What to expect and where to stay for a January Serengeti migration safari

The month of January is notoriously difficult to anticipate. There is a lot of migration from north to south as the herds wait for the first Serengeti rains.

Weather

A hot and humid summer month with average temperatures ranging from 15°C (59°F) to 28°C (82.4°F).
Wildebeest Migration Movement

Between Lobo and Naabi Hill, wildebeest herds converge on the Serengeti's eastern edge in January. The herds are on the move in search of good grasses for their young.
Predatory encounters

Because it is calving season, big cats visit in January.
Accommodation options

Depending on the conditions, it is recommended that you stay in the city centre and only travel north or south from there.

Our Recommended Migration Safaris

The herds are moving constantly, and therefore we recommend you look at one of these itineraries and decide what you would like to see and do on your trip. Then contact us so that we can customise it based on the migration seasonality

East Africa Great National Parks Migration Safari (10 days)

Explore the migration national parks in East Africa

View Safari

$ 4,270

£ 3,403

R 67,450

€ 4,032

per person

August Migration Safari with HerdTracker (10 days)

Experience the drama of the nature's greatest spectacle in the Tanzania

View Safari

$ 7,165

£ 5,711

R 113,181

€ 6,765

per person

Tanzania July to October Great Migration Safari with HerdTracker (9 days)

The wildebeest migration, is one of the “Seven New Wonder of the World” and also known as The World Cup of Wildlife. If there is a safari you should go on, this has to be it!

View Safari

$ 6,680

£ 5,324

R 105,520

€ 6,307

per person

HerdTracker Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration Journey (7 days)

Witness the wildebeest migration in Kenya's iconic Masai Mara National Reserve with HerdTracker

View Safari

$ 5,450

£ 4,344

R 86,090

€ 5,146

per person

Tanzania Great Migration June/July 2021 safari (Luxury)

HerdTracker invites you to join them on a migration safari in Tanzania's Arusha, Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti National Park.

View Safari

$ 11,400

£ 9,086

R 180,078

€ 10,764

per person

Wildebeest Migration River Crossings with Lemala Kuria Hills (4 days)

Fly into the northern Serengeti to view the migration on the banks of the Mara River

View Safari

$ 3,165

£ 2,523

R 49,995

€ 2,988

per person

Recommended Lodges

Lemala Ewanjan Tented Camp

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Lemala Ewanjan Tented Camp is a deluxe camp with 12 beautiful tented suites set within the game-rich Seronera Valley in a secluded part of the Central…

Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge is situated high a tree-clad ridge, commanding panoramic views across the Serengeti. The lodge is a fusion of traditional…

Dunia Camp

Serengeti, Tanzania

Pitched on a major wildebeest migration corridor in the Central Serengeti, Dunia Camp offers easy access to the scenic Moru Kopjes and superb sightings…

The Migration in January

What to expect and where to stay each month of the year

Many people think that the great wildebeest migration only happens once a year, but the migration is in fact an all-year-round event -- with each time of year offering a unique widlife experience.

Select a month below to find out what each month offers in terms of weather, wildlife, migratory movements, predator interactions, river crossings and where the best place to stay is, to get the most out of your trip to see the great wildebeest migration.

Planning a trip to see the wildebeest migration, but not sure when or where to go?

Find out where the herd will be, and what to expect each month of the year, using our migration map with monthly predictions.

Our experts predict how the wildebeest migration will move based on previous years migratory patterns and real time updates received from pilots, rangers and safari guides in the Serengeti.

View migration map and monthly prediction

Get HerdTracker updates on Twitter

Every great wildebeest migration update is tweeted by @HerdTracker.

The twitter account is run by Conrad, the world's first tweeting wildebeest (Conrad's name is taken from the latin name for his species -- Connochaetes).

Apart from tweeting real-time updates of the herd's movements across the Serengeti (on behalf of the HerdTracker team) Conrad also tells what it's like to be a young, curious and braver-than-the-rest wildebeest making his way across the plains of the Serengeti on the annual great wildebeest migration.

@HerdTracker on Twitter

Find out where the wildebeest migration is right now with HerdTracker

HerdTracker is a real time Google map showing weekly updates of the wildebeest migration's precise location.

The updates are accurate, sourced weekly from pilots who fly over the Serengeti, safari guides on the ground, Tanzania National Parks Authority rangers and lodges in the Masai Mara in Kenya.

Visit HerdTracker