When is the best time to see the Great Migration?

The migration is a 12-month cycle and AFRICAN CLASSIC ENCOUNTERS designs itineraries at safari camps at all major viewing points.

The Great Migration usually moves into the surrounding area in January, and thousands of wildebeest calve in February and March.

DECEMBER

Annual peak born of zebra foals

Since November, the migration has left the Maasai Mara, directing fast towards the southern plains, following the Loliondo boundaries

JANUARY

Annual peak born of zebra foals

The migration reaches the short grasses of the Serengeti plains.

FEBRUARY

Born of gnu calves

The Serengeti plains are the feeding grounds of about two million gnus, three hundred thousand zebras, gazelles, elands, topis followed closely behind by the predators.

MARCH

Heavy rains are coming...

The rainy season lasts from late November to mid-May in the Serengeti.

APRIL

The migration is slowly shifting towards the central areas.

MAY

Now also the “Western Corridor” of the Serengeti can provide new food. Therefore the migration moves northern. It is from the Naabi hills following the Mbalageti river, up to Grumeti River. As the migration is trekking across the woodland zones, columns of hundreds of wildebeest can be seen.

JUNE

The rutting period approaching and the pastures depleted, the countless herds shift to the North towards the Maasai Mara triangle just as the long rains end.

JULY

By mid July, the migration reaches the banks of the swollen Mara River. With lush pastures becoming on the other bank, the wildebeest plunge into the torrential river often using established crossing points, majority making it across while many drown while others fall prey to the snapping crocs.

AUGUST

With food in plenty and having made it across the Mara River, the mini rutting season begins. The males running round in circles marking their territories, mothers searching for their lost calves and vise versa, all with a myriad of sounds makes it a spectacle to behold.

SEPTEMBER

During this period, the migrating animals have fully covered the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, pushing away the resident wildebeest and zebras to the loita plains and up the Soit Oloololo escarpment.

OCTOBER

Having reached the Northern and Western boundaries of the Mara, the migration turns back once again to face the raging Mara River.

NOVEMBER

Crossing into Serengeti following the boundary between the Serengeti National Park and Loloido the Migration Circle is complete.

TANZANIA

Summer: October – March
Winter: April – September
 
The climate is tropical on the coast, on the islands and in Selous. It is temperate in the other parks. Temperatures on Mount Kilimanjaro and Meru drop to below freezing.
 
Late March to late May is traditionally the long rainy season and is considered the winter period in Tanzania. June to late October is the dry season. June, July and August can be very cold on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater. Mnemba Island is lovely at this time of year; the evenings are cool (not cold) and the daytime temperatures can be hot.

Late October to mid-December is when the short rains occur. These are usually in the form of daily thunderstorms.

KENYA

Summer: September - March
Winter: June - August
 
Kenya is divided by the equator and enjoys a tropical climate that varies greatly. It is hot and humid at the coast, temperate inland and very dry in the north and north-east parts of the country.

The hottest period is in February and March and the coldest in July and August.

The long rains occur from April to June and short rains from October to December.

Rainfall is sometimes heavy and tends to fall in the afternoon and evenings. 

CLIMATE: