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the yearly event does attracts many tourists.

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the yearly event does attracts many tourists.

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there is neither a start nor finish to their endless search for food and water. It is more like an circle. 

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there is neither a start nor finish to their endless search for food and water. It is more like an circle. 

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The migration of nearly two million wildebeest and zebra across the plains of Tanzania's Serengeti and Kenya's Maasai Mara is one of the oldest and last great land migrations on the planet. The movements are dictated solely by the rains and food sources (grasses), with zebras eating the long grasses, while wildebeests follow to feast on fresh shoots. While often unpredictable and not a perfect science, the typical movements of the herds are illustrated in the interactive map below, which also shows the locations of camps in each area.

How our map works:

Select a month or click{{control_text}}

Hover over or click on camps for more information

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The Great Migration: Map of the Wildebeest & Zebra Migration

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The migration of nearly two million wildebeest and zebra across the plains of Tanzania's Serengeti and Kenya's Maasai Mara is one of the oldest and last great land migrations on the planet. The movements are dictated solely by the rains and food sources (grasses), with zebras eating the long grasses, while wildebeests follow to feast on fresh shoots.

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Wildebeest and Zebra Migration - Serengeti / Masai Mara

Migration Routing Map

Important Note: This interactive map shows only an approximation of the migratory herd's pattern and location during a specific month. The animals migrating (the majority of which are wildebeests) do not follow a calendar schedule, rather, they follow cues from the environment to tell them when the rains have reached an area and they then move there to take advantage of the fresh growth of grasses. The migration timing and pattern varies year to year, but this map shows the general pattern with minor, sometimes major, deviations.

The Great Migration
The annual movement of wildebeest and other grazing herbivores across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is one of the greatest spectacles in the natural world. Originating on Tanzania's short grass plains of the southeastern Serengeti, the dwindling of the available grass is the impetus for this primal trek. The horizon fills with 1.5 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra, 18,000 eland and 500,000 Thompson's gazelle, relentlessly tracked by Africa's great predators.

In essence, the wildebeest are taking advantage of the strongly seasonal conditions, spending the wet season on the southeastern plains of Tanzania, and the dry season in the woodlands of northwestern Kenya. The wildebeest give birth between January and March on the short grass plains. The migration is rarely ever the same in terms of precise timing and direction, as local conditions influence grass growth. The wildebeest may therefore move off the open plains earlier in some years and remain in the northern woodlands for longer in others.

Top Go to Safari Camps & Map of Tanzania Go to Safari Camps & Map of Kenya

For a map of Safari Camps in the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, click Serengeti / Ngorongoro Camps
For a map of Safari Camps in the Masai Mara Game Reserve, click Masai Mara Camps

For information about the National Parks of Tanzania, click Tanzania Parks
For information about the National Parks of Kenya, click Kenya Parks

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Important Note: This interactive map shows only an approximation of the migratory herd's pattern and location during a specific month. The animals migrating (the majority of which are wildebeests) do not follow a calendar schedule, rather, they follow cues from the environment to tell them when the rains have reached an area and they then move there to take advantage of the fresh growth of grasses.

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Great Migration River Crossing Masai Mara, Kenya - Zebras & Wildebeests @LowisandLeakey Safaris

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https://www.maasaimara.com/entries/great-wildebeest-migration-maasai-mara

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The Wildebeest Migration, is one of the "Seven New Wonders of the World" and also known as The World Cup of Wildlife. If there is a safari you should go on, this has it be it. The Maasai Mara and the Serengeti National Park together form what no other reserve or park in Africa can! It is incredible, it is magical, it is indescribable and it is a must!

No where in the world is there a movement of animals as immense as the wildebeest migration, over two million animals migrate from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the greener pastures of the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya during July through to October.

The migration has to cross the Mara River in the Maasai Mara where crocodiles will prey on them. This is one of the highlights as the animals try and cross the Mara River alive.

In the Maasai Mara they will be hunted, stalked, and run down by the larger carnivores. The Maasai Mara also has one of the largest densities of lion in the world and is no wonder this is the home of the BBC wildlife channels Big Cat Diary.

