The Great
Wildebeest Migration

Southern Serengeti, Calving

Between January and March, one of the natural world's most dramatic events takes place on the short-grass plains around Ndutu and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area boundary. Around 500,000 calves are born over a six-week period. The predator concentration during calving season is extraordinary: cheetah, lion, leopard, hyena, wild dog and jackal all converge on the plains. The Ndutu area has the highest density of predator action of anywhere in Africa during these weeks. A well-timed calving season safari produces more dramatic wildlife moments per day than almost any other single experience on the continent.

Western Corridor, Grumeti River

In May and June the leading edge of the herd reaches the western Serengeti and the Grumeti River. The Grumeti holds enormous resident Nile crocodiles that have waited all year for the crossing. The Grumeti crossings are less dramatic than the Mara, the river is narrower, the crocodiles fewer, and crossings less predictable, but the wildlife density in the western corridor during this period is extraordinary and visitor numbers are significantly lower than in the Masai Mara. For guests who want the migration experience without peak-season crowds, May and June in the western Serengeti is the best-kept secret.

Masai Mara, The River Crossings

The Mara River crossing is what most people picture when they think of the Great Migration. From July through October, the herd moves between the Serengeti and the Masai Mara and must cross the Mara River multiple times. Each crossing is an event: hundreds of wildebeest standing at the bank working up the collective courage to plunge in, crocodiles waiting below the surface, chaos, spray, dust and the bodies of those that did not make it. The timing of specific crossings cannot be predicted more than a few hours in advance. The key is to be on the river at the right time, which requires a guide who monitors daily herd movement and positions you at the most active crossing points.

Northern Serengeti, The Return

In October and November the herd begins its return journey south. The northern Serengeti around Lobo and Kogatende offers excellent migration viewing during this period with fewer visitors than the Masai Mara. The Mara River crossings continue through October on the Tanzanian side and some of the finest photography of the entire migration calendar happens in the northern Serengeti in October as the herds mass on the Tanzanian side before the southward movement. November and December see the herd dispersed across the central and southern Serengeti as the rains arrive and the grass regenerates.

We Track the Herd in Real Time

The migration does not follow a fixed schedule. We maintain relationships with guides and camp managers across the Mara and Serengeti ecosystems year-round and use real-time information to position you correctly. The difference between arriving two weeks early and arriving at the right moment can be the difference between missing the river crossings entirely and witnessing the most dramatic wildlife spectacle in the world. This intelligence is what our seasonal timing expertise delivers.

The Crossing Cannot Be Predicted, Only Positioned For

Individual river crossings cannot be predicted with precision. Herds will sometimes approach the river and then turn away without crossing. They may cross multiple times in one day or not at all for several days. The approach is to be at the river early and stay late. Private vehicles that do not have to return to camp for group lunches or fixed schedules consistently see more crossings than shared vehicles. We use private game drives as standard for all migration itineraries.

The Calving Season Rivals the Crossings

Ask any experienced East Africa guide and most will tell you the calving season in January and February is as spectacular as the Mara River crossings, and less visited. The combination of newborn calves, desperate mothers and the highest predator concentration anywhere in Africa produces hour after hour of raw, unscripted wildlife drama. The photography is extraordinary. We recommend calving season to photographers in particular and to anyone who has already seen the river crossings.

Accommodation Positioning Matters Enormously

During peak season (July to September) the Masai Mara has over 70 camps and lodges. The difference in experience between a camp positioned on the Mara River in the heart of the crossing activity and a camp 40 kilometres away is the difference between arriving at crossings quickly and arriving after the crossing has finished. We position every migration itinerary based on where the herd is and which specific river crossing points are most active.