Each year millions of wildebeest, gazelles, and zebras thunder across the Serengeti plains in search of green grass and fresh water. A breathtaking experience to see all those animals migrate from north to south, followed by their predators.

Best time to visit Serengeti

The southern and northern plains of the Serengeti are the two main feeding grounds for the herds. The animals are constantly on the move between these two areas each year. We can generally predict where they should be at a given time of the year.

Timing Your Great Wildebeest Migration Safari

While the Great Migration is a year-round phenomenon, the best time to see the Great Migration in Africa largely depends on what you want to experience.

Calving Season (Late January to March): This period in the southern Serengeti is when most wildebeest calves are born, offering plenty of dramatic predator-prey interaction.

Moving North (April – May): Next, the herds make their way toward the grassier plains of the Serengeti Western Corridor.

Grumeti River Crossing (June – July): During this time, the wildebeest and zebras cross the perilous Grumeti River, trying their best to make it unscathed.

Mara River Crossing (July – August): This is arguably the most spectacular time to witness the Great Migration as the herds brave crocodile-infested waters.

Grazing in the Maasai Mara (September – October): The wildebeest and zebras take advantage of the abundant grasslands in Kenya’s Maasai Mara.

Back to Tanzania (November – December): Rain starts to fall again in the south, and the animals start their long trek back to Tanzania, where they will give birth to the next generation of migrators.