To find your perfect camp or lodge for the wildebeest migration please go to our accommodation page.
Remember that the wildebeest migration normally start from about mid June to mid October. February and March are great for the big cats and Christmas is again a stunning time.

About The Migration

The stage on which this show is set is loosely termed the Serengeti Ecosystem, about 40, 000 square kilometres pretty much defined by the dominant migration routes of the white bearded wildebeest (Connochaetes tuarinus mearnsi) and comprises parts of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the south; the Serengeti National Park and the adjacent Maswa Game Reserve and other 'controlled' areas in the centre, east and west; and the Maasai Mara National Reserve to the north. The principle players are the wildebeest, whose numbers appear to have settled at just under 1.7 million, with supporting roles from some 400,000 Thomson's gazelle, 300,000 zebra and 12,000 eland. These are the main migrators and they cross the ranges of over a quarter of a million other resident herbivores and, of course, carnivores. The lions, hyenas, leopards, cheetahs and lesser predators await the annual coming of the migration with eager anticipation.

In reality there is no such single entity as 'the migration'. The wildebeest are the migration - there is neither start nor finish to their endless search for food and water, as they circle the Serengeti- Mara ecosystem in a relentless sequence of life and death. 'The only beginning is the moment of birth,' notes acclaimed East African author and photographer Jonathan Scott, who has spent the better part of the last 30 years chronicling the events of the Serengeti and Maasai Mara. Similarly the only ending is death.

There is little predictability about the migration, and questions as to which is the best month to view it are likely to get different answers from different people. According to Scott, 'You could spend a lifetime in the Serengeti-Mara waiting for the typical migration. The finer details of the herds' movements are always different. It is a dynamic process which defies predictions: no two years are ever quite the same.'

Probably the most important element of the environment to its inhabitants is the weather and the cycle of four seasons per year undoubtedly has the defining influence on the migration. The seasons are reasonably defined: the 'short dry season' is typically December to February/March; the 'long rains' fall over a six week period from March through April and into May; and the 'long dry season' is from June to September, with the two-week 'short rains' falling any time from October into November. There are however, no guarantees about these dates.

The Birthing

For want of a better place in which to 'start' the migration, we'll begin in January and February, when the wildebeest cows drop their young in a synchronized birthing that sees some 300,000 to 400,000 calves born within two to three weeks of one another, eight and a half months after the rut. The birthing occurs on the short-grass plains that, at the southernmost extent of the wildebeests' range, spread over the lower northern slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater highlands and are scattered around Olduvai Gorge. Here, at the 'cradle of mankind' many notable fossil finds have been discovered, including some that show that wildebeest have grazed the Serengeti almost unchanged for over a million years.

The annual period of birthing provides a feast for predators. Driving across the plains, one can count literally hundreds of hyenas and dozens of lions scattered about. It may seem that the wildebeest are doing the predators a favour by dropping their young all a the same time, but in fact a surfeit of wildebeest veal in a very short period results in the predators' becoming satiated and unable to consume as much as they would if the calving happened over a longer time span. The predators thus have only a limited impact on the population of newborn calves; any calves born outside the peak are far more likely to perish.

To watch any birth is amazing but watching the wildebeest birthing verges on the incredible. A newborn wildebeest gains co-ordination faster than any other ungulates and is usually on its feet two to three minutes after birth. It can run with the herd at the age of five minutes and is able to outrun a lioness soon thereafter. Notwithstanding this, many do die within their first year, from predation (although research indicates only about one percent die this way), malnutrition, fatigue or disease. Many calves get separated from their mothers when the herds panic (which happens frequently) or cross rivers or lakes in their path. The calves then wander for days looking for mum, bleating and bawling incessantly. On rare occasions they may be lucky to find her, but no wildebeest cow will adopt a strange calf, even if she has lost her own and is lactating at the time. As it weakens, a lost calf becomes an easy victim for any watching predator, from jackal up to hyena and lion.

