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Annie's guidebook

The Serengeti's Great Wildebeest Migration

The Migration: An Introduction

The annual wildebeest migration of herds in Northern Tanzania and Kenya is one of the world's most spectacular wildlife events. Often referred to as the 'Greatest Show on Earth', The Great Wildebeest Migration is a movement of approximately two to two and a half million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle throughout the Serengeti and Masai Mara ecosystems.

Maps and illustrations showing the path of the migrating herds should be used as a general guide and a good way to choose the location of your hotel, camp or lodge. However, as with anything in nature, the actual day to day pattern is unpredictable. Wildebeest are remarkably unpredictable!

Please view our interactive Wildebeest Migration Map which is an accurate guide to where the migration should be at each month of the year.

If your wish is to safari at the heart of The Great Wildebeest Migration, it is advisable to book one of the Serengeti's famous mobile camps. Two in particular set themselves apart from the others for their commitment to keeping up with the herds - Nomad Tanzania's Serengeti Safari Camp and &beyond's Serengeti Under Canvas. These are the two mobile operations which we consider truly mobile and will be located near or amongst the herds at any time of the year. There are then the mobile camps of Alex Walker's Serian and Asilia's Olakira which offer superb mobile operations from July to November and also from December through to March. For the rest of the year these two fabulous camps are closed.

If going mobile is a little too adventurous for you, then choosing one of the Serengeti's permanent lodges is the best way to have all the comfort you need and also a good location for the herds. Below is an overview of the movement of the herds, where we also give the names of the best permanent lodges to stay in during that time of year.

A general guide to the Wildebeest migration

The Southern Serengeti's huge grass plains extend into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. From December to March the Great Migration congregates around Lake Ndutu in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. When it reaches the area the herd splits up and spreads out leaving wildebeest herds as far as the eye can see. Ndutu Lodge and Kusini are the only permanent lodges in the area. Kusini is best towards the end of the period where as Ndutu Lodge for its entirety. Asilia's Dunia Camp is also a good option at the beginning of December and again when the herds push North in March.

From April to May, the Wildebeest migration moves North into the plains of the Southern Serengeti with front runners stretching out to the Western Corridor and centre of the park at Seronera. Asilia's Dunia Camp is a great option for this time as are any of the central Serengeti hotels such as the Serena or Sopa. Early herds may well have pushed up to the Grumeti River Camp, Kirawira and Mbalageti Lodge area of the Western Corridor

At the end of May there are wildebeest herds spread from the Western corridor through the heart of the park. One group tends to head West into the Western Corridor and crosses the Grumeti River before leaving the park and entering the exclusive Singita Grumeti Reserves. This herd will then head up through the Ikorongo Game reserve on the Serengeti's Western corridor before the front runners arrive into the Kogatende area in July. The other herds head directly to the North of the Serengeti passing straight up the middle through Seronera, Lobo and up to the Bologonja river area near the Eastern border with the Loliondo reserve at Kleins. It is true to say that at this time herds can be anywhere from the Western corridor through to the Eastern side of the park. Splinter herds will break from the main herds covering huge areas in their search for fresh grasses. We would recommend Grumeti River Camp, Faru Faru, Sasakwa, Sabora, Mbalageti Lodge and Kirawira for the Western corridor, where as some herds will have pushed up as far as Migration camp in the Northern Lobo area. Late July will see any of the Kogatende permanent lodges having good herds - Serengeti Lamai and Sayari Camp being the places to go towards the end of July.

From August to October the herd has reformed, and meanders on the Kenya and Tanzania border , along the banks of the mighty Mara River. It is wrong however to think of the herd as one huge herd here as yet again, as with between December to March, the herds split up with herds crossing North and South over the Mara river virtually every day. When the rains return to the Soouthern Serengeti the herds will push down South again with November being the biggest movement month as the entire herd pushes down to Ndutu and the Southern Serengeti for mid December. Serengeti Lamai and Sayari Camp being the places to stay.

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