Meta description: Discover the best months to witness the Great Wildebeest Migration, from the calving season in the Serengeti to the river crossings into the Masai Mara.
If you’re traveling all the way to East Africa to see the Great Wildebeest Migration, you naturally want to book your trip for the right time of year! Yet when that is exactly varies by person, because it all depends on what you most want to see or experience.
Do you dream of witnessing the chaos of the river crossing stampedes? Or would you most enjoy being present for the calving season? There are various seasonal differences, and we explain them all to help you pinpoint the best Great Migration safari dates for you..
The Great Migration seasons
The herds make their huge annual migratory circle in response to seasonal changes. These four seasons are:
- A short dry season (January to mid March). This is the calving season in the southern Serengeti.
- Long wet season (late March to May). The herds migrate north.
- Long dry seson (June to October). The famously frenzied river crossings take place, after which the herds enjoy grazing in the Masai Mara in Kenya.
- Short wet season (November and December). The herds migrate south.
Please note that the migration does not, of course, operate like clockwork. The Great Migration is unpredictable and driven by instinct. This means we cannot guarantee a sighting on a specific day or location but with decades of experience, we’ve developed a reliable sense of when and where to expect the herds. The longer your safari, the better your chances of catching this natural spectacle, though, as with all things in nature, nothing is promised.
Whilst we can describe seasonal norms, it’s always best to come on safari with loosely held expectations – in this way you’re primed to best appreciate whatever spectacle nature has in store for you that year!
Month-by-month breakdown of the Great Migration
Here’s what you can anticipate each month on a Great Migration safari …
January – Calving season starts
Enormous herds stretching to the horizon in every direction cover the flat plains of the southern Serengeti. They will stay here for the duration of the calving season. Migratory birds start showing up, adding lots of chatter to the air. The landscape is beautifully dotted with the colours of wildflowers.
February – Best month for calves, birds and flowers
February is a busy month in the Serengeti as the calving season is well underway. Picture all the spindly-legged wildebeest, zebra and gazelle foals hovering near to their mothers as they learn the ways of the plains. You won’t, however, be the only ones with eyes on the calves – plenty of predators will be spying on them too. Please note that February is one of the hottest and most humid months of the year – some folks love this, others not so much!
March – Shoulder season starts
The long rains usually start in late March. The herds begin to move northwards, and many predators will shadow them. It’s yet another great month for birding.
April – The rains settle in
April is a month of rain. Photographers, however, can capture some truly stellar pictures as towering thunderclouds and moody colours dominate.
May – Ideal for a quieter safari
Some safarigoers really enjoy the low season as there are fewer safari vehicles, making for a more serene safari than at other times of the year. In May the best chance to see the migration is in the Western Corridor by the Grumeti river.
June – Conditions clear
June sees the start of bright, clear skies, and there’s great visibility as humidity is low. The vegatation is thick and attractive from all the recent rains. Visitor numbers also start to pick up again. The wildebeest can be seen in the western corridor by the Grumeti river.
July – Peak season arrives
The migratory herds begin congregating on the south bank of Grumeti River, readying themselves for the first of the upcoming river-crossings required to meet their instinct to find greener pastures. Daytime temperatures are pleasant and evenings are spent by the fireplace.
August – River crossings mayhem
Picture yourself standing in your safari vehicle, head poking through the sunroof, listening to the chorus of wildebeest grunts and moans as they splash across the Mara River, desperate to reach the other side before the current or a hungry croc takes them out!
September – Easy animal spotting
The landscape is very dry and the vegetation thin, making wildlife-spotting relatively easy. This makes September is a popular month for a Great Migration safari.
October – The herds graze in Kenya
The herds can be found grazing in the Masai Mara. The weather grows milder, and the rains usually return by month’s end.
November – Time to head south
The herds turn southwards, populating the eastern and southern reaches of the Serengeti (where cheetah sightings tend to be excellent).
December – Return to southern Serengeti
The herds congregate in the southern Serengeti, where the grass has once again grown lush from the recent rains and can sustain them through the upcoming calving season.
Would you like to chat with an expert before booking your Great Migration safari? We’re here to help, so please feel free to reach out!
