Serengeti Ecosystem
Nearly two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle following the rain in a continuous loop. Timing and positioning are everything — and that's exactly where local knowledge earns its keep.
The migration is not a single event but a year-long circuit driven by rainfall and grazing. Herds move from the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti and Ndutu, through the western corridor, north towards the Mara River, and back again.
Predators follow: lion prides, hyena clans, cheetah on the open plains and crocodile waiting at the river. It is the reason the Serengeti feels different from anywhere else on a safari itinerary.
Wildlife movement is not a timetable. Herd positions shift with the rains, sometimes by hundreds of kilometres within a fortnight, and river crossings cannot be scheduled or guaranteed by anyone.
We plan around long-term patterns, keep flexibility in the itinerary, and tell you plainly what your chances look like for the dates you have.
Month by Month
Select a month to see the likely location, what's happening and how good the game viewing tends to be.
Jul – Oct
Northern Serengeti & the Mara River
The herds mass along the Mara River. This is the window most travellers hope for, though crossings depend entirely on the herds on the day.
Wildlife movement varies every year with the rains, and sightings — including river crossings — can never be guaranteed. We position your camps for the best realistic chance.
Itineraries
Great MigrationTarangire · Serengeti · Northern Serengeti · Ngorongoro
Positioned for the herds: central Serengeti plus the far north, with camps chosen around where the migration is most likely to be for your dates.
Request Price
It depends on which part of the migration you want. For the calving season on the southern plains, travel between late January and March. For the Grumeti and western corridor, June is a good window. For the Mara River crossings in the northern Serengeti, aim for late July through October.
No — and no honest operator can. Crossings depend on rain, grazing and herd behaviour, and they can happen days apart or several times in one morning. What we can do is put you in the right area at the right time of year and give you full days in the field to maximise your chances.
We suggest a minimum of three nights in the Serengeti region where the herds are, plus travel days. Longer stays give the herds time to move and you time to be there when they do.
The migration is a year-round circuit that moves between Tanzania's Serengeti ecosystem and Kenya's Masai Mara. Most of the loop, and most of the year, is spent inside Tanzania.
For the peak crossing months the best-placed camps fill early, often close to a year ahead. If your dates are fixed, book as early as you can.
