THE ANNUAL MOVEMENT OF THE GREAT MIGRATION

The wildebeest migration is perpetually in motion throughout the year, whether they are delivering calves or trying to cross the river while dodging predators. Continue reading to learn where the Great Migration tends to be during different times of year,

January, February and March

Every year, around January, the migration will have completed its journey south and will be entering the Ngorongoro Conservation Area along the eastern fringe of the Serengeti. Here, the plains are abundant in nourishing grass, giving the herds the ideal surroundings for rearing their calf calves.

Despite the fact that this migratory circuit has no actual beginning or finish other than birth and death, it seems logical to refer to the wildebeests’ breeding season as the migration’s beginning. The herds move onto the short-grass plains around Olduvai Gorge and the lower northern slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater highlands in late January or early February. In a span of two to three weeks, around 400,000 calves are born here, or almost 8,000 calves per day. The plethora of young calves puts the predators in the area on high alert, and they can easily hunt due to the overwhelming number of wildebeest.

May and April

After giving birth in February and March, the wildebeest herds start to migrate northwest toward the greener grass of the middle Serengeti around April. Along the way, they are followed by large numbers of zebra and smaller herds of antelope. As the wildebeest begin to assemble around the Moru Kopjes by May, columns of the animals stretch for many kilometers.

 Male wildebeest engage in head-to-head combat as mating season approaches at the end of May. The trek continues leisurely throughout “the rut,” with the wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle grazing along the way.

The wildebeest enter the Western Corridor of the Serengeti begin to converge in large numbers as the journey gains momentum. Massive herds gather around the grumet river, which they must cross in order to continue their voyage. Even while it’s not as impressive as the renowned Mara crossings, there are still enough wildebeest for the Grumeti crocodiles to have a veritable feast. Since there aren’t many tourists in the Serengeti right now, safaris are a terrific value and the wildlife viewing is still excellent.

June and July

Large herds of wildebeest can be found in the Western Serengeti and along the southern banks of the Grumeti River once the dry season begins in June. The first of many difficult and nervous river crossings that any migrating animal must undertake is the crocodile-infested river.

The tens of thousands of wildebeest and zebra continue to migrate north along the park’s western perimeter as June turns into July, heading for an even riskier barrier: the Mara River to the north of the Serengeti. Undoubtedly, one of the most thrilling animal events on Earth is these river crossings. Although time varies depending on the season, they often start in July as high season begins. The Talek and Mara rivers, which are frequently the focal points of amazing landscapes, are currently the sites of everyday river crossings. Animals that successfully cross the Mara River will also be found in the Masai Mara later in July.

August, September and December

By August, the herds had successfully across the Mara River and are dispersed throughout the northern Masai Mara, with many of them still present in the northern Serengeti. When the river is flowing freely, waiting predators, raging currents, and the chaos at the crossings can result in a significant loss of life. But even in years when the water flows rather softly, crocs still cause damage, in addition to lions and other large predators who watch the banks and are ready to ambush any wildebeest that cross over. There is no single crossing; at some locations, there are only a few people, while at others, a large group of animals are moving continuously for hours.

The main commotion had subsided by September or October, and the migrant columns had started to slowly travel east. However, as they are ready to cross the Mara River once more for their return trip southward, the wildebeest will have to contend with its high floods once more.

November and December

The wildebeest migrate from Kenya into the eastern Serengeti past the Namiri Plains, a region renowned for exceptional cheetah sightings, in the aftermath of the East African brief rains in late October and early November. They cover the entire eastern and southern regions by December.

The Serengeti’s southernmost grasslands are rich with rain in the first few months of the year. This attracts large herds of zebra and other plains animals, as well as herds of wildebeest. As the new calving season begins, the cycle continues.