Over 1.5 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra, and 500,000 gazelle travel a 1,800 km circuit through Tanzania and Kenya every year. Here is exactly where to be, and when.
## What Is the Great Migration?
The Great Wildebeest Migration is the largest overland animal movement on Earth. Every year roughly 1.5 million wildebeest — joined by 200,000 plains zebra and half a million Thomson's gazelle — complete a continuous clockwise loop across the Serengeti ecosystem in Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya.
There is no single start or finish. The herds follow the rains, chasing fresh grass in a cycle that has played out for millennia. The migration has a rhythm — and once you understand it, you can position yourself for a front-row seat.
---
## Month-by-Month Breakdown
### January – March: Calving Season
The herds concentrate on the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti and Ndutu area. During a six-week window in late January and February, roughly 8,000 calves are born every single day. The abundance of newborns draws every major predator: lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, and wild dogs all converge on the calving grounds. This is arguably the best period for big-cat sightings anywhere in Africa.
**Where to stay:** Ndutu area lodges, southern Serengeti camps.
### April – May: The Green Season
Long rains arrive and the herds spread across the central Serengeti. Crowds thin, rates drop, and the plains turn an electric green. Predator action remains excellent and the landscape is at its most photogenic.
**Where to stay:** Central Serengeti tented camps.
### June: Grumeti River Crossings
As the rains ease, the herds push north through the western corridor toward the Grumeti River. The Grumeti crossing is often overshadowed by the famous Mara — but the massive resident crocodiles and far fewer visitor vehicles make it an exceptional, intimate experience.
**Where to stay:** Western corridor lodges and fly-camps.
### July – October: The Mara River Crossings
This is the moment most visitors come for. The herds reach the Mara River and must cross into Kenya's Masai Mara. Crossings are chaotic and breathtaking: crocodiles wait in the shallows while panicked wildebeest stampede and double back. There is no fixed schedule — patience and a skilled guide who reads herd behaviour are everything.
**Where to stay:** Northern Serengeti — Lamai, Kogatende area.
### November – December: The Return South
Short rains begin and the herds retreat south through the eastern Serengeti, completing the annual loop. A quieter, uncrowded, and beautifully green period to visit.
---
## River Crossing Photography Tips
- Arrive at the river early — crossings almost always happen before midday
- Stay at one crossing point rather than chasing rumours across the park
- Position low, at water level if your driver can reach the bank
- Use a 400mm+ telephoto for tight shots; 70–200mm for the wider scene
- Shoot in burst mode — the decisive moments last only seconds
---
## Planning Essentials
- Book 6–12 months ahead for peak crossing season (July–October)
- Allow at least five nights in the Serengeti for a realistic crossing chance
- Fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport and connect by charter to your camp
- Work with an operator who tracks herd movements in real time
> The migration is not a guaranteed performance. It is wild and unpredictable — and that uncertainty is exactly what makes it extraordinary.
The Great Wildebeest Migration is the largest overland animal movement on Earth. Every year roughly 1.5 million wildebeest — joined by 200,000 plains zebra and half a million Thomson's gazelle — complete a continuous clockwise loop across the Serengeti ecosystem in Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya.
There is no single start or finish. The herds follow the rains, chasing fresh grass in a cycle that has played out for millennia. The migration has a rhythm — and once you understand it, you can position yourself for a front-row seat.
---
## Month-by-Month Breakdown
### January – March: Calving Season
The herds concentrate on the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti and Ndutu area. During a six-week window in late January and February, roughly 8,000 calves are born every single day. The abundance of newborns draws every major predator: lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, and wild dogs all converge on the calving grounds. This is arguably the best period for big-cat sightings anywhere in Africa.
**Where to stay:** Ndutu area lodges, southern Serengeti camps.
### April – May: The Green Season
Long rains arrive and the herds spread across the central Serengeti. Crowds thin, rates drop, and the plains turn an electric green. Predator action remains excellent and the landscape is at its most photogenic.
**Where to stay:** Central Serengeti tented camps.
### June: Grumeti River Crossings
As the rains ease, the herds push north through the western corridor toward the Grumeti River. The Grumeti crossing is often overshadowed by the famous Mara — but the massive resident crocodiles and far fewer visitor vehicles make it an exceptional, intimate experience.
**Where to stay:** Western corridor lodges and fly-camps.
### July – October: The Mara River Crossings
This is the moment most visitors come for. The herds reach the Mara River and must cross into Kenya's Masai Mara. Crossings are chaotic and breathtaking: crocodiles wait in the shallows while panicked wildebeest stampede and double back. There is no fixed schedule — patience and a skilled guide who reads herd behaviour are everything.
**Where to stay:** Northern Serengeti — Lamai, Kogatende area.
### November – December: The Return South
Short rains begin and the herds retreat south through the eastern Serengeti, completing the annual loop. A quieter, uncrowded, and beautifully green period to visit.
---
## River Crossing Photography Tips
- Arrive at the river early — crossings almost always happen before midday
- Stay at one crossing point rather than chasing rumours across the park
- Position low, at water level if your driver can reach the bank
- Use a 400mm+ telephoto for tight shots; 70–200mm for the wider scene
- Shoot in burst mode — the decisive moments last only seconds
---
## Planning Essentials
- Book 6–12 months ahead for peak crossing season (July–October)
- Allow at least five nights in the Serengeti for a realistic crossing chance
- Fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport and connect by charter to your camp
- Work with an operator who tracks herd movements in real time
> The migration is not a guaranteed performance. It is wild and unpredictable — and that uncertainty is exactly what makes it extraordinary.
Category:
Wildlife