When and where to see the Great Migration in Tanzania - the Mara River crossings, the calving, the predator action, and the practicalities of timing a trip around it.
The Great Migration is the largest land-animal movement on Earth. About 1.5 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra, and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle move in a continuous loop through the Serengeti and the Masai Mara, chasing the rains and the fresh grass. It is the most extraordinary wildlife spectacle in Africa.
Here’s how to plan a trip around it.
The route, month by month
The migration is on the move every month of the year, but it’s in different places, doing different things. The rough pattern:
January to March - The herds are in the southern Serengeti (the Ndutu area, on the Ngorongoro Conservation Area boundary). The calving season: about 500,000 wildebeest calves are born over a few weeks, and the predators are intensely active. This is the best time for predator action, with lions, cheetahs, and hyenas hunting the vulnerable calves.
April to May - The herds start moving north-west, into the central and western Serengeti. The grass is long; the herds are spread out. The long rains make the southern Serengeti a tough place to drive.
June to July - The herds are in the central and western Serengeti. This is when the migration is most “spread out” - they’re not concentrated, but they’re everywhere. The Grumeti River crossings happen in June, but they are smaller and less dramatic than the Mara River crossings later in the year.
August to September - The herds are in the northern Serengeti, and the Mara River crossings are happening. This is the most dramatic moment of the year - the herds plunge into the crocodile-infested river to reach the greener grasses of the Masai Mara. The crossings can happen at any time of day, in clusters over a few weeks.
October - The herds are spread between the northern Serengeti and the Masai Mara. The crossings continue; the herds are heavily preyed upon. The predator density in the northern Serengeti at this time is the highest of the year.
November to December - The herds start moving south, back through the central and eastern Serengeti, preparing for the next calving season in the south.
What to expect at the crossings
The Mara River crossings are the most famous part of the migration, and for good reason. A crossing typically goes like this: the herds gather on the river bank, often for hours, with scouts and sentinels trying to find a safe spot. The first wildebeest commits to the water, the rest follow in a panic, and within minutes thousands of animals are in the river, scrambling up the far bank. Crocodiles take a few. The chaos lasts five to thirty minutes, and then the bank is empty.
The crossings don’t happen on a schedule. Your guide will be in radio contact with other drivers, and on a typical day they’ll position you at the active crossing point. The crossings can be daily for a week, then quiet for a few days, then daily again. Patience is the key.
Where to stay
The lodges and camps are seasonal, and the cost varies enormously.
Southern Serengeti (Jan–Mar): Mid-range to luxury permanent lodges and tented camps in the Ndutu area. Cost: $500 to $1,500 per person per night, full board.
Central Serengeti (year-round): The widest range of accommodation, from budget to ultra-luxury. Cost: $300 to $2,000 per person per night.
Northern Serengeti (Jul–Oct): Almost all seasonal mobile camps - they exist only during the migration. Limited, expensive, and book 9 to 12 months in advance. Cost: $800 to $1,800 per person per night, full board.
Masai Mara (Kenya, Aug–Oct): A separate trip, with a separate visa and park fee structure. The Mara has more conservative-based accommodation, which allows off-road driving and walking. We can extend the trip across the border if you’d like.
How to time the trip
If you want the calving, plan for January or February in the southern Serengeti. This is the best time for photography and the best time for predator action. It’s also a quieter time to visit, with lower prices than the crossing season.
If you want the crossings, plan for late July to October in the northern Serengeti. This is peak season - book 9 to 12 months ahead for the mobile camps. The crossings are weather-dependent and can vary year to year.
If you have flexibility, we recommend a 7 to 10 day trip that covers both the central and northern Serengeti, with the option to extend into the Mara.
What the migration is not
It’s worth saying: the Great Migration is not a single event you can schedule a trip around and “see it.” It’s a year-round movement, and the herds are on the move every day. The calving and the crossings are the most dramatic moments, but the rest of the migration is just as spectacular - wildebeest stretching to the horizon, predator-prides hunting, the landscape alive with movement.
Don’t wait for a perfect moment. Pick a window, plan well, and go.
Practicalities
- Visa: Standard Tanzania visa. A US$100 multiple-entry visa covers Kenya as well, useful if you want to extend into the Masai Mara.
- Internal flights: Most migration trips use a combination of road and air. From Arusha, you can fly to the Seronera airstrip (central Serengeti) or Kogatende (northern Serengeti). Both are about 1.5 hours.
- Cost: A 7 to 10 day migration-focused trip is $6,000 to $12,000 per person, depending on the lodge tier. The northern Serengeti mobile camps are the most expensive.
- Photography: The migration is exceptional for photography. Bring a long lens (200–600mm works well). Most vehicles have pop-top roofs.
- Crowds: The northern Serengeti in August can be busy. The mobile camps are small and exclusive, but the river crossings can attract 20+ vehicles at a time. The southern Serengeti in January is much quieter.
Our recommended trip
A 10-day Tanzania migration trip looks like this:
- Days 1–2: Arrive Arusha, overnight at a coffee-estate lodge.
- Days 3–4: Fly to the central Serengeti, two nights at a permanent camp, game drives on the predator circuit.
- Days 5–8: Fly to the northern Serengeti (Kogatende), four nights at a mobile camp, daily drives to the river.
- Day 9: Fly back to Arusha, day room, evening flight home.
- Optional: Add a 4-day Zanzibar extension for the beach finish.
If you want to plan a migration trip, get in touch. We’ll send a draft with the camps, the flights, and the cost - usually within 24 hours.
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