Category: News

South Africa’s Top National Parks, as Rated by Safari Travellers

Travel marketplace SafariBookings.com released its list of the 50 best safari parks in Africa based on an in-depth analysis of over 2,300 reviews. The reviews are based on trips taken between 2022 and 2024. South Africa had a very strong showing, with 10 parks in the top 50, meaning that 20% of the destinations mentioned were South African parks!

Among the experts are writers who contribute regularly to Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Frommer’s, Bradt Guides, and Footprint Travel Guides. Let’s explore the national parks that stand out as top safari destinations in South Africa.

South Africa Dominates Top 50 List of Africa’s Parks

Game drive in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia | Photo credit: Tena Tena
Game drive in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia | Photo credit: Tena Tena

South Africa has many parks in the top 50 because of the number of protected areas in the country and the large number of visitors they receive.

The number of parks in the country, compared to other destinations in Africa, creates a high level of competition, and this means that the wildlife-viewing experience is generally of a high standard.

South African travel writer for Lonely Planet, James Bainbridge, says South Africa’s main drawcard is the accessibility of its wildlife-viewing opportunities.

“Not only are the Big Five here, in environments from Kruger’s bushveld to Pilanesberg’s extinct volcano crater, but you can see them from a hired car on tarred roads. Many of South Africa’s well-organised national parks also offer one-off guided drives (and walks) – great ways to pick up tracking tips.”

He adds, “With good roads generally leading to the parks’ gates (and sometimes beyond), it’s easy to see wildlife areas by car or on a guided day trip, without having to join a long safari or procure a 4WD. South Africa also has a greater variety of landscapes than most African countries. You can see wildlife with backdrops of Kalahari sands, Drakensberg peaks, Indian Ocean lagoons, riverine forests, baobab-studded plains, and Namakwa’s spring wildflowers.

“These diverse environments offer a broad menu of activities, from shark-cage diving to tasting grapes in the Cape Winelands, allowing you to mix safaris with other experiences.”

Below are the 10 safari parks in South Africa that feature in the Top 50, as well as the places they hold:

Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve (2)

Lion spotted on a safari in Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa | Photo credit: Inyati Game Lodge
Lion spotted on a safari in Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa | Photo credit: Inyati Game Lodge

Made up of about 20 small but contiguous private reserves, the Sabi Sand area is arguably the most exclusive Big Five game-viewing location in Africa.

Kruger National Park (12)

Elephants in the Greater Kruger, Image credit, Jabulani
Elephants in the Greater Kruger. | Image credit: Jabulani

Kruger National Park is one of South Africa’s most visited wildlife destinations, attracting more than one million visitors annually.

Timbavati Private Nature Reserve (23)

Leopard at Kings Camp in Timbavati Private Game Reserve
Leopard at Kings Camp in Timbavati Private Game Reserve. | Photo Credit: Season In Africa.

Sharing its eastern border with the central Kruger Park, the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve is studded with quality camps and lodges offering all-inclusive guided wildlife-viewing packages.

Balule Private Nature Reserve (24)

Lion on Bulule Private Nature Reserve | Photo: Tomo Safari Lodge

One of the largest rivers in the Kruger National Park, the Olifants River, flows through the Balule Reserve, and its waters and riverine forests attract high densities of mammals, reptiles, and birdlife.

Madikwe Game Reserve (25)

A view of the watering hole | Photo: Last Word Madikwe.

Situated in the North West Province, Madikwe Game Reserve has grown in popularity in recent years thanks to its family-friendly holiday location in a malaria-free zone with excellent Big Five viewing.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (26)

Wilderness walk activity | Photo credits: !Xaus Lodge
Wilderness walk activity | Photo credits: !Xaus Lodge

The Kgalagadi extends across three of Southern Africa’s most popular countries: Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa, making it the perfect base from which to explore the natural wonders of these iconic African destinations.

Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve (28)

Two lions on the prowl | Photo: Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge.

Sabi Sabi, a private reserve in the Greater Kruger region, is well-known for striking the right balance between outstanding wildlife experiences and responsible tourism practices.

Addo Elephant National Park (32)

Family on a game drive in greater Addo | Photo: Amakhala Bukela Game Lodge

Addo Elephant Park offers a full experience to see the Big Seven, which extends the Big Five of the lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino to include the southern right whales and great white shark.

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve (40)

Guided Game Walk in Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park | Photo: Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge

As the oldest proclaimed game reserve, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi is celebrated for its rich wildlife experiences and conservation programmes.

