Best wildebeest viewing locations in Serengeti: What are the best spots for viewing wildebeest in Serengeti?

The iconic Serengeti National Park is a popular safari destination in the world, renowned for its large population of wildlife including the African Big Five (lion, leopards, rhino, buffalo, and elephant) among others. Besides hosting the iconic African wildlife species ‘‘The African Big Five’’ Serengeti National Park is a home to the Great Wildebeest Migration. Annually, over 1.5 million wildebeest accompanied by hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles move across the Serengeti National Park, across to the nearby Masai Mara National Reserve. This natural phenomenon is a must see while on Tanzania Wildlife safaris/Serengeti Safaris/African wildlife safaris. When planning wildebeest migration safaris, most travelers usually ask about; Where to go in the Serengeti National Park? For a better wildebeest viewing experience, there are Best wildebeest viewing locations in Serengeti (Best Spots for Viewing Wildebeest in the Serengeti) that we recommend visiting on your tour.

What are the best spots for viewing wildebeest in Serengeti? The Best wildebeest viewing locations in Serengeti include; the southern plains (Ndutu & Kusini), Seronera Valley in central Serengeti, and northern Serengeti (Kogatende & Mara River).  Each of these locations offer the best experience at different time of the year therefore, when planning your wildebeest migration safari tour, it is important to know which regions to visit during different months of the year.  If you’re planning to witness this spectacular event, knowing the best viewing spots at different times of the year is crucial. Enjoy reading our well curated guide to the Here’s a guide to the Best wildebeest viewing locations in Serengeti and acquaint yourself with all the necessary information about the wildebeest migration and Serengeti.

Where to go in the Serengeti National Park – Best Safari area in Serengeti National Park.

  1. Southern Serengeti: Ndutu Plains, Kusini Region

After they have successfully returned from Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, the migrating mammals move across northern and central Serengeti, and temporarily settle in the southern part of the park. The first herds of the migrating mammals start arriving in the southern part of Serengeti by December. The large mammal herds congregate in the areas of Ndutu and Kusini near the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. From January to March is always a calving season/ phase of the wildebeest migration – expect to witness births of many calves (500,000+) each day. The newborn wildebeest are usually welcomed into a chaotic environment with a lot of predator activity as lions, cheetahs, and hyenas take advantage of the abundance of prey in the region.

For travelers interested in witnessing the wildebeest calving season, the best time to visit is between January and March. Although unpopular than the dramatic river crossings at the Mara River, the calving season offers memorable wildebeest viewing experience in Serengeti National Park and guarantees sights of predator activity.

 

  1. Central Serengeti: Seronera Valley, Moru Kopjes – Best wildebeest viewing locations in Serengeti

After giving birth to their young ones, the wildebeest start their journey northwards towards the central Serengeti by the end of March. Between April and June, the central Serengeti becomes a hotspot for witnessing this natural spectacle as large herds of mammal grazers especially wildebeest occupy these areas. The best places to see the wildebeest in the central Serengeti are the Seronera Valley and the Moru Kopjes. You’ll enjoy watching these mammals navigating through this regions between April and June.

The Seronera Valley is renowned for its large concetration of predators especially lions that you’ll enjoy watching as they hunt down the migrating wildebeests. On the other hand, the Moru Kopjes, are rocky outcrops that offer a scenic backdrop for viewing the wildebeest migration unfold and observing large predators lie in wait to catch their prey.

The best time for wildebeest viewing the central Serengeti (Seronera Valley & Moru Kopjes) is between April and June.

 

  1. Western Corridor: Grumeti River, Kirawira Plains

After the calving in the Ndutu plains in the southern part of Serengeti, the migrating herds move northwards in two routes. The first moves to the central Serengeti (Seronera Valley) and the other group moves through the Western Corridor. The herds that move through the western corridor will be faced with the challenge of crossing the Grumeti River. By late May and early June, the migrating mammals arrive in the Western Corridor.

The mammals will then congregate near the Grumeti River banks for weeks or days before crossing this crocodile infested river to continue with their journey. Between May and July, the prime location to witness wildebeest migration is the western corridor – with an opportunity to witness the dramatic river crossings of the crocodiles infested Grumeti River. The other top safari areas to visit for wildebeest viewing between May and July is the Kirawira Plains.

 

  1. Northern Serengeti: Kogatende & Mara River –

One of the Best Safari area in Serengeti National Park/ Best wildebeest viewing locations in Serengeti is the Northern Serengeti (Kogatende & Mara River). This region is the most famous region for wildebeest viewing during wildebeest migration safaris. The northern region of Serengeti is know for its spectacular Mara River crossing that sees the large herds of mammal grazers take on the challenging crocodile infested River. Unlike the crossings at the Grumeti River that are less dramatic, the Mara River crossing are dramatic as the river has much stronger currents and lager Nile crocodiles (one of the largest in Africa), that lie in wait to catch the migrating wildebeests.

As the herds arrive at the Mara River, one of the most challenging obstacles of their journey, they will congregate at the river banks for days or weeks before they cross. The situation at the river banks during this time becomes intense until when one wildebeest takes a leap of faith and plunges through the deep cliffs into the crocodile infested waters and the rest follow. The best time to witness this spectacle is between July and October, which usually falls within the high season of safaris in Tanzania.  One the best spots to view the breathtaking wildlife spectacles as the wildebeest brave the river while facing predatory threats from crocodiles and big cats is Kogatende.

The best time for witnessing the wildebeest migration in the northern part of Serengeti National Park is between July and October which is also the best time for safaris in Serengeti in general. If you are planning to visit during this time of the year, we recommend booking well in advance since it is usually a high season and most accommodation are usually fully booked.

 

  1. Eastern Serengeti: Loliondo, Namiri Plains

As the short rains return in the southern Serengeti, the wildebeest start their journey back southwards from the Masai Mara Reserve in Kenya. The migrating malls will journey through the Eastern Serengeti, particularly the Loliondo and Namiri Plains, where they usually stopover for a few weeks. Since the Eastern part of Serengeti is a less popular area for safaris in the park, it is always less crowded with tourists, making it a great spot for those looking for more intimate wildlife experience. The best time to view the migration in Eastern Serengeti is between November and December when the migrating mammals are making their way back to the south.

From here, the mammal grazers continue with their journey to the southern part of Serengeti, particularly the Ndutu Plains where the circle repeats its self.