The Great Migration Calendar

Vast herds concentrate on the southern Serengeti's short grass plains, drawn by the mineral rich grazing that pregnant females need ahead of calving. The flat, open terrain also makes it easy to spot approaching predators, an advantage that matters more as calving approaches.

• Massive herd concentrations, often hundreds of thousands of animals
• Excellent predator viewing as lion, cheetah, and hyena numbers build
• Dramatic open landscapes dotted with scattered acacia trees

This is the calendar's most dramatic month. Synchronized births produce an estimated 8,000 calves a day during the peak weeks, a volume that satiates predators even as it exposes newborns to maximum risk. Calves stand and run within minutes of birth, and the plains fill with wobbly first steps and constant predator activity side by side.

• Continuous births through daylight hours, since wildebeest give birth by day
• Maximum predator activity from lion, hyena, cheetah, jackal, and eagle
• Newborns standing and running within minutes of birth

Calving continues at reduced intensity as the long rains approach and the herds begin to disperse. Males start rutting, establishing and defending temporary territories through head butting and chasing, while young calves old enough to keep up now travel alongside the main herd.

• Rutting behavior, with males notably territorial and aggressive
• Young calves visibly learning survival skills within the herd
• The first signs of northward movement

The long rains transform the Serengeti into a lush, green landscape, and widespread grazing lets the herds disperse across a much larger area than during the dry months. This is a low season for concentrated migration viewing, but it rewards travelers who value scenery, dramatic light, and fewer vehicles over sheer numbers of animals.

• Lush, dramatic landscapes ideal for photography
• Widely dispersed herds rather than concentrated viewing
• Excellent resident wildlife, including predators and birds
• Notably fewer vehicles than peak season

As the long rains taper off, the herds continue pushing west, concentrating along the routes that lead toward the Grumeti River crossings. May is a transitional month, moving from the wide dispersal of the wet season toward the tighter concentrations of the dry season ahead.

• Long, columnar herd movements toward the western regions
• Improving accessibility as the rains ease
• A mix of migratory and resident wildlife

June brings the first major river crossing spectacle of the year. The Grumeti River is smaller than the Mara, but its resident crocodile population is substantial, and herds massing along its banks before plunging across in sudden, spectacular rushes make for genuinely dramatic viewing.

• Grumeti River crossings, less famous than the Mara but just as spectacular
• Large crocodiles taking wildebeest during crossing attempts
• Dry season conditions beginning, with excellent visibility

The migration's center of gravity shifts north in July, as leading groups reach the Mara River and the first crossing attempts begin. Crossing frequency and location vary daily based on herd movement and water conditions, so patience, and sometimes luck, matter as much as timing.

• The first spectacular Mara River crossings of the season
• Large crocodiles, generally bigger than those in the Grumeti
• Peak safari season getting underway on both sides of the border

August is the peak month for river crossing viewing. Massive concentrations occupy both sides of the border, creating near daily crossing opportunities at multiple sites, and this is also when visitor numbers peak, though a good guide still positions clients well despite the crowds.

• Near daily crossing opportunities, weather dependent
• Dramatic crocodile predation at crossing points
• Excellent general game viewing alongside the migration itself

Excellent crossing opportunities continue as animals move back and forth between the Tanzania and Kenya sides, following grazing and water availability. These bidirectional crossings, sometimes happening more than once for the same herd, keep viewing frequent even as it becomes less predictable.

• Continued strong crossing opportunities in both directions
• Concentrated viewing in the Maasai Mara specifically
• A gentle easing of crowds as the month progresses

The southward return continues through November as the short rains peak, spreading animals widely across eastern and central Serengeti. Viewing is more dispersed than at other times of year, but the lush conditions and arriving Palearctic migrant birds make this a genuinely rewarding month for those who understand the pattern.

• Lush, green season landscapes
• Dramatic storm lighting for photography
• Strong bird migration as Palearctic species arrive

The annual cycle closes as herds return to the southern Serengeti plains. Short grass grazing on the volcanic soils becomes available again, drawing pregnant females back toward the calving grounds, and predator populations rebuild ahead of the concentrations that will peak again in January.

• Herds visibly returning to the southern plains
• A clear, satisfying sense of the annual cycle completing
• Holiday season safari availability