Our Guide to the Great Migration in Tanzania : Throughout the year, herds of millions of wildebeests accompanied by zebras and gazelles travel around Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park.
From when to travel to where to stay, we have answered all your questions about how best to witness the “Greatest Migration Safari” in this article.
This is our ultimate guide to a perfect Great Migration Safari – Our Guide to the Great Migration in Tanzania.
Peak Season
July – October
Birthing Season
December – April
Rainy Season
April – May
The Great Migration “A once-in-a-lifetime safari” is undoubtedly one of the world’s most incredible natural occurrences, it is a once-in-a-life-time safari that you need to get right first time and that is where our expert travel designers come in.
Around 1.5 million wildebeest, 400,000 zebras and 200,000 gazelles embark on a relentless migration that sees them following the rain throughout the year, traveling in a clockwise direction around Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and Kenya’s Maasai Mara Game Reserve.
The herds spend the first part of the year in the south east Serengeti where they feed and give birth. As the land dries up, they are forced to move on and embark on the most dangerous part of their journey, thundering through the plains, crashing across rivers and escaping the jaws of hungry crocodiles to reach the fertile pastures of the Maasai Mara in Kenya. No wonder, the migration is often referred to as the “Greatest Show on Earth”.
A migration safari should be on everyone’s bucket list on African safari, but make sure you do it properly and our expert travel designers are willing to help you organize an incredible experience.
When to see the Great Migration “Our Guide to the Great Migration in Tanzania”.
In Tanzania, you can see the migration throughout most of the year, exactly when you travel will depend on what you want to see. The only time we advise travelers not to travel is April and May when both Tanzania and Kenya experience a long rainy season.
December – April
Wildebeest give birth
Wildebeests give birth in the grasslands of the Serengeti, Tanzania, around the month of February. Around 300,000 calves are born each year, as the herds move around the south east Serengeti, munching on the nutrient – rich grass. The short grass also means they are safer from predators.
April – June
Travel begins
The Serengeti begins to drip up, the wildebeest start to travel south, up through the Grumeti Private Reserve towards the Maasai Mara where it is starting to rain.
July to October
Peak Season
From August until October is when most river crossings take place and is the peak season for migration safaris, the herd have to traverse the Mara River as they cross the border from Tanzania and into Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Park. During August and September, the herds will mainly be in Kenya
October – December
Return Southwards
The herd starts to move south and curve back into Tanzania, once again following the rain, although we know roughly the route of the migration, it cannot be predicted. The wildebeest follow the rain and the weather is an unreliable force of nature. Exactly when they will reach a certain point is not an accurate science and there are also several splinter herds that take off from the main group.
What are the benefits of seeing the migration in Tanzania?
Our Guide to the Great Migration in Tanzania
- Tanzania’s Serengeti is much, much quieter than the Maasai Mara. Here you could have a river crossing or migration sighting all to yourself, perhaps share with one other vehicles.
- The wildebeest spend the majority of their year in Tanzania, so there is much more flexibility when planning your safari. The wildebeests are only in Kenya’s Maasai Mara during August and September.
- The lodges and camps in Tanzania are some of the finest and most exclusive in the whole East African region, we find the best ones to suite your tastes and to give you the greatest opportunity for spotting the migration.
- There is so much to do in Tanzania besides witnessing the migration, we recommend you pair a migration safari with a different part of the country. Whether it is the Ngorongoro Crater or a Zanzibar Beach Holiday.
Where to stay to see the Great Migration
Mobile Camps
Due to the unpredictable nature of the Great Migration, a mobile camp is by far the best accommodation option for at least part of your trip. Mobile camps are the ultimate in detox safari (with no WIFI and electricity, you are forced to switch off your phone and get some one-on-one time with nature).
While the camps are far from basic – with Persian rugs and four – poster beds – they won’t be the luxurious accommodation you would usually expect. However, the value of mobile camps is that they base themselves wherever the herds happen to be, so you are almost guaranteed a migration viewing.
Most of the tented camps are available on private-use basis too. The mobile camp you book will depend on what time of year you are travelling and what you hope to see.
Pick two bases
We suggest you pick two bases and split your time across the locations thus increasing your chances of seeing the migration and river crossings. Our favorite combination is a mobile camp followed by a luxurious lodge.
This way, you can track the migration in camp during which time you will have the best chance of seeing the herds and then spend the next couple of days relaxing at your lodge, with some game drives to visit the wildebeest at a different stage of their journey.
Will I be able to see a river crossing?
River crossings are the most popular part of the migration, due to the high drama made famous by various National Geographic documentaries. The wildebeest must cross the Mara River on their journey from Serengeti in Tanzania to Maasai Mara in Kenya.
It is a perilous passage that sees many of the herd lost to the crocodiles that lurk in wait, for that reason, do bear in mind that whilst a river crossing will always be a dramatic and exciting affair. It might not be particularly pretty.
You can see a river crossing if you are travelling around the Tanzania-Kenya border from August to October. However, even if you arrive at a river exactly as the herds gather on the bank. They might simply stand there for a couple of days, nervously waiting for the first wildebeest to make the jump.
The animals know the predators lurk in and around the river and they are instinctively scared of water, so they are always reluctant to cross. Sometimes the wildebeest may gather on a bank in their thousands before deciding to walk away and find a different crossing point.
However, traveling around the correct time of the year, booking with experts and staying in mobile camos will hugely optimize your chances of seeing the huge herds of wildebeest crash across the river.
What else can I see and do in Tanzania?
Tanzania is a vast country with much more to offer to travelers, we always advise travelers to combine their migration safari with other Tanzania destinations.
Ngorongoro Crater – a huge volcanic crater, about 20 kilometers across and an important conservation is a must – see in Tanzania and is situated very close to the Serengeti which makes it an easy addition to your itinerary.
You can visit the flamingo haven Lake Manyara, spot elephants on a walking safari in Tarangire National Park. If you feel like you are up for a challenge, attempt to take on the mighty – Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa’s highest peak.
Zanzibar’s beaches are undoubtedly amongst the best in Africa and a visit to these beautiful shores is the perfect way to round off your Tanzania Safari Holiday.
How can I plan my migration safari?
Here are some of the ways our expert safari designers will make sure your Great Migration safari is a trip of a life-time.
- We will make sure you avoid the crowds
- Find the best camps and lodges for your requirements, time restraints and budget
- Offer great advice on when to trave;
- Have the best guides accompany you
- We have on-the ground information about where the herds are throughout the year
With all the information shared in “Our Guide to the Great Migration in Tanzania” together with our knowledgable and experienced safari designers, you will have to best Great Migration Safari Experience.