The Start Of The Circle

Towards the end of the short dry season, around March, the short-grass plains of the southernmost Serengeti begin to dry out and the wildebeest begin (or continue) their journey, heading towards the western woodlands. How do they know which way to go? There are at least two possible answers, according to behaviourist and ecologist Harvey Croze, co-author of The Great Migration. The wildebeests journey is dictated primarily by their response to the weather; they follow the rains and the growth of new grass. And, although there is no scientific proof that this is true, it seems that they, and other animals, react to lightening and thunderstorms in the distance. 'It would be surprising if even the wildebeest could overlook such prominent portents of change,' writes Croze.

But it is probably instinctive knowledge, etched into their DNA by hundreds of thousands of years of natural selection, that is the major reason why these 'clowns of the plains' know in which direction they must travel. Over the millennia, those wildebeest that went the 'wrong' way would have died (of thirst and starvation) long before they could reproduce, so the wildebeest that lived to produce the future generations were the ones that went the 'right' way.

From the plains around Olduvai the herds head west towards the trio of small lakes, Ndutu, Masek and Lagarja. At this time their biggest need is usually to find water, and these more westerly areas can provide it. Still feeding and fattening on the nutritious short grass the herds scatter widely across the plains, shifting on a whim in response to factors beyond our knowledge. On any given day they'll be spread out in their tens and hundreds of thousands across the expansive plains west of Ndutu, the next they'll be gone. By now the first downpours of the long rains will be falling, and the wildebeest will canter across the plains towards the distant thunderstorms, frequently returning a day or two later if the promise did not match the reality.

The Rut

As the rains set in, the herds head north-west past the granite outcrops of the Simba and Moru koppies and into the woodlands of the hilly country west of Seronera towards Lake Victoria. This is the time of the annual rut, with half a million cows mated in less than a month as the herds consolidate in the woodlands and on the plains of the Serengeti's Western Corridor. The peak of the rut seems heavily influences by the state of the moon, with the full moon in May/June being a good bet for anyone seeking the most action.

Seemingly vicious fighting between dominant or territorial males takes place during the rut, though there is generally little actual violence or serious injury. And in spite of these energetic duels, the males have little say over their choice of mates, for it is the females who do the actual choosing.

The Crossing

From the western Serengeti the herds head north, following the rains (or their effects) into Kenya and the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. On their trek the wildebeests' path is cut several times by rivers: in the Serengeti by the Mbalangeti and the Grumeti, and in Kenya by the Mara. For most of the year these rivers are relatively placid, but they can become violent torrents in response to rainfall in their catchments areas, and then they present major obstacles to the progress of the wildebeest.

The rivers and indeed the few isolated lakes in the south of the Serengeti, are terrifying to the wildebeest firstly because of the animals' fear of the water itself and the creatures it may hide, and secondly because water generally means vegetation, and thickets that may conceal predators. Yet the wildebeest have an inherent instinct to trek in a certain direction at any cost - despite their terror. The lakes in the south - Ndutu, Masek and Lagarja - for example, are little more than a few kilometres long, and could easily be walked around. But natural selection steps in once more: the wildebeest that crossed the lakes in previous generations survived to breed, so the waters pose no fear to their progeny; those that did not make it gave no further input to the gene pool.

In his definitive documentary on the migration, The Year of the Wildebeest, filmmaker Alan Root describes how he watched a crossing at Lake Lagarja, where, once the main body of the herd had crossed cows that had become separated from their calves turned back to look for them re-entering the water and swimming back. On reaching the other side, still not reunited with their offspring, they turned back once again. This toing and froing went on for seven days, until eventually the numbers of arriving wildebeest built up again and the stragglers were forced to move on with the main body of the herd. Thousands of wildebeest died in the lake that year. While such tragedies may appear to be a disaster for the wildebeest, the deaths only represent a mere handful of the hundreds of thousands of calves born each year. Without a degree of natural mortality, the wildebeest population could spiral out of control.

Wildebeest arrive at the Mara River in their tens of thousands, and gather waiting to cross. For days their numbers can be building up and anticipation grows but many times, for no apparent reason, they turn and wander away from the water's edge. Eventually the wildebeest will choose a crossing point, something that can vary from year to year and cannot be predicted with any accuracy. Usually the chosen point will be a fairly placid stretch of water without too much predator-concealing vegetation in the far side, although occasionally they will choose seemingly suicidal places and drown in their hundreds. Perhaps, once again, this is because crossing places are genetically imprinted in the minds of the animals.

