The highlight of a Kenya safari Masai Mara package planned with us between July and November is witnessing the dramatic Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration.
The event is dumbed the largest land migration on earth, and it is one of the most thrilling, adventurous, and spectacular displays of wildlife behavior on earth.
During the annual event, over 1.2 million wildebeests, 200,000 zebras, and different species of antelope migrate from the Serengeti national park in Tanzania to the MaasaiMara in search of green pastures.
The migrating animals make a round trip from the southern edges of the Serengeti National Park, across the Grumeti and the Mara River into Kenyan Masai Mara before moving back to Southern Serengeti.
The actual Mara river crossing occurs between May and July, and it is incredibly awe-inspiring, magical, and indescribable. The Masai Mara Serengeti wildebeest migration is the must witness for lovers of Mother Nature.
If you will only plan one Maasai Mara package, it should be a Serengeti migration safari or Mara river crossing tour.
Compared to the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, the Mara offers the best view of the migrating animals as they make across the crocodile-infested river.
In 2007, the annual Masai Mara migration was declared one of the 8 wonders of the world. It is the largest overland migration on earth.
THE WILDEBEEST CALVING SEASON – DECEMBER TO END OF FEBRUARY
The animals migrate on a round trip in search of food. Between December and March each year, the animals will be on the southern edges of the Serengeti.
This is the calving season, and it climaxes around January to the end of February when about 8,000 calves are born daily.
The calving season attracts a lot of predators to the Southern plains of Serengeti as they eye an opportunity to make an easy meal for the vulnerable calves.
Driving around the plain in our luxurious 4×4 safari land cruisers, you will effortlessly spot 100s of hyenas, dozens of pride of lions, cheetahs, leopards, and other predators scattered in the Savannah grassland.
Hint: Masai Mara packages during these months are ideal for big 5 safaris. You will also see all the other animals. However, the wildebeest migration is the heart of your safari, Serengeti is the better option.
Quick Kills Are not a guarantee. The wildebeest use 3 strategies to protect their calves.
- First, they instinctively stick to the short grass plains of Southern Serengeti, allowing them to spot lions, cheetahs, and other predators easily.
- Second, the female wildebeest surround the birthing mothers, forming a barrier that protects the younglings when they are most vulnerable.
- Third, the massive calving within a short period puts the predators at a disadvantage. They consume a massive amount of wildebeest meat within a short time. This results in them becoming satiated and unable to prey on the young ones as much as they would if the calving happened over a long period of time.
The calving season provides the best chance of survival for the young wildebeest. Any calves born outside the calving season are far more likely to fall victim to predators.
WILDEBEEST CALVING SEASON.
Activity Approximate Time. Place.
| Calving | January To March (Low Season | Southern Serengeti |
| Intense Big Cat Action | January To March (Low Season | Southern Serengeti |
| Rutting | January To March (Low Season | Southern Serengeti |
| River Crossings | July to October (High Season) | Northern Serengeti - Masai Mara |
| Private Game Viewing (Tanzania) | June To August (High Season) | Grumeti |
| Private Game Viewing (Kenya) | August To October (High Season) | Mara Conservancies |
THE MASSIVE MOVE FROM SOUTHERN SERENGETI STARTING MARCH
As April approaches, the migration will have moved from the Southern end of Serengeti towards the center of the park.
The animals continue moving, and by around June, they will be looking to cross the Mara River into Masai Mara National Park in Kenya.
But how do the wildebeest determine the direction to follow? One popular theory is that the animals move in response to changes in weather and availability in pastures.
Around the end of the calving season, early March, the pastures in the southern Serengeti dwindle.
The animals then start the trip towards MasaiMara in response to the availability of green pasture and rain patterns.
Some behavior scientists argue that the Wildebeest, as well as other animals, are able to identify and react to thunderstorms and lightning.
Another popular theory is that the wildebeests instinctively know which path to follow.
According to this theory, the path to follow is hard-coded into their DNA through centuries of natural selection, and that is how the herd knows which route to follow.
The wildebeest that initially headed the wrong direction would have died long before they could give birth, and only the ones that followed the right route have lived to produce future generations.
Note that the great wildebeest migration does not move in a straight line.
Unless you plan your Masai Mara migration safari with local tour operators such as MasaiMarasafari.in or safari lodges within the Serengeti or Masai Mara, it can be hard to know when and where to see the herd.
If you have your eyes set on witnessing the Mara river crossing, book a long Kenya safari in Masai Mara such as this 13 days Kenya safari package.
You can also book shorter Masai Mara holiday packages, but wait till the animals have started crossing over to Masai Mara to travel to Kenya.
This 3 days Masai Mara budget safari is a good plan for those who want to travel on the cheap.
THE CROSSING
The crossing is the most exciting part of the migration. Millions of grazers advance north from western Serengeti and cross into the Maasai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya, in pursuit of the rains.
The Great Migration route is cut in various points by rivers.
These include the Mbalangeti and Grumeti rivers in Serengeti and the Mara River. For most of the year, these rivers remain placid, only becoming raging during the wet months.
When that happens, the resultant flooding presents major obstacles to the crossing herds.
But what makes the migrating herds dread these rivers and other few lakes within the Serengeti isn’t their sheer water volumes. Instead, it’s the hundreds of savage Nile crocodiles that rule the waters.
Besides, the vegetation around the rivers and lakes tend to comprise of high grass and thickets, just the perfect hideouts for some of the wildebeest’s fiercest predators.
However, the animals banish their fears and follow their instincts to cross over. Some of the lakes located in the south of Serengeti include Masek, Ndutu, and Lagaria.
As most of the migrating herds crossed these lakes en route to the Serengeti, the waters don’t really pose much threat to their journey back.
