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

Weather and wildlife

June marks the end of the rainy season. The plains are lush and green.

The wildebeest herds cover great distances. Driving times between leading and trailing herds can exceed three hours.

June is traditionally the Grumeti River crossing period, but this is mainly dependent on the water level of the Grumeti River. There is seldom enough water in the river to produce dramatic crossings like those seen at the Mara River in July and August.

Where to stay in June

Traditionally June is tricky because of the dispersion of the herds. You usually need time on both sides of the Nyamuma and Simiti Hills.

It’s a long way round, but this approach gives you the best of both worlds: you could find yourself deep in the migration one day, and then have a view of the approaching migration at the Mbalageti River, the next day (we have seen some of the best migration views from the restaurant deck at Mbalageti).

That said, depending on how much rain has fallen, the back end of the migration could still be at Lake Magadi and on the southern side of the Nyamuma and Simiti Hills.

We recommend combining Makoma Hill and Mbalageti accommodation in early June and then going towards the Grumeti River in late June and early July. We suggest an even 5-night / 5-night split between the two areas for the best possible Serengeti migration safari in June.