For the beginning of time, this has been the trend and it will remain so for many more years into the future. In the face of humanity, the migration has remained to stand out as one of Africa’s classical safari experiences, drawing visitors year round to witness this magnificent wildlife spectacle.
These migration geniuses, the wildebeest, also called gnus, are members of the antelope family. Closely related to oryxes and gazelles. A wildebeest can grow to 2.4 meters in length, and weigh up to 270 kilograms. Wildebeest typically inhabit the Serengeti plains of southeastern Africa.
For most of their lives, wildebeest graze in the grassy savannahs and open woodlands of the plains, which straddle the nations of Tanzania and Kenya. More than 1.5 million wildebeest migrate in an enormous annual trek of life.
The annual migration northwest, at the end of the rainy season, usually in July to October is recognized as one of the “Seven Wonders of the Natural World.” The search for greener pastures and water does not come without danger.
The Insight
Always on the move, the herds experience the full circle of life, from mating, to calving, to death. Their movement has been an attraction to many predators: the general clumsy while on land, crocodiles, and the majestically ravaging scavengers and to the swift big cats alike. All these do come out annually to partake on what Mother Nature cause brings on their food menu.
This endless journey in search of pasture and water sees herds splitting up to form small coalitions that lead to reformations of even bigger herds later as they retrace their steps while matching onwards and this can make the whole pattern more chaotic than it might at first seem. For decades, it has been thought that the herds follow the rains and this hasn’t been very correct every year. Every year, the timing and routes that they take differ, making the precise location for a migration safari somewhat tricky to predict.
Being On a Migration Safari
Most people think that the Wildebeest Migration only takes place between July and October, but it’s actually an ever-moving, circular migration with various but equally exciting events that occur year-round. The popular river crossings usually coincide with safari’s high season (June to October), hence the perception that this is the only time of the year that the wildebeest are on the move or can be seen.
Viewing the wildebeest migration exclusively when you are having the well experienced guide who hag the great migration and the best idea on how the activity is best done. Good guiding can make your safari the great one with the unforgettable safari memories, as they keep you off the beaten track such that you can have the exclusive sighting.
We recommend 6 months to a year in advance. Lodges and camps fill up fast, especially for a Great Migration safari from June to October. Remember, this is safari’s high season in Kenya and when the popular river crossings happen, but you can see the herds any time of the year.
Nobody knows or understand the migration pattern any better. The migration is confusing and fluid, often-unpredictable natural phenomenon. It’s important to know where to go and when to go on a Wildebeest Migration Safari to ensure your expectations are met. Choose and arrange your timing according to what you want to see and experience. Our golden tip is that have a healthy discussion about it with our holiday designer experts.
During the migration period, both the Masai Mara National Reserve and Serengeti National Park experience high number of guests and vehicle numbers are equally high. In Kenya, the peak or high season is June to October.
The best way to avoid the crowds is to consider having a stay in the privately owned nature conservancies that adjoin the Masai Mara. They come at a premium cost and in return, they offer exclusivity, uncompromised level of luxury accommodation and excellently unlimited wildlife viewing in the exclusive-use areas. They also offer activities not permitted in the main reserve, such as night drives, bush walks and much more.
For the Serengeti sector, there are camps that are tucked a little further away from the migration hot spots. This guarantees you to capture all the action with very little disturbance and allow you to have some tranquil nights.
The wildebeest migration gets emotional, engaging, noisy, chaotic, smelly, and very different from the traditional BIG 5 safari. removed from a general Big 5 safari. We highly recommend ending at a lodge or camp that’s located away from the herds to enjoy a bit of tranquility and a diverse game viewing experience.
We recommend 6 months to a year in advance. Lodges and camps fill up fast, especially for a Great Migration safari from June to October. Remember, this is safari’s high season in Kenya and when the popular river crossings happen, but you can see the herds any time of the year.
