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Greenway Nature Tours well-crafted great wildebeest migration safari packages will offer you to witness the ‘Greatest Wildlife Show on the Planet’. Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) are members of the antelope family, but they look more like cows with their big horns, stocky build, and shaggy manes. They live in huge groups of over one million individuals, along with thousands of zebras (Equus quagga) and gazelles (Eudorcas thomsonii).
Each year, this giant herd embark on a death-defying journey across Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem in Tanzania and Kenya in search of fresh grass and water. It is a round-trip that spans around 3000 kilometers (1900 miles) and two countries. The herd moves as a great swarm, and individuals must keep up or risk being picked off by the lions (Pantera leo), hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), and crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) that gather to hunt.
This awe-inspiring event is one of the main reasons Kenya and Tanzania attract so many visitors each year, making a Kenya Tanzania migration safari one of the most popular safari experiences in East Africa. The only catch with booking your Great Migration Safari Packages is that timing is crucial. And unfortunately, there is no way of predicting the timing of the animals’ movements – making the Great Wildebeest Migration one of nature’s greatest paradoxes.
Book your wildebeest migration safari ideally six months in advance. Lodges and camps tent fill up quickly, particularly for a Great Wildebeest Migration safari between June to October. Keep in mind that this is peak season and when the famous river crossings take place, but you can see the herds any time of the year.
The Great Migration is a year-round event and certain stages, such as the river crossings, are unpredictable. When to go on a Wildebeest Migration safari depends on what you are hopping to witness and experience. The below is a rough guide to help with your planning.
National parks can become crowded during the peak safari season (June to October). If you’re seeking exclusivity and access to the herds, think about staying in a private reserve or conservancy. Explore our suggested Wildebeest Migration safari Packages below, or contact us to help you customize an itinerary tailored to your travel preferences.
A word of warning: no one knows the exact moment when the migrating herds will cross the border from Tanzania’s Serengeti into Kenya and the Masai Mara. And nor can anyone predict with certainty the precise weeks when the wildebeest will funnel down the banks of and across the crocodile-infested Mara River.
But there are several reliable factors to consider when deciding the best time to visit the Masai Mara to increase your chances of witnessing one of the world’s most incredible wildlife events. Typically, the herds begin arriving in the Mara around late July or early August, marking the time when the famous Mara River crossings take place.
During September and October, the herds tend to stay in the Mara, creating an impressive spectacle of wildlife. By late October or early November, the herds usually depart Kenya and head back to Tanzania.
The great migration through Tanzania’s Serengeti follows a generally predictable annual pattern, though it can vary from year to year, mainly depending on rainfall.
If you’re hoping to see large herds of wildebeest in motion, the Western Corridor is your best bet in June and July, as the migration moves toward the south bank of the Grumeti River before crossing it.
For more consistent river crossings, head to the park’s northern region around September, when massive herds regularly make the dangerous crossing of the Mara River. From December to April, the wildebeest spread out across the southeastern Serengeti, which is the most accessible area from Arusha. Here, you can still see vast herds stretching across the plains. The southeastern region is also the primary calving area for wildebeest, with the peak calving period usually occurring in January and February, drawing large numbers of predators to the area.
Choosing between a safari in Kenya or Tanzania is a tough decision, as both countries boast incredible landscapes, excellent wildlife viewing, and unique experiences of the Great Wildebeest Migration.
The timing of your visit plays a key role in whether you’ll witness the migration in Tanzania or Kenya. In a typical year, the migration spends more time in Tanzania, while the dramatic river crossings are often seen from the Kenyan side.
However, Kenya tends to have more crowded vantage points. On the other hand, Tanzania offers a more relaxed atmosphere, possibly due to the vastness of the Serengeti, which is nearly ten times the size of Kenya’s Masai Mara, creating a sense of endless horizons.
We will be glad to receive your safari inquiry and bookings to help you plan and organize your Wildebeest Migration safari tour. Our able safari consultants will be ready to go through the process to customize and tailor make your next safari adventure in Kenya and Tanzania.
Since 2016 our tour company offers 4×4 car hire, safari itineraries with accommodation and guided tours for group and the independent traveler in East African countries of Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania.
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