When to See the Great Migration: A Month-by-Month Guide

The Great Migration is often spoken about as a single event — the river crossings that dominate wildlife documentaries. In reality, it is a continuous, year-round circuit of roughly two million wildebeest and zebra moving between the Serengeti and Kenya's Maasai Mara in search of grazing.

December to March, the herds concentrate on the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti and Ndutu, where calving season brings predator activity to its peak. By April and May, they begin moving northwest as the rains taper off.

June through August sees the migration in the western corridor and central Serengeti, with the famous Grumeti and Mara river crossings typically occurring between July and September, depending on rainfall. By November, the herds turn south again, closing the circuit.

Because timing shifts with rainfall each year, a good operator will position your camp based on current herd movement rather than a fixed calendar date — ask your consultant which sector they'd recommend for your specific travel window.