Best Time To Witness Serengeti National Park Wildebeest Migration
Best Time To Witness Serengeti National Park Wildebeest Migration
June to September may mark the starting and end of the period of great wildebeest migration in Serengeti National Park Tanzania.
Nature triggers the angulates of Serengeti National park to find greener pastures in Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and vice versa during a particular time of every year.
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The great wildebeest migration in Tanzania is usually started by zebras and the wildebeest, gazelles, and others antelopes follow in there footsteps after grass is exhausted in one area.
In Tanzania, normally the great wildebeest migration commences from Ndutu in Ngorongoro caldera area up to Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. This perilous voyage includes skimmers like lions, cheetahs, hyenas, huge Nile crocodiles, leopards and others that look out for stragglers who cannot cross the rivers.
It is sometimes hard to predict when the great wildebeest migration is to start because of the unstable rain patterns due to global warming. A slightly small raindrop may prompt the movement of the wildebeest.
In general, visiting Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is an all year round safari adventure. You just need to have an open mind to enjoy your experience.
What Happens During The Great Wildebeest Migration
From January To March
This season sees the birth of many infants as grass is plenty for them to survive. A number of calves see there first life amongst herds thousands of wildebeest and other herbivores. The rains are more intense in this season and so there is abundant grass to feed on.
As time goes by, they mature to compete for the grass with the millions of adults which prompts some to start looking elsewhere. Lake Ndutu and Lake Masek are the common congregation grounds for pregnant herbivores. The infants camouflage in the tall grass to hide away from predators that want a meal.
April To May seasons Serengeti National Park
When rains start to reduce, the food supply for the herbivores also lowers creating a need to find new feeding grounds as the numbers of wild animals increases too. Some may move to Seronera region for a stopover before proceeding with the journey to Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.
May To July During Great Wildebeest Migration in Serengeti National Park Tanzania
A huge population of the wildebeest, zebras, gazelles make there way to cross River Grumeti. Within River Grumeti is a population of huge Nile crocodiles that the opportunity to catch some confused prey, wearied and weak migrants. Here hungry predators also seize the chance to select the best meal for the day. This time is the fiesta for most predators in Tanzania.
For photographers on a Tanzania safari in Serengeti National Park, this point is the best to catch the most of survival for the fittest moments.
July To September Season Of Great wildebeest Migration
This season is the most exciting for most tourists as pilgrims from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania arrive to cross River Masai Mara in Kenya. The angulates face another obstacle of the huge crocodiles in the Mara River. Raptors like lions, leopards, hyenas, jackals also wait on them to continue feasting.
This bloody area is usually the highlight of the great migration and most filming crews and photographers seize the opportunity to capture the moment. The struggle at the Kongatende crossing shows how life is precious for every living individual. Each wildebeest, gazelles, zebra, impala is on survival for the fittest mode.
October To November Season Of Great Wildebeest Migration
Although most of the great migration period by this time is coming to the end, there are still chances of viewing the confused or late comers Wildebeests and gazelles crossing the Mara River into Masai Mara though in very small numbers.
The Tanzania side may forget about the wildebeest and other ungulates for some time as they are by now residents of Masai Mara National Reserve where they feed on the lash vegetation until the end of season.
December Season Of The Great Wildebeest Migration
This is normally, the climax of the great Wildebeest migration as they cross back to Tanzania. This period normally may take extend into the calving season. There may be less drama. As this wildebeest episode comes to an end, they can be seen grazing in Central Serengeti, Lobo or close to Kogatende.
Note
All the above seasons in Serengeti National Reserve game safari activities may vary according to climate conditions of the year. This is not the definite flow of the great Wilderness Migration because some changes from time to time. This is because it is a spur of the moment.
One of the main determinant of this world natural wonder is the rainfall patterns. The presence or absence of grass in a certain point of there path contributes a lot to the great migration. The quest to quench thirst and seek better feeding grounds that can support over a million wildebeest pushes them to move. There movement is not influenced by human factors or choreographed by any instructors apart from nature.
How To Get To Serengeti National Park In Tanzania
By road,
By Flight.
What Is The Cost Of Safari To Serengeti National Park
Getting the total cost of safari to Serengeti National Reserve depends on several factors that make up the general components of an African tour package. Selecting how much you ought to spend on this African safari depends on the inclusions of the entire package.
