Joining the Great Migration? Read this
A bucket list classic, the Great Migration is one of Nature’s most memorable spectacles with 1.5 million wildebeest and over 200, 000 Zebras making the 1,200-mile journey through the African wilderness in pursuit of the rains and food.
Here is what you really need to know.
What is the Great Migration?
The Great Migration refers to the constant seeking out of food undertaken by Wildebeest and Zebra in a circular grazing path. The epic journey begins every January in Tanzania’s Serengeti following the birth of their young.
Cessation of the rains in this area prompts the herds to seek greener pastures westwards where they arrive at the Maasai Mara in Kenya in the peak of Summer. Come Autumn and Winter, the herds travel back to the Serengeti, beginning the process anew. The journey is fraught with drama and danger for adult and young animals alike and highlights the majesty of nature. Observing the Great Migration is an experience like no other.
Heading out on Safari in the first few months of the year, you are guaranteed to witness hundreds and thousands of Wildebeest and Zebra making their annual journey. The relationship between the two animals is a cooperative one in which the Zebra eat the longer grass, leaving the shorter stuff for the Wildebeest. The Zebras also aid in keeping the migration on track whilst the Wildebeest sniff out water sources for the two animals to share.
Whilst on Safari you are sure to see a vaster array of wildlife than you have seen anywhere else before including gazelles, elephants, lions, leopards and Cheetahs.
The best way to see the Great Migration
One of the best ways to view the Great Migration is from the comfort of a safari vehicle. From the ground, you are front and centre as hundreds of animals are impelled by the need to seek out food and water.
If you fancy taking a bird’s eye view to comprehend the sheer scale of the migration, there is no better way than to take a hot air balloon at dawn over the plains of the Serengeti.
Lodges and Camps
Tented camps and lodges are part and parcel of the safari experience and as such there is no better place to recharge than Sanctuary Retreats who operate from a number of locations with properties located in the most remote and picturesque parts of Tanzania and Kenya.
The location of the properties make it easy to partake in this stunning natural spectacle and also ensure that your experience will be up close and personal. They even provide the opportunity for visitors to track the Great Migration for its entire journey through the Serengeti with a specialised mobile tent camp.