Serengeti Great Migration Season

Follow 1.5 million wildebeest across the Serengeti from June to October, including the Mara River crossings that draw visitors from around the world.

The Great Migration is the largest overland movement of animals on Earth. Every year, approximately 1.5 million wildebeest, 250,000 zebra, and 500,000 Thomson’s gazelle move in a clockwise circuit across the Serengeti ecosystem in Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya. While the migration runs year-round as the animals follow rainfall and grazing, the peak season for dramatic wildlife viewing falls between June and October, when the herds concentrate in the northern and western Serengeti before crossing the Mara River into Kenya.

The annual cycle

Understanding the migration calendar helps you plan the right visit for the experience you want.

January to March: The herds are in the southern Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This is calving season: approximately 8,000 wildebeest calves are born every day in February. Predator activity around calving grounds is intense. This is one of the best periods for big cat sightings.

April to May: The rainy season pushes the herds northwest toward the Grumeti River in the western corridor. These months see the fewest tourists and the lowest accommodation rates. The long rains can make some dirt roads impassable, particularly in the Grumeti area.

June to July: The herds consolidate in the western corridor and begin moving north. Grumeti River crossings take place from around June, with massive Nile crocodiles waiting in the river. By late July, the front of the migration reaches the Mara River in the far north of the Serengeti.

August to October: This is the most sought-after period for river crossing viewing. The Mara River crossings are the iconic images of the Great Migration: thousands of wildebeest plunging into crocodile-filled water in a chaotic mass crossing that can last minutes or hours. Crossings happen unpredictably. A herd may approach the bank, mill around for hours, then retreat. Patience (and a good guide) is required. The crossings continue through October as herds cross back and forth between Tanzania and Kenya.

November to December: The short rains arrive and the herds begin moving south again, back toward the Ndutu area of the southern Serengeti.

Best camps for migration viewing

Where you stay determines which part of the migration you see. Camps are seasonal and move to follow the herds.

Northern Serengeti (Lamai and Kogatende areas): Access to Mara River crossing action from July to October. Camps in this area include &Beyond Kleins Camp (from approximately USD 700 per person per night), Singita Sabora Tented Camp (from approximately USD 1,200 per person per night), and mobile seasonal camps from operators such as Asilia Africa. The northern Serengeti is one of Tanzania’s most remote areas; most camps require a charter flight from Arusha or Seronera.

Western Corridor (Grumeti area): Active from June to July for Grumeti River crossings. Grumeti Reserves’ Singita camps dominate this area and are among the most expensive safari properties in Africa. Independent operators and more affordable options are limited here.

Central Serengeti (Seronera area): Year-round wildlife but less migration concentration. Seronera is the most accessible part of the park by road and has the most camp options across budget ranges, including National Parks Authority bandas (from approximately USD 50 per night) and tented camps from USD 150 to USD 600 per night.

Entry fees and practical costs

Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) entry fees for the Serengeti as of 2026 are approximately USD 82 per person per day for non-resident adults, plus a vehicle fee of approximately USD 40 per vehicle per day. These fees are in addition to accommodation and guide costs. Entry fees are subject to annual revision by TANAPA; check the official Tanzania National Parks website for current rates before booking.

A typical Serengeti safari stay is three to five nights. Budget travel in the park is limited: the National Parks Authority campsites and bandas exist but are basic and require a hired vehicle and guide. Organised camping safaris from Arusha start from approximately USD 250 per person per day all-inclusive. Mid-range tented camps run USD 350 to USD 600 per person per night. Luxury camps from USD 700 to USD 2,000+ per person per night.

Getting to the Serengeti

Most visitors fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam, then connect to Arusha by road or regional flight. From Arusha, the Serengeti is approximately a five-hour drive through Ngorongoro Conservation Area, or a 45-minute charter flight to Seronera airstrip (from approximately USD 250 one way per person on a scheduled prop-plane service, or higher on a charter).

Charter flights between Serengeti airstrips and to the Grumeti and northern Serengeti are standard for mid-range and luxury safari itineraries. Road access to the northern Serengeti via the Ikoma Gate from Arusha takes approximately seven to eight hours.

Booking timeline

The northern Serengeti crossing season (August and September) is the most over-subscribed period in the Tanzanian safari calendar. Camp bookings for peak migration months regularly sell out eight to twelve months in advance. If you have a specific August or September date window, book by October of the previous year at the latest.