Great Migration

The migration has no start or finish line, but it follows a broadly predictable loop. The herds gather on the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti from roughly December to March, with calving peaking around February. They move north and west through the spring, cross the Grumeti River around June, then reach the Mara River in the northern Serengeti and Kenya’s Maasai Mara from about July to October, before heading south again with the November rains.

Timing shifts every year with the rains, and the famous river crossings are unpredictable: you may wait hours, or see several in a day. The smartest approach is to choose your location by month and stay several nights at a camp positioned where the herds should be.

Mobile tented camps that relocate seasonally to follow the herds are one popular option. Our Great Migration guide breaks down where to be each month.