Tag: africa wildebeest migration

Africa Wildebeest Migration

The Africa Wildebeest Migration, is one of the “Seven New Wonders of the World” and Africa Wildebeest Migration is also known as The World Cup of Wildlife. If there is a safari you should go on, Africa Wildebeest Migration 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 see event! Africa’s Wildebeest Migration. It’s an endless loop of hooves and horns, hope and heartbreak encompassing Africa’s Serengeti and Masai Mara – countless creatures in thrall to the rains and new grass.

Africa Wildebeest Migration is the world’s greatest wildlife migration, featuring wildebeest and thousands of zebra and gazelle, happens every year in East Africa. One of the most sought-after travel experiences, viewing the great migration is a truly unique opportunity to see the power of nature at work, plus get a firsthand look at some of the most magnificent creatures on Earth.
Africa Wildebeest Migration, every year, around 1.5 million wildebeest; 350,000 Thomson’s gazelle; 200,000 zebras; and thousands of eland and other ungulates (hoofed animals) participate in what has been called ‘the greatest show on Earth’, The Great Africa Wildebeest Migration. Around March, at the end of the short dry season, the grassy plains of the southernmost Serengeti begin to dry out and the wildebeest move on, heading towards the western woodlands of Masai Mara.

“The Migration is truly one of the wonders of the animal world; a million and more animals playing out their lives in the Serengeti Eco-system, watched all the way by lions, hyenas and crocodiles looking for a cheap dinner. Highlights to plan your trip around are seeing them calving in the short-grass Savannah of the southern Serengeti (February and March), crossing the perilous Grumeti and Mara rivers (July and August), or simply watching them on the move (in the Masai Mara from July to September, and the Serengeti the rest of the year). This is compelling natural theatre at its best.

The Serengeti-Masai Mara ecosystem

The Serengeti-Masai Mara ecosystem is a region of Eastern African equatorial Savannah, situated in northern Tanzania and south-western Kenya and totaling approximately 30,00 km sq. The area comprises the adjoining Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, and Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, along with a number of bordering Tanzanian conservation areas and game reserves including the Maswa Game Reserve, the Loliondo Game Controlled Area, the Grumeti Reserve and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

When planning Africa Wildebeest Migration safari to Serengeti or Masai Mara, it is highly important to understand the best place to be based at any point of time during Serengeti safari. The Wildebeest and Zebra basically move in a huge anti-clockwise direction. While June is a good time to around the Grumeti River, July/August/September/ sometimes even October is better to be in the Masai Mara.

The Africa Wildebeest Migration Starts

Around December each year, the Africa Wildebeest Migration starts to move into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where the plains are rich in nutritious grass, providing the herds with the best conditions for raising their newborn calves. Although there is no real beginning or end to this Africa Wildebeest Migration circuit – other than birth and death – it seems reasonable to call the wildebeests’ birthing season the start of the migration. Around February, the herds are on the short-grass plains that spread over the lower northern slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater highlands and around Olduvai Gorge. Some 400,000 calves are born here within a period of two to three weeks. That is approximately 8,000 new calves every day!

After bearing their young in February and March, the Africa Wildebeest Migration herds begin to drift north, drawing with them thousands of zebra and smaller groups of antelope. The abundance of vulnerable calves means the surrounding predators also spring into action. Gradually, the movement gathers momentum and, by the end of May, the Africa Wildebeest Migration are starting to mass in the Serengeti’s Western Corridor. They grow in numbers, with huge herds forming along the pools and channels of the Grumeti River, which they have to cross in order to continue on their journey. This may not be as spectacular as the famous Mara crossings, but there are still enough wildebeest to provide the Grumeti crocs with a veritable feast.

By August, the Africa Wildebeest Migration herds have faced the challenge of crossing the Mara River and are spread throughout Kenya’s northern region and the Serengeti. In years when the river is in full flow, the panic and confusion at the crossings – combined with waiting predators and surging currents – can cause massive loss of life. But, even in years of relatively gently flowing water, the crocs take their toll – not to mention the lions and other large predators that patrol the banks, ready to ambush any wildebeest that make it to the other side. There is no single crossing: At some spots, there are just a few individuals, while others see a mass of animals moving without break for hours.

By October Africa Wildebeest Migration, the chaos has ended and the Africa Wildebeest Migration columns begin moving southwards to complete the cycle. After the East African short rains in late October and early November, the wildebeest move down from Kenya and into the eastern limits of the Serengeti. By December, they are spread throughout the southern reaches.
By the early months of the new year, the grasses in the deep south of the Serengeti are lush with rain. This draws the herds – not only of wildebeest, but also hundreds of thousands of zebra and other plains animals. The cycle continues as the calving season starts once more and the herds begin their slow movements northwards.

Africa Wildebeest Migration facts

Wildebeest facts: Why does the Great Migration occur & why do the Wildebeest Migrate?
The wildebeest migrate around the Serengeti, and into the Masai Mara for the sole purpose of following the rainfall. For their calving from December – March they always begin their cycle in the Southern Serengeti area of Ndutu and follow wherever the grass is greener… Whilst we have a good idea of where the Africa Wildebeest Migration should be at any given time of year, it really does depend on where the rain falls. The wildebeest are notoriously unreliable, as although they generally all head from south to north Serengeti and back around again, they often zig-zag along the way, making it sometimes impossible to predict where the big herds will be at any given time.

The type of Migration the Africa Wildebeest Migration make

The migration undertaken by the wildebeest is an annual event which sees one and a half million wildebeest accompanied by hundreds of thousands of zebras and numerous other antelope species as they search for pastures greener. The animals follow a clockwise movement through the Serengeti following the rains for the lushest of grass. The five hundred kilometers is fraught with danger with many predators such as lions, cheetahs and crocodiles preying on the animals. Africa Wildebeest Migration is a truly amazing spectacle.

Although we do our best to be as informative as possible, it really always is best to give us a call and chat to an expert who can give you the low-down on where the wildebeest are right now.
When does the Great Wildebeest Migration happen in Tanzania and when is the wildebeest migration in the Masai Mara, Kenya?

Throughout the entire year, the wildebeest herds are always in Tanzania. For a short time of the year some of the herds are in Kenya. This time period is from July – October when the wildebeest are always crossing the Mara River in Tanzania between Kogatende and the Lamai wedge (the land between the Mara River and the border to Kenya). The herds are sometimes crossing the Mara river from one side of the Masai Mara to the other (all in Kenya). So the famous river crossings are most likely to be seen in Tanzania. Tanzania also has far fewer tourists on any one crossing, so we would always recommend basing yourself in northern Serengeti as opposed to the Masai Mara to catch the wildebeest crossing the Mara River.

Africa Wildebeest Migration Safari Packages

Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari Packages from June to November

• 5 Days Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari Package
• 6 Days Masai Mara Migration Wildebeest Adventures
• 6 Days Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari Holiday
• 8 Days Wildebeest Migration Spectacle Safari
• 10 Days Kenya Tanzania Migration Tour Adventure
• 10 Days Wildebeest Migration Safari Package
• 3 Days Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Package
• 4 Days Masai Mara Migration Safari Tour Package
• 5 Days Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safaris
• 6 Days Serena Masai Mara Migration Safari
• 6 Days Wildebeest Migration Luxury Safari Adventure

Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Safari Packages from January to May

• 10 Days Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Safari Holiday
• 10 Days Wildebeest Migration & Gorilla Tour Package
• 14 Days Tanzania Summer Migration Photo Safari
• 5 Days Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Safari Package
• 6 Days Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Safari Adventure
• 7 Days Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Safari Holiday
• 8 Days Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Safari Package