Some fords do attract larger numbers of animals than others though, probably because they're visible from a greater distance and the arriving herds are able to see others of their kind either in the process of crossing the river or grazing on the lush grass on the far side.

The Predators

Once on the grasslands of the Maasai Mara, the wildebeest spend several months feeding and fattening once more, taking advantage of the scattered distribution of green pastures and isolated rainstorms. A remarkable feature of their wanderings is their ability to repeatedly find areas of good grazing, no matter how far apart. The physiology of the wildebeest is such that it ahs been designed by evolution to travel large distances very quickly and economically, apparently requiring no more energy to run a certain distance than to trudge along at walking pace. Every facet of its life and behavior is designed to save time - wildebeest even mate on the move, and newborns are, as we have seen, up and running in minutes.

While the wildebeest are drawn into migrating by the needs of their stomachs, the fact that they're constantly on the move has the added benefit that they outmarch large numbers of predators. The predators are unable to follow the moving herds very far, for many are territorial and can neither abandon their territories nor invade those of others. Moreover, the young of most predators are highly dependent upon their mothers, who can't move very far from them.

Closing The Circle

By late October, when the first of the short rains are falling on the Serengeti's short-grass plains, filling seasonal waterholes and bringing new flushes of growth, the wildebeest start heading south again. The herds trek down through the eastern woodlands of the Serengeti, some 90 per cent of the cows heavy with the new season's young. Tightly grouped as they pass through the wooded country the wildebeest scatter and spread out again once they reach the open plains.

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Great Wildebeest Migration | Maasai Mara

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The Wildebeest Migration, is one of the "Seven New Wonders of the World" and also known as The World Cup of Wildlife. If there is a safari you should go on, this has it be it. The Maasai Mara and the Serengeti National Park together form what no other reserve or park in Africa can!

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Understand Africa's great Serengeti wildebeest migration with a moving map; where to see it, and the best camps.

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The wildebeest  journey is their response to the weather: they follow the growth of new grass.

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Many animals do not manage to survive due to drowning or getting taken/ eaten  by other animals.

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Every year, millions of Wildbeest, Zebras, Elands Impalas and Gazelles  form a massive movement in Kenya. The so called wildebeest migration. Chiefly in search for better conditions (food, water).

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Wildebeest Migration Masai Mara River Kenya|Wildebeest Crossing Mara River Masai Mara Migration

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Great wildebeest migration between Masai Mara and the Serengeti | Animal migration

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Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park Uganda

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The Serengeti wildebeest migration is Africa's great migration and happens every year where by large numbers of wildebeests(over 2 million) and other animals like the grant's gazelles, impalas, zebras(over 200,000), elands, and Thomson's gazelles migrate from the Serengeti plains in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya. They move clockwise over 1,800 miles annually which makes their migration easy to predict. They mainly migrate in search for better water quality and new grazing grasslands.
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Wildebeests are mammals and belong to the antelope family. They are classified into different species of which all of them are native to Africa; they include the Western-bearded wildebeest these are the ones that migrate within the Serengeti and Masai Mara, the Eastern white-bearded wildebeests found in Tanzania and Kenya in the East of Gregory rift and the Blue or brindled wildebeests found in the south of River Zambezi. The other name to refer to wildebeest is "Gnu"; they are herbivorous animals and basically live in the open woodlands and savannah grasslands which is where they get what to eat.

In most cases over 250,000 wildebeests die during the migration from Serengeti to Masai Mara, they cover a large distance so some end up losing their lives due to exhaustion, hunger, thirst, also others are eaten by predators.

The wildebeest migration is one of the most amazing events one should never miss out, nothing is thrilling like watching the these animals in big numbers running up and down in the grasslands and crossing rivers, it gives an unforgettable experience in the wild.

