When to go
The wildlife is always there. The question is where to find it, what it’s doing, and how busy the parks will be while you watch.
A field calendar of the Northern Circuit — what the migration looks like, where the predators concentrate, what the weather does, and which months we’d quietly book ourselves.
Two seasons, one country
The Green Season
Calving · lush plains · fewer travellers
Lush emerald plains, dramatic afternoon thunderclouds, brief showers that pass quickly. The wildebeest are calving on the short-grass southern plains, drawing every predator within reach. The best big-cat viewing of the year against a green backdrop. Parks are quieter; lodge rates drop.
The Dry Season
Migration crossings · golden plains · busy
Crisp blue skies, golden grasslands, predictable game viewing. The Great Migration thunders north toward the Mara River crossings. Thinning foliage makes leopards easier to spot. Parks are at their busiest from July through October.
Month by month
What the parks look like each month, what the migration is doing, and which weeks we’d quietly book for ourselves.
Season of Plenty.
The Great Migration is densely concentrated on the southern plains. Short grass makes predator-spotting (especially cheetahs and lions) effortless. Brief afternoon showers, otherwise clear air and emerald landscapes.
Pro tipBest month for high-definition photography. The lack of dust and the vibrant green backdrop produce remarkably sharp images.
The Calving Peak.
Hundreds of thousands of wildebeest foals are born within a three-week window on the southern plains. Short grass means you can witness entire hunts start to finish. Rain is minimal thanks to the Ngorongoro rain shadow.
Pro tipLook for “the nursery.” Predators are highly active, but so are the social interactions between mothers and newborns.
The Industry Secret.
Arguably the best-kept secret in the safari calendar. Wildlife concentrations are staggering, parks are nearly empty, big cats lounge on the iconic kopjes. Long rains begin elsewhere but the southern Serengeti remains fully accessible.
Pro tipFocus on the kopjes. These ancient rock formations are natural lookout towers for lions and cheetahs in March.
Enthusiast’s choice.
Favoured by safari purists and our own staff. The landscape is a deep vivid green, parks are virtually empty, wildlife viewing is at its most intense. Afternoon thundershowers usually clear within an hour. Lodge rates are at their lowest.
Pro tipLow-season luxury. Often the most exclusive lodges at a fraction of peak-season prices with total solitude in the bush.
Northward Surge.
The dry season takes hold and the Migration begins its trek north. This is the time of the wildebeest rut — a spectacular display of mating pandemonium as the herds move through the central and western corridors.
Pro tipWatch for rut behaviour. Male wildebeests dash about rounding up harems, creating a high-energy atmosphere unlike the calmer grazing months.
Season of Change.
The official start of the Dry Season. Skies clear to brilliant blue, landscapes shift from green to gold. Smaller water sources dry up and resident game concentrates around permanent rivers. The Migration funnels through the Western Corridor.
Pro tipWatch the Grumeti River. Before the famous Mara crossings, the Migration must face the Grumeti where giant crocodiles wait for the first arrivals.
Theatre of the Mara.
A bucket-list month. Grass is dying back, making elusive leopards much easier to find in the thinning foliage. The world-famous river crossings along the Mara River begin in the North Serengeti. Dry sunny days, cool crisp nights on the Crater rim.
Pro tipBring binoculars and patience. River crossings are unpredictable; the best sightings come to those who wait for the herd mentality to kick in.
Peak of the Dry Season.
The busiest month for a reason: wildlife viewing is unparalleled. The Mara crossings are at their peak. Tarangire fills with the largest elephant concentrations on earth. Even in high season, custom routing keeps you off the standard tourist circuits.
Pro tipAdd Tarangire National Park. While everyone else is in the North Serengeti, the elephant density in Tarangire is among the highest on earth.
Big Cat Central.
Some of the most consistent wildlife viewing of the year. Every water source becomes a magnet. Premier month for leopards, often draped over acacia branches. The Migration surges through the wooded north. Mid-to-late September sees a dramatic drop in visitor numbers.
Pro tipBest month for leopard sightings. With the foliage at its thinnest, guides can spot a dangling tail or paw of a leopard camouflaged in a tree.
Hidden Gem of the North.
Exceptional choice. The landscape is parched and wildlife is highly concentrated, but the summer crowds have vanished. Late river crossings still possible. Occasional light showers refresh the air late in the month.
Pro tipThe return of the silence. Peak-season wildlife viewing quality with the peaceful, low-traffic feel of shoulder season.
The Southward Surge.
A period of spectacular change. Towering thunderclouds form and the Migration begins its rapid surge back south in anticipation of the rains. Thousands of wildebeest and zebra thundering across the savanna against dramatic storm backdrops.
Pro tipThe thundercloud backdrop. Dramatic afternoon storms create some of the most spectacular, moody lighting conditions for wildlife photography.
A Green Festive Season.
The return of the lush Green Season. The Serengeti resets to velvet green, dust vanishes, the Migration settles onto the southern and eastern plains. Many animals begin calving. Late December is the festive peak; private routing finds the hidden Serengeti.
Pro tipBook early. The last two weeks of December are the most sought-after dates in the calendar. Plan 12 to 18 months in advance for first-choice lodges.
The eternal journey
Roughly 1.7 million wildebeest and a quarter million zebra walk the same clockwise loop of around eighteen hundred miles every year. December to April: southern Serengeti plains, calving. May to June: central and western corridor, the rut. July to October: northern Serengeti, the Mara crossings. November: southward surge back. There is no off-season — only different chapters of the same story.
We’ll match your dates to the right route — calving plains, river crossings, or somewhere quieter in between.
Reach the team
Direct line
Tanzania Office
P.O. Box 746, Usa-River, Arusha
Tanzania, East Africa
Hours: Daily 8AM — 8PM EAT
Tell us what you’re hoping for — the people, the timing, the wild moments you’re chasing.