{"id":23934,"date":"2017-12-03T06:57:41","date_gmt":"2017-12-02T19:57:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?p=23934"},"modified":"2025-02-27T01:18:32","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T14:18:32","slug":"wildebeest-migration-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wildebeest-migration-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"East Africa’s Wildebeest Migration: Everything you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the biggest drawcards to visiting\u00a0East Africa\u00a0is the chance to see the greatest wildlife show on earth: the annual Wildebeest Migration.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But when is the best time to see it? And where? And what can you actually expect to see? Unsurprisingly, queries abound, so we\u2019ve put together some answers to the most frequently asked questions from travellers about the migrations \u2013 plus some tips to help you plan your trip of a lifetime.<\/p>\n

What is the Wildebeest Migration?<\/h3>\n

Each year, approximately 1.5 million wildebeest and 300,000 zebra and gazelle stragglers gather up their young and make the trek from\u00a0Tanzania<\/a>\u2019s<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0Serengeti National Park to Kenya’s<\/a><\/strong> Masai Mara in search of food and water. Predators follow the Migration closely, waiting for an opportunity to strike weak prey as they make their way into different territories.<\/p>\n

\"Wildebeest

Wildebeest in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater<\/p><\/div>\n

Their journey follows a continuous clockwise circle, covering some 2,900 kilometres (1,800 miles), and is notoriously fraught with peril. Annually, an estimated 250,000 wildebeest die\u00a0en route<\/em>.<\/em>\u00a0The precise timing of the Migration changes annually as it is an unpredictable and spontaneous natural event dependent on the rains. It is by far the greatest mass movement of land mammals on the entire globe, and has been listed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.<\/p>\n

When is the best time to see it?<\/h3>\n

We\u2019re often asked, \u2018When actually\u00a0is<\/em>\u00a0the Migration?\u2019 Really, it\u2019s a year-round event, the herds moving in a constant clockwise circle throughout the Serengeti and Masai Mara.<\/p>\n

\"Wildebeest

Wildebeest in Kenya’s Masai Mara<\/p><\/div>\n

In Tanzania, the calving season takes place in the southern Serengeti between January and mid-March, before the Wildebeest Migration begins heading towards the western Serengeti in June. Most of Intrepid’s small group Tanzania trips<\/a><\/strong> also visit the UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Crater \u2013 the world\u2019s largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera. Although there are thousands of wild animals living inside the crater, they don\u2019t actually partake in the larger Migration, as the rich volcanic soils provide the nutrients they need to survive.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: WHAT IT’S LIKE TO SAFARI IN THE NGORONGORO CRATER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

If you are in the Masai Mara you can expect the wildebeest to make their arrival as early as July, but they generally arrive between August and September and remain in the Mara between October and November.<\/p>\n

\"Wildebeest<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that above is a guide only. The Migration is a natural phenomenon and no year is the same as the last, so there\u2019s never any guarantees. In 2013, for example, the Migration actually re-entered the Masai Mara for a second time just two months after they left due to a lack of rain in the Serengeti. Travellers on safari in the Mara as late as December were lucky enough to witness the plains covered in wildebeest.<\/p>\n

SUBSCRIBE TO INTREPID’S NEWSLETTER FOR TRAVEL TIPS, COMPETITIONS, GIVEAWAYS & MORE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

So which is better \u2013 the Serengeti or the Masai Mara?<\/h3>\n

Well,\u00a0Tanzania<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0boasts the open plains of the Serengeti, as well as the epic experience of seeing the wildlife of Ngorongoro Crater in 4\u00d74\u2019s. If you visit between January and mid-March and are lucky enough to catch the calving season (wildebeest young are almost all born during a three-week period \u2013 an estimated 400,000 each year!), it\u2019s a pretty special experience.<\/p>\n

On the other hand,\u00a0Kenya\u2019s\u00a0Masai Mara covers a much smaller area than the Serengeti. Some argue that the concentration of wildlife is therefore much higher once the Migration enters the Mara. One thing\u2019s for sure: the Masai Mara really offers the quintessential safari setting many of us have spent years dreaming about!<\/p>\n

\"Wildebeest<\/a>But here\u2019s the thing: if you\u2019re going all the way to East Africa \u2013 you might as well do both! Even if you\u2019re on a tight schedule, the Masai Mara and the Serengeti are actually part of the same National Park, separated only by a (fake) border. When we say \u2018fake\u2019, we mean you can literally be standing in the Serengeti, take a step to your right and be in the Masai Mara. So it\u2019s easier than you think.<\/p>\n

VISIT THE MASAI MARA, THE SERENGETI AND MORE ON THIS EPIC 15-DAY SMALL GROUP ADVENTURE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Will I see a river crossing?<\/h3>\n

A lot of travellers have the expectation of seeing river crossings with thousands and thousands of wildebeest (and the odd crocodile) battling it out in the ultimate scene from National Geographic. In reality, wildlife videographers and photographers will camp out for weeks at a river to witness just one of these crossings. So the chances of our groups seeing this is pretty unlikely (but not out of the question, of course!)<\/p>\n

\"WildebeestDo we adapt our itineraries to follow the migration?<\/h3>\n

In short, no. Overall, we still visit the same places, and stay in the same camps or lodges year round. However no safari is ever the same, regardless of the time of year you travel; your driver, leader and\/or local guides may adjust their route depending on the weather, what\u2019s happening within the park and how long they have.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:\u00a0INTREPID LEADER FLORENCE TALKS WHAT TO EXPECT ON AN EAST AFRICAN SAFARI<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Tips for enjoying the Migration<\/h3>\n