Every year, more than 1.5 million wildebeest, joined by hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles, embark on an extraordinary journey across the plains of the Serengeti and the Masai Mara. This is the Great Migration — a continuous movement driven by the search for water and fresh grazing land, and quite possibly the most spectacular wildlife show our planet has to offer.
An endless cycle
The migration has no real beginning or end: it’s a continuous loop that unfolds throughout the year across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. The herds follow a route shaped by the rains, covering nearly 800 kilometers each year between Tanzania and Kenya.
- December to March: wildebeest gather in the southern Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, the calving season — with up to 8,000 births a day!
- April to May: they begin moving toward the central and western Serengeti
- June to July: the eagerly awaited crossing of the Grumeti River, the first major obstacle, teeming with crocodiles
- August to October: the crossing of the Mara River, the climax of the spectacle, where predators and currents claim part of the herd every year
- November: the return south, and the cycle begins again
Why it’s an experience like no other
Beyond the sheer number of animals, what truly strikes travelers is the constant tension between life and survival. Lions, cheetahs, hyenas and crocodiles lie in wait at every river crossing, turning each stage of the journey into a scene of pure tension, worthy of the greatest wildlife documentaries.
When and where to see it
If you’re traveling between June and October, the central and northwestern Serengeti offers the best chances of witnessing a river crossing. Between December and March, head instead to the southern Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater to observe the calving season and the impressive concentration of herds.
Our agency’s advice
The migration doesn’t follow a fixed calendar down to the day — it depends on rainfall and can vary from year to year. That’s why we build every safari as a tailor-made journey, drawing on the latest field updates from our local guides, to give you the best possible chance of experiencing this unique moment, in the right place, at the right time.
Want to experience the Great Migration up close? Request your tailor-made quote to build your safari in Tanzania.