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Imagine Africa  >  Destinations  >  Kenya  >  The Wildebeest Migration
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Introducing Kenya

Watch our video to see why our specialists love Kenya...

Kenya Itineraries

We offer an extensive range of luxury holidays to Kenya. Privately guided safaris, family holidays, Kenya honeymoons, beach holidays, group safaris, cultural tours, and luxury adventure holidays.

Free Kenya Guidebook

We've put together a guidebook with everything you need to know about Kenya. Written by our specialists, it details destination information, a wildlife guide, some suggested itineraries and plenty more to inspire your holiday. Fill in the form below and if you live in UK, your guidebook will arrive by post within the next couple of days. For those who live abroad, we will send you a copy by email.

Serengeti Under Canvas

Serengeti Under Canvas is an intimate &Beyond mobile camp in Tanzania’s Serengeti, providing a traditional safari experience without compromising on the comfort, and a stay at Serengeti Under Canvas lets you experience the annual Great Migration in style.

Serengeti Wilderness Camp

Serengeti Wilderness Camp is a seasonal bush camp located in the heart of the Serengeti National Park, with access to arguably some of the best game viewing in Africa. Simple but comfortable, Serengeti Wilderness Camp offers an authentic safari adventure.

Kilima Camp

Kilima Camp is a luxurious eco-friendly tented camp offering phenomenal views of Kenya’s Masai Mara. Kilima Camp has strong links to the Maasai community and offers a truly authentic safari experience with expert guiding and traditional hospitality.

Kenya Favourites

Kenya is an exceptional destination for luxury safari and beach holidays that can be tailored to all - couples, honeymooners or families. For those looking for excitement and originality then Kenya, as one of the best safari destination in the world, will spoil you for choice. We know what works and where the best places are to indulge in a luxury safari holiday or beach holiday and how to make the most of Kenya. We spend a lot of time developing exciting itinerary ideas to some of the best-known safari parks in Kenya.

Naibor Camp

Naibor Camp is luxury small tented camp on the bank of the Talek River in Kenya’s Masai Mara. Naibor Camp offers a stylish under-canvas safari experience, with hot-air balloon rides, game drives and bush walks led by the excellent wildlife guides.

Kenya and Zanzibar

Combining the wildlife rich plains of Kenya with its own palm flanked coastline or the shores of Zanzibar makes for a truly unforgettable safari and beach holiday. Offering wildlife encounters and ultimate relaxation in equal measure, this tried and tested combination promises the best of both in eastern Africa.

Safari and beach holidays

Home to unrivalled wildlife viewing and one of the world’s most impressive coastlines, there is no better place to combine a beach and safari trip than in Africa.

Kenya Family Holidays Ideas

Kenya offers some of the most varied, engaging and exciting family holidays in Africa. Flying time is eight hours, there is no jet lag, internal travel is easy and Kenya's beaches and hotels are some of the most family friendly on the East Coast.

Honeymoon Gift List

We want every Imagine Africa honeymoon to be a trip of a lifetime – and as part of this service we offer a honeymoon gift list. A gift list makes it easy for your friends and family to give you what you'd really like. Our honeymoon gift list allows friends and family to contribute any amount of money towards number of activities, treatments, upgrades, or extras – all chosen by you.

Kenya Honeymoons

We offer an extensive range of luxury honeymoons to Kenya. Privately guided safaris, beach honeymoons, and cultural tours. All of our honeymoon itineraries in Kenya are tailor-made.

The Great Wildebeest Migration

Often described as “The Greatest Show on Earth”, the annual migration of over a million wildebeest and around 300,000 zebra is a natural phenomenon like no other. Following the rains, the wildebeest and zebra travel in search of lush grass and grazing lands whilst moving in a clockwise rotation up through the Serengeti. They will spend a couple of months in the Masai Mara before heading back to Tanzania in time for calving season – all whilst trying to evade the many predators en route.

This handy guide shows you where the best seat in the house will be throughout the year, to make the most of this breath taking spectacle, showcasing the largest movement of mammals on Earth.

For more information about witnessing this incredible spectacle first hand, call our Tanzania and Kenya specialists now on 020 3141 2810 to start creating your own tailor-made itinerary.

