The Wildebeest Migration in East Africa

The Great Migration is the largest movement of animals on the planet. In fact, with up to 1,000 animals per km², the great columns of meandering wildebeest can be seen from space. The numbers involved in this migration are astonishing: over 1.0 million wildebeest and 300,000 zebra along with gazelle move in a constant cycle through the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem in search of nutritious grass and water. It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to witness the movement of animals as far as the eye can see across the undulating plains of east Africa.

But, like everything in travel photography, timing and knowledgeable guidance is the key to your success. As large as this migration is, they seem to be able to be difficult to find at certain times of the year.

There is the obvious, the event that they call “the crossing”. It's in August when the migration turns south and crosses the Mara river during their return to Tanzania down the eastern corridor of the Serengeti. They are heading for their calving area in the Serengeti, my preferred location, and time to photograph this spectacle.

Each January to early March the migration is in the eastern Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation area giving berth to their young. The herds split into veins, covering mass areas of the plains, giving berth to their young as they follow the rains. This time of year optimizes your opportunity to see the herds of animals.

The thundering movement casts more sand into the air like an 18-wheeler speeding down a dirt road presents the opportunity to create fantastic images. Being in the middle of over 200,000 wildebeest like I was in 2015 will make you feel insignificant. Witnessing a Cheetah run at over 100km/h like I have many times is something that is indescribable.

But, with the calving season, comes what we all want to see the most – predation. This is a true testament to nature's wonderment that allows the strong to succeed. Weak migrating young are methodically taken by predators to feed their families, stronger herbivores that are born fight for their own survival, and amidst it all, we sit and witness a wildlife event that spans time farther back than we have lived on this planet.

Your emotions will span from excitement of witnessing the predator's hunts, to sadness when we witness a kill of a defenseless wildebeest or zebra. Regardless of the events unfolding in front of you, your trigger fingers will be pressing that shutter button to capture some once-in-a-lifetime photos that will show the people back home how awesome this migration is.

I remember my first migration back in 2013 as well as I remember the last migration I witnessed three months ago. Africa has gotten into my soul, and I yearn to return each year. Whether it's to just capture the Big-5, the Ugly-5, or the Great Migration. YOu will rarely be disappointed with a trip to witness the Great Migration.

I hope you consider traveling to Africa with us. You can see all the trips I am leading to Africa on my workshop page. Click Here