GREAT WILDEBEEST MIGRATION

 **DECEMBER TO MARCH

– Herds are found in the Serengeti’s southern region, namely in Kusini, Maswa and Ndutu. The calving season lasts from late January to February, when up to 400,000 wildebeest calves are born barely four weeks old. The plains are abundant with nutritious grass, giving the herds the optimum circumstances for growing their newborn calves. The breeding season begins around late January or February and is marked by the congregation on the short-grass plains that stretch over the lower northern slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater highlands and around Olduvai Gorge. This allows the herds to focus more on open plains due to the availability of nutrients such as calcium and potassium. During this time, a large number of predators, such as lions and leopards, hunting on newborn animals.

RECOMMENDED LUXURY SAFARI CAMPS & LODGE ( TANZANIA)

Roving Bushtops Camp; Serian Serengeti South; Serian Serengeti Kusini; Maswa’s Nyasi migrational camp; Ndutu’s Nomad Serengeti Camp; A&K’s Kusini Camp; Olakira Camp; Ubuntu Camp; and Beyond Serengeti Under Canvas and Mwiba Lodge

Preferred Airstrip is Ndutu Airstrip/ Kusini Airstrip/Mwiba Airstrip 

Flights: Local shared Schedule flight or Private Charter 

**APRIL TO MAY

– The Serengeti are a major part of the wildebeest migration, with thousands of zebras and smaller groups of antelope joining the movement northwest onto the greener grass. In May, the animals cluster near the Moru Kopjes, and the march continues at a leisurely pace, passing through the Grumeti River and other valleys. During this time of year, the herds congregate in large numbers around the river’s pools and channels, which they must pass in order to continue their trek. This is the start of the rainy season, when the male wildebeest compete head-to-head in the Western Corridor.

 RECOMMENDED LUXURY SAFARI CAMPS & LODGE ( TANZANIA)

-Namiri Asilia, Four Seasons Hotel, One Nature Nyarusigwa, Mila Tented Camp (from May), Roving Bushtop Camp, Melia Serengeti, Lemala Ewanjan, Nyumbani Collection Serengeti, Singita properties, i.e. Singita Faru Faru, Sasakwa, Sabora, Serengeti House, and Grumeti River Tented Lodge from & Beyond, and Serengeti under canvas in the Serengeti.

Preferred Airstrip is Seronera Airstrip , Grumeti Airstrip, Sasakwa Airstrip 

Flights: Local Shared Schedule flight or Private Charter 

 **JUNE TO MID JULY

The Serengeti are a diverse group of animals that graze their way west and south, while others continue to move northward and cross the Grumeti River, encountering crocodiles. The dry season begins in June with large concentrations of wildebeest and zebras, and the river crossings are often recognized as one of the most dramatic animal encounters on the globe. They begin in July, at the start of peak season, but the timing is largely dependent on nature.

RECOMMENDED LUXURY SAFARI CAMPS & LODGES ( TANZANIA)

Mila Tented Camp (from May), Roving Bushtop Camp, Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge, Melia Serengeti, Lemala Ewanjan, Nyumbani Collection Serengeti, Singita properties, including Singita Faru Faru, Sasakwa, Sabora, Serengeti House, and Grumeti River Tented Lodge from & Beyond, and Serengeti under canvas.

Preferred Airstrip is Seronera Airstrip , Grumeti Airstrip, Sasakwa Airstrip 

Flights: Local Shared Schedule flight or Private Charter 

**MID JUNE TO OCTOBER

The Serengeti are a group of herds that move in the northern reaches of the Mara, crossing the Mara River in a slow process. By August, they have overcome the obstacle of crossing the river and are dispersed over the northern portion of the Masai Mara, with many left behind. When the river is at its full flow, panic and uncertainty at the crossings, along with waiting predators and surging currents, can cause a tremendous loss of life. The crocs take their toll, as well as the lions and other huge predators who monitor the banks, waiting to attack any wildebeest that make it to the other side. By September or October, the major pandemonium had subsided and the migratory columns had progressively migrated eastward. On the other hand, the wildebeest will encounter the Mara River’s high floods again as they prepare to cross it on their way back south.

RECOMMENDED LUXURY SAFARI CAMPS & LODGES ( TANZANIA)

-Singita Mara Tented Camp, Serengeti Bushtops, Serian Serengeti Lamai, Songa migrational camp Kogatende, Nyasi migrational camp Lamai, Nomad Lamai, Kichakani Camp by A&K, Ubuntu camp Asilia, Lemala Kuria Hills, Mara Mara.

Preferred Airstrip in Northern Serengeti – Kogatende Airstrip/ Lamai Airstrip 

Flights: Local Schedule flight or Private Charter 

 RECOMMENDED LUXURY SAFARI CAMPS & LODGES ( MAASAI MARA IN KENYA)

Angama Mara, Rekero Camp, The Great Plains and Beyond Bateleur and Kichwa Tembo, Mahali Mzuri, Mara Bushtops, Sanctuary Olonana, Governors Camp, Elephant Watch Camp, Kicheche Camps, New Africa Territories, Segera Retreat Kenya, Saruni, Samburu, Richards Camp, The Safari Collection properties, Sanctuary Olonana, Governors Camp, Elephant Watch Camp, Kicheche Camps, Kicheche Camps