Nearly two million wildebeest and zebra move in a slow clockwise loop through the Serengeti. Here is where to find them in each month of the year.
The great migration is not an event with a date — it is a continuous, year-round movement driven by rainfall and grass. Nearly two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle circle the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem in a rough clockwise loop, and knowing roughly where they are is the difference between a good safari and an unforgettable one.
**December to March — the southern plains.** The herds spread across the short-grass plains around Ndutu and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Calving peaks in February, when around 8,000 calves are born each day. Predator action is at its most intense of the entire year.
**April to May — moving north-west.** The long rains arrive and the columns begin drifting towards the western corridor. Fewer vehicles, green landscapes and lower lodge rates, though some roads turn difficult.
**June to July — the Grumeti.** The herds mass along the Grumeti River in the western corridor. The crossings here are smaller than the Mara ones but far less crowded with vehicles.
**August to October — the Mara River.** The famous crossings. Huge concentrations gather in the northern Serengeti, and the river crossings are dramatic and entirely unpredictable — you may wait hours, or see three in one morning.
**November — heading south again.** The short rains pull the herds back down through the eastern Serengeti towards the calving grounds, and the cycle begins over.
A practical note: the migration moves with the rain, not the calendar. Plan around a region rather than a date, allow yourself several nights in the right area, and talk to us about where the herds actually are in the weeks before you travel.