Also, natural selection dictates that those that didn’t make it further bolstered the herds’ gene pool.
As such, most of the animals that are priming themselves to cross over are stronger, healthier, and more adaptable to these harsh conditions.
In one of the documentaries that capture the essence of this iconic migration, titled The Year of the Wildebeest, the filmmaker, Alan Root, tries to paint a clearer picture of the entire situation.
Mr. Root narrates how he observed as thousands of wildebeests crossed Lake Lagaria.
In his experience, he noted that the crossing took over in various phases, with the first phase featuring the main body of the herd.
Our LandCruiser in Masai Mara
He also observed that the cows that became separated from their calves would instinctively turn back to look for them, urging them to take the plunge and swim over to the other side.
The same happened to the very old, the very young, and other strugglers.
This cycle repeated itself for up to a week until all the animals found themselves on the other side. Mr. Root also adds that the crossing claimed thousands of wildebeest in the lake.
Some were torn into pieces by the resident crocodiles, while others fell victim to the ensuing stampede.
However, Alan remarks that the fatalities pale in comparison to the size of the herds that managed to cross over, as well as the number of calves that were born on the other side.
In his view, the population of the wildebeest could spiral out of control if such unfortunate events didn’t occur.
The wildebeest proceed to the Mara River in their thousands, ready to cross.
But the spectacle doesn’t begin on the arrival of the first herds. For the most part, the animals would come to the river, drink, and wander away.
However, their numbers keep building up as they continue to graze near the river.
Eventually, the herds identify a crossing point, which is usually a rather placid stretch of water featuring less predator-concealing vegetation yonder.
However, the herds are known to commit grave errors, most times choosing deeper water spots that see them drown in their hundreds. Experts believe that this could be due to the fact that the crossing points remain genetically imprinted in the minds of the herds.
Also, it’s important to note that certain fords attract larger herds than others.
That could be due to the fact that they’re visible from afar, and the animals can see their kind in the process of crossing over.
Or, they feature more lush greenery on the other side, which is the main attraction of the herds anyway. Click here to see a list of the best Serengeti hotels to stay at during the migration.
Hint: Masai Mara safari cost is at its highest during the annual wildebeest migration. Try and book your safari 3 to 2 months in advance. Otherwise, you will miss the best hotels/rooms.
MASAI MARA MIGRATION – THE PREDATORS
As soon as the wildebeest make it to the Maasai Mara grasslands, they spend months grazing, fattening, and reproducing. The animals especially love the Mara for its scattered distribution of green pastures as well as fewer cases of rainstorms.
That makes them wander freely across the expansive park in search of good grazing areas. It remains mystical how wildebeest herds can wander miles away from each other but still reunite at specific grazing spots.
Wildebeests are physiologically designed to traverse vast stretches of land faster and more economically. That’s why you’ll see them mating on the move.
Besides, their calves are born ready to outrun some of the savannah’s fastest predators. So, it’s usually only a matter of time before they overrun every green pasture of the Mara.
Since the wildebeest herds are always on the move, they can also outmarch many of their predators. That’s because most predators are territorial, and will only hunt herds that graze within their patches.
Abandoning their territories in pursuit of the fast-moving herds would mean invading the territories of other predators.
Besides, most younger members of predatory animals depend on their mothers till they’re a couple of years old. That, again, makes it unrealistic for the mothers to hunt beyond certain stretches.
The 4 Best Things to Do During Tours in Masai Mara.
1. Game Drives – Morning & Evening Game Drives Vs Full Day Game Drives
The primary activity during a safari in Masai Mara safari is game drives. Our expert Masai guides will take you on game drives atop a custom-made safari land cruiser with an open roof for optimal game viewing.
They are vastly knowledgeable about the savannah and the animals that call it home- and they are happy to share this knowledge with you. Wildlife lectures are always part of our safari.
Most game drives will start early in the morning, which is a great time to view animals as they go out for breakfast. Bring your camera along; this is usually the best time to witness a hunt.
Depending on the day’s program your driver will return you to your camp for lunch and afternoon rest, before embarking on an evening game drive.
Ideally, morning and evening game drives with a return to the hotel are ideal for families traveling with kids below 5 years old.
Most people prefer a full day game drive with a picnic lunch. This allows them to venture deep into the Mara.
On a full day of game drive, we normally leave the hotel at 6:15 am after an early breakfast with packed lunch. We do the game drives, and around 1:00 pm, the driver finds a nice place, possibly under a tree, and we have the picnic lunch there.
We then continue with our game drives, till around 6:00 pm.
2. Great Wildebeest Migration – July to October
If you are touring the Masai Mara between July and October, without a doubt, the showstopper is the great wildebeest migration.
Be on the front row as millions of wildebeest, zebras, impalas, and antelopes make the dangerous crossing from the Serengeti into the Masai Mara.
The drama unfolds as they try to escape from the sharp jaws of hungry crocodiles in the water below.
3. Balloon Safari – USD 450 Per Person
Another must-do activity that we recommend that you include in your Masai Mara tour package is a balloon safari. It is one thing to see the greatness of the Mara from land, and quite another to see it from the air.
It is majesty that cannot be fully explained, only experienced.
At the end of the one-hour dawn balloon safari, you will indulge in a champagne breakfast, a fitting end to one of the most exhilarating adventures you will ever undertake.
4. Masai Village Visit – USD 20 to 30 Per Person
A Masai Mara tour package from Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, or any other part of India is not complete without interacting with the intriguing Masai people.
During your visit, we will take you to a Masai village where you can learn various things about their culture.
These include what they eat, how they construct their homes, their colorful beads, and of course, you must give the popular Masai jump a try.
