make their way back to the plains of the southern Serengeti, and so the cycle continues.

We will use our years of personal experience to place you in the best possible areas, and we often recommend mobile camps too. These camps are extremely light on the environment, generally move twice a year and are a great way to get as close a possible to the migrating herds without compromising on comfort.