Extending over 14,763 km² of undulating plains and isolated kopjes, the Serengeti is Tanzania’s oldest, largest, and most famous national park – and one of the finest safari destinations in all of Africa. It is renowned for the annual migration of some two million wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle, yet its immense plains also support unusually dense populations of lion, leopard, and cheetah, with a liberating sense of space best absorbed from an early-morning balloon safari.

When is the best time to see the Great Migration in the Serengeti?

The migration follows a reasonably predictable annual cycle, with year-to-year variation driven mainly by rainfall. For a horizonless column of braying wildebeest on the move, aim for the Western Corridor in late May to June, as the herds approach the Grumeti River before crossing it, usually in early July.

Game drives and river crossings

More reliable for river crossings is the far north of the park from August to October, when herds of hundreds or thousands make the treacherous Mara River crossing with logic-defying regularity. From December to April the wildebeest disperse into the southeast Serengeti – the most accessible sector from Arusha – where the main calving grounds see peak births around February, attracting spectacular predator concentrations. For the full annual cycle, read our month-by-month migration guide.

Where to stay

Options range from mobile camps that follow the herds to classic lodges inside and outside the park. Whichever you choose, position yourself for the season you’re travelling in – south for calving, west for Grumeti, north for the Mara River.

Every Serengeti itinerary we run can be tailor-made for private travel, any number of days. Get inspired and request a quote.