When to see the great migration
For the Mara River crossings, late July to August with part of September, in the northern Serengeti and the Masai Mara. For calving, February on the southern plains around Ndutu. The herds move with the rain, so no date is guaranteed.
The migration is not an event with a start date. It is roughly two million animals moving in a slow clockwise circle between Tanzania and Kenya, all year, every year, and where they are in any given month depends on where the rain fell. What follows is the pattern, which holds most years, with the honest caveat that the herds have not read it.
Where the herds are, month by month
The two things worth planning around
The river crossings and the calving are different holidays. Crossings are mid-July to late August with parts of September, concentrated on the Mara River in the northern Serengeti and the Masai Mara, and they are chaotic, crowded and extraordinary. Calving is February on the southern plains, quieter, far fewer vehicles, and the best predator viewing of the year because the predators are exactly where the newborns are.
If you want the crossings, book a year out. The northern Serengeti and Mara camps in August are the tightest beds in African safari, and late bookings pay for it twice, in price and in position.
The caveat nobody prints in bold
The precise timing depends entirely on rainfall patterns each year. Herds have crossed the Mara in early July and still been south of it in September. Camps are booked on a calendar; the wildebeest are not. Two practical consequences: stay at least four nights in one area rather than chasing reports, and choose a camp positioned for the month rather than a famous name in the wrong place.
- Four nights minimum in the migration area. Two nights is a lottery ticket.
- Mobile camps that move with the herds beat fixed lodges in the shoulder months.
- February calving is the underrated trip: fewer vehicles, more predators, lower rates.
- A crossing is not guaranteed on any given day even when the herds are right there. They cross when they cross.
We book East Africa as well as Namibia — see our East Africa accommodation. If you are still deciding between a migration trip and a desert one, is Namibia good for safaris and Namibia against Botswana set out the differences honestly.
Beware any itinerary that promises you a river crossing on a named date. Nobody can promise that. What a good operator can do is put you in the right place for the right fortnight and give you enough nights to be lucky. Our 13-day East Africa safari is built on that principle, holding nights in Mara North and the Masai Mara before crossing to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see the great migration?
Late July to August, with parts of September, for the Mara River crossings. February on the southern Serengeti plains for calving and predator action.
Where does the migration go month by month?
Ndutu and the southern plains from November to March, north through Seronera in April and May, the Western Corridor and Grumeti in June, the Mara from July to September, and south again through Lobo in October.
When do the wildebeest calve?
Mostly in a two to three week window in February, on the southern short-grass plains around Ndutu.
Is the Masai Mara or the Serengeti better for the migration?
Neither, permanently. The herds spend most of the year in Tanzania and cross into Kenya from roughly late July. Choose by month, not by country.
Are river crossings guaranteed?
No. Timing depends on rainfall and the herds cross when they choose. Four nights in the right area is the realistic way to improve your odds.
How far ahead should I book a migration safari?
About a year for the August crossing season. Northern Serengeti and Mara camps are the most heavily booked beds in African safari.
We arrange East African trips alongside our Namibian ones, so this page is not a consolation prize. The month-by-month pattern above comes from published migration research rather than from a brochure.