WHEN AND WHERE TO BEST OBSERVE THE MIGRATION
January-February-March
During this time many herds of wildebeests and zebras are around the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and in the Southern plains of the Serengeti, the grass there is short and rich, so most pregnant wildebeest find there stay here. The calving season starts at the end of January to mid March; around 600,000 calves are born in this time. Them being born in large numbers it is easier to survive predators than those born few and earlier.

During this time from January to March, these wildebeest migration can be viewed comfortably at a mobile camp, though most mobile camps are faced with the issue of flies so clients who are in for camping are advised to go in for Lake Masek Tented camp, then also midrange travelers can opt for Ndutu lodge as they observe the migration. Those who are into the luxury basis can go for Mwiba lodge, which is located a few kilometers away from Ndutu area so private vehicles can be offered by the lodge to take you to the area to observe the migration.
April-May
By the end of March to early May, this is considered an off season for observing wildebeests and other animals at large because there are heavy rains in Tanzania by this time. The grass during this time grows so tall and also roads become hard to pass through since the soils are slippery.

At the start of May the grass is already reduced since the population of the animals is a lot, so they choose to migrate looking for more grass. Most of the wildebeests and zebras move to the North via Seronera and the West near Lake Victoria and Serengeti's western corridor, by this time these areas have enough water and longer grass.

In April, there is a possibility of observing the migration and the better place to stay would be Kusini Camp but there are many tsetse flies so the other option would be Ndutu Safari lodge. Other facilities include; Serengeti Kati Kati camp, Osupuko tented camp, Serengeti Serena safari lodge, Serengeti wildlife lodge

We generally don't advise you to travel during April and May.
June
Early June the wildebeests start to move westwards because there is no enough food where they were. They tend to move to River Grumeti, which is surrounded by a forest and in this forest there are lots of elephants, buffaloes and in the river are a number of hippos and big-starving crocodiles that are ready to eat the wildebeests that come to drink water from the river.

There are different places where one can stay and catch the migration. They range from luxurious lodges such as Sasakwa Hill Lodge, Faru Faru River Lodge and Sabora Plains Tented camp; while here you not only watch the migration but also can have drives off the road, wildlife viewing walks and night drives. Other accommodation facilities where to see the migration include; Kirarwa and Grumeti River camp but while here you cannot do night drives or off road drives.
July-August-September-October
By this time, the water and grass has totally reduced in Grumeti and in the Western Corridor so wildebeests start moving to look for more grassland. So there are chances of watching migration around the Singita Grumeti reserve in July but these chances reduce as the month ends.

At the end of July to mid October, the herds of wildebeests divide themselves into smaller groups residing in the North of Serengeti and in the Masai Mara, during this time if it's a dry season the wildebeests gather around water bodies particular the Masai River, whereby this river also has hungry crocodiles ready to eat those that come to drink water.

In mid to late October there are short rains; because of this the wildebeests start moving south of the Masai Mara in Kenya. So by this time the best place to view the migration is the Masai Mara though this reserve is smaller than the Serengeti. So while here, you will not only observe the migration but also you could visit the nearby Maasai communities that have been there for very many years.

During this period, you can observe the migration while staying at different lodges and Camps. Staying in northern Serengeti is advisable since most herds are there and also are in the Masai Mara. For those in need of a luxurious treat the Singita's Mara River Tented Camp can work for you, another is Sayari camp which is a few minutes away from the wildebeest herds. Other accommodation facilities include; Nomad's Lamai Camp, Lemala Kuria Hills, Olakira, Serian, Kimondo, and Governor's Camp (found in the Mara) among others.
November-December
The rains continue throughout November so the wildebeests continue to move south and east. By December they start moving back to Southern Serengeti to the rich and short grasses. Most herds arrive by the end of December towards beginning of January which marks the end of that cycle.

Other areas in the Serengeti have tall grass growing at a fast rate hence making it difficult for wildlife viewing. So you are advised not to travel at this time of the year especially if you are interested in game safaris.

If you choose to travel during this time of the year, you can catch the migration while staying at Namiri Camp, staying in this area is an added advantage because it has different animals such as the cheetahs and lions, because of these predators there are not many herds of wildebeests seen in this place. Also Klein's camp could be better for viewing the migration but it has some tsetse flies.

