Why the Serengeti migration is special

The Serengeti National Park forms part of a huge conservation area, encompassing the adjacent Ngorongoro Conservation Area, well as the Masai Mara National Park in neighbouring Kenya. With no fences or man-made barriers, huge numbers of wildlife move freely throughout Serengeti National Park, constantly recreating an ageless natural cycle. The magnificent Serengeti National Park is famed for its vast tree-less grasslands allowing for excellent wildlife sightings. The Serengeti National Park boasts 35 species of plains-dwelling game and prolific birdlife.

The Serengeti migration route

When does the Serengeti migration occur?

Just like the Serengeti Migration map illustrates above, the Serengeti migration is annual and peaks in different areas at different times in the year.

Why does it occur?

The animals in Serengeti National Park migrate in search of greener pasture and due to seasonal dry weather conditions which dries up the grass and water supplies in one area hence they move to another area where seasonal rains fall.

Number of animals

An estimated two million herbivores - mostly wildebeest - migrate from the Serengeti National Park to Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve. Hundreds of thousands of animals die along the way and the drama of this epic seasonal journey is a gripping, deeply moving experience and a wonderful photographic subject.

Predators

The carnivores unlike the grazing herbivores do not migrate with them but hunt them down upon crossing their paths during migration.

Serengeti Ecosystem

Serengeti National Park covers an area of 14,763 square kilometres and can be divided into three different regions, the grassy Serengeti plains to the South, dotted with ‘Kopjes’ or granite florations, the Western Serengeti corridor comprising of mainly swampy land with black clay soil, and finally the Northern sector which boasts open woodland and hills stretching from the Seronera in the South to the Mara River on the border with Kenya. These three regions support a wide range of wildlife species as well as around 500 bird species. The plains game – wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, hartebeest, topi, buffalo, impala and others thrive on the grassy plains and can be found in huge numbers during the wet season while to the North elephant and giraffe roam. Over 1 million wildebeest and approximately 200,000 zebra journey through the Western Corridor during the months of May - July, moving on to the Northern sector July through to August and finally completing their journey when they reach the South in October. The Serengeti National Park boasts the largest population of lion in Africa National Parks, thought to be due to the abundance of prey.

Travel to Serengeti National Park with Migada Adventures and Experience the Serengeti Wilderbeest Migration