Pilanesberg Game Reserve (42)

Elephant outside safari lodge | Photo: Kwa Maritane Bush Lodge

Pilanesberg Game Reserve, like Madikwe, is situated in the transitional zone between the moist eastern bushveld and the semi-arid Kalahari biome that extends into neighbouring Botswana.

Want to explore the incredible national parks dotted across East and Southern Africa? Let our expert travel advisors find the right experience for you.

Virgin Atlantic and Kenya Airways Improve Connectivity to Kenya

Virgin Atlantic and Kenya Airways have entered into a codeshare partnership, enhancing connectivity between the UK and East Africa. The codeshare allows Virgin Atlantic customers to book flights directly on Kenya Airways’ route between London Heathrow and Nairobi. This agreement between the SkyTeam alliance members simplifies travel to Kenya for international visitors, including those from the UK, who can now enter with online authorisation instead of a traditional visa.

Kenya is one of East Africa’s prime safari destinations. It’s popular with North American and UK travellers who travel to the continent to experience the Great Wildebeest Migration between Tanzania and Kenya. The US led as the top source market, with 209,360 visitors in 2022.

The UK is its third largest international source market, with 131,526 tourists visiting the top safari destination in 2022. This only exceeded Uganda, which had 151,121 visitors. Kenya Airways passengers can connect via Heathrow to Virgin’s services to Caribbean destinations such as Barbados and The Bahamas. Virgin Atlantic is the sole UK carrier offering codesharing on the Heathrow to Nairobi route.

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Kenya’s most obvious drawcard is the annual Great Wildebeest Migration, where hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle traverse East Africa. Yet, this all-round safari season destination has many natural and cultural drawcards to experience:

Top Things to Experience and Explore in Kenya

  • Experience the rich Maasai culture.
  • Kenya has over 60 national parks, including the famous Masai Mara, Amboseli, and Tsavo.
  • Go from bushwhacking to beach bliss with Kenya’s rustic beaches, including Diani Beach.
  • Discover Kenya’s Rift Valley lakes, home to eight lakes such as Lake Naivasha and the flamingo-populated Lake Nakuru.
  • Mount Kenya, the second-highest peak in Africa, offers superb natural scenery and a challenging adventure for climbers.

Are you considering a safari trip to Kenya? Use the Discover Africa’s Safari Cost Calculator, and then get in touch to let our safari experts help you plan your next bucket list adventure.

WTM Africa 2024: Increased Global Interest and Sustainable Tourism Focus

Africa’s travel and tourism sectors were on full display at the 2024 Africa Travel Week, which included the 10th edition of World Travel Market Africa (WTM Africa). The event has seen a 53% boost this year compared to 2023. The event organisers said that 88 countries were represented at the conference. This included 12 first-time participants: Greece, Iran, Switzerland, Lithuania, Tunisia, Benin, Philippines, Singapore, New Zealand, Japan, Colombia, and Peru.

Collective Africa Tourism Effort

South Africa’s Tourism Minister Patricia De Lille, during a streamed opening address, highlighted the need to take “collective measures” to grow tourism to the continent. These included focusing on “safety, sustainability, and expanding tourism beyond well-known destinations to include the hidden gems of lesser-known towns and villages across the continent.”

Africa Travel Week includes shows like the Tourism Investment Forum Africa (TIFA), WTM Africa, and Equal Africa. The show also features seven networking events and the support of 53 partners, demonstrating the collaborative spirit that drives ATW.

Focus on Meaningful Impact

Discover Africa’s head of product, Murielle Vegezzi, stated, “We have had very productive meetings with suppliers, either based in Cape Town or from other regions, that we will not be seeing at Indaba.” Vegezzi noted a marked trend of “connecting socially and environmentally conscious buyers and suppliers throughout the African tourism supply chain for more meaningful impact,” as shared by the African Travel and Tourism Association.

Vegezzi said Discover Africa would place considerable emphasis on partnering with the best operators who ascribe to environmentally conscious best practices through valid registration for the sectors they work in and proven track records.

FastJet Adds Surcharge to Vic Falls Route

Fastjet flights between South Africa’s OR Tambo International in Johannesburg and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe will be slightly more expensive from May 2024. The route is a popular part of the southern Africa safari circuit. The airline announced that it would be charging R250 per leg, effective 22 April. This increase will apply to travel from 1 May to 31 December. It’s crucial to note that all pending bookings in the system must be ticketed by 21 April to avoid the charge.

