Great Migration
Best Time for the Great Migration
No single month: choose calving (Jan–Mar), Grumeti (June) or Mara crossings (July–Oct) — then camp in the right zone. The wrong zone in the right month still fails.
Related Migration guides
Month by month · Mara crossings · Calving · Serengeti zones · Mara herds · Packages
Timed safaris
7-day Tanzania Migration · 7-day Kenya · 5-day Tanzania
Be with the herds in your month
Tell us dates — we confirm herd logic before quoting.
FAQs
Which single month suits a first Migration trip?
August: peak Mara crossings, dry-season game viewing, all camps open. Book Kogatende and Mara lodges 9-12 months ahead.
Is there a bad month for the Migration?
April-May long rains challenge roads, not wildlife - herds still move and rates crater. November short rains rarely disrupt trips.
How do we time both calving and crossings?
You cannot in one short trip - they are opposite seasons. Ten-plus-day February-to... no: choose one spectacle, or book two trips.
What is NOT included that surprises first-timers?
International flights, visas, travel insurance (required), premium drinks, the balloon flight where offered, and tips. Our quotes line-item park fees and permits so the total you compare is the total you pay.
What happens if it rains?
Game drives run rain or shine - vehicles have roofs and ponchos, animals remain active, and green-season light is superb for photography. Only true downpours pause activity, and camps flex schedules around them.
What insurance do we need?
Comprehensive travel insurance is required, including medical evacuation (AMREF/Flying Doctors cover, about 30 dollars, is recommended for remote circuits). Bring policy details - camps and operators ask for them.
Can we customise the route?
Freely - add nights, upgrade camps, swap parks or append beach and trekking. Request a proposal and we re-quote line by line.
Do we need a visa?
Most visitors need one: Tanzania offers visas on arrival for many nationalities, Kenya uses an eTA applied for online before travel, Uganda an e-visa. We confirm the current rule for your passport before you fly.
One decision per country, and they differ. Tanzania sells visas on arrival for most passports - US$50, US$100 for United States citizens - or by eVisa in advance. Kenya has issued only the eTA since 2024, at US$32.50 online at least three days before departure. Uganda runs an e-visa printed before you fly, and the US$100 East African Tourist Visa folds Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda into a single stamp. Six months of passport validity covers all three. Send us passport details at proposal stage and we confirm every rule for your nationality before you commit to flights.
Traveling solo - how do single supplements work?
All itineraries run solo. Expect a 20 to 50 percent supplement where lodges charge per room; vehicles cost the same whether one or six ride. Ask for the honest supplement math per trip.