The Great Migration is the year-round movement of roughly 1.5 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebras and 350,000 gazelles across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. The herds follow the rains in an ancient clockwise loop. Knowing where they'll be when you travel is the difference between a good safari and a great one.
December-March: Southern plains and calving Herds graze on the short-grass plains of southern Serengeti and Ndutu. Calving peaks in February. Predator action is intense and concentrated.
April-May: Long rains, herds drift north The herds begin a slow northwest migration, fragmenting across the central Serengeti and into the western corridor.
June-July: Grumeti River The first major obstacle — the Grumeti River — produces crocodile-fueled crossing drama through June. By July herds are pushing into the north.
August-October: Mara River crossings The iconic Mara River crossings happen in waves through this window. Stay in Kogatende or a north-Serengeti mobile camp for the best chance.
November: Short rains, return south The herds turn south, often as a single massive front, heading back to the Ndutu calving grounds.
We match your itinerary to the exact sector of the Serengeti where the herds will be when you travel.
