Where To See Africa’s Wildebeest Migration In January, February & March

Africa’s wildebeest migration moves in an infinite loop; it’s not so much an annual event as a continuous flow of unrelenting hoofprints. For the best migration viewing in the Serengeti and Masai Mara, it’s important to pick your spot. Here are our suggestions for the first three months of the year. 

The first three months of the year represent perhaps the longest pause during Africa’s wildebeest migration, and with good reason. This is the time of year when the herd increases dramatically in numbers: first as the adult wildebeest come together in the southern Serengeti, and secondly as tens of thousands of wildebeest births take place. 

If the migration were a journey by air, the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti would be the arrivals lounge. In the space of just 10 weeks, all of the year’s calves are born. Dropping into a world teeming with both dangers and opportunities, their first priority is to get to their feet and imprint on their mother, from whom they become inseparable. 

While the inevitable kills during the migration are perhaps the moments of highest drama, witnessing new life being licked clean of the afterbirth, and then wobble to its feet on spindly legs, is both uplifting and touching.  

In the endless evolutionary arms race between predator and prey, the wildebeest have developed the tactic known as ‘predator swamping’ – by concentrating all their births into such a short period (with the peak in February), they increase the odds of any one calf surviving. Many calves are taken during this bonanza, but those that survive soon master their wilful legs and grow strong on their mother’s milk. 

In the first few moments after they stand, wildebeest calves have similar directional control to supermarket trolleys and are at perhaps their most endearing as they learn to walk, jump and run. This safety in numbers approach is a necessity for the herds and makes for one of East Africa’s most necessary wildlife-viewing experiences. 

At times it can feel as though the whole savannah is on the move, and that sensation can even include Tanzania’s best safari lodges and camps. As if inspired by the impending travels of the herds as they prepare to move on from their vast, grassy nursery, the accommodation options are often nomadic too. 

These semi-permanent camps channel the original spirit of safaris, with mobility being no hindrance to luxury. While modern amenities are fitted as standard, this style of glamping would not be unfamiliar to the aristocratic pioneers of wildlife holidays.  

In addition to camps that move (typically) twice per year, Tanzania’s southern Serengeti also has a number of permanent camps – fixtures on the safari circuit in every sense. Most notably is Mwiba Lodge, one of our personal favourites. 

If the ceaseless wandering of the wildebeest inspires you to travel further afield, calving season can also be combined with a descent into the ‘lost world’ of the Ngorongoro Crater. This ancient caldera provides a contained yet prolific counterpoint to the vastness of the Serengeti, while Tanzania’s other treasures included the less frequented Lake Manyara and Tarangire national parks. 

In neighbouring Kenya, one should not forget the Masai Mara, with its abundant resident wildlife. Northern Kenya, where limited water at this time of year forces animals to congregate along its rivers, is similarly an excellent option. The Ngiro River in the Samburu region is particularly impressive, and, without doubt, is one of the best places to see elephants.