Tanzania Wildebeest Migration Safari

The Great Migration is the year-round movement of well over a million wildebeest, with zebra and gazelle, through the Serengeti and the Maasai Mara in search of fresh grass and water. It is a cycle, not a single event, so where to be depends on the month.

What is the Great Migration?

Each year the herds travel in a large circle following the rains. Wildebeest give birth on the southern short-grass plains, then move north and west as the grass dries, and return south after the short rains.

How the Great Migration moves through the Serengeti

Use the month selector below to see where the herds usually are. The pattern follows the rains, so the exact timing changes from year to year.

The herds follow the rains, so timing changes from year to year.

The best time for the Tanzania wildebeest migration

For calving and predator action, plan a trip from about January to March in the southern Serengeti and Ndutu area. For river crossings, aim for about July to October in the northern Serengeti.

Herds are not on a fixed timetable, and river crossings cannot be guaranteed on a given day. Staying several nights in the right area gives you the best chance.

Stay in the area where the herds are for the month you travel, and allow at least two or three nights there.

Travel tips

Choose lodges or mobile camps close to the herds so you spend less time driving. Book early for the peak months of July to October and for the calving season, as the best camps fill up.