Migration news: Rain in Southern Serengeti

There has been heavy rainfall over the Serengeti. The main migrating herds are located on Ndutu grass plains, but are spread across the entire south eastern Serengeti - from the western slopes of Ngorongoro Crater, to Kusini, and south as far as Maswa Game Reserve.

Safari gameviewing is a challenge (but rewarding) at the moment. A lot of the area is muddy and some of the small tracks have been closed. Safari enthusiasts will have to endure a lot of rain. But the big advantage is that the Serengeti is abandoned by most travellers. You will have the plains to yourself! This is foaling season. There will soon be 10s of thousands of wildebeest foals across the Ndutu Plains. The cats will be around picking off the weak and isolated. #

The best camps to be located at the moment are the permanent camps in the southern and central Serengeti. We recommend avoiding mobile camps that are generally not set up to handle the rain.

At this time we recommend: Kusini Camp - A luxury tented camp south west of the Ndutu Plains. Ndutu Lodge - A basic, but comfortable camp close to the migration. The annual migration will be located in the southern Serengeti for the next few months until the rain subsides and the young new foals get enough strength to start the move west and noth-west.

Wildebeest settled on the Ndutu Plains

The southern Serengeti is wet and green. The main herds of wildebeest are settled on the Ndutu Plains enjoying the lush grasslands. There are also herds around Moru, Kusini and east towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Reserve.

Safari guest should be prepared to get wet at this time of year. But, in return, visitors will be rewarded with some of the most stunning and spectacular scenery and game viewing the Serengeti has to offer. The permanent camps are probably better equipped to handle the rain at this time of year. Kusini Camp is a good option.

News: Rain in the southern Serengeti

The main wildebeest herds are grazing on the lush grass of Ndutu plains, but the migration is spread across the southern Serengeti. The seasonal rains have set in and are providing good grazing across the south. Going is soft and wet for safari vehicles, but game viewing has been good with lots of predators circling the static herds.

Migration news: Wildebeest moving from Ndutu

Finally, and later than "normal", the migration has started to leave Ndutu heading west and north west. The herds are stretched from Ndutu in the east, across the southern Serengeti to Grumeti in the west. Some herds have started crossing the Grumeti River. From here they will move into the Grumeti Reserve before making their way north.

Large herds are also moving north west from Ndutu and will move through Seronera towards the Masai Mara.

Migration starting to move

The main migration herds are still around Ndutu, but a number of large pockets of wildebeest have started moving west and north west.

As the rains start to dissipate more of the herds will start leaving the southern Serengeti.

The best camps to be based at the moment are:
Premium camps -
Kusini tented camp
Tanzania under Canvas

Economy private tented camps -
Mobile private tented camp: A great choice for safari enthusiasts who want to see the migration without the need for all the superfluos luxuries.

Migration Update

The rains have been intermittent throughout January, with some heavy downpours. A number of tracks are so muddy they are impassable and have been closed to vehicles. During January and throughout the rainy season, the wildebeest tend to leave the woodlands and long grass plains during the rains and move to the short grass plains between Naabi, Ndutu and Sanjan. During drier spells over this period, the migration tends to spread out over a wider area, moving back to the woodland and longer grass plains.
Game viewing is good, with large herds and good predator sightings. The advantage of this time of year is that the Serengeti is quiet, but expect rain and be prepared for rugged conditions as the roads can be an adventure. The central Serengeti (around Seronera) or southern Serengeti are the best locations to be based to see the migration at the moment.

Ndutu is muddy with lots of game

A number of the auxillary tracks in the south Serengeti are closed as they are impassable due to the extended periods of rain.

For those safari enthusiasts who do make it to Ndutu, they are rewarded with herds spread across the short grass plains and good sightings of predators. Cheetah cubs have been seen.

Migration Update: Ndutu region

The first half of March was dry, so the herds and following predators began to move north towards the Kusini area. In the last week there has been good rainfall, which brought most of the animals back south again. The core herd is now grazing the Miti Mitatu plains, between Matiti and Kusini. Wildebeest and zebra still cover the southern region from Ngorongoro all the way west past Kusini. The long rains only really started towards the middle of March around Ndutu region, resulting in some confused movement among the herds.

The best place for the migration: The mobile camps based at Ndutu, Kusini Camp, or the Seronera Camps.