Great Migration

The herds are typically spread across the short-grass plains that straddle southern Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Calving is usually concentrated around February, but the precise distribution follows rain and fresh grazing.

Landscape

Open short-grass plains, green after the rains, with newborn calves during the main calving period.

Plan around

Choose Tanzania and confirm the actual Serengeti sector and camp for your dates; a generic Serengeti stop is not automatically in the southern calving area.

During the long-rain period the herds may spread across a broad area. North-westward movement often starts during May or June rather than on a fixed date.

Landscape

Green plains and increasingly mixed grassland and woodland toward the western corridor.

Plan around

Build in geographic flexibility. Current rainfall and road conditions matter more than a promise tied to one river or one week.

The broad movement typically progresses through the western Serengeti and toward the north. Grumeti-area crossings may occur, but they are not a scheduled June event.

Landscape

Woodland, open grassland and river environments along the western progression.

Plan around

Use a Tanzania plan and ask where the itinerary will actually spend its Serengeti nights. The right sector matters more than the word ‘Serengeti’ in a route title.

The northern phase often spans these months, with herds moving through northern Serengeti and sometimes into the Maasai Mara. Mara River crossings may happen on either side of the border, but timing and frequency vary.

Landscape

Northern grasslands, riverine corridors and the Mara ecosystem across Tanzania and Kenya.

Plan around

Choose Kenya for a Mara-focused trip, Tanzania for northern Serengeti, or a longer combination for both. None of those choices guarantees a crossing.

Short rains can start drawing the herds south, but the return is uneven. Some groups may still be farther north while others are already moving through central Serengeti.

Landscape

A changing mix of northern woodland, central plains and newly greening country farther south.

Plan around

Treat November as a location-check month. Confirm recent conditions before choosing a Serengeti sector rather than relying on a fixed calendar map.

With the short rains, the broad movement generally returns toward the southern grasslands. Distribution can remain scattered, and December is not a promise that calving has begun.

Landscape

Greening central and southern plains as fresh grazing develops after rain.

Plan around

Choose Tanzania and confirm the season’s actual herd distribution. Plan for the wider ecosystem rather than one predicted gathering point.