Many who venture to Tanzania to climb Kilimanjaro extend their stay to enjoy a safari. And for good reason - Tanzania is the mecca for wildlife viewing, with national parks, game reserves and conservation areas comprising more than 25% of its land.
The Serengeti National Park is undoubtedly the most famous park in the world, with the highest concentration of plains game in the world. Contrary to popular belief, the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti does not only occur over a certain season, but rather it occurs continuously.
The migration follows a clockwise movement throughout the year. The important part to note is that between August and October, the herd crosses into the Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya. Therefore, if you are intent on seeing the migration as part of your Northern Tanzania safari, fall is not the ideal time to visit. Of course, that runs counter to some of the best months to climb Kilimanjaro. But not to worry, if you do come during the fall, there will still be plenty of animals to see. Only half of the animal population participates in the migration, meaning half are still available for viewing. In other words, don’t let it stop you from visiting the Serengeti.
SERENGETI WILDEBEEST MIGRATION
The Greatest Show on Earth! At the heart of the Serengeti ecosystem lies an ancient phenomenon that is the largest movement of wildlife on earth. In pursuit of food and water, over one and a half million wildebeest and half a million zebra and antelope migrate north from the Serengeti to the adjoining Masai Mara reserve in Kenya every year.
Africa's Greatest Wildlife Spectacle:
Every year, since time immemorial, the Masai Mara Game Reserve has braced itself for the annual invasion of millions of Wildebeest and animals from its bordering neighbour the Serengeti National Park -in what is probably the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth.As winter approaches and the grass starts to dry out, the vast, family herds of Wildebeest, scattered over the sweeping grass plains of the Serengeti, join into bigger herds, all moving north towards the Mara, driven by the prospect of sweet, young grass from the impending rains there.Other animals are also caught up in this huge mass of wildebeest and, ultimately, this avalanche of wildlife includes almost one and a half million blue wildebeest, 18 000 eland, 200 000 zebras, and half a million Thompson's gazelle. Eventually, this massive column of animals reaches the Grumeti and Mara Rivers, where the scenes you have seen so often on Discovery Channel, and National Geographic, occur. In their haste to reach the lush plains of the Masai Mara, the wildebeest plunge wildly into the water, where the waiting crocodiles join in the feast.Finally, most reach their destination and spread out across the Masai Mara Reserve, where they recover from their arduous trek. After fattening up on the sweet grasses there, they again gather in preparation for their return journey in November, when this age-old cycle will repeat itself. Depending on how the rains have fallen in the Serengeti, far south across the border in Tanzania, this return journey can take place late in November. This gives the effective migration-viewing period in the Masai Mara from July November, 5 full months.
April to May
As the grass is depleted in the Southern Serengeti the herds move to the plains and woodlands of the Serengeti's Western Corridor. For the migrants there is a high mortality rate due to injury and perhaps fatigue, so large numbers of griffon vultures follow the herds on their journey. Northwest from the short grass plains is the Grumeti River. This watercourse is their first real obstacle and gigantic Nile crocodiles (growing up to 6 meters in length) are waiting for the hesitant wildebeest to stumble at the crossing. Their livelyhood are inextricably linked with the great migration. Moving with surprising stealth and speed, they prey upon the thirsty herds as they drink from and cross the river.
June
Following the rainfalls, the migration moves north before crossing the Kenyan border into the Masai Mara. Nothing stops the stampeding hordes. Here again, they must cross a river, this time the Mara with its flotillas of hungry crocodiles. All is far from peaceful, for it is the rutting season and each male tries to establish a stamping ground. After moving westwards, the migration divides by some uncanny instinct, one group turning northeast and the other due north.
July, August, September, October
The mass of grunting wildebeests remain on the productive Mara grasslands until October or November during a time when the rest of the ecosystem is simply too dry to support them. And then, as the storm clouds gather in the south, the vast herds return to their breeding grounds, which, by the time they arrive, are once again green and lush.
November
The mass of grunting wildebeests remain on the productive Mara grasslands until October or November during a time when the rest of the ecosystem is simply too dry to support them. And then, as the storm clouds gather in the south, the vast herds return to their breeding grounds, which, by the time they arrive, are once again green and lush. The migration is rarely ever precisely the same in terms of timing and direction, as local conditions influence grass growth. So it is, that the wildebeest may move off the open plains earlier in some years, and remain in the northern woodlands for longer, in others.
December to March
Vast herds of wildebeest spend the rainy season in the volcanic open plains below the Ngorongoro Crater and in the Southern Serengeti where the grass growth is most productive with a high nutrient content. This area is the starting point for one of the great wonders of the world: the Serengeti annual migration. As the sea of grass provides little cover and the young are easy pickings for a variety of predators. Wildebeest have therefore evolved synchronized birthing, which means, about 90% of calves are born within a three-week period. With such a sudden and massive surge of available food, predators do not make any significant dent in the newborn calf population. Wildebeest calves can run minutes after they are born. Within three days the calves are strong enough to keep up with the herd.