Baby Bonanza: January - February

The wildebeest start their year in the south of the Serengeti National Park in an area called Ndutu. It is here that you can witness a birthing event like no other. Collecting within the centre of a herd, female wildebeests tend to give birth in the same 2-3 week period. This behaviour of calving en masse gives an individual calf a higher chance of surviving its first few weeks. This is one of the few times of year the wildebeest remain in one place. It is a great opportunity to see the herd all together and to take advantage of the excellent game-viewing in the area, including the birth of zebra calves that also tend to follow the wildebeest’s movements.

Where to stay:
Lake Masek Tented Camp
Serengeti Under Canvas

The Emerald Season: March - May

During these months, the Serengeti is at its most green and abundant and the wildebeest move north towards the centre of the Serengeti and settle before heading northwest to start their great migration. The seasonal rain means the grazing is plentiful, allowing calves to grow stronger before their big journey. The herd separates and spreads, making the most of the food available to them. In May time, the herd begins to form the long characteristic marching columns of the migration as they make their way north. This is a fantastic time of year to explore the Big 5 reserve; view awesome game whilst enjoying the quieter and less expensive off-peak season!

Where to stay:
Kiota Camp
Serengeti Wilderness Camp

Conquering the Western Corridor: June – July

With the rainy season over, the wildebeest head northwest in search of new grazing areas, moving together as a herd, using their ‘rocking-horse’ running stance they reach speeds of up to 40mph. This is a brilliant time to watch the famous river-crossings as the herd begins to attempt to reach the opposite bank of the notorious Grumeti River, offering a good opportunity to catch a glimpse of the giant Nile crocodiles that take advantage of the influx of prey.

Where to stay:
Nimali Central Serengeti
Grumeti Migration Camp

Frontier River Crossings: August – early September

With the migration well underway, the herds drive up towards the Masai Mara in Kenya. You can expect to see some spectacular crossings as the herd is faced with the Mara River, as well as enjoying the fantastic holiday weather. This is one of the few times of year the wildebeest remain in one place. It is a great opportunity to see the herd all together and to take advantage of the excellent game-viewing in the area, including the birth of zebra calves that also tend to follow the wildebeest’s movements. We would advise to book early as this once in a lifetime experience is sought out by many, eager to see this remarkable exhibition of animal behaviour.

Where to stay:
Serengeti Under Canvas
Lamai Serengeti

The Mara River Crossings: September – October

By this time the herd have usually crossed over to the Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya. The plentiful grazing and fresh water here usually keeps the herd satisfied until the end of October. The perfect holiday weather and promise of breath-taking game viewing again makes this a popular time of year for the surrounding lodges, so book in advance. Remember to keep a sharp eye out for any hungry lions trying to pick off any wildebeest that wander from the safety of the herd!

Where to stay:
Ol Seki
Saruni Mara

The Short Rains: November – December

The herd begin to head back south to feast on the fresh green shoots of the Serengeti, once again forming the long columns characteristic of the migration. They will continue to the southern reaches of Ndutu ready to calf and start the life cycle and migration all over again.

Where to stay:
Klein's Camp

Of course, as a natural phenomenon, the exact route of the migration cannot be truly predicted. The wildebeest’s movements depend entirely on the quality of grass, standing water and weather conditions of a given area. These factors are unpredictable at the best of times, even more so with the effect of climate change. This guide is here to give you an idea of what the wildebeest do throughout the year and why they make their epic journey. However, it is important to remember that the migration is only one aspect of the amazing Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. Even if you miss the herd you will still be in an area offering some spectacular game viewing!

Why choose us?

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Our Price Promise

We want to be really clear about this. We offer amazing value. Tailor-made does not have to mean expensive, it simply means attention to every detail of your trip that will be designed by a true expert.

Here at Imagine Africa, we are so confident that we offer the best value on the market that we have a price promise. If you find the exact same holiday cheaper with another UK tour operator, then we promise to beat their price by £50.

Financial Protection

Rest assured that all our holidays are 100% financially protected. Our ATOL bond protects holidays booked in the UK with flights. Our ABTOT bond protects holidays which are booked without flights or those booked outside the UK, either with or without flights.

Protection means that in the unlikely event that we become insolvent; your holiday will be refunded or you will be repatriated if already travelling or have flights with us.

Financial Protection

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