Kenya and Tanzania hold the densest concentration of large mammals on earth, and the Great Migration is a year-round circuit rather than a single event. What you see depends entirely on the month and the reserve.
What to do
The Masai Mara
Kenya's flagship reserve, and where the migration herds cross the Mara River between roughly July and October.
- River crossings Jul–Oct
- Big cat density is exceptional
- Balloon safaris at dawn
- Conservancies are quieter than the reserve
The Serengeti
Tanzania's vast plain, where the herds calve in the south around February and move north through the year.
- Calving season Jan–Mar
- Central Seronera year-round game
- Northern Serengeti for crossings
- Vast — choose a region
Ngorongoro Crater
A collapsed caldera holding a resident population of almost everything, including black rhino.
- Day visit from the rim
- Best early morning
- Rhino sightings realistic
- Combines with the Serengeti
Beyond the safari
Zanzibar for the beaches and Stone Town, Amboseli for elephants under Kilimanjaro, and Lake Nakuru for flamingos and rhino.
- Zanzibar to finish
- Amboseli for Kilimanjaro views
- Rift Valley lakes
- Kilimanjaro treks
Migration timing shifts with the rains and cannot be guaranteed to the week. Plan the region around the month, not the other way round.
Planning notes
The month decides the reserve. The Great Migration is a continuous circuit, so where the herds are depends entirely on when you travel. Calving in the southern Serengeti peaks around February; the Mara River crossings run roughly July to October. Neither can be promised to the week, because both follow the rain.
Conservancies versus national reserves. Kenya's private conservancies border the Masai Mara and cap vehicle numbers at a sighting, allow off-road driving and permit night drives — none of which the national reserve does. They cost more and are worth it, particularly for photographers.
Three nights per camp, minimum. Light-aircraft transfers consume half a day at each end. Two-night stays spend more time in transit than in the vehicle, and the game drives that matter are the first and last hour of daylight.
Beyond the big five. Amboseli for elephants against Kilimanjaro, Lake Nakuru for rhino and flamingos, Samburu for the northern species you see nowhere else, and Ngorongoro for a resident population in a collapsed caldera.
Practicalities. Both countries require visas for Australians, applied for online in advance. Malaria prophylaxis is standard, and yellow fever certificates are required when arriving from certain countries — see a travel doctor six to eight weeks out.
Where this leads
Blog attracts, things to do informs, tours convert — in that order.