What to expect and where to stay for a migration safari to the Serengeti in May

May is a great time for action photography as the herds move quickly to the Serengeti’s western corridor.

Weather and wildlife

May is the wettest month in the Serengeti. Roads can be slippery and tricky to navigate.

The herds gather speed in May as the calves’ legs should have become fully operational by now. They also feed less frequently, so bigger distances can be covered each day.

Where to stay in May

The migratory herds should be on the move towards Lake Magadi just north of Moru and south of Mokoma.

The mobile camps do not operate in May, due to the difficult and wet road conditions. May therefore offers limited accommodation options at Moru and the central Serengeti permanent lodges.

We still recommend the Moru area for your accommodation, but early bookings are recommended to secure a place for your Serengeti migration safari.

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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