Masai Mara Great Wildebeest Migration 2025
The Great Wildebeest Migration through East Africa’s plains is one of the world’s most exhilarating, intriguing, and stunning exhibitions of wildlife behavior. As a result, our tourists prioritize having the best front row seats to witness the event. AfricanMecca Safaris ensures a memorable safari tour in Kenya’s pristine desert outback by sharing our personal knowledge, local experience, and expertise of the Great Migration in Masai Mara National Reserve.
Masai Mara is the most well-known location for the wildebeest migration because of its famous Mara River crossings, which has led to certain misconceptions about the migration itself. Migration is a continuing movement of animals that occurs throughout the year.
The migration happens in an area known as the “Serengeti ecosystem.” The 40,000-square-mile area is bordered by Masai Mara National Reserve in the north and Ndutu, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and Maswa Game Reserve in Tanzania to the south. The central, eastern, and western portions include Grumeti Reserve, Loliondo, the official Serengeti National Park, which includes a portion of Kusini’s southern expanse, and other protected areas.
The migration is not an isolated incident. Instead, the expression refers to the constant migration of more than 1.5 million wildebeests, hundreds of thousands of zebras, elands, and gazelles. The migration of wildlife, like that of other animals, is motivated by a desire for water and pasture. When supplies of these important resources run out in one place, the animals migrate to another where there is plenty of water, grass, and other food sources.
The Great Wildebeest Migration, which arrives from the Serengeti, is distinguished from previous migratory migrations by the vast size of the herds. How the creatures know where to locate food and water is mostly unknown, although researchers have formed several suggestions regarding their behavior. Most research suggests that weather patterns and the cycle of rainy and dry seasons have the biggest impact on wildlife movement. Because rainfall and weather are unpredictable, it is impossible to forecast exactly where the animals will be at any one time of year, let alone how long they will stay in one location.
Kenya travel Guide
The Great Wildebeest Migration in Africa, also known as the Gnu Migration, Serengeti Migration, and Masai Mara Migration, is one of the last large-scale terrestrial wildlife movements on the globe. It is the primary reason why so many people travel to Kenya and Tanzania for migration safaris, particularly around mid-year.
The Migration is one of nature’s greatest paradoxes: timing is critical, but it is impossible to forecast the timing of the animals’ movements. We know the wildebeest (and a few zebra and antelope) will cross the Mara River, but no one knows when. We also know that rain will cause the wildebeest to migrate to other grazing areas, but no one knows when it will happen.
Fortunately, we have been planning Wildebeest Migration safaris in Africa since 1998. We’ve helped thousands of travelers go to the best spot at the best time for the best price. If you want experienced planning advice, look no further. We’ve put all of our expert suggestions into this helpful beginner’s guide to a Wildebeest Migration safari…
How Does The Great Migration Work?
Can Migration River Crossings Be Predicted?
No, not even the wildebeests know when they’ll cross! Some arrive at the river and swim over right away; others arrive and spend days grazing; while yet others arrive and return to their original location. We wish we could foresee the crossings, but nobody can. This is why it is preferable to spend as much time on safari as possible if you want to see a river crossing.
What time of year do wildebeest migrate?
Most people believe that the Wildebeest Migration occurs just between July and October, but it is actually an ever-changing, circular migration with a variety of equally spectacular activities taking place all year long. The popular river crossings frequently coincide with safari’s peak season (June to October), giving the impression that this is the only time of year when wildebeest are on the move or may be spotted.
Where Does the Great Migration Start?
Because the Great Migration is a year-round movement of over two million animals across the Serengeti-Mara habitat, there are no set starting or ending places. The Gnu Migration is driven by East Africa’s rains, and the animals travel an age-old route in search of fresh grass and water. This epic trek brings the wildebeest from Kenya’s Masai Mara plains to Tanzania’s Serengeti and the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater, where they circle up and around in a clockwise fashion.
Why Do Wildebeests Migrate?
It is widely assumed that the Great Migration in Africa is mostly determined by the wildebeest’s response to the weather. They travel after the rains and the sprouting of new grass, essentially following their natural desire to find nourishment in order to survive. Some experts claim that distant lightning and thunderstorms promote wildebeest migration, however there is no scientific evidence to support this.
What happens when?
