There is no where in the world where there is a movement of animals as immense as the wildebeest migration! Every year more than two million animals migrate from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to Masai Mara National Park.
The annual Great wildebeest migration is a real wildlife spectacle on a huge scale. Every year, vast numbers of wildebeest migrate in search of good, fresh grazing and water: from birth, it is a relentless quest for better food. Large numbers of zebra and gazelle (especially Thomsons), and smaller numbers of antelope accompany the wildebeest. A high proportion of these animals, whose nomadic lives are based in the Serengeti, engage in the annual migration, but not all. Current estimates of the numbers involved in the migration are up to 1.5 million wildebeest, 500,000 gazelle and 250,000 zebra.
The somewhat circular journey of the wildebeest migration follows fairly predictable routes, tracking north through the Serengeti from April-time, arriving in the Masai Mara around August-time, and returning south to the Serengeti around November. However, these timings are approximate as their specific timing is much less predictable, as it is determined by where and when the rainfall occurs (and consequently, where and when the new grass will appear).
National Park Fees
In Tanzania and Kenya, national park fees are charged by the national parks authorities for park entry, camping and vehicle fees before visitors to the parks can enjoy a park and its facilities. These are charged in US$ and are payable locally to the appropriate authority before entry to a park is granted. We have no influence over these fees, none of the income comes to us, and the fees should all be used for upkeep, management and improvement of the East African national parks.
In most cases in Tanzania and Kenya, national park fees are a significant but unavoidable cost to the trekker or walker. In fact, in 2006 the Kilimanjaro park fees suffered a very sizeable increase – clearly the uniqueness of Kilimanjaro had not been lost on the parks authority!
The applicable national park fees for each trip are shown on each trip page under the Prices section and are payable in addition to the trip prices. As a service, for your convenience and security, we collect your national park fees 8 weeks before you travel, and this prevents you from having to carry large amounts of US$ cash whilst travelling to pay over at the park gate. We transfer your park fees and those of the rest of the group to our local agent for him to settle on your behalf at time of park entry.
If you pay your national park fees to us at the time of final payment, we will translate the US$ value into UK£ at the exchange rate applicable at the time. Alternatively, if you prefer, you may settle your national park fees with us in US$, but any bank charges will be at your cost.
For more details about national park fees, please refer to the National Park fees section in our Environment page.