Serengeti Migration Safari in May

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Home > Wildebeest Migration > Wildebeest Migration in May

The Wildebeest Migration in May

What to Expect in May?

Weather: In Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, April is a moderate fall month, with typical highs of 26°C (78.8°F) and lows of 16°C (60.8°F). May is the wettest month in the Serengeti. Roads can be dangerous and challenging to manoeuvre.
Wildebeest migration movement: As the calves’ legs become fully functioning in May, the herds take up the pace.
Predatory encounters: Crocodiles of the Grumeti genus.
Accommodation options: Staying in the Moru region is recommended, however, Serengeti migration safari arrangements should be arranged as soon as feasible.

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When is the best month to view the Great Migration?

Migration in January

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.

Weather: Maximum temperatures of 28°C (82.4°F) and minimum temperatures of 15°C (59°F) characterize this month’s weather.
Great Migration Movement: For the past ten to twelve years, wildebeest herds have been settling in and around Lakes Ndutu and Masek. This meadow is lush in February, making it an ideal location for wildebeests to give birth to their young.
Predatory encounters: As lions and leopards move into the area to hunt on young and vulnerable calves, predatory confrontations are quite frequent.
Accomodation options: For a migration safari to the Serengeti in February, you may reserve your Ndutu accommodation well in advance and have peace of mind.

Weather: In Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, the first month of fall, March, remains warm, with average temperatures ranging from 28°C (82.4°F) to 15°C (59°F). March has a reputation for being a rainy month. The meadows are lush and fruitful, providing vital nourishment for the large herds of wildebeest.
Wildebeest Migration: The Serengeti’s Ndutu and Kusini Maswa districts are home to the Serengeti’s wildebeest herds. They move slowly, while numerous newborn calves are fed.
Predatory encounters: Predators see calves as easy prey since there are so many of them. There will be a lot of lions and leopards to see.
Accommodation options: We recommend spending March in the Ndutu area. Mobile camps in Kusini and Maswa operate during the month of March, providing wonderful possibilities to be close to the herd during your Serengeti migration safari.

Weather: The Serengeti is damp in April, but you’ll adore it. Bring a raincoat and your sense of humour. April showers are nothing to be concerned about. The rain falls mainly in the evenings, and the days are mostly sunny.
Wildebeest Migration: Because it is the most consistent, April is one of the finest months to watch the herds. When newborn calves and foals reach the age of mobility, they begin to move.
Predatory encounters: The populations of lions and big cats in these areas are thought to be steady. Expect a lot of physical interaction between the hunter and the prey.
Accommodation options: The migration is best seen in April in the Simba kopjes districts of Moru and Kusini.

Weather: In Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, April is a moderate fall month, with typical highs of 26°C (78.8°F) and lows of 16°C (60.8°F). May is the wettest month in the Serengeti. Roads can be dangerous and challenging to manoeuvre.
Migratory Movements: As the calves’ legs become fully functioning in May, the herds take up the pace.
Encounters with predators: Crocodiles of the Grumeti genus.
Accommodation options: Staying in the Moru region is recommended, however, Serengeti migration safari arrangements should be arranged as soon as feasible.

Weather: Temperatures at Serengeti National Park range from 13°C (55.4°F) to 25°C (77°F) in June, the first month of the winter. In June, the rainy season comes to an end. The fields are lushly green and densely forested.
Wildebeest Migration: Wildebeest populations travel over great distances. It could take up to three hours to cover the distance between the leading and trailing herds.
Predatory interactions: Each migrating animal must first navigate a crocodile-infested river, the first of many dangerous river encounters.
River crossings: The Grumeti River crossing season runs from June to August, depending on the river’s water level. The river is rarely full enough to make dramatic crossings like those seen on the Mara River in July and August.

Weather: July is another nice winter month in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, with average temperatures ranging from 13°C (55.4°F) to 25°C (77°F).
Wildebeest Migration: In pursuit of water and greener grass, herds of wildebeests began to migrate quicker.
Predatory Encounters: Expect predatory encounters, such as with crocodiles.
River crossings: The Grumeti and Mara Rivers are both crossed.
Accommodation options: If you want to see early river crossings, the Grumeti River is a fantastic site to come to in July. However, due to the limited number of rooms available, we strongly recommend that you book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Weather: August is the hottest month of the year in Serengeti National Park, with average temperatures ranging from 14°C (57.2°F) to 26°C (78.8°F). August is a hot and humid month when the dry season comes into high gear.
Migratory Movements: Wildebeest herds will continue their search for lusher, greener vegetation, attempting to cross the Mara River’s treacherous, crocodile-infested waters.
Predator encounters: Crocodiles are among the predators encountered.
River crossings: If you want to see river crossings, August is the best month to go. The animals will cross a foreign border between Tanzania’s Serengeti and Kenya’s Masai Mara.
Accommodation options: Book early on both sides of the Mara River. The Olakira Camp, Sayari Mara, and Mara River mobile camps offer a once-in-a-lifetime migratory safari.

Weather and wildlife:September offers more hot and dry weather, as the dry season continues in the Serengeti and Masai Mara.Most of the wildebeest have crossed the Mara River, and the majority of the herds will be in the Greater Masai Mara area, eating the lush green grass resources before venturing north towards the private conservancies (Mara North, Olare Orok).
Where to stay in September:Similar to August, September is an easy month to predict where the herds will be. You can still stay in the Serengeti early in the month, but its safer to stay on the Masai Mara side to view the last of the Mara River crossings. The Olakira Camp or the Mara River mobile camps are unrivalled migration safari options.

Weather and wildlife:October will be milder, as the dry season approaches its climax. You might even experience early rain in the Masai Mara and the Serengeti.The wildebeest herds are in the Masai Mara, but will start to slowly move back into the Serengeti moving through Loliondo in the east.
Where to stay in October:Its best to stay in the Masai Mara to have the best opportunity to see the wildebeest herds. Nomad’s Lamai and Lemala’s Kuria Hills are good migration safari destinations.

Weather and wildlifeNovember brings cooler weather, as the early rains start to fall in the Serengeti.The wildebeest herds are now in the Serengeti, stationed in the Lobo, Mbuze Mawe and Seronera Valley areas where water is abundant.
Where to stay in NovemberThe south-eastern Masai Mara itself, combined with north-eastern Serengeti is where you need to be. Sala’s Camp & the Lobo mobile camps are two authentic migration safari accommodations.

Weather and wildlife: Expect wet weather in December, as the short rains begin to fall in the Central Serengeti.The wildebeest herds will move quicker now, as far south as possible, towards the Southern Plains which they usually reach within a couple of days.
Where to stay in December: If there’s been lots of rain in the northern Serengeti, then South of Lobo is the ideal place to see the wildebeest herds. Kleins Camp, Migration Camp and the Lobo Mobile Camps are all great migration safari accommodation choices in December.

The herds are moving constantly, we recommend you look at our sample itineraries.

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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.

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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.

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