The loop: calving on Tanzania’s southern Serengeti plains around January to March, the western corridor in May and June, the northern Serengeti and Kenya’s Mara for river crossings from July to October, then back south with the rains. Mobile camps move with the herds; permanent lodges in the right sector for your month do nearly as well.
The crossings are the famous part and the least reliable: they depend on rain and river level, and a herd can stand on the bank for days. Calving season in the south is more predictable and delivers the year’s best predator action.
This is for you if…
- First East African safaris
- Anyone travelling January–March or July–October
- Wildlife photographers
Reconsider if…
- Travelers who cannot handle the peak-season crowds at the crossings
- April and May, when the herds are between sectors and camps close
How it actually works.
The right sector
South for calving, north for crossings. Book the camp for your month, not the famous name.
The crowds
Crossings draw every vehicle in the region. The Serengeti side and the Mara conservancies are quieter than the Mara reserve.
The honesty
Nobody can guarantee a crossing. If they do, they are selling.
The countries where this is strongest.
Tanzania
The migration on the Serengeti plains, the Ngorongoro caldera, and Zanzibar a short hop from the circuit.
Classic, with rangeKenya
Big cats in private conservancies that flex to families, short flights from Nairobi, and the Mara crossings from July.
Price any of them with the estimator, or check the month first.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best month for the migration?
For crossings, August and September; for calving and predators, February. June and November are quieter shoulders.
Serengeti or Masai Mara?
Same herds, same river. Serengeti’s north is larger and less crowded; the Mara is compact and quicker from Nairobi.
Go deeper
Tell us the trip.
Month, budget, who is traveling. We will tell you whether the great migration belongs in it, and where.