The surcharges will be incorporated into the total IT fare, said Fastjet.

Route Fare Per Person

  • JNB – VFA R4,300*
  • VFA – JNB R4,750*

Dollar exchange rate fluctuations and rising fuel costs, further exacerbated by the Middle East conflict, have pressured the airline to increase its prices. “Due to a significant change in the overall cost base over the last couple of years, with the Rand/Dollar relationship having shifted significantly and the price of aviation fuel having increased dramatically in this period, Fastjet, unfortunately, needs to impose a surcharge of R250 per leg, per person for travel from 1 May 2024 on JNB VFA and VFA JNB legs,” the airline stated.

‘Amazing Zimbabwe’

Whether the increase will impact the airline’s recent campaign, ‘Amazing Zimbabwe’ to promote Zimbabwe’s hidden gems remains to be seen. The campaign is centred on showcasing Zimbabwe’s “natural beauty, vibrant culture, and rich heritage through four pillars synonymous with Zimbabwe’s Rich Traditions, Splendid Heritage, Iconic Sites, and Great People,” Fastjet spokesperson Nunurai Ndawana previously stated.

*Flight estimates shared at the time of publishing.

Norse Atlantic Adds New Direct Flight to Cape Town

UK travellers now have more direct routes to Cape Town to choose from, with the launch of the Norse Atlantic Airways flight between Cape Town International Airport (CPT) and London Gatwick Airport (LGW). The service will operate seasonally with three weekly flights, starting on 28 October 2024.

The flight will arrive in Cape Town at 09:30 (SAST) on a Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday before departing for London Gatwick (LGW) at 11:45 (SAST). Norse Atlantic Airways will operate the service on a Boeing 787-9.

The UK is Cape Town’s top international source market, followed by the United States and Germany. In 2023, two-way passenger traffic from the UK grew by 54% compared to 2022, with more than 360,000 passengers flying between the two destinations.

Cape Town is one of the world’s most sought-after destinations, attracting tourists to Table Mountain, Robben Island, and the Cape Winelands. The new direct flight route further extends the appeal of visiting Cape Town as part of a southern African bucket-list safari. Get in touch with a Discover Africa travel expert to find out more.

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WATCH: Africa’s Only Penguin is Now Critically Endangered

Cape Town’s most beloved flightless bird, the African penguin, is sadly now closer to extinction than ever before. Towards the end of 2024, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) uplisted the species from “endangered” to “critically endangered,” highlighting the plight of this iconic marine species. According to BirdLife International, it’s a “man-made disaster.”

You probably know these slick-feathered creatures from Boulders Beach in Cape Town, where they’ve become world-famous for their adorable antics both on the beach and in the surrounding residential areas. In fact, Boulders Beach is consistently one of the Cape’s top tourist attractions, with travellers flocking from around the world to see these tuxedo-clad birds up close.

Now, with just 3% of the historic population remaining, it’s more important than ever to ensure responsible tourism in the areas where these birds are found. Let’s take a closer look at these remarkable animals and how local conservation efforts are fighting to keep them around.

Meet the African Penguin

Two African penguins with their eyes closed standing on a white, sandy beach with their eyes closed. They looks like they are about to kiss.
Two penguins in Cape Town, South Africa | Photo: Tomasz Dutkiewics via Getty

Of the planet’s 19 penguin species, only one is found in the Old World: the African penguin. Although much smaller than its more famous cousins like the emperor penguin and king penguin, its distinctive tuxedo-like plumage, pink eye patches, and black mask are instantly recognisable.

Adults can weigh up to 3.5 kg and stand 70 cm tall. Like all other penguins, the African penguin has traded flight for supreme swimming ability, and it’s able to hunt fish at depths of up to 130 m for as long as four minutes.

Its donkey-like bray is another feature that sets it apart, and some people still call it the jackass penguin as a result. During the breeding season, colonies can get incredibly loud! African penguins are monogamous, so they partner up for life. These breeding pairs return to the same sites each year, with the vast majority of breeding pairs based in South Africa.

The largest colony is on St. Croix Island in Algoa Bay, with notable populations on Dassen Island, Robben Island, and in Betty’s Bay. There are also a few thousand breeding pairs in Namibia. Despite being the most famous colony, penguins only started settling at Boulders Beach in the 1980s.

On the Verge of Extinction

There’s no doubt about it: if the African penguin goes extinct, it will be our fault.

