Serengeti Migration Safari
What Is The Great Migration
The Great Migration is the largest herd movement of animals on the planet. In fact, with up to 1,000 animals per km², the great columns of wildebeest can be seen from space.
The numbers are astonishing: over 1.2 million wildebeest and 300,000 zebra along with topi and other gazelle move in a constant cycle through the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem in search of nutritious grass and water. Guided by survival instinct, each wildebeest will cover 800 to 1,000km on its individual journey along age-old migration routes. Hungry predators including lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, wild dog and crocs make sure only the strongest survive in this natural spectacle also known as ‘the greatest show on Earth.’
The circuit takes the animals from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (although not into the Crater itself) in the south of the Serengeti in Tanzania, up through the Serengeti and across into the Masai Mara in Kenya and back again. The journey is beset with danger: young calves are snatched by predators, the slow are brought down by prides of lion, brave beasts break legs on steep river slopes, crocodiles take their share of the stragglers, and the weak and exhausted drown.
The three groups of migrant grazers in the Serengeti have distinct grass-eating habits. One group starts by eating the tops of the tallest grass, the next group consumes some of the medium-height grass, and finally, the last group finishes it off. This grazing pattern ensures that each group sticks to their own kind with minimal overlap in their distributions. The grasses of the plains boast the highest protein content in the entire Serengeti and are also rich in calcium.
It’s unclear how the wildebeest know which direction to take, but it is generally believed that their journey is primarily guided by the weather. They follow the rains and the growth of new grass. While there is no scientific proof, some experts believe that the animals react to lightning and thunderstorms in the distance. There are even suggestions that wildebeest can detect rain from more than 50 kilometers away.
The Great Serengeti Migration in detail
Each January, the migration completes its southward trek, moving along the eastern edge of the Serengeti into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Here, the plains are rich in nutritious grass, providing ideal conditions for the herds to raise their newborn calves.
While there is no true beginning or end to this migratory circuit - other than birth and death - it seems fitting to consider the wildebeests' birthing season as the start of the migration. In late January or February, the herds gather on the short-grass plains that spread over the lower northern slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater highlands and around Olduvai Gorge. Approximately 400,000 calves are born within a period of two to three weeks, averaging nearly 8,000 new calves every day.
The abundance of vulnerable young calves attracts predators, which hunt with ease due to the sheer numbers of wildebeest.
After bearing their young in February and March, the wildebeest herds begin to drift northwest around April, heading toward the fresher grass of the central Serengeti. Thousands of zebra and smaller groups of antelope follow them. By May, columns of wildebeest stretch for several kilometers as they start to congregate near the Moru Kopjes, close to Dunia Camp, one of the few camps in the Serengeti offering migration viewing at this time of year. The mating season begins toward the end of May, with male wildebeest battling head-to-head. Throughout the rut, the journey continues leisurely, with the wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle grazing as they move.
Gradually, the movement gains momentum, and the wildebeest start to mass in the Serengeti’s Western Corridor. Ubuntu Migration Camp relocates to follow the migration, providing access to watch the wildebeest cross the Grumeti River. The herds gather in large numbers along the pools and channels of the river, which they must cross to continue their journey. While this crossing may not be as famous as the Mara crossings, there are still enough wildebeest to provide a feast for the Grumeti crocs. May is a low season at Ubuntu, offering great value safaris since there are relatively few tourists in the Serengeti, yet the wildlife viewings remain excellent.
In June, the dry season begins with large concentrations of wildebeest gathering in the Western Serengeti and along the southern banks of the Grumeti River. Each migrating animal must face the daunting challenge of crossing the crocodile-infested river, the first of many tense river encounters.
As June transitions into July, hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra continue their northward journey along the park's western edge, heading toward an even riskier barrier: the Mara River in the northern Serengeti. These river crossings are arguably among the most thrilling wildlife events on Earth. They usually start at the onset of the high season in July, though the timing is dictated by nature.
In July, the herds typically gather in the Northern Serengeti, with access provided by Sayari Camp for those seeking a more luxurious experience. Later in July, the animals that successfully cross the Mara River can also be found in the Masai Mara. Guests of Rekero Camp can watch the river crossings right from the main deck during their Kenyan safari. At this time, daily river crossings can be seen at the Mara and Talek rivers, often showcasing incredible scenes.
By August, after navigating the perilous Mara River crossings, the herds are spread across the northern region of the Masai Mara, with many remaining in the northern Serengeti. In years when the river is in full flow, the crossings can be chaotic and deadly, with the combination of panicked wildebeest, waiting predators, and powerful currents resulting in significant losses. Even in years with gentler flows, crocodiles, lions, and other large predators on the banks continue to prey on the wildebeest, ambushing those that make it across. Crossings vary greatly, with some locations seeing just a few individuals while others witness continuous streams of animals moving for hours.
By September and October, the intense crossing period subsides, and the migrating herds gradually move eastward. However, as they prepare for their return journey southward, they will face the Mara River’s heavy waters once more.
Following the East African short rains in late October and early November, the wildebeest migrate from Kenya into the eastern reaches of the Serengeti, passing through areas like Namiri Plains, renowned for exceptional cheetah sightings. By December, they are dispersed across the eastern and southern parts of the Serengeti.
As the new year begins, the grasses in the deep south of the Serengeti become lush with rain, attracting the herds of wildebeest, along with hundreds of thousands of zebra and other plains animals. This sets the stage for the calving season to commence once more, continuing the cycle of migration.