A Month by Month Analysis of the Great Migration
Climate change has caused the long and brief rainy seasons in Tanzania and Kenya to become less regular and predictable. The rains can arrive late or early, throwing the entire wildebeest calendar out of rhythm. This is why it’s critical to plan as much time on safari as possible. You can’t fly in for two nights, see a river crossing, and then fly out again; nature doesn’t work that way.
This is a very rough guideline for where the herds are during the year, keeping in mind that the entire Gnu Migration is prompted by rain, which can come early, late, or on time.
January
In January, the herds are in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, migrating south from the northeast to the area around Lake Ndutu. The Serengeti is not enclosed, so the animals can migrate wherever they find grass. Remember that while the Serengeti Migration includes up to two million wildebeest, zebra, and antelope, they are not all in the same herd. The animals form megaherds of thousands or hundreds of individuals at a time.
February through March
From February to March, it is calving season (about 8,000 wildebeest babies are born every day!) Prepare for shaky calves and grief as predators strike. The Serengeti’s big cats get the majority of the attention, but hit-and-run jackals, packs of wild dogs, and hyena clans also contribute to the spectacle. It’s a sorrowful ballad about the circle of life, played out in live action.
If the short wet season (November-December) provided abundant grazing, the herds graze frenziedly and linger on the Serengeti’s southern plains until they begin to move west in March.
April
The lengthy rains begin in April (April-May), and the herds normally travel north-westerly towards the Moru and Simba Kopjes. The action-packed rutting (breeding) season is in full flow, with testosterone-fueled battles between males vying for the privilege to mate with receptive females.
May
In May, carts roll! The massed herds are on the move, and massive columns of up to 40 kilometers (25 miles) in length can be observed as the wildebeest funnel into the middle Serengeti. Everyone is moving a little faster now that their calves are stronger.
June
From June, the wildebeest are normally in the center Serengeti, preparing for the most difficult leg of their journey. The herds may have broken up, and some have already crossed the Grumeti River.
July
In July, the Great Migration reached the Grumeti region and northern Serengeti, staring carefully at the hazardous waters of the Mara River, which they must cross into Kenya. Why? Huge Nile crocodiles, that’s why!
As previously stated, river crossings cannot be reliably predicted because they are entirely dependent on the rains and the frequently unpredictable wildebeest. It is critical to schedule your Wildebeest Migration safari in Africa at least a year in advance to secure a lodge on or near the river, which reduces travel time to lookout sites. The wildebeest have historical crossing points, and you may spend days staked out in the hope of seeing some action. To ensure that you are in the right place at the right time, we recommend booking a movable safari camp that moves with the Migration.
August
August is widely regarded as the finest time to see the dramatic river crossings from the northern Serengeti into the Masai Mara. You will need a passport to enter Kenya; wildebeest are excluded. The Masai Mara National Reserve is available to the public, therefore for a more exclusive safari experience, visit the private conservancies next to the reserve.
September
Because not all wildebeest travel to Kenya, the herds disperse in September. Less than half of the animals remain in the northern Serengeti, while the remainder share battle stories in the Masai Mara. So, while wildebeest can still be seen in the Serengeti (albeit not in large groups), the Masai Mara is the greatest spot to watch the Migration in September.
October
From October onwards, the Masai Mara remains your best chance, but keep in mind that it is a much smaller reserve than the Serengeti and may have a lot more people. The surrounding private conservancies are significantly less crowded, and you will be able to observe the Migration while also actively contributing to the Maasai community that have lived there for thousands of years. You can also experience off-road game viewing, night drives, and walking safaris, which are not permitted in the national reserve.
November
In a ‘typical year’, the short rains begin in November, prompting the wildebeest to leave the now-depleted grasslands of the Masai Mara and return to the revitalized Serengeti. Keep in mind that the rain can come late or early, which is unpredictable.
The herds are normally on the move, but they can be spotted in the Serengeti’s north-east region, where they may separate into smaller groups on their way south.
Although many people associate Africa with heat, rain may significantly reduce temperatures. You’ll be out on game drives in the early morning and late afternoon, when the sun is at its lowest. Bring at least one pair of trousers, closed shoes that can withstand dirt, and a fleece or waterproof jacket.
December
In December, fresh grazing causes the wildebeest to migrate south, covering the northern and eastern Serengeti to feast and prepare for yet another death-defying, 3,000-kilometer (1,900-mile) journey.
