Are You guaranteed of seeing the migration?

This will depend on where and when you book your safari but even then - as with all wildlife sightings in Africa - nothing is absolutely guaranteed.

The great annual wildbeest migration is truly one of nature’s most spectacular displays. Almost two million animals move across the African savannah in search of grass and water and have been doing so for thousands of years.

Wildebeest form the bulk of the migration but they are accompanied by zebra and gazelles.

The herds move between the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and theMasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

Although there are certainties with the migration, the exact time of the animals’ movements cannot be foretold. The timing depends on the rains.

It is certain that they will move but predicting their exact location at specific times cannot be done.

When is the best time to visit a country in order to see the migration?

Once again an exact time table is impossible to calculate as the movement of the herds is controlled by natural forces but what is certain is that the herds settle for a few months on the nutritious southern plains of the Serengeti to give birth.

This occurs from December through to April/May when they will start moving north again through the Western Corridor.

They generally cross into the Masai Mara in Kenya in August/September before heading south in November/December.

Booking a safari around these dates will not necessarily guarantee a migration experience but it will provide a great chance to view the herds.

Do predators follow the migration?

It was once believed that predators kept up with the migrating herds but in reality this is not so. There are predators all along the migrating route, but they are different individuals.

Predators such as lions, leopards and cheetahs hold territories or home ranges and they do not take kindly to intrusions from other predators.

If the migration is your primary focus then

* Plan and book well in advance
* If destination is first priority that is you prefer one of the two countries, then you’re going to have travel at specific times
* If you’re flexible time wise then choose destination based on what other add-ons you’re keen to do so the logistics don’t get too complicated. A great way to cap an African wildlife safari is often a beach experience.
* Don’t think of combining or switching at the last moment on the cheap.
* Logistically it’s best to handle the Serengeti from Arusha and the Mara from Nairobi - this will help with decisions on beach breaks or other safaris into southern Tanzania or elsewhere in Kenya.
* If you’ve left things a bit too late or if you can’t get the right space for this season then rather postpone your trip for next year than take second best now.