Great Migration

The Great Migration - One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World

Northern Tanzania and southwestern Kenya (the greater Serengeti/Mara Ecosystem) is host to the largest terrestrial mammal migration in the world, aptly called the Great Migration. This sees the mass movement of 1.5 million wildebeest, 400 000 Thomson’s gazelle, 300 000 zebra, 12 000 eland, and an array of other animals as they trek from the plains of the Serengeti all the way up to the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. The entire clockwise sojourn, which is repeated every year, covers a distance of some 1 800 miles. This has earned the Serengeti the coveted inclusion as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.

Originating on Tanzania’s short grass plains of the southeastern Serengeti, the dwindling of available grass is the impetus for this primal trek. The horizon fills with hundreds of thousand wildebeest, zebra, eland and Thomson’s gazelle, relentlessly tracked (and often ambushed) by Africa’s great predators. In essence, the wildebeest are taking advantage of the strongly seasonal conditions, spending the wet season on the southeastern plains of Tanzania, and the dry season in the woodlands of southwestern Kenya. The wildebeest give birth between January and March on the short grass plains.

It is important to note that the migration is rarely ever the same in terms of precise timing and direction, as local weather conditions influence grass growth. The wildebeest may, therefore, move off the open plains earlier in some years and remain in the northern woodlands for longer in others.

It also needs to be noted that the spectacle of the Great Migration attracts a lot of human visitors too, not surprisingly. The more popular (read easier to reach) areas of Ngorongoro (and its main crater), central Serengeti and most of the Masai Mara can become very busy indeed at peak times of the year (roughly July to September, but also over January and February). Furthermore, night game drives and accompanied walking safaris are not permitted within either the Serengeti National Park or the Masai Mara National Reserve. For these reasons, more seasoned travelers tend to visit either the more remote Serengeti or Mara camps (often seasonal or even mobile) or the surrounding private game reserves and conservancies where the visitor numbers are significantly lower and the list of available activities is often that much higher. Other perhaps not so obvious benefits of seasonal or mobile camps and private game reserves and conservancies in general is their focus on low-impact as well as ethical tourism.

Where is the great migration and when?

Great Migration map block to go here please

The full list of national parks, game reserves, ranches, conservancies and game controlled areas through which the great migration passes include:

Tanzania

• Serengeti National Park
• Singita Grumeti Game Reserves
• Loliondo Game Controlled Area
• Ngorongoro Conservation Area
• Maswa Game Reserve

Kenya

• Masai Mara National Reserve
• Mara Conservancies including Kerinkani Game Ranch, Olorien Game Ranch, Kimintet Game Ranch, Oloololo Game Reserve, Mara North Conservancy, Lemek Conservancy, Ol Chorro Conservancy, Enonkishu Conservancy, Olare Motorogi Conservancy, Koiyaki Game Ranch, Lemek Game Ranch, Ol Kinyei Game Ranch, Naboisho Conservancy, Talek Game Ranch, Ol Kinyei Conservancy, Maji Moto Conservancy, Siana Game Ranch, Naikarra Conservancy and the Olderikesi Game Ranch