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The Great Migration

About The Great Migration

The Great Migration is one of the main reasons people plan a safari in northern Tanzania in the first place. What makes it stand out is not just the number of wildebeest and zebra moving through the Serengeti, but how the experience changes depending on where you catch it. In the south, it is calving season and predator action is strong. In the central and western areas, the herds stretch across the plains, while the northern Serengeti is best known for the Mara River crossings. 

When to visit

Tanzania offers Great Migration viewing through much of the year, especially January to March for calving and June to October for river-crossing drama.

Most popular: June - October

Spring · Sep, Oct, Nov

Spring runs from Sep. to Nov. and keeps the migration on the Tanzania side in the north early in the season before the herds begin drifting south again. September and October can still deliver dramatic northern Serengeti action, while November starts the return movement toward the southern plains as fresh grazing appears.

Summer · Dec, Jan, Feb

Summer spans Dec. to Feb. and is one of the most powerful times to experience the migration in Tanzania. Herds gather across the southern Serengeti and Ndutu plains, and February is especially prized for calving season, when thousands of newborns attract intense predator activity and create some of the most emotionally charged safari scenes in Africa.

Autumn · Mar, Apr, May

Autumn falls from Mar. to May and is the greener, wetter transition period as the herds begin trekking northwest from the southern plains. The migration is still moving, but rain and longer grass can make viewing less straightforward than in the better-known calving and crossing phases.

Winter · Jun, Jul, Aug

Winter in Tanzania’s migration cycle runs from Jun. to Aug. and is classic safari drama. This is when the herds push through the western corridor and then toward the north, with June and July often associated with Grumeti crossings and later dry-season movement building toward the Mara River.

Weather Highlights

  • Summer high

    31°C / 89°F

  • Winter low

    22°C / 71°F

  • Rain

    121 days

  • Snow

    0 days

Location

Getting There

The Great Migration in Tanzania is experienced across different parts of Serengeti National Park, and is usually reached by flying from Arusha or Kilimanjaro to one of the park’s airstrips, or by road from Arusha through the Ngorongoro area depending on where the herds are at that time.

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