The Great Migration in Tanzania: The Ultimate Guide

The Great Migration in Tanzania: The Ultimate Guide

The Great Migration in Tanzania : Serengeti national park is one of the best places in the world teeming with true nature and wilderness, the park is part of Mara – Serengeti ecosystem – one of the oldest ecosystems in the world and it hasn’t changed a bit in the last centuries.

Serengeti national park features vast, rolling endless plains stretching as far as eyes can see. These savannah plains are teeming with wildlife including the big Five and the Great Migration with over 2 million wildebeests and hundred thousands of gazelles and zebras.

The Great Migration is a marvel of nature and the most exciting event in wildlife to experience once in a life time, millions of conservationists, wildlife enthusiasts and tourists visit Serengeti national park purposely to witness the migration as millions of animals – wildebeests, zebras and gazelles are the move across the grasslands, stampeding across rivers.

Like everyone else, you might be wondering why is the Great Migration a continuous movement, why it happens and where do the herds migrate to. Also if you are planning to visit Tanzania’s Serengeti national park on a safari purposely to witness the world’s most spectacle wildlife – The Great Migration, you would want to know the best time to witness the Great Migration and how to make the best of the experience.

This article is an ultimate guide answering all the questions you might have about the Great Migration in Tanzania.

What is the Great Migration of Tanzania?

All year- round, millions of wildebeests and hundreds of thousands of gazelles and zebras embark on a perilous journey from the southern region of the Serengeti national park and the Ndutu plains of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area north across the plains. The herds continue moving clockwise, crossing rivers to the west and north, grazing in lush valleys and green pastures before heading south back to their starting point on a relentless search for food and water.

The Great Wildebeest Migration is the largest land animal migratory event in the whole world, each year wildebeests cover over 1000 kilometers on their migratory route in search for water and green pasture.

Wildebeests, locally known as the gnus by the native Africans are ubiquitous across Eastern region of Africa, roaming around and through Tanzania and Kenya.

 The Wildebeests belong to the family Boyidea and are related to bison, buffaloes and antelopes, these animals have skinny hindlegs fronted by a rectangular head with two upward curving horns and a broad, mascular chest and shoulders. A wildebeest can grow to 8 ft. in length and weight up to 600 pounds.

Why do the Wildebeest Migrate?

Wildebeests are herbivores animals and they lead a nomadic lifestyle, feeding on the lush grasses of the African savannah, because of their nature they are continually on a move in search of water and nutrient – rich vegetation.

The migration cycle begins in the Southern Serengeti and the Ndutu plains of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the wildebeests gather here in multitudes as the short rain season of November and December bring forth abundant new grass. The main reason the herds congregate around these areas is because the soil is rich in phosphorous thus providing a healthy source of food for the herd, most especially for mothers giving birth. This marks the calving season for the Great Migration with hundreds of thousands of wildebeests giving birth to calves this increasing their population to over 2 million animals.

 The animals stay in the areas as long as there is food, allowing the calves to grow and gather strength. However by April, the herds are usually on the move searching for food as the spring rains flood the area. They slowly head northwards with some branching to the west, some continuing north, facing brutal river crossings as they cycle through the region in constant search of food.

Where Do They Migrate?

As the New-year dawns, the wildebeest herds congregate in the Southern Serengeti during the calving season. By Spring, the wildebeests are on a move heading northwest from the Ndutu plains towards the western corridors of the Serengeti plains until they gather and press together along the river banks of the Grumeti River.

This is also the wildebeest rutting season – when the males fight for dominance, it is remarkably noisy and violet but the most fascinating time of the ear as patches of prime grazing are fought over by testosterone pumped bulls. The herds migrating along the western corridor will cross the Grumeti River while the herds moving north will pass through Central Serengeti, they all meet up north mostly in the Kogatende area of the Serengeti where they cross the Mighty Mara River.

Those that make it through this through this impossibly dangerous river crossing (surviving the crocodile infested Mara River), they will make move into Kenya to feed on the green pastures of the Masai Mara – ecosystem before they return.

  The herds congregate and drift apart throughout the migration, but all are flowing clockwise, also following the rains with the promise of green grass and fresh water back south to start the cycle again.

When and Where Can I Experience the Best of the Great Migration?

The Great Migration is a year- round event with the wildebeest starting and ending their annual journey in the south, the get the most enjoyment out of your Great Migration safari, determining the event or the location/place is the most important factor before deciding when to go for the safari in Tanzania.

 If don’t want to miss the calving season – In this season the plains are densely packed with millions of animals spreading across, if your intention for traveling to Tanzania is to witness the calving season, then you are in for a treat. The best time to witness the calving season is from January to March and the Ndutu plains of the southern Serengeti ecosystem are the best place to see the calving season, as the calves are being born and learning to walk and run in just a few minutes after their birth. It is all fraught with peril as the males of the herd encircle the females and the calves are desperately trying to fight off attacks from big cats and other predators.

As April and May approach, Tanzania experiences heavy rainfall. The herds move west reaching the Grumeti River sometime late in May, you can get excellent sightings of the migration from the river banks in the western corridor of the Serengeti as the animals arrive and prepare to cross.

From July to August, the wildebeest arrive at the Mara River and begin to pack in along the edges of the river until, forced to cross, they stampede, running for their lives. The herds continue to cross back and forth until October.

The river crossings pose the greatest threat for the migrating as the wildebeest fight for survival against the fierce crocodiles and big cats waiting on shore and crocodiles in the water. The Mara River is deadly for tens of thousands of animals as many of them drown, get injured or die from predation.

The Kogatende area situated close to the border of Kenya is a great place to view this stark tableau, these river crossings capture nature at its most raw and unforgiving.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT WILDEBEEST

Wildebeests are fascinating and mesmerizing creatures, however not much is known about them. Here are some of the interesting facts about these amazing animals.

• When Africa was first colonized by the Dutch, they saw a peculiar animal that resembled wild cattle which they called the “wildebeest” which means “wild beast” in Dutch.
• An average herds of wildebeest consists of about 150 – 300 male and female wildebeest, this strength in numbers provide protection from predators during their annual migration.
• Wildebeest are one of the largest members of the Antelope family that can grow up to 8 feet in length and weigh over 600 pounds.
• Wildebeest take park in the Great Migration from the moment they are born, they continue their migration every year through their 20-year lifespan.
• New calves learn to walk and run within minutes of their birth to join their mothers in the constant movement of the migration
• Wildebeest usually migrate either during the early morning or early afternoon, they rest at night and when the temperatures are hot.
• Wildebeest have a symbiotic relationship with zebras, the zebras nibble the top of the grass while the wildebeest prefer the bottom juicy grass and roots. Zebras have a great sense of direction while the wildebeest have a strong sense of smell and can detect water sources.

 The Great Migration of Tanzania is a spectacular marvel of nature and witnessing this spectacle at any point while on their annual movement across the vast plains can be a life – altering, unforgettable experience.

If you are planning to visit Tanzania for The Great Migration adventure, feel free contact us for more information.