“Faced with numerous threats, a primary cause of the African Penguin’s decline is a lack of available food due to climate change, made worse by competition from commercial fishing around its breeding colonies, which impacts the species’ survival and breeding success,” says SANCCOB, an organisation dedicated to reversing the decline of seabird populations in South Africa.

“While there are existing no-take zones where commercial fishing is prohibited to help the penguins better access the fish they feed on, primarily sardines and anchovies, research by seabird scientists has demonstrated that these zones are currently inadequate for penguin conservation.”

To put things in perspective, there has been a 97% decrease in the number of African penguins over the past few decades. There are now fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs in existence, and some researchers warn that the species could vanish altogether in less than a decade.

“The African Penguin is in a dire situation, and we cannot afford to wait any longer to protect the species properly,” says Nicky Stander, Head of Conservation at SANCCOB. “In just over a decade, they could no longer exist, which not only has an impact on our marine ecosystem but also on South Africa’s economy and ecotourism.

“These animals are beloved and quintessential to South Africa, and governments, organisations, and individuals must come together to save them at all costs.”

What’s Being Done to Save the African Penguin?

As far as official government policy is concerned, there are existing “no-take zones” where commercial fishing is prohibited that safeguard fish stocks for around 76% of the total African penguin population. However, experts assert that this approach simply isn’t good enough.

In 2024, BirdLife South Africa and SANCCOB partnered up to take legal action to force the government to increase protection for the penguins.

“The legal action aims to replace the existing no-fishing zones with re-configured areas that better overlap with the penguins’ key feeding grounds while still minimising the impact on the fishing industry,” BirdLife explains. “The proposed zones would cover six major penguin colonies, helping to reduce competition for food and allowing fish stocks to recover, ultimately boosting the penguins’ chances of survival.”

Aside from this legal action, various organisations and activists are taking matters into their own hands. The above video by the Blue Marine Foundation is one such example. The organisation teamed up with local marine conservationist and filmmaker Zandi Ndhlovu to release the short film, putting the plight of African penguins in the global spotlight.

How Can You Help?

Two African Penguins standing at the edge of the beach. The water is clear and blue.
Two Penguins at Boulders Beach in Simons Town | Photo: blueorangestudio via Canva

If you take anything from this article, let it be this: it’s never okay to get too close to African penguins, whether at Boulders Beach or elsewhere. Social media is flooded with countless examples of tourists, influencers, and oblivious locals walking right up to these wild animals – even going so far as to feed them in some cases – but this is totally unacceptable.

Wildlife must be respected and admired from a safe and responsible distance. By getting too close to African penguins, you could expose them to diseases like avian flu, cause unnecessary stress, and put added pressure on a species that’s already facing challenges from all sides.

Instead, take photos and videos from a distance and pay attention to the signage that SANParks has placed around Boulders Beach. The same applies at the Bettys Bay colony, where CapeNature oversees conservation measures.

Last, but not least, offer your support to organisations like the Blue Marine Foundation and spread awareness about African penguins on social media. You can also sign this petition.

Every little bit helps! After all, if Cape Town was to lose one of its most beloved wildlife attractions, it would be a tragic day for locals and tourists alike.

Delta Expands New York Service to Boosts US-Africa Flight Connectivity 

Tourism between the U.S. and Africa will see improved service and flight connectivity from U.S. carrier Delta Airlines. The carrier announced plans to restart its service to Nigeria from New York-JFK, and fleet upgrades for its Ghana and South Africa service have been confirmed.

Expanded Delta Service to Nigeria

Starting 1 December, the airline will revive its daily service from New York-JFK to Lagos, Nigeria, complementing its existing daily flights from Atlanta. This expansion will see Delta offer up to 14 weekly flights to Nigeria during early winter and maintain 10 weekly flights for the remainder of the season.

The New York-JFK to Lagos, Nigeria route will shift from a daily to three times per week on 16 January next year. Joe Esposito, Delta’s Senior Vice President of Network Planning, emphasised that the move reflects the airline’s commitment to adapt to customer needs, offering more travel options and premium services. Passengers can choose from several cabin experiences, including Delta One, Delta Premium Select, and Comfort+ on the Airbus A330-200.

Upgraded Fleet for Ghana and South Africa

Delta is also set to upgrade its aircraft on Ghana and South Africa routes. The New York-JFK to Accra service will see the introduction of the larger Airbus Airbus A330-900neo in late October 2024, increasing capacity by nearly 1,000 seats weekly. Similarly, flights from Atlanta to Johannesburg and Cape Town will be upgraded to the Airbus A350-900, enhancing the customer experience with 40 Delta One Suite seats now available on the route.

