Wildebeest Migration Safaris 2010
Serengeti
>Masai Mara
The Greatest animal spectacle on Earth;
The Wildebeest Migration is a dramatic story, dubbed one of the
7 New wonders of the world. It takes place within Kenya and Tanzania and is the greatest wildlife show on earth. This annual
Migration is a natural cycle that replenishes and renews the grasslands of East Africa. Each June, around 1.3 million Wildebeest
gather in the Serengeti to calve. They slowly mass into a huge single herd, until the dry season withers their supply of fresh
grass.
The scent of rain to the North begins to draw the herd throughout July, and soon the planet’s greatest animal migration
is underway. This is one of the remarkable wildlife attractions that make's Kenya one of the best wildlife destinations
in the world.
Kenya’s most popular attraction, the Mara was awarded its title for its sheer volume and variety of game. One traveller
summed up the appeal of the Maasai Mara Reserve; “This is the total sensory experience holiday. Your senses are constantly
stimulated by the sights, smells and sounds of the Mara and its many inhabitants. The thrill of leaving camp at dawn, in search
of big cats is an experience that is difficult to repeat.”
There is no better time to visit the Mara than during the
Great Migration. The sound of the approaching herd is a deep, primal rumbling of thundering hooves and low grunts. The sight
of the wildebeest is staggering- a continuous charging mass that stretches from one horizon to the other this endless grey
river of life is mottled with black and white as zebras join the throng.
Over the course of
the migration, visitors to Kenya will have the opportunity to follow the progress of the herds and experience the full grassland
cycle firsthand. In the Maasai Mara, Africa’s largest concentrations of predators are drawn to this perfect opportunity
for easy hunting. Lions are frequently seen attacking the herds - especially at night- dragging down straggling individuals.
At the same time, packs of Hyena freely weave throughout the herds, singling out and separating the young and the weak.
Predators are not the only obstacles that the wildebeest face. Kenya’s heavy rainfall in the highland Mau escarpment
has turns the Mara River into a raging torrent. As happens each year, the herds will gather at the banks in preparation for
the most perilous stretch of their journey. As sheer pressure builds, the herds are finally forced to surge into the river,
often hurling themselves off high banks. In the struggle across the Mara River, many are drowned or swept away by strong currents.
The crossing attracts massive crocodiles who each year awaits this season of bounty.
By September the herds will begin reaching
their goal, and spreading out to graze across the expanse of the Mara. For this beautiful game reserve, it is a time of renewal,
as the dung from the visiting herds fertilizes the plains. October will see the herds turn southward and repeat the same journey
back to the Serengeti, where the renewed grasslands await.
The Migration is the planet’s last great epic of life and
death. Of all the calves born in the Serengeti, two out of three will never return from their first and most demanding migration.
It is this inextricable binding of renewal and sustenance, feast and famine, life and death that makes this event one of nature’s
greatest wonders.
Kenya’s Maasai Mara reserve has a wide range of accommodation and travel options. There
are luxury lodges, exclusive tented camps, campsites and more available. The migration can be experienced on early morning
game drives in customized vehicles, walking safaris with Maasai Warrior guides, horseback safaris in areas surrounding the
Mara, or even from hot air Balloon safaris over the herds.
Most of our safaris featured on this site pass through Masai Mara and are ideal for those who want to view the
migration
Ask as a Question or Book a Safari to view the Migration
