Serengeti National Park is one of the world’s last great wildlife refuges. The name comes from the Masai ‘Siringet’, meaning ‘endless plains’ and the seasonal migration which occurs here attracts lions, cheetahs, leopards and other predators, which attend to the constantly moving mass.
Equal in size to Northern Ireland, vegetation in the Serengeti ranges from the short and long grass plains in the south, to the acacia savannah in the centre and the wooded grassland concentrated around tributaries of the Grumeti and Mara Rivers in the north. The Seronera Valley in the central Serengeti is famous for the abundance of lion and leopard that can usually be seen quite easily.
Serengeti Migration - November to June. This breathtaking annual migration of more than two million blue wildebeest, together with a quarter of a million Burchell’s zebra and half a million Thompson’s gazelles, is triggered by the rains. The wet season provides a tremendous attraction for the massing herds, as the first downpour will rejuvenate the parched grasses overnight. Their movement is a continual search for grass and water. The cycle of migration movement begins with the herds moving down the eastern corridor of the Serengeti after leaving the Masai Mara sometime around late October, early November. The animals head for the short grass plains of the southern Serengeti, below the Ngorongoro Highlands which come alive in December not only with gazing mammals, but with a carpet of fresh green grass shoots and colourful wildflowers.
Believing that there is safety in numbers, the blue wildebeest all calve within a three-week period during the course of February. In fact young are born all over the plains – cheetah cubs, bat-eared fox pups, and tiny Thompson’s gazelles all appear at around this time. With the onset of the dry season, the grazing herds all begin to move northwest in June until – come July and early August – they are in the western Kirawira reaches of the Serengeti. From here they continue northwards over the artificial man-made border from Tanzania into Kenya and into the Serengeti’s extension there, better known as the Masai Mara. The survivors will spend September and October here until the grazing is exhausted before the relentless cycle begins again and they head south once more.
The wildebeest migration occurs approximately the same time every year, however there are unpredictable natural factors that may alter the pattern by a few weeks each way. Our Serengeti Migration Photographic trip takes place at the best time to capture this natural wonder.
During the annual migration space in the lodges and tented camps is at a premium, often being booked up over a year in advance. However, it should be remembered that the Serengeti makes a superb wildlife and safari destination at any time of year with many animals not choosing to follow the migration and outside the peak times you will have vast areas of wilderness to yourself.
This carefully-designed itinerary combines four nights in the Serengeti with three nights in Gombe Stream National Park, providing you with the opportunity to enjoy not one but two of the finest wildlife experiences in Africa – the wildebeest migration and the chimps of Gombe. Find out more about Migration & Chimps
Witness the annual migration of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, zebra and other game around the Serengeti-Masai Mara ecosystem - truly one of the world’s greatest wildlife wonders. Accompanied by wildlife photographer Nick Garbutt, daily vehicle safaris will take you close to the action. Find out more about Serengeti Migration
Enjoy the flexibility of our private guides and vehicles as we explore the central and north Serengeti from the comfort of two excellent seasonal camps. Go in search of lion, leopard, cheetah and with luck, witness the magnificent spectacle of the wildebeest migration, and possibly a river crossing. Find out more about Serengeti Migration Special
Experience the major wildlife highlights and contrasting locations of northern Tanzania on this excellent value, classic safari. Combining the wide open plains of the Serengeti, the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire’s outstanding birdlife, this is a perfect introduction to Tanzania. Find out more about Spirit of the North
Explore five of Northern Tanzania's finest wildlife areas whilst staying in sustainable camps and lodges throughout. Watch the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti, herds of elephants in Tarangire and big cats in Ngorongoro Conservation Area on this tailor-made holiday to Tanzania. Find out more about Ultimate North Tanzania
Coinciding with wildebeest migration, our north Tanzania safari watches colourful East African birdlife, and the vast mammal herds which roam the plains. On this 13-day tour, we explore the beautiful Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the wildlife-rich Serengeti National Park. Find out more about Z) Birds & Mammals of the Serengeti & Beyond
Grumeti River Camp is a luxury tented camp in a remote valley in the western corridor of the Serengeti, with ten spacious tents looking out into the bush beyond. Wildlife is particularly active during the migration when thousands of blue wildebeest plunge into the waters to run the gauntlet of gigantic crocodiles. Find Out More about Grumeti Serengeti Camp
Kirurumu Serengeti offer two luxury and intimate mobile camps consisting of just seven well-appointed safari tents, a dining tent and a relaxing campfire area. The camps move on a seasonal basis, taking advantage of wildlife movements in the vast Serengeti, particularly the great migration. Find Out More about Kirurumu Serengeti Camps
The northern Serengeti Plains extend from the Kogakuria Kopjie upon which Lamai Serengeti is built. The location of the camp is unrivalled with each room offering a private verandah, and the main area has breath-taking views out across the grasslands, so you have an exquisite backdrop wherever you are during your stay. Find Out More about Lamai Serengeti
This classic mobile safari camp consists of eight spacious and comfortable tents, each with a king size bed, en suite bathroom and private verandah with a stunning view over the Serengeti. To ensure superb wildlife at all times, Olakiri tracks the migration and changes location twice a year: Find Out More about Olakira Camp
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