The Serengeti: the migration, month by month
Endless plains, a million and a half wildebeest on the move, and lion on the kopjes. The Serengeti is the park every other park is measured against, and the migration is always somewhere in it.
Why the Serengeti
The Serengeti is big enough that the migration never leaves it; it just moves around. Around 1.5 million wildebeest, with several hundred thousand zebra and gazelle, follow the rains in a clockwise loop of some 800 kilometres a year, calving in the south in January and February, moving north through the western corridor in May and June, crossing the Grumeti and then the Mara rivers from July to October, and drifting back south with the short rains in November. Plan the month and the sector together, and you will find them.
Around the herds is a complete ecosystem: the largest lion population in Africa, with prides that live on the granite kopjes; cheetah on the short-grass plains; leopard in the Seronera River's sausage trees; elephant in the north; and hyena, jackal and vulture following the whole procession. Even in the months when the herds are elsewhere, the Serengeti is one of the great parks.
The trade-offs are price, with Tanzania's park fees among the highest anywhere, and crowds around the famous crossings in August. The remedy is a mobile camp that moves with the herds, and a willingness to go in calving season or the green months instead.
What you will see
The herds, if you time it right. Lion on almost every drive; the Serengeti's population is estimated at around 3,000. Cheetah on the plains, leopard in Seronera, spotted hyena everywhere. Elephant, giraffe, buffalo, topi, hartebeest, eland and Thomson's gazelle in the thousands. Crocodile and hippo in the rivers. In the calving season, newborn wildebeest by the hundred thousand and predators to match.
Calving, January to February; cheetah and lion.
Resident cats all year; busiest area; the central airstrip.
The herds and river crossings, May to July.
Mara River crossings, July to October; quieter than Kenya's side.
Where in the park
- Southern Serengeti and Ndutu: short-grass plains on the Ngorongoro boundary. The calving grounds in January and February; dry and empty of herds the rest of the year.
- Central Serengeti (Seronera): the park headquarters, the most lodges and the best year-round predator viewing.
- Western corridor: the Grumeti River and its crocodiles, with the herds passing through in May and June.
- Northern Serengeti: the Mara River and the crossings from July to October, in a far less crowded setting than the Masai Mara.
When to go
- January to February: calving on the southern plains. The best predator action of the year, warm and mostly dry, and cheaper than the crossings.
- March to May: long rains. The herds move north-west; some camps close in April and May; the rest discount heavily.
- June to July: the western corridor and Grumeti crossings, then the push north.
- August to October: Mara River crossings in the north. The peak of the year for drama, price and demand.
- November to December: short rains and the herds returning south through the east and centre. Good value.
How to do it
Driving the northern circuit. From Arusha, a driver-guide in a 4x4 takes you through Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and into the Serengeti over seven to ten days. You see the whole circuit and your guide stays with you. Long days on rough roads.
Fly-in. Scheduled flights from Arusha to the Serengeti's airstrips, with camp vehicles and guides at each end. Faster, more comfortable and dearer. Many itineraries drive in and fly out.
Mobile camps. Seasonal tented camps that relocate two or three times a year to stay near the herds. The best way to see the migration, at mid-range prices.
Where to stay
- Mobile migration camps: comfortable tents, bucket showers or better, moved with the seasons.
- Permanent camps and lodges: from large lodges at Seronera to small luxury camps in the north and the private concessions on the park's western edge.
- Public campsites: for camping safaris, basic and cheap, used by the budget operators.
Tips
- Choose the month first, then the sector, then the camp. A beautiful camp in the wrong sector will show you an empty plain.
- Give the migration at least three nights; the herds and the crossings are unpredictable.
- Combine with Ngorongoro Crater, which is on the way, and consider Tarangire in the dry season.
- Carry US dollars in small notes for tips, and keep your yellow fever certificate handy if you came through Nairobi or Kigali.
- Pack for dust and for cold mornings; the plains are at 1,500 metres.
Book this trip
The Serengeti rewards a specialist more than any other park: they know where the herds are and which camps have moved. Our partner links are being finalised.
Checked October 2026. Entry rules, fees and seasons change; confirm with official sources before you book.
