When is the best time to see the Great Migration?
By Aspen Travel Advisors · Last verified · Counts drawn live from the Virtuoso-sourced atlas
For river crossings, go to the northern Serengeti or Masai Mara between July and October, with August and September the most reliable, though no date guarantees a crossing. For calving, go to the southern Serengeti and Ndutu from late January to March, peaking in February. The herds move year-round, so every month has a right place; the question is where, not whether.
The Great Migration is not an event but a loop. More than a million wildebeest, with zebra and gazelle alongside, move clockwise around the Serengeti and Masai Mara ecosystem all year, following rain and fresh grass. They spend the early months on the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti, drift north-west through the central Serengeti and Western Corridor in the long rains, reach the Mara River in the northern Serengeti and Kenya's Masai Mara in the dry season, then turn south again with the short rains. Tanzania holds the herds for most of the year; Kenya has them for roughly three months.
That leaves two moments most travelers are actually asking about. The river crossings, July to October, are the famous footage, but they are unpredictable, and the Masai Mara crossing points are busy in August. Calving, late January to March, is quieter, more reliable and full of predator action, though without the drama of the river. Our atlas holds 52 safari itineraries touching Tanzania and 51 touching Kenya; most can be built around either window, and the choice of month matters more than the choice of operator.
The Great Migration, month by month
| Month | Where the herds usually are | What you see | Where to base yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Southern Serengeti and the Ndutu area of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area | Herds grazing the short-grass plains; calving begins late in the month | Seasonal camps in the southern Serengeti or Ndutu |
| February | Southern Serengeti and Ndutu | Peak calving, with lion, cheetah and hyena working the herds | Southern Serengeti or Ndutu |
| March | Southern plains, beginning to drift | Calving winds down; young calves on the move; long rains approach late in the month | Southern Serengeti |
| April | Strung out through the central Serengeti, heading north-west | Long rains; muddy tracks; many seasonal camps close | Central Serengeti, for return visitors comfortable with rain |
| May | Central Serengeti and into the Western Corridor | The rut begins; long columns of animals on the move; rains easing | Central Serengeti or the Western Corridor |
| June | Western Corridor, with leading herds pushing north late in the month | Grumeti River crossings, smaller and less predictable than the Mara | Western Corridor, around the Grumeti |
| July | Northern Serengeti; first herds reach the Masai Mara late in the month | Mara River crossings begin | Northern Serengeti, around Kogatende and Lamai |
| August | Northern Serengeti and the Masai Mara | Crossings at their most frequent | Either side of the Mara River |
| September | Masai Mara and northern Serengeti | Crossings continue, in both directions; herds spread across the Mara plains | Masai Mara reserve, Mara Triangle or conservancies; northern Serengeti |
| October | Thinning in the Masai Mara, still in the northern Serengeti | Crossings tail off; herds begin drifting south late in the month | Northern Serengeti |
| November | Moving south down the eastern side of the Serengeti | Short rains; herds on the move and less concentrated | Central or eastern Serengeti |
| December | Arriving back on the southern plains | Herds settling as the short rains green the grass | Southern Serengeti and Ndutu, as seasonal camps reopen |
The pattern below is the typical year. Rainfall moves it by weeks in either direction, so treat each month as where the herds usually are rather than where they will be.
River crossings: a window, not a promise
A crossing happens when the herds bunch on the bank of the Mara River and something, nobody quite knows what, tips the first animals in. They can mass for hours or days and then turn away. Crossing points shift from year to year, herds cross in both directions, and a single day can bring several crossings or none. What improves your odds is time and position, not a particular week.
- Stay at least three or four nights near the river. Short visits are how people miss it.
- In the northern Serengeti, base yourself around Kogatende and Lamai, close to the Mara River.
- In Kenya, crossings happen in the main reserve and the Mara Triangle. Conservancy camps drive in for them, which adds time each way but gives you quieter game drives the rest of the day.
- Plan for long days. Guides often wait at a crossing point with a packed lunch, and the best crossings keep no schedule.
- Expect company in August at the well-known Masai Mara crossing points. The northern Serengeti is usually quieter, though it has grown busier.
- River-front camps for August and calving camps for February book out first, often a year or more ahead, so dates and camps are worth settling early.
Calving, crossings or green season: which to choose
| Calving (late Jan to Mar) | River crossings (Jul to Oct) | Green season (Apr to May) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Southern Serengeti and Ndutu, Tanzania | Northern Serengeti, Tanzania, and Masai Mara, Kenya | Central Serengeti and Western Corridor |
| Main draw | Newborn calves and constant predator action | Herds plunging into the Mara River | Space, green landscapes, the start of the rut |
| Reliability | High: the herds are concentrated and stay put for weeks | Low on any given day; good over several days | Moderate: herds are moving and spread out |
| Crowds | Moderate | Heaviest in the Masai Mara in August | Lightest of the year |
| Weather | Warm, with occasional showers | Dry season, cool mornings | Long rains, muddy tracks |
| Camps | Seasonal and mobile camps on the plains | Permanent and seasonal camps on both sides of the river | Many seasonal camps closed; lower rates where open |
| Best for | Predator watchers, photographers, families | First-timers set on the crossings | Return visitors and those watching the budget |
Most first visits come down to the first two columns. The green season suits travelers who have done a dry-season safari and want the place at its emptiest.
Kenya properties in the atlas, smallest first
Every property the supplier files under Kenya, where the Masai Mara holds the herds from roughly late July to October. Smallest first, since a small camp near the river and a large lodge are different trips. Each links to its own page, where the benefits currently on file for it are listed in full.
| Property | Where | Rooms | Benefits listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elewana Loisaba Tented Camp | Loisaba Conservancy, Kenya | 12 | 4 |
| Mahali Mzuri | Maasai Mara, Kenya | 12 | 4 |
| Ol Jogi Wildlife Conservancy | Nanyuki, Kenya | 12 | 4 |
| Fairmont Mara Safari Club | Maasai Mara, Kenya | 38 | 4 |
| Hemingways Nairobi | Nairobi, Kenya | 45 | 4 |
| Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club | Nanyuki, Kenya | 100 | 6 |
| Fairmont The Norfolk | Nairobi, Kenya | 170 | 6 |
Frequently asked
Can I see calving and the river crossings on the same trip?
No. They are around six months apart and at opposite ends of the ecosystem. The closest you can get is late June into July, when an itinerary can pair the Western Corridor, for the Grumeti, with the northern Serengeti, for the first Mara River crossings, linked by a light-aircraft flight.
Kenya or Tanzania for the migration?
Tanzania hosts the herds for most of the year, so it works in almost any month if you go to the right part of the Serengeti. Kenya's Masai Mara has them from roughly late July to October, but it is easy to reach from Nairobi, has excellent resident game year-round, and its private conservancies allow off-road driving and limit vehicles at sightings.
Is the green season worth it?
For a return visit, often yes: the landscapes are green, the herds are in the central Serengeti and Western Corridor, and you share sightings with very few vehicles. For a first safari aimed at the migration, no. Rain makes tracks hard going, many seasonal camps close, and you see neither calving nor crossings.