You must know the number of days you are ready to be on holiday in Africa. This contribute a lot to the entire tour package you choose.
One of the static safari expenses is the park entrance fees, which cuts across all budgets. This money is used for supporting conservation fund of Tanzania, park maintenance, ranger guide fees and other park expenses.
Even what you wish to do in Serengeti National park speaks volumes on the total cost. The safari cost varies with what you wish to do in the park like photographing safari, filming wildlife in the park, birding in Serengeti and much more. These may attract an extra cost compared to the normal tourist visits.
Where to spend your safari nights (accommodation) is another factors to consider. The number of people travelling with plus number of days in the reserve, the vehicle to use during game drives to mention but a few.
Serengeti National Park safari packages are graded from High-end packages (Luxury), to Midrange safari package to Modest Safari Package. Choosing your ideal package saves you the trouble of not being able to pay for your safari expenditures.
Selecting the right timing of your safari may adds a lot to the total cost of your safari package in Serengeti National park. When you choose the peak seasons that is June to September and December to January, the lodges can award no negotiable prices to you.
Even those that travel as tour operators who normally get discounts especially in the shoulder season have to pay full cost of Safari. The total cost price of the safari prices are slightly higher than Low season. All this is attributed to high arrival and demand for accommodation from tourists world over.
Many tourists who come to Africa for a safari holiday experience are willing to pay even more just to be part of this trip in the Africa. Being one of the lucky visitors to witness the Wilderness migration is remarkable and lifetime experience.
If this world natural wonder is on your bucket list, you must plan in advance and go through your schedule with your tour operator to know all the details involved or excluded prior.
Reserving accommodation for your days in Serengeti National Park helps you not to keep moving from one lodge to another searching for a room opening especial in peak season. There is no limit as to how many people are allowed to stay in the park so ensure you are not hindered by not having room space. The lodges in the Serengeti normally are filled to capacity during the peak season.
For anyone expecting to book accommodation in Serengeti National Park on the last minute, chances of being waitlisted for space are high. Even making a choice of which room you wish to stay in during your nights in the park are limited. Sometimes lodges may waitlist you yet not sure of having no-shows which may be disappointing. In case you have a specific lodge in Serengeti where you wish to spends your nights, you can do this in advance.
What To Pack For Safari In Serengeti National Park
Packing light but relevantly during any holiday saves you from carrying bags that may be very difficult to monitors during your safari. Even space in the vehicle many be limited by to many bags especially if you are sharing with other people.
Sometimes you may be required to pack and unpack in case you area changing rooms or accommodation facility. It is annoying to go through your bags again and again just to find what you want to use while on safari
- Pack in Duffel Bag with no rollers.
- Foldable safari hut. Wearing a hut to protect your hair from buzzing insects in the wilderness is a great decision. The tracks are dusty too so you need to protect your head too.
- Pack in cubes
- In case you have to go through checkup, you need to save time by packing in cubes that you can quickly repack.
- Safari attire. Packing convertible safari wear in colors that are nature friendly makes the trip fantastic. You can wear trouser during cold early morning game drives and later covert them to shorts when it gets too hot. Pack safari wear in colors like Khaki and tan that will you are comfortable wearing under dusty roads.
- Insect repellant
- To smear the body with and keep away stinging insects.
- A camera with a good lens especially for photographers and those who wish to capture great memories of there safari experience.
- First aid kit in case of emergencies while on safari.
- Some hard cash to use for personal purchases or transactions just in case you need too.
- A pair of binoculars for clearer viewing in case of far ranging animals.
- Safari boots to protect your feet from wild insects or creepers just in case you get the opportunity to step out. This is not recommended without an armed ranger guide.
- Toiletries in case your lodge doesn’t provide them or you have a sensitive skin.
- Flip flops to change into in case you need some aeration especially after a long day in the field.
- Sun screen to wear on your skin in case you have to busk by the sun on the pool
- Sun glasses to protect your eyes from the scotching sun.
- Swimming costume to use at the lodges with pool service.
- Bug spray just in case your lodge is infested with bugs.
- A torch to use in case solar power runs low.
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