The Complete Great Migration Guide: Month-by-Month Timing & River Crossings

## Understanding the Great Migration Cycle The Great Migration is not a single annual event; it is an endless, circular 800-kilometer trek driven by rain and fresh pasture across Tanzania's Serengeti and Kenya's Masai Mara. ### January – March: Calving Season in Ndutu (Southern Serengeti) During the first months of the year, vast herds congregate in the nutrient-rich short grass plains of Ndutu and Southern Serengeti. Over 8,000 wildebeest calves are born daily during peak weeks in February. This high density attracts Africa's top predators: lions, cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas. ### April – June: Moving North & The Grumeti River Crossing As rains subside, herds assemble in massive columns moving northwest through the Western Corridor. By June, wildebeest gather on the banks of the Grumeti River, facing giant Nile crocodiles during dramatic first crossings. ### July – October: Mara River Crossings & Northern Serengeti The peak safari season features breathtaking crossings at the Mara River. Herds leap from steep embankment cliffs into churning waters filled with hungry crocodiles. ### November – December: Returning South With the onset of short rains, herds head back south towards Ndutu to restart the cycle.