01 · The experience
The migration is not something that happens once a year. It is roughly 1.3 million wildebeest moving continuously, and your job is to be in the right part of the ecosystem when they are.
The herds follow rainfall and grass. Because rainfall varies, so does their timing — by weeks, sometimes more. Anyone selling you a guaranteed crossing on a specific date is selling you something they do not control.
What you can do is stack the odds: pick the right region for your month, and give yourself three nights there instead of one.
02 · What it involves
The year, region by region
December to March — the southern plains
Ndutu and the short-grass plains. Calving peaks around February, with hundreds of thousands of calves born in a few weeks and predators concentrated to match.
April to May — moving north-west, in the rain
The long rains. The herds spread through the western and central Serengeti. Fewest vehicles of the year, and the hardest driving.
June to July — the western corridor and the Grumeti
The front of the migration reaches the Grumeti River. The first serious crossings, with very large crocodile.
July to October — the north and the Mara River
Kogatende. This is the season people picture, and the busiest and priciest part of the calendar.
November — turning south
Short rains pull the herds back down through the eastern Serengeti. Quiet, green and underbooked.
03 · Safari packages
Packages timed to the herds
7-Day Great Migration Safari
7-Day Mara River Crossings
5-Day Ndutu Calving Season
04 · Practical
