Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Safari

During the calving season, the flat southern plains make the migration even easier to watch. Each year, more than a million wildebeest and zebras are estimated to gather there. Calving usually happens between late January and early March, though it can come earlier or later depending on the rains. It's a great time to visit Tanzania: you're surrounded by big herds of zebras and wildebeest as far as you can see. The herds gather between the southern Serengeti and the Ndutu Plains (Ngorongoro Conservation Area) to give birth at the same time. The southern plains have volcanic soil, so when the rain comes, very nutritious grass grows, which is good for nursing mothers. That draws the wildebeest and zebras here to feed. It also draws large numbers of predators, such as lions, cheetahs, leopards and hyenas, which hunt the young and the weak. With luck and a good guide, you may see an exciting chase, or come across young cubs and newborn calves.

• Over 500,000 wildebeest calves are born in just a few weeks.
• Predators are very active, and cheetahs and lions are always nearby.
• A great time for close wildlife sightings and photography.

April and May are the long rain season in Tanzania. Many people avoid safaris at this time, but it's actually a lovely season to visit. The rain brings the dry plains back to life with fresh green grass, and the parks fill up with food and water for the animals. The rain usually falls in the early morning and evening and rarely gets in the way of daytime game drives. April and May are also “low season” in Tanzania, so prices are at their lowest.

As the rain moves from the southern to the western Serengeti, the herds head into the Western Corridor, where they cross the Grumeti River. This crossing is smaller than the Mara River crossings later in the year, but it's still one of the most anticipated moments of the migration. The Grumeti River is home to huge Nile crocodiles, which makes the crossing risky for the wildebeest and zebras.

• The herds start moving north.
• The landscape is green and dramatic.
• Fewer crowds and lower safari prices.

The Western Corridor has varied landscapes, including floodplains, savannahs, open woodland, patches of forest, small hills and valleys. Besides the Nile crocodiles, the western Serengeti is home to rare colobus monkeys and big herds of elephants and giraffes. Resident lion prides roam the region and can be seen all year.

In June and July, the herds begin moving up to the northern Serengeti, passing through the Grumeti Reserve and the Ikoma area. If you have a longer trip, we recommend spending time in both the Western Corridor and the Kogatende area in the northern Serengeti.

• Wildebeest cross the Grumeti River, dodging huge crocodiles.
• The dry season begins, which is great for travel and game viewing.

The northern Serengeti is still relatively untouched compared with Seronera in the central Serengeti, and with its neighbor, the Maasai Mara in Kenya, because visitors only started coming here in recent years. It depends on the rains: in a dry year, the first herds can reach the Mara River by early July; in a wet year they move more slowly and arrive around mid-August. The northern Serengeti has many kopjes, small hills and thick woodland, which give the big cats lots of places to hide, though leopards are harder to find here. Lions and hyenas are often seen during the day, and so are cheetahs. Other resident wildlife includes hippos, giraffes, impala, topi, Thomson's gazelles and large numbers of elephants.

November to early December is low season in Tanzania, so the parks are quieter and your game drives feel more private than in other seasons. The rain also makes game viewing exciting, because it's the first rain after the long dry season. Lodge and camp prices are lower too, which is good news if you want to keep costs down.

• The herds start heading back toward the southern Serengeti.
• Game viewing is still excellent, and there are fewer visitors.