Serengeti National Park Migration

Serengeti National Park migration is one of the natural wonders of the world that attract travellers to this part of the world for spectacular game viewing of the great wildebeest migration. The great wildebeest migration is the movement of over a million wild game including over 1 million wildebeests accompanied by other wildlife like the Thomson’s gazelle, eland, impala and zebras among other wild game, through the Mara River to Maasai Mara National Reserve of Kenya. The Serengeti National Park migration is an annual pattern of movement with the wildlife moving for various reasons like fresh grazing areas and better quality of water among other reasons.

The Serengeti National Park is one of the most sought after and visited national park of Tanzania found in the northern travel circuit, within the vicinity of other northern circuit national parks of Tanzania namely the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara National Park, Tarangire National Park, and Kilimanjaro National Park which is the highest point on the African continent. Of all these national parks of Tanzania, Serengeti National Park is the most sought after for spectacular game viewing opportunities especially the famous Serengeti National Park migration.

The Serengeti National Park migration does not happen just once or over short periods of time, it is a continuous occurrence of the movement of the wild animals through the park, up until they cross to the Maasai Mara National Reserve of Kenya. Below are the month by Serengeti National Park migration, in which you the traveller should consider so as to book your Serengeti wildlife safari for an opportunity to watch the spectacular Serengeti National Park migration phenomenon;

The Serengeti National Park migration in January, February and March

During the month of January, the wildebeest migration finishes the southward trek moving along the eastern edge of the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where the plains are rich in fleshy grass which are ideal areas and give good conditions for raising their new-born calves. During late January or February, herds of wildebeests occupy these short-grass plains spreading over the lower northern slopes f Ngorongoro Crater highlands and around the Olduvai Gorge, with about 8000 new calves being born almost on a daily basis. With these large numbers of vulnerable calves, predators tend to surround the areas ready to plunge on the unsuspecting calves, giving tourists who visit the Serengeti National Park in January, February and March period an opportunity to watch the predators plunging and hunting down with much ease. Visiting the Serengeti National Park during this time is a great opportunity to witness calving and the big cats in action preying over the vulnerable calves and abundant wildebeests and other wildlife during the Serengeti National Park migration.

The Serengeti National Park migration in April and May

Shortly after calving in the months of February and March, herds of wildebeests begin drifting northwest towards the much fresher grass of the central Serengeti National Park, with a number of other wildlife adding to their movement including zebras and small groups of antelopes. As the month of May approaches, the wildebeests start congregating around the Moru Kopjes, and by the end of May they start the mating season with male wildebeests battling head to head. As time passes, the Serengeti National Park migration gains momentum with the wildebeests moving in large numbers towards the western corridor of the Serengeti, just within reach of the Grumeti River infested with crocodiles. Herds of wildebeests form along the channels of the Grumeti River as they cross the Grumeti River to continue with their migration journey.

The Serengeti National Park migration in June and July

The months of June and July are the typical dry season months, which sweep the Serengeti National Park with a very dry spell, causing large concentrations of wildebeests to concentrate in the western Serengeti areas just on the southern banks of the Grumeti River infested with crocodiles awaiting their prey during the crossing process. As the month of July is approaching, thousands of wildebeests and other wildlife like zebras head on to the north toward the very risky part of the great wildebeest migration; the Mara River just in the north of Serengeti National Park. The wildebeest migration towards the Mara River has over a million wildebeest and other wildlife crossing to neighboring Maasai Mara National Reserve of Kenya. The Mara River crossing during the Serengeti National Park migration is the most fascinating spectacular to watch, and is by far one of the most exciting wildlife spectacles on earth. As the month of July draws to an end, a considerable population of the great wildebeest migration wildlife shall be resident in Maasai Mara National Reserve Kenya.

The Great wildebeest migration in August, September and October

By the month of August, thousands of wildebeests have successfully crossed the Mara River from Serengeti National Park to Maasai Mara National Reserve, with a considerable number of them still left in the northern Serengeti plains. The Mara River crossing has a number of crocodiles and other predators like lions at the banks of the Mara River waiting to prey on the tired migrating wildebeests. By September to October, the craze and chaos of wildebeests struggling to survive during the Mara River crossing fades.

The great wildebeest migration in November and December

After the short rains in late October and early November, the wildebeests start moving from Maasai Mara to the eastern limits of the Serengeti just past Namiri Plains famous for great cheetah sightings. As time passes into the early times of the year, the grass in the southern Serengeti plains are very lush attracting large herds of the wildebeests and a number of zebras and other wildlife. With this, the migration cycle continues as the calving season once again starts.

The wildebeest migration is the most spectacular thing you shall ever watch while on a Serengeti Wildlife safari. Planning your Tanzania safari tour in sync with the Serengeti National Park migration cycle is important if watching this great natural wonder of the wildebeest migration is on your mind and bucket list. Get in touch with a reputable tour help you pitch together an amazing Serengeti wildlife safari like just like the 5 days Tanzania calving safari and more; with an option of even including a gorilla trekking in Uganda safari to complete your Africa safari tour.