The Great Migration River Crossings

The Great Migration River Crossings

When most people think of the Great Migration, they think of the iconic Great Migration River Crossings that take place in the Masai Mara and Serengeti from June to October which are the peak safari season in East Africa.

Actually the Great Migration is a year-long cyclical event, whereby millions of wildebeests and other plains game follow the rains from the Serengeti down through the northeast of the Ngorongoro Conservation, back up through the central and west of the Serengeti, all the way up north to the Masai Mara, and then back down again through the central and east of Serengeti.

Across the whole annual Great Migration, there is plenty of action to be found that is calving season from January to March, rutting season in April and May, and river crossing season from June to October, with the herds continuing to move south in November and December – just to start the whole cycle all over again.

Most travellers consider the river crossings to be the most exciting part of the Great Migration to witness, and a must do on the bucket list.

What Makes the Great Migration River Crossings a Bucket List Event?

The sheer volume of wildebeests, zebras and gazelles is a wonder in itself, with over 1.3 million wildebeests and 300,000 zebras and gazelles (both Grant and Thomson) taking part. This is the largest herd movement of animals in the world, so large that it can be seen from space.

The dramatic river crossings are exhilarating to watch, but patience is needed to witness this spectacle first-hand. Wildebeests can take hours or even days to cross the Mara and Sand Rivers from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya. The herd eagerly awaits for one of their comrades to take the first step.

However, it is a quite a scary prospect going first, there are predators to watch out for, including crocodiles in the rivers and lions and other big cats waiting on the other side of the river to pick off the weakest of the herd. There is the muddy riverbed to navigate, with the risk of getting stuck, and some sides of the ravine may turn out to be too steep to climb up – forcing the herd back across the treacherous river to start the exercise all over again.

In the end, one brave wildebeest will take their first step or rather jump into the river, causing a cascading movement as the whole herd follows, making it a definite must-see event.

The Great Migration River Crossing: Why does it Happen?

The answer is simple, the great migration crossing happens because of food.

The wildebeests follow the rains by watching the movement of the rain clouds. They know that where there is heavy rain, the grass they eat will grow soon afterward. Instinct impels them to follow the storm clouds across the Mara and Sand Rivers.

What Other Animals Migrate?

Zebras

The zebra migration in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park is one of the largest mammal migrations in the world. It usually takes place between June to August.

Straw-Coloured Fruit Bats

The straw-coloured fruit bat is the largest mammal migration with eight million bats traveling from the Congo to Zambia between October and December each year.

Monarch Butterflies

Unlike other migratory animals, no individual Monarch butterfly completes an entire round trip from northern America to Southern America each year. The females lay eggs for a subsequent generation during the northward migration, and up to four generations can be involved in the annual cycle.

Arctic Terns

The Arctic Terns are small, mostly white birds, with the distinguishing features of a black head and red beak. They follow the summer weather from one pole to the other. Artic to Antarctic, spending most of their time at sea. They are believed to migrate around 40,000 kilometres a year.

The Best Place to Stay to See the Great Migration River Crossings?

Both Serengeti and Masai Mara are ideal places to watch the wildebeest herds cross the Mara River. Book your stay at a camp near the riverbank to make sure you don’t miss a minute of the action. There are several camps that are perfectly situated to see the epic wildebeest river crossing in the northern Serengeti and Masai Mara.

Here are the best places to stay

1. Ubuntu Migration Camp, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

The Ubuntu Migration Camp offers a camp lifestyle that epitomises the early days of safari, the camp has 10 traditional canvas tents, a hot water safari bucket showers, and open verandas looking onto the vast plains of grunting wildebeest as they make their way to the Mara River.

The Ubuntu Migration Camp is best for a classic safari with all the basics

2. Olakira Migration Camp, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

The Olakira Migration Camp boasts eight beautiful stargazing tents with 270° views from your bed. The mesh-covered tents offer shelter as you to sleep under a sky of glittering stars. During the day, the bed is rolled away by your housekeeper, turning the space into your own private viewing deck with lounge, allowing you to watch the wildebeest herds move past camp up towards the Masai Mara for the show-stopping river crossings.

3. Sayari Camp, Serengeti National Park

Sayari Camp is renowned for its exquisite safari experiences offered from its luxurious base, making for a serene and relaxed stay. Set on the untouched plains of the northern Serengeti, this stylish award-winning camp is perfectly located within the path of the famous Great Migration route, and is near several crossing points along the Mara River, where sightings of the herds plunging into the water are frequent and spectacular.

The Sayari Camp in Serengeti National Park is best for Riverside sightings.

4. Rekero Camp, Masai Mara, Kenya

The Rekero Camp and its nine tents sit in a prime position, overlooking the Talek River in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve, a main crossing point used by the wildebeests on their epic annual journey.

The Rekero Camp is Masai Mara National Reserve is best for family safari holidays

Following The Herd

Tips for a Rewarding River Crossing Experience

It can be hard to predict the exact movement and location of the herd, so to maximise your driver crossing sightings, planning a head is crucial.

Here are the few tips

• Plan your Great Migration River Crossings trip for the right time of the year. The wildebeest cross over the Mara River in late June through August and early September, then again when they travel back south, in late October and early November.
• Stay in the same spot for a few solid days at a time, rather than hopping from one lodge to the next.
• Talk to your guide about the best spots to look for amazing sights, they have been doing this for years and will have plenty of advice and stories to share.