What makes the great Migration river crossing special?
What makes the great Migration river crossing special?
What makes the great Migration river crossing special? : Migration river crossing is one of the most quintessential wildlife experiences on the plant, the migration which happens in Tanzania and Kenya in the Mara – Serengeti Ecosystem is a one of a kind event in the whole world.
Witnessing millions of wildebeests and hundred thousands of zebras and gazelles along their annual journey across the plains of Serengeti national park of Tanzania and Masai Mara national reserve of Kenya, watch them give birth while in calving season and as they faceoff with predators.
Migration River crossing is very intriguing and nerve wrecking which makes it a special wildlife event to watch, each year the wildebeests, zebras and gazelles embark on this incredible journey across Tanzania and Kenya giving birth and facing scores of different predators on both land and water.
For many tourists, witnessing the spectacle of river crossing is such as an emotional experience that could never be fully captured by mere words or photos thus making it one of the most sought after safari tour. Whether you are embarking on a family safari holiday or going on a solo trip, Great migration river crossing is a unique phenomenon that shouldn’t be missed.
Every aspect of the Great Migration delivers a unique wildlife viewing experience and the river crossings should not be missed, this dramatic event is one that showcases nature at its rawest. Life and death hang in the balance in a balance in a survival of the fittest among the large herds as they battle hungry crocodiles and hippos as well as turbulent waters on their journey in search for green pastures.
Where the River Crossing Takes Place
In the whole wildebeest migration journey, there are two major river crossing along the path of the Great Migration that are the Grumeti River Crossing in Tanzania and the Mara River Crossing in Kenya.
The Grumeti River is the first water obstacle that the herds will encounter on this journey, here the large Nile Crocodiles lie in wait as the herds are forced into the water in spite of the obvious threats. This predator activity is beyond anything you can imagine, it is a spectacular event to behold but it is not as challenging as what they are about to face when crossing the Mara River further North.
The Mara River is almost 400 kilometers long and is deep, wide, craggy and treacherous, the river known for being a home to largest crocodile population as well as a huge population of hippos. As the herds clamor and struggle to cross the river to get to the greenery on the other side, these large Nile crocodiles and territorial hippos await, unfolding what is without a doubt one of the most dramatic and chaotic scenes in the animal history of the world. In many ways, this river crossing represents the climax of a long and arduous journey, the rivers are torrential, swollen with water and the two game reserve (Maasai Mara national reserve and Serengeti national park) are teeming with enough animals hungry for the flesh of the migrating herds.
Predator on Predator Action
On the banks of the rivers, there are plenty predator vs predator encounters as well, this is mainly because there are predators are highly territorial. Even when the migratory herds are well beyond the river, these predators like lions, cheetahs, leopards, African wild dogs and hyenas do not leave the area right away. Instead, they stay for a while which is where it gets nasty as stiff competition for food and territory becomes brutal and intense.
This is one of the main reasons the Great Migration River Crossings attract so many visitors is that it provides some of the most thrilling and unreal predator sightings on the planet.
When is the Best Time to Witness the River Crossings?
The best time to witness the River Crossings is one of the most common question that tourists ask, the most crucial thing to understand about Great Migration river crossings is that the exact timing of the migration is driven by the weather so an unusually dry or wet season can cause a variation in the timing of the river crossings. The best times to witness the River Crossing is further explained as below
May – June
The rainy season comes to a stop in this period, the South and Eastern plains of the Serengeti start to dry out. This prompts some of the herds to move towards the Western Corridor and the Grumeti River which they must cross as they head north towards the Masai Mara plains.
July – October
By this period, this herds are congregating around the Mara River and Crossing in large, the Mara River Crossing is the most famous and sought for stage of the Great Migration attracting millions of visitors.
What to Expect On The Great Migration River Crossings
The river crossing is not a single event so you can expect to see the migrating herds crossing the river throughout the dry season in large numbers ranging from a few hundreds to ten thousands. When a particular herd arrives at the banks of the river, they usually search for a place to cross where the banks are not too steep.
Naturally, the animals are hesitant to cross and it may take hours before they amass the courage to take that dreaded plunge.
During this time, tourists are required to stay out of sight of the animals so as to not spook them with the sounds of their safari jeep engines, windshield reflections and any other distractions. It is only when the wildebeests have begun to cross that the safari vehicles will surge forward so that visitors can score the best viewing spot the greatest animal migration in Africa along the river bank.
If you wish to experience the Great Migration River crossings, contact Petnah Africa Tours, info@petnahafricatours.com .
Note: The Great Migration is an extremely popular event so you need to reserve your reservations for the safari about 6 months to the safari for proper arrangements.
