The Great Migration is less of a migration and more of a cycle of life for the wildebeest consisting of birthing, rutting and feeding between the Serengeti in Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya. This may sound straight forward, but with 1800 Miles to cover each year, one of the highest densities of predators in the world and the constant struggle of exhaustion – this journey is no walk in the park. Drama, death and new life, makes the great migration one of the most spectacular wildlife events on the planet.

Five Fast Facts

1. Of all the calves born in the Serengeti, two out of three will never return from their first and most demanding migration.
2. Each year over 2 millions animals, including wildebeest, zebra and gazelles take part in the incredible journey that is the great migration.
3. The natural event is so highly regarded that some call it the seventh new wonder of the world
4. The migration is a relatively new way of life for the wildebeest – they started making the journey for greener pastures in the 1960s.
5. The Wildebeests travel 1800 miles every year – the equivalent of travelling from London to Marrakesh!

What’s it all about?

No where in the world is there a movement of animals as immense as the wildebeest migration. Over two million animals, including Zebras and gazelles migrate from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya where they can feed on the greener pastures during September through to October.

The Birth

February – March
Most births are an incredible sight, but the herds of wildebeest have managed to synchronize their births. Within just two to three weeks, a staggering 300,000 to 400,000 calves are born – ready and able to run the migration from within just five minutes of being born.

The cycle begins

March – April
With the end of the dry season approaching, the short-grass plains of the Serengeti begin to dry and the scent of the rain in the air from the north give the wildebeest the nod to start their journey towards the lush pastures of the Masai Mara.
From the plains around Olduvai the herds head west towards the trio of small lakes, Ndutu, Masek and Lagarja.

The rut

May – June
The herds congregate in the woodlands and on the plains of the Serengeti’s Western Corridor, and it is here where half a millions cows mate in less than a month.

The crossings

June – September
When you think of the great migration, images are conjured up of the emotional rollercoaster that is watching the river crossings. Crossing the Mara and the Grumeti rivers on a dry year is relatively straight forward, the river is reduced to a series of small pools where the herds can chose their path to avoid the predating crocodiles and hippos. A wet year however, is a completely different ball game. The herds are forced to dive into treacherous waters, filled with the largest crocodiles in Africa, hippos and vultures waiting for an easy feed. In the struggle across the River, many are drowned or swept away by strong currents or are predated on. The bottlenecks at the rivers crossing make for a great dramatic highlight for people wanting to witness the incredible spectacle.

The reward

September – October
The wildebeests that have survived the journey are rewarded with the lush pastures of the Kenya’s Masai Mara and spend up to two months grazing.

Closing the Circle

Late October
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.

A predators Haven

Where there are herds of wildebeests, there are predators. The herds’ entire journey is being watched closely by lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas and crocodiles – with vultures awaiting any leftovers on an attack. Travelling through the Maasai Mara is particularly dangerous for the wildebeests as it’s home to the largest concentration of predators in the world, and although the herds use ‘swarm intelligence’ to their advantage and have incredible strength and speed, around 250,000 each year meet their death by predation.

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More than just the great migration

The wildebeest, zebra and gazelle are the only animals that migrate, which means that there is still a huge amount to see if you’re not lucky enough to witness the great migration. The Serengeti is home to all the of the famous big 5 (lions, leopard, rhino, buffalo, elephant) amongst many other animals, from small but beautiful reptiles to large and elegant giraffes.