The wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara

don’t be too obsessed by the migration

Of course the Maasai Mara is best known for its enormous wildebeest and zebra migration, in which close on 2.5 million herbivores munch their way along an 800 km route around the greater area, driven by the continuous search for drinking water and the quality of grazing.

The main body of the migration is formed by around 1.7 million wildebeest, who are rather dull-headed creatures. It’s the 500,000 zebras who appear to be the main decision makers in terms of routes and timings.

The migration is accessible here on the Kenyan side during the Jun-Oct dry season months, with the lesser herds arriving from the Loita Hills to the east during June, followed by the main body of animals arriving in from Serengeti from around the end of July.

The main highlights of this migration period are the mass crossings on the Mara River, along with the accompanied crocodile action.

The main migration herds tend to leave the central river areas at the first sign of rains and should be departing the Maasai Mara completely during November. However, they can sometimes still be around through December and even into January.

Whilst it’s easy to get wrapped up in the pursuit of the migration herds and their attendant predators, it’s worth bearing in mind that other parts of the Maasai Mara do deliver great safari experiences. In fact we would go as far as to say that the migration may prove something of a distraction from the main body of your safari.