Migration Update: Rains across the Serengeti

There has been a lot of rain over the last week. This has caused the Ndutu plains to spring to life with new freeze grass. The wildebeest have returned in thousands back to their favourite grazing in the Serengeti, the Ndutu Plains. The rains have been welcome as 2009 started relatively dry.

There are wildebeest (with their new foals) and zebra as far as the eye can see around Ndutu. It is a spectacular time to the in the Serengeti, but moving around is a challenge as a lot of the roads are muddy. The best place to be based over the next couple of months is the permanent lodges in the central and southern Serengeti. They have better access roads to their camps and are generally more prepared for the rain. The mobile tented camps can be an adventure!

Migration News: Herds spread across the south eastern Serengeti

The lack of substantial rain on the Ndutu plains has pushed the wildebeest and zebra out across a wide area in search of grazing. They are finding grass on the outer slopes of Ngorongoro Crater, Mawza Reserve, around Olduvia and also west of Ndutu. These areas have seen more rain than the Ndutu plains. Foaling continues. The herds are trying to build up their strength before they start their migratory trek west and north west when the rains finally stop completely in about a month. The 2009 season has been much drier than last year and it will be interesting to see how this affects the herds movements in the coming months.

The best safari camps for the migration, at the moment, are:
Klein's Camp
Mobile Tented Camps: Budget
Mobile Tented Camp: Luxury
Ndutu Safari Lodge

Travel to see the migration in 2009

There are still some excellent special offers available to see the migration in 2009. The highlight of the 2009 calendar is the Mara River crossing that usual happens between August and October each year.

For more information on special offers or for further enquiries, contact info@sunsafaris.com or visit our website at www.sunsafaris.com

Migration news: Wildebeest foaling

The herds are spread from the western Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the south eastern Serengeti, around the short grass plains of Ndutu. There has been sufficient rain and heat to keep the plains green, but 2009 has started out drier than normal. There are a lot of wildebeest foal in the area with more to come. This is supplying the predators with abundant easy prey. Game viewing has been good, Ther are huge herds of wildebeest and zebra congregated on the plains and predators picking off the weak and vulnerable.

Migration news: Wildebeest start foaling

The first foals of the 2009 migration are being born on the Ndutu plains of the southern Serengeti. This is where the wildebeest always foal during the annual migration. It is here that the grass is the most nutritious throughout the entire Serengeti eco-system and where the young foals have the most chance of surviving. The wildebeest and zebra will remain in this area for another couple of months, giving the foals sufficient time to gain some strength before the long trek north to the Masai Mara. The predators are having a easy time picking off the young wildebeest from the herds.

There have been heavy rains and the area is muddy and wet. A number of roads have been closed. A safari at this time is rewarding, but challenging.