The Great Wildebeest Migration

The Great Migration, a highly sought-after experience for lovers of wildlife and nature, involves the continuous migration of more than a million animals throughout the Serengeti-Mara region. When wildebeest calves are born in the Southern Serengeti, the adventure begins.  Hundreds of thousands of calves are born within a few weeks-time and as a result, predators like the big cats and hyenas are continuously on the lookout for prey.

Great Migration from January to March

All year round there is an abundance of species in the southeast section of the Serengeti, but between December and April, the density of wildlife peaks. The seasonal downpour of rain attracts massive herds of zebra and wildebeest. The Ndutu area is the finest place to watch wildlife during this time of year. The grass on these plains is very nutrient-rich, giving the herds the ideal environment in which to raise their young calves.

Apart from birth and death, this migratory circuit has no true beginning or ending.  It makes sense to refer to the time of year when wildebeests give birth as the beginning of the migration. In January or February of that year, the herds inhabit the short-grass plains that encircle the Ngorongoro Ndutu and lower Southern Serengeti. In a span of two to three weeks, around 400,000 calves are born here, which equates to almost 8,000 newborns per day. The Southeastern Serengeti becomes a dramatic display of new life and death as a result of all these juvenile herbivores drawing in predators. Visiting Tanzania between January and March for safari in the Southern Serengeti and Ngorongoro Ndutu to see calving and the drama of big cats on the hunt is an exciting time.

Great Migration from Mid-July to October 

As August rolls around, the herds are still struggling to cross the Mara River, and many of them are still in the Northern Serengeti. The area is distributed throughout Serengeti Lemai Wedge, bordering the northern section of the Masai Mara area. Years in which the river is in full force, the fear and bewilderment at the crossings, along with the predators that are waiting and the rushing currents, can result in a significant death toll. Even in years when the water flows rather slowly, the crocodiles still cause damage, in addition to the lions and other large predators who watch the banks and wait to ambush any wildebeest that manage to cross.  By September or October, and the migrating herds have started to migrate east. But as they are ready to cross, the wildebeest will have to contend with the Mara River’s turbulent floods once more as they get ready to cross again on their way back south.