The Great Migration
Thunder on the plains
Each year, Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve and Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park set the stage for one of nature’s greatest spectacles: The Great Migration. While many believe this is an annual event, it’s actually a continuous cycle that involves more than 2 million animals in search of fresh grazing lands and water.
Moving across the seemingly endless plains are approximately 200,000 zebras, 500,000 antelopes, and 1.5 million wildebeests. Along the way, they face powerful natural forces and formidable predators, from the ever-present big cats to the massive crocodiles ready to strike at every river crossing. It is one of the world’s most remarkable wildlife migrations and a dramatic display of survival in the African wilderness.
Mother Nature Calls the Shots
The Great Migration is a natural wildlife phenomenon driven largely by seasonal rainfall, making its timing and location difficult to predict. For the best opportunity to witness the migration, we recommend visiting both Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve and Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. Many Globus Africa vacations include stays in both destinations, increasing your chances of encountering the migrating herds throughout the year.
River crossings are among the migration’s most dramatic spectacles, generally peaking between July and August, through exact timing varies with the weather. Our expert guides continuously monitor wildlife movements and adjust game-viewing opportunities whenever possible to maximize your chances of experiencing this extraordinary event.
Great Migration Timeline
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January & February—Herds gather in the southern Serengeti for calving season, when nearly 500,000 wildebeest caves are born.
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March—The migration begins moving north into the central Serengeti in search of fresh grazing.
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April & May—Herds spread throughout the central and western corridors of the Serengeti.
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June—Herds begin moving into the northern Serengeti.
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July—Herds linger in the northern Serengeti and begin to cross into Kenya’s Maasai Mara.
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August to Late October/Early November—Large herds remain in the Maasai Mara.
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December—As seasonal rains return, the herds begin their journey south towards the Serengeti, continuing the cycle of the Great Migration.