The Great Migration (East Africa)

The Great Migration is the annual movement of millions of wildebeest, zebras, and other grazing animals across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, which spans:

• Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)
• Maasai Mara National Reserve (Kenya)

 Migration Cycle (Year-Round Journey)

Here’s how the cycle generally works, though it’s driven by seasonal rains and grass availability, so the timing may vary slightly each year:

January – March (Calving Season) – Southern Serengeti (Tanzania)

• Herds gather in Ndutu and southern Serengeti
• Over 500,000 calves are born in a 2–3 week period (usually February)
• High predator activity: lions, hyenas, cheetahs

 April – May (Long Rains) – Central to Western Serengeti

• Herds begin moving northwest, following fresh grass
• Scattered movements and dramatic landscapes

June – July (Grumeti River Crossings) – Western Serengeti

• Risky Grumeti River crossings filled with crocodiles
• The herds start to mass before entering Kenya

August – October (Mara River Crossings) – Northern Serengeti to Maasai Mara (Kenya)

• Peak drama: famous Mara River crossings
• Wildebeest leap into crocodile-infested waters
• Huge tourism draw, especially in Maasai Mara

November – December – Return South to Serengeti

• Short rains begin
• Herds migrate back toward southern Serengeti to begin the cycle again

Key Species Involved:

• Wildebeest (~1.5 million)
• Zebras (~200,000)
• Thomson’s gazelles, eland, and impalas
• Predators: lions, leopards, hyenas, crocodiles, cheetahs

 Ecological Importance:

• Supports a huge predator-prey balance
• Drives tourism in Kenya and Tanzania
• Regenerates grasslands and spreads seeds, helping maintain the ecosystem                                                                  Indeed this is a beautiful experience in a lifetime!