The airline operates 10 weekly flights year-round to Johannesburg (JNB) and Cape Town (CPT). The fleet upgrade comes into effect for the Johannesburg route from 20 June and for Delta’s Cape Town route from 9 September.

Living with Leopards – A Netflix Showcase of Botswana’s Special Xudum Concession

Renowned wildlife filmmaker Brad Bestelink has spent the last four years based in the Xudum concession in Botswana, where he and his team filmed the captivating Netflix documentary, Living With Leopards. His journey began over 20 years ago in the Xudum region, where his father established a tourism operation.

Knowing the area intimately, Bestelink has captured its diverse ecosystems on film for projects like National Geographic’s The Flood and the BBC’s Africa’s River Giants. His latest documentary showcases his admiration for leopards: their intelligence, beauty, and solitary nature, particularly the behaviours of mother leopards raising their young.

This passion is evident in the documentary, which captures the leopards’ struggles and successes, making them relatable to a broader audience. Four years ago, Xudum’s landscape transformed due to reduced water levels, becoming a predator hotspot. Recognising this unique opportunity, Bestelink established a permanent filming camp in Xudum, leading to the creation of both Surviving Paradise and Living With Leopards for Netflix.

The project, initiated just before the COVID-19 pandemic, required a long-term commitment to film leopard cubs growing up. Despite the risks, Bestelink’s experience and the exceptional qualities of a leopard named Mochima provided confidence in the project’s success. Bestelink emphasises the importance of emotional connection in nature documentaries, aiming to make viewers feel the wilderness’ emotional journey.

Visitors to Mokolwane, set within the Xudum Concession, have the unique opportunity to experience Bestelink and his team at work while having remarkable leopard sightings firsthand. The area boasts one of Africa’s highest leopard densities and a pristine wilderness with diverse wildlife, including lions, wild dogs, and cheetahs.

Mokolwane offers guests an immersive experience, with only seven rooms amidst 200,000 hectares of untouched wilderness, ensuring a profound sense of solitude and connection with nature.

2024 Great Wildebeest Migration Recap: What Happened This Past Year

The Great Migration is an annual event that sees millions of wildebeests, as well as zebras and gazelles, traverse the plains of Tanzania and Kenya in search of rich grazing grounds. This journey offers safari goers incredible opportunities to see dramatic river crossings and predator-prey interactions. The 2024 Wildebeest Migration was an exciting event, with more than a few standout moments that thrilled bystanders.

Here’s a breakdown of last year’s Great Migration, including the cutest newborn wildebeest taking its first steps, massive herds crossing the Mara River, narrow crocodile escapes, and lions hunting the stragglers of the herds.

Let’s go through the happenings of the Wildebeest Migration 2024 month-by-month, including videos to stoke your excitement for this year’s migration:

January 2024

The first month of the year saw wildebeests congregate in the Ndutu area of the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, as seen in this video taken by Safari Bando. They arranged themselves into massive herds to get ready for their journey across two countries.

Over 1.5 million wildebeests make up the huge herds of the Great Migration, and this event is regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World.

February 2024

Michael Laubscher captured an incredible moment during February 2024: the birth of a wildebeest! This newborn was welcomed into the herd on the 12th of February on the Kakesyo plains near the Ndutu area.

The beginning of the year is the calving season – this little guy is just one of the thousands of wildebeests that were born in January and February.

You can see the newborn take its first wobbly steps in the above clip. The calves need to learn fast, as they need to gallop with the herds as they begin their journey north across the plains.

On the 24th, Manja Kema captured this video of a wildebeest getting caught by a lion in Maswa Game Reserve.

The wildebeest was hiding in the bushes when a lion sniffed him out and pounced! He then held the wildebeest down while his fellow lion caught up to enjoy the meal, too.

Predators are hot on the heels of the Great Migration herds, making it a spectacular time for a safari, as you’re able to see incredible interactions between predators and their prey.

March 2024

March saw the wildebeest herds stay in the Ndutu area so that the young calves could continue nursing and build up their strength. Wildebeest babies nurse for about four months while also supplementing their diet with grass. Mothers and calves usually stick together for a year until the next calving season.

The calves need to build up their strength fast, as the end of the month sees the vast herds moving on to the next phase of their journey.

