Serengeti National Park

Serengeti National Park in Tanzania stands among the best-known wildlife conservation areas in the world, unequally for its natural beauty and value. Therefore, this is the greatest concentration of plains game in Africa.

Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, established in 1952, is the location of the most awe-inspiring wildlife spectacle: the great migration of wildebeest and zebra. Therefore, the population of lions, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, and bird species is impressive. There’s a broad range of lodging options, from opulent hotels to rustic tents. There are just a few hundred cars allowed in the Park despite its expansive over 15,700 square Kilometres of wild savannah.

The Park covers three distinct sections. The popular southern/central part (Seronera Valley). Therefore, Maasai calls the “Serengeti” the land of endless plains, classic savannah, dots with acacias, and wildlife. The Grumeti River, forests, and dense bushes mark the western corridor. The north Lobo area meets up with Kenya’s Masai Mara Reserve.

Story of Wildebeests Migration in Serengeti

Approximately two million wildebeest participate in the annual migration that begins in the southern Serengeti each year when half a million calves are born. Many seasoned Serengeti guides agree that this is their favorite time of year because the air is full of life and activity.

Why do wildebeest migrate?

The wildebeest migration, covering around 800 kilometers, is the longest mammalian migration on the planet. This movement occurs as grasses in the short-grass plains begin to green up in preparation for the rainy season. Predators are more readily noticed in these places, making them a good choice for calving. But when the plains dry up, the wildebeest must migrate west for water and food. The grasses in the northernmost part of the ecosystem get the most water yet provide the most minor nutrition. Wildebeests migrate here during the dry season until the south grows vegetation again. The outcome is a clockwise movement from the south, west, north, and back to the south.

The Great Migration, in short

There is nowhere else in the world where you can see a finer illustration of the cycle of life than this. Wildebeest calves begin their migration in the southern Serengeti. True wildlife fans are treated to a visual feast as hundreds upon thousands of calves are born within a few weeks, despite predators like lions and hyenas continuously searching for infants.

When the drought begins in May, the herd goes north into the Masai Mara in Kenya, cutting down the lush green grass, swiftly followed by the gazelles and zebras. The trek is not without peril, as travelers must contend with an estimated 3,000 crocodiles while fording rivers.

Perhaps most notably, the renowned Serengeti lion population. Even though there is plenty of hoofed meat here, these large cats have it rough in this harsh environment. However, the image of a pride of lions working together to bring down a wildebeest will stay with you forever.

The return of the migration into Serengeti from Masai Mara coincides with the start of the brief rains in late October. By December, the herds wander past Seronera – a tiny village in central Serengeti where the official Serengeti Visitors’ Centre is situated – to return to their calving areas again, and the circuit is complete.

The Great Migration in detail

Your Serengeti safari itinerary should be an excursion to witness the Great Migration. How, then, do you guarantee your presence when it transpires? To put it simply, it is not possible. It is essential to recognize that there is invariably an element of risk involved in determining when to visit the Serengeti. It is customary for the Great Migration to transpire as described below; however, your Tanzania safari remains a mix of skill and experience for your guide to bring you close to the action.

Serengeti National Park has an enormous congregation of zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, Grant’s gazelle, eland, and two million ungulates annually. This wildlife extravaganza is the pinnacle in Africa, if not the entire globe. While there are yearly fluctuations, the Serengeti migration adheres to a reasonably consistent annual cycle determined by regional precipitation patterns. The Great Migration cycle comprises the following succeeding epochs:

December to April

The primary calving grounds in the region southeast of Seronera; these plains, characteristic of the Serengeti, extend to the Ndutu area close to Ngorongoro. The infrequent and light rains in November and December constitute the impetus for their relocation here. Until the lengthy rains stop at the end of April or the beginning of May, the wildebeest will remain in this region. The great news is that this part of Serengeti National Park is readily accessible, and the terrain is particularly lush at this time of year. The most incredible time to visit the Ndutu region and the southeastern plains is February, during calving season. Predators are drawn to the herds of wildebeest, zebra, and other ungulates because of the sheer number of newborns. The herd might search again for better pastures as early as March or April. Although seeing the actual migration around this time is more challenging, you will likely come across quite huge herds in motion.

May – July

After giving birth and feasting on the short green grasses of the southeasterly Serengeti, the wildebeest begin preparing for their 800-kilometer-long migration at this time. Dates between the end of April and the beginning of June are considered for the launch. You’ll see one of nature’s finest spectacles if you’re lucky. There might be as many as 40 kilometers of animals in a single file. The herd’s first significant challenge during the migration will be fording the Grumeti River as they make their way to the Western Corridor. Many animals don’t make it over because giant crocodiles are waiting for them on the other side. The herd may gather on the river’s southern bank and remain there for two weeks before attempting to cross the river.

August – September

After the herd successfully fords the Grumeti River, they travel north to begin fording the Mara River in July or August. Many famous photographs of the Great Migration were captured near the Mara River crossing. After making this passage, the herd then moves on to the northwest plains and the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. The Great Migration may only be seen in Serengeti National Park from July through October, as the herd leaves for Kenya’s Masai Mara in August and September. Migration patterns, however, reveal that around half of the herd remains in the Mara Serengeti region of Tanzania. During this time, smaller herds of wildebeest (if 500-thousand animals are considered tiny), for some reason, keep crossing the Mara River back and forth. A visit to one of the camps in the Serengeti Mara at this time would be fantastic.

October – November

When traversing the Mara River northbound, the herd must eventually retrace its steps across the river before resuming its journey in a southerly direction. While this typically occurs in October, it can occasionally transpire earlier. The herd will traverse the northern plains and Lobo region during this time. This northwestern Bologonja Hills is a relatively secluded area of Serengeti National Park, so if you wish to observe the migration in relative solitude, now is the time to go. Late in November, wildebeest re-establish themselves in the short-grass plains and calving ground surrounding Ndutu. Then, once more, the Great Migration commences from this juncture.

Note

As was indicated above, the times given on this page are meant as suggestions since variations are commonplace. Back in November of 2013, the rains came out of nowhere up north of the Mara River, forcing the wildebeest to abandon their return journey to the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti. The herd reversed course in the wild and headed back into Kenya’s Masai Mara. After waiting for almost three weeks, the herd continued their migration south. Many of the herds did not trek north into the Western Corridor in July of 2014 due to unexpected rainfall in the southern Serengeti.

You may choose whether or not to schedule your safari in the Serengeti around the Great Migration. We’ve already established that the Serengeti, with its expansive landscape and abundance of species, is a popular tourist destination any time of year. You will unlikely see the Great Migration herd at the precise moment they cross a river (either the Grumeti or Mara River). Herd movements cannot be predicted either. Large herds of wildebeest and their accompanying animals can be challenging to spot. Still, visit the Serengeti at the right time of year (the southeast and Ndutu from December to March, the Western Corridor from May to July, the Serengeti Mara Kogatende area from July to October, and the northern Serengeti Bologonja and Lobo area in October and November). You should have no trouble spotting them.