We recommend 6 months to a year in advance. Lodges and camps fill up fast, especially for a Great Migration safari from June to October. Remember, this is safari’s high season in Kenya and when the popular river crossings happen, but you can see the herds any time of the year.
We recommend 6 months to a year in advance. Lodges and camps fill up fast, especially for a Great Migration safari from June to October. Remember, this is safari’s high season in Kenya and when the popular river crossings happen, but you can see the herds any time of the year.
Marked with most coveted dramatic river crossings that seem to be more risky to the wildebeest as they also try to evade a multiple assemblage of hunters who lie and ready to ambush in the tall Mara grasses.
Planning for your migration trip whether in Kenya or Tanzania for you to experience the crossings can be so unpredictable. Even with the best planning put in place, it can still be far from guaranteed that you’ll be in the right place at the right time. To see a river crossing is a bonus, rather than the sole reason to come on a wildlife safari.
Planning for a migration safari to Kenya or Tanzania comes with many questions. We have featured some of the questions related to the migration and hope that they will be of great help to you as you consider visiting the Africa for the same reasons.
On the Migration Trails
Always on the move, the herds experience the full circle of life, from mating, to calving, to death. Their movement has been an attraction to many predators: the general clumsy while on land, crocodiles, and the majestically ravaging scavengers and to the swift big cats alike. All these do come out annually to partake on what Mother Nature cause brings on their food menu.
This endless journey in search of pasture and water sees herds splitting up to form small coalitions that lead to reformations of even bigger herds later as they retrace their steps while matching onwards and this can make the whole pattern more chaotic than it might at first seem. For decades, it has been thought that the herds follow the rains and this hasn’t been very correct every year. Every year, the timing and routes that they take differ, making the precise location for a migration safari somewhat tricky to predict.
Questions and Answers
Marked with most coveted dramatic river crossings that seem to be more risky to the wildebeest as they also try to evade a multiple assemblage of hunters who lie and ready to ambush in the tall Mara grasses.
Planning for your migration trip whether in Kenya or Tanzania for you to experience the crossings can be so unpredictable. Even with the best planning put in place, it can still be far from guaranteed that you’ll be in the right place at the right time. To see a river crossing is a bonus, rather than the sole reason to come on a wildlife safari.
Planning for a migration safari to Kenya or Tanzania comes with many questions. We have featured some of the questions related to the migration and hope that they will be of great help to you as you consider visiting the Africa for the same reasons.
In Masai Mara, Kenya the migration starts in July and ends in late September. The exact dates of arrival can’t be predicted until the first large wildebeest herds gather at the northern edge of Serengeti as they near the Mara. These initial herds are sometimes known to gather at a spot for days on end without crossing over to the Mara, so when exactly the final leg of the movement starts still remains very difficult to know.
The movement of the wildebeest is from Serengeti into Masai Mara and is dictated by several factors namely; the rains, availability of pasture and mating and the calving seasons. Have it in mind that the wildebeest are nomads and that they migrate through the year in a generally clockwise direction covering vast areas reaching into Southern, Central and Western Serengeti before the year long trek brings them to Masai Mara around July to August. Their journey back to Serengeti happens around late October though this is less spectacular and more like a slow dispersal but, all in all, it’s still a beautiful show to watch.
You can see the migration during your safari in the Masai Mara National Reserve. Oluokos Signature will help you plan a customized wildlife a safari. This will be conducted in specialized vehicle with an experienced driver/guide who is well versed with the Masai Mara and the wildlife migration trends. As there are several core points where the wildebeest cross the rivers, it may be necessary to access and station oneself at these crossing points especially when you have a full day game drive in the reserve as some of the lodges and camps can be up to an hour’s drive from the ideal crossing points. Most tourists who come specially to see the migration consider seeing the river crossings as a perfect highlight of their wildlife safari. We advise that you consider having a longer stay in the Masai Mara to allow you to spend enough time at these wildlife crossing points, which by the way tend to vary slightly with every crossing annually. We carefully select the right accommodation facilities within a generally similar locality of the reserve.