In these herds, you’ll also spot other species, namely zebras and gazelles, who travel with the wildebeests to the rich grasslands to graze.

April 2024

In April, the herds began moving through the Moru region and pushed westward towards Grumeti game reserve, although their pace was notably influenced by rainfall patterns.

Rain plays a huge role in the wildebeests’ movements, as heavy rainfall promises lush vegetation. The wildebeest herds, therefore, depend on consistent rain in the Serengeti and Mara to complete their migration journey.

April also saw an adorable baby zebra steal attention away from the wildebeest! This cutie was captured by Safarisandstuff near the Kopjes in Serengeti National Park.

Zebras are the ideal partner for the wildebeests during the Great Migration, as they have a great sense of hearing and amazing eyesight to spot predators.

May 2024

A safari vehicle joined the herd in the Seronera area of the Serengeti National Park! This video is courtesy of Mawe Lodges and is a fantastic example of how close safari goers can get to the herds during a Great Migration safari.

The increased rainfall seen during May slowed the progress of the herds as they were able to stay in areas to munch on the lush grass. This delayed their movement, making them late for their arrival in Grumeti.

May and June also form part of the rutting season, which means during this time more fights occur between competitive males as they vie for attention from female wildebeests!

June 2024

This spectacular video was filmed by Tommaso Riva; the wildebeest herd is seen crossing the Orangi River as a group of hippos watches from the sidelines.

All animals in the African wilderness have to make way for these massive herds, like this elephant! Saloom Nature Photography captured this amazing moment near Togoro Plains, where a wildebeest herd galloped across the path of a huge elephant.

June saw the first Mara River crossing of the Great Migration. Andre Photos and Nasikia Camps filmed this video at crossing point 7 and Makutano toward the end of the month. These river crossings are dangerous for the wildebeests, as crocodiles are often waiting to make their moves.

We loved this aerial view of the Great Migration taken by Kingson Mazee. During a hot air balloon safari over the Serengeti, a bird’s-eye view of the vast plains teeming with wildebeests was witnessed.

July 2024

As the herds headed into the second half of the year, the wildebeests experienced a lot of drama as they went through multiple major crossings along the Mara River and entered Kenya.

A particularly memorable event happened on the 20th when around 25,000 wildebeests crossed at the Ashnil crossing point in Kenya. This was one of the first crossings of the season on the Kenyan side of the Mara River.

Matt Yardley caught the incredible moment on camera when a wildebeest narrowly escaped the jaws of a crocodile in the river!

Of course, not all wildebeests are this lucky… At crossing point 0 on the Mara River, Roshana Simone Ching caught this moment when a wildebeest was dragged under the water by a crocodile.

August 2024

August saw continuous back-and-forth movements, with some herds beginning to move south again following rainfall in the northern Serengeti, while others continued their northward journey into the Masai Mara in Kenya.

Did you know that wildebeests can sense rain for up to 24 km/14.9 mi? This is why you can see some of the herd reverse their course – they know rainfall is arriving in the Serengeti.

September 2024

September continued to see dynamic river crossings as the herds moved between Tanzania and Kenya via the Sand River and Mara River.

Weather patterns caused large crossings at Kichwa Tembo; rains in the Mara North Conservancy triggered the wildebeests to cross from the Mara Triangle.

This month, a megaherd of wildebeests was spotted by Johnson Paul between crossing points 0 and 1 on the Mara River. Around 200,000 wildebeests took part in this crossing as they continued northwards.

October 2024

As the year wound down, so did the Great Migration. October saw fewer river crossings as more herds started their southward journey back to Tanzania.

This video captured by Mawe Lodges shows an easy crossing at point 3 for the wildebeests as they moved south.

November 2024

Very little of the Great Migration was seen during the month of November, as the herds were mostly just finding their way back to Tanzania and the Ndutu area of the Serengeti National Park.

December 2024

And so, the 2024 Great Migration came to an end, with the wildebeests back where they started in the beginning of the year, in Ndutu, as we can see in Mawe Lodges’ video.

The herds come back to this area in preparation for calving season, which began in January 2025.

Last year saw so many incredible moments during the Great Migration. Witnessing the sheer size of the herds and watching them make their way across the plains, dodging predators on land and in water, truly gives you a whole new appreciation for the African wilderness.

Stay up-to-date with the 2025 Great Migration by following HerdTracker on Instagram!

 

Check out the video below for a full recap of the Great Migration!