Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari

Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari is one of the most phenomenal natural spectacles in the world. Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari is annual movement by millions of wildebeest, accompanied by large numbers of zebra, Grant’s gazelle, Thompson’s gazelle, elands and impalas across the greater Masai Mara-Serengeti ecosystem.

Each year, almost two million wildebeest and 20 000 plains game migrate from Tanzania’s Serengeti to the south of Kenya’s Masai Mara in search of lush grazing grounds and life-giving water. Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari is a treacherous odyssey which is dictated by the seasons and where the rains are, the wildebeest are not far behind. This epic journey from north to south spans almost 3000 kilometers’ and is virtually endless.

Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari Packages

Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari is a great spectacle of nature which is an iconic safari option for avid travelers, nature lovers and those who want a little more from their African experience. Rather than having a start or end point, the Great Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari moves rhythmically in a clockwise direction, making herd tracking unpredictable.

Maasai Mara (Masai Mara) is known as Africa’s Greatest Wildlife Reserve, situated in southwest Kenya. Often dubbed the Eighth Wonder of the World, the annual Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari sees more than a million wildebeest and zebras make the trip from Tanzania’s Serengeti into Kenya’s Maasai Mara. Our Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari itineraries offer you the opportunity to experience the massive movement of animals yourself, and perhaps even catch the high drama of a river crossing in the process.

Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari is one of the most sought-after experiences for wildlife and nature enthusiasts, the Great Migration is the ever-moving circular migration of over a million animals across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem.  The ever-moving columns of wildebeest, joined by a host of companions, follow an age-old route in search of grazing and water.

This journey takes them across the plains of the Masai Mara in Kenya, all the way south into Tanzania, through the Serengeti to the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater, before circling up and around in a clockwise direction.  Along the way, high drama is always present, as thousands of animals are taken by predators, and thousands more are born, replenishing the numbers and sustaining the circle of life.

The Migration moves in three groups. The three groups of migrant grazers have different grass-eating habits: as one group eats the top of the tallest grass, the next group will eat away some of the medium-height grass, until finally it is almost completely eaten, and the herds move on.  This means each group sticks to their own kind with only a small overlap in their distributions. The grasses of the plains have the highest protein content in the whole of the Serengeti, as well as being high in calcium.

It is unclear how the wildebeest know which way to go, but it is generally believed that their journey is dictated primarily by their response to the weather; they follow the rains and the growth of new grass. While there is no scientific proof of it, some experts believe that the animals react to lightning and thunderstorms in the distance. It has even been suggested that wildebeest can locate rain more than 50km away.

Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari

Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari is the great wildebeest migration is one of the most phenomenal natural spectacles in the world. Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari is annual movement by millions of wildebeest, accompanied by large numbers of zebra, Grant’s gazelle, Thompson’s gazelle, elands and impalas across the greater Masai Mara-Serengeti ecosystem. Each year, almost two million wildebeest and 20 000 plains game migrate from Tanzania’s Serengeti to the south of Kenya’s Masai Mara in search of lush grazing grounds and life-giving water.

Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari is a treacherous odyssey which is dictated by the seasons and where the rains are, the wildebeest are not far behind. This epic journey from north to south spans almost 3000 kilometers’ and is virtually endless.

Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari is a great spectacle of nature which is an iconic safari option for avid travelers, nature lovers and those who want a little more from their African experience. Rather than having a start or end point, the Great Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari moves rhythmically in a clockwise direction, making herd tracking unpredictable. Maasai Mara (Masai Mara) is known as Africa’s Greatest Wildlife Reserve, situated in southwest Kenya.

The Great Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari in January, February and March

Around January each year, the migration will be finishing a southwards trek, moving along the eastern edge of the Serengeti and into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.  Here 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 migratory circuit – other than birth and death – it seems reasonable to call the wildebeests’ birthing season the start of the migration.

Around Late-January or February, the herds occupy 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 – some 8,000 new calves every day.

The abundance of vulnerable young calves means the surrounding predators also spring into action, hunting with ease due to the sheer numbers of wildebeest.  Those interested in witnessing calving and the drama of big cats on the hunt should look to our migration camps in the southern Serengeti which provide direct access: Olakira, Kimondo and Ubuntu.

The Great Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari in April and May

After bearing their young in February and March, around April the wildebeest herds begin to drift north-west towards the fresher grass of the central Serengeti, drawing with them thousands of zebra and smaller groups of antelope.  By May, columns of wildebeest stretch for several kilometers as the animals start to congregate by the Moru Kopjes, close to Dunia Camp, of the few camps in the Serengeti that offers migration viewing at this time of year. Mating season begins towards the end of May and male wildebeest battle head-to-head. Throughout ‘the rut’, the journey continues at leisure, with the wildebeest, zebra and gazelle grazing as they go along.

Gradually, the movement gathers momentum and the wildebeest start to mass in the Serengeti’s Western Corridor.  At this time of year, Ubuntu Migration Camp (true to its name) will have relocated to follow the migration and provide access to watch the wildebeest cross the Grumeti River.  The herds form in huge numbers along the pools and channels of the 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 crocks with a veritable feast. It is worth noting that May is low season at Ubuntu; Wildebeest Migration Safaris at this time offer great value, since there are relatively low numbers of tourists in the Serengeti yet the wildlife viewings remain excellent.

The Great Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari in June and July

During June, the dry season starts, with large concentrations of wildebeest in the Western Serengeti and on the southern banks of the Grumeti River.  Each migrating animal must face the challenge of crossing the crocodile-infested river – the first of many daunting and tense river encounters.

As June moves into July, the hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra continue to head north along the western edge of the park towards an even riskier barrier: The Mara River in the north of the Serengeti.  These river crossings are arguably one of the most exciting wildlife events on Earth; they usually start at the onset of high season in July, but timing all depends on nature.

During July, the herds will typically be found in the Northern Serengeti, where access is provided by our mobile migration camps as well as Sayari Camp (for those looking to indulge just a little bit more).  Later in July, those animals that have successfully made it across the Mara River will also be found in Kenya’s Masai Mara, where guests of Rekero can watch river crossings right from the main deck of the camp. At this time, daily river crossings can be seen at the Mara and Talek rivers – both often central to incredible scenes.

The Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari in August, September and October

By August, the herds have faced the challenge of crossing the Mara River and are spread throughout the Masai Mara’s northern region, with many remaining in the northern 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 September to October, the main chaos has ended and the migrating columns have gradually moved eastwards.  However, they wildebeest will face the heavy waters of the Mara River once more as they prepare to cross once again for their return journey southwards.

Maasai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari in November and December

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 past Namiri Plains, an area known for outstanding cheetah sightings. By December, they are spread throughout the eastern and southern reaches.

In 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 again.

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