After this cycle, the cycle begins again when the female wildebeests give birth to very many calves.

Choose to have a combined tour

The migration is an amazing and an unforgettable experience for every traveler but you could choose to add a standard safari to the viewing of the Great migration. This involves various activities such as night game drives in the Serengeti, cultural encounters by visiting the Maasai communities, visit to the sand beaches near the ocean, and many more things. Plan your safari with us!
How To Get There
It is easier when you arrange your safari with tour companies especially concerning the great migration since it could give you hard time to tell where to find the herds, where to stay, what you need and many more.

So getting there involves flying into Nairobi the capital of Kenya, this is whether you are to watch the migration in Serengeti or in the Masai Mara. Make sure you have all that you need such as the immunization cards required, visas among other things. Make your safari bookings in advance and just wait for that day!
Before your trip of 2019

Make sure that you have done enough research concerning wild life more especially about the wildebeest migration; this will help you to know how these animals behave, and how predators also behave, so that nothing will take you by surprise if anything happens while in the wild, such as a predator killing a wildebeest.

Also find out the climatic change in the area, this will help you to pack the appropriate clothes for your safari, get the required immunization, also look out for the currency, so carry some us dollars with you and exchange some to the local currency and don't forget to carry a camera and binoculars among others.

Lastly, watching the Great migration is among the things that will create a memorable experience in your life as you watch large herds of animals travelling up and down, crossing rivers it is an amazing moment. Keep this in mind that the great migration is entirely based on the availability of water, local weather conditions and enough grazing grasslands.

The wildebeest migration is known by many to be one of the top Seven Wonders of the World as you will never get to see a huge number of animals moving in harmony with each other for a long time and distance. It is referred to as the world cup of wildlife and it happens between two countries that is Tanzania and Kenya. As they cross from the Serengeti National park in Tanzania, they head out to Masai Mara after crossing the Mara River.

Masai Mara is also know for the high density of lions that it has and when the wildebeests cross to Masai Mara, they are hunted down by predators especially the big cats and this reduces the number of wildebeests that cross back to Serengeti.

The wildebeest migration takes place every year between two countries that is Tanzania and Kenya. There are approximately 1.5 million animals that cross from the Serengeti National Park to Masai Mara in Kenya and some of these include zebras which are estimated to be about 200,000, the Thomson Gazelles amounting to 350,000 and many more other hoofed animals. Most of these animals migrate in search of pastures and water and this migration has been termed as one of the best sceneries that one cannot afford to miss.

For us to get a clear picture of what the migration will be about, we are going to look at the birthing process and how the wildebeests come to life to start the long trek across the plains. The birthing process takes place between January and February with an estimate of over 300,000 to 400,000 calves born within a short interval of the other. The birthing of these calves mostly takes place on the slopes of the Ngorongoro crater mountain, the vast plains around Olduvai Gorge and Serengeti.

The birthing of the many calves bring about the prescience of the many predators like lions, leopards that mostly come out to hunt for the young ones who can hardly fend for themselves and they end up killing many especially those that don't have the older animals protecting them. Much as many are killed during infancy, others grow and they become one of those that join in the great migration year after year.

These animals are believed to be moving towards a certain direction because they follow the weather and the March begins at the end of March when the dry season starts in Serengeti National Park head out to Masai Mara where the rains are abundant and the grass is enough for all the animals and these animals always stick together when they are traveling.

The animals walk miles and miles during this wildebeest migration and by visiting the two parks where the migration takes place, you get a clear view although you need to book early so that you get a clearer view since the place can be about crowded. And during the migration you can also get to see other animals and bird species that are located in the area. The animals in the Serengeti national park can travel for more than 26000 square kilometers as they move from Serengeti to Masai Mara and then back to Serengeti.

Since the great wildebeest migration starts from Serengeti, we are going to be looking at the migration takes place and progresses month per month.

The herds start arriving in Serengeti around November and December due to the start of the rains during this period. They settled around Ndutu area the North of Ngorongoro and the Seronera part which is south of Serengeti. The animals stay in this area through January to March and then spread throughout the Serengeti Park. Towards April, they start moving towards the Northern part of the park.

The animals start moving North in May while some of them move West wards in search of water and pasture. Tourists can easily see herds of animals in large columns moving to the Moru Kopjes and the North of Seronera.

When the rains start, many of the herds are seen heading to koppies and Simba. Between May and June, this is known to be the rutting season and many of the animals are mated in this period and they can be seen in the Serengeti western corridor and the shores of Lake Victoria. When the animals leave the western corridor, they head out to the Masai Mara in Kenya. In June the herds can be seen moving to the Western corridor near the Grumeti River The herd congregates near the River for sometime in the south as they wait for others that were left behind Once they are all in there, they cross the River in large numbers. The Grumeti River is famous for the numerous crocodiles that keep on feasting on the animals as they cross and the different channels that it has but still this does not stop the animals from crossing the Grumeti River and continue North wards.

The Wildebeest migration then continues to the North after crossing the Grumeti River in the months of July and August. During these months the herds separate as some of them head to the central part of Serengeti National Park while others head to Ikorongo and the Grumeti Reserve. While crossing the river, many animals lose their lives due to the predators that are found in the River and the wild currents.

In September, the herds cross over to the Northern part of the Serengeti National Park up to the Mara River. This is one of the hardest Rivers to cross and some animals can be seen struggling to cross the gushing Waters in the Mara River. This is a very spectacular view that you should not miss once you visit the Serengeti National park. And these animals can be seen crossing back to the south just after a few days.

Seemingly vicious fighting between dominant or territorial males takes place during the rut, though there is generally little actual violence or serious injury. And in spite of these energetic duels, the males have little say over their choice of mates, for it is the females who do the actual choosing.

From the western part of Serengeti, the herds head north to Masai Mara in Kenya. The Wildebeests cross the Mara River and Grumeti Rivers before they reach the Masai Mara Game Reserve. The rivers at times are easy to cross but there are times when they become violent and end up killing many wildebeests. The Rivers mostly the Grumeti has crocodiles which await the animals as they cross the River leading to the loss of many of the wildebeests. The rivers have a lot of thick vegetation which may hide predators and yet the animals cannot change their course when it comes to trekking and therefore end up using the rivers even if they have the terror for water and predators. But despite all this, the crossing of these rivers is quite a sight that one cannot miss it.

When the animals reach the Mara River, they gather as they wait for the herds to increase and then cross at the same time. The crossing points for the animals differ every year and this may cause them to choose a suicidal place where hundreds of animals will drown.

In October, the Wildebeest migrate to the south, move throughout the southern part of Loliondo to the Lobo area in the Serengeti Park before returning to Serengeti in November and then the great migration begins all over again.

There is also another little known wildebeest migration but this involves Zebras mostly as they trek across the county in Botswana to the border of Namibia and it is recorded to be the wildebeest migration in Botswana is known to be the longest wildlife terrestrial migration in Africa. The animals can be seen moving along the River systems from Chobe, Kwando Lenient and the Okavango to look for greener and comfortable wet weather conditions.

The migrations have been known to happen in Botswana till time memorial although the pattern has just been registered in 2012 and it was noted that these animals move through Botswana till the edge of Namibia. The migration in Botswana crosses over different National parks and this mainly consists of Zebras that are seen moving in the same direction in search of food and water and these include the Nxai National park and the Makagdikgadi National park in Botswana. And these animals also follow the weather patterns that are dry and wet seasons as they traverse from one place to another looking for pastures and water from the water sources.

The wildebeest migration is a repeated cycle by the different animals that trek and it is done every year. When planning a safari, this is one place that you should not miss. The animals move according to weather and they have the routes that they use in their instincts because it is hard to find when they have changed the routes.
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Great Wildebeest Migration Safari Tanzania, Kenya 2020

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The Serengeti wildebeest migration is Africa's great migration and happens every year where by large numbers of wildebeests(over 2 million) and other animals like the grant's gazelles, impalas, zebras(over 200,000), elands, and Thomson's gazelles migrate from the Serengeti plains in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya.