Around one and a half million wildebeest, plus zebra and gazelle, move around the Serengeti ecosystem in a rough annual circle, following the rain. The circle is reliable; the timing is not. Treat everything below as a pattern, not a promise.
December to March: the southern plains
The herds spread across the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti and the Ndutu area. Calving peaks for a few weeks, usually around February, and predators follow. This is the easiest time to see enormous herds in one place.
April and May: moving north-west
As the plains dry, the herds string out into long columns moving through the central and western Serengeti. It coincides with the long rains, so you trade some comfort for wide green views and very few vehicles.
June and July: the western corridor and the push north
The herds move through the western corridor, where the Grumeti River offers a first, smaller version of the crossing spectacle, and then continue north.
July to September or October: the Mara River
The herds mass in the northern Serengeti and cross the Mara River in bursts, sometimes back and forth for no reason anyone can name. Crossings are unforgettable and unschedulable. The way to see one is days in the north and patience, not a fixed itinerary that promises a river at 3pm.
October and November: turning south
With the short rains, the herds begin the long move back towards the southern plains, and the circle starts again.
How to actually plan for it
- Decide which chapter you want: calving, crossings, or simply big herds.
- Put your nights in the right region for that chapter, and enough of them.
- Let the rest of the route be a normal, excellent safari, so the trip succeeds even if the herds are early or late.
That last point is the one that matters. The migration is the headline, but Tanzania’s parks are extraordinary with or without it.
