Month-by-Month Migration Guide
January - March: Calving Season
Location
Southern Serengeti plains around Ndutu, Lake Masek, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area border.
What to See
- • 8,000+ calves born daily (peak Feb)
- • Intense predator action
- • Concentrated mega-herds
Why It's Special: The calving season is arguably the migration's most dramatic phase. Over 500,000 calves are born in a 3-week window—an evolutionary strategy to overwhelm predators. Lions, cheetahs, and hyenas feast, creating non-stop action.
Best Camps: &Beyond Ndutu Safari Lodge, Sanctuary Kusini, Ubuntu Migration Camp (mobile)
April - May: The Long Rains
The herds begin moving northwest through Central Serengeti. The long rains make roads challenging, but this is the greenest, most photogenic time with fewer tourists and lower prices.
Location: Central Serengeti (Seronera), moving toward Western Corridor
Best Camps: Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge, Four Seasons Serengeti
June: Grumeti River Crossings
The herds reach the Western Corridor and face their first major obstacle—the Grumeti River, home to massive Nile crocodiles. These crossings are smaller than the Mara crossings but equally dramatic.
Location: Western Corridor, Grumeti Reserves
Best Camps: Singita Sasakwa, Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp
July - October: Mara River Crossings
Peak Season Alert
This is the most sought-after migration period. River crossings are unpredictable but spectacular. Book 12+ months in advance for premium camps.
The herds congregate along the Mara River in northern Serengeti (Kogatende area). The dramatic river crossings—with crocodiles, drowning wildebeest, and mass chaos—are the iconic migration images you've seen.
- July: First crossings begin, herds building
- August: Peak crossing activity
- September: Crossings continue, some herds in Kenya's Masai Mara
- October: Late crossings, herds starting to return south
Best Camps: Sayari Camp, &Beyond Kleins Camp, Lemala Kuria Hills, Mara River Tented Camp
November - December: The Return South
The short rains trigger the migration's return journey. Herds move rapidly through eastern and central Serengeti, heading back to the southern calving grounds.
Location: Central/Eastern Serengeti, Loliondo area
Best Camps: Namiri Plains, Serengeti Migration Camp (mobile)
