The Great Migration, month by month

The migration is not an event. It's a loop of roughly two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle following rain across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, and it never stops moving.

January to March the herds are on the short-grass plains in the south, around Ndutu. It's calving season — around 8,000 calves a day at the peak — which means predators everywhere. If you want drama without crowds, this is the window nobody talks about enough.

April and May they drift west and north through the corridor. June sees the Grumeti River crossings, smaller and less famous than the Mara ones but far quieter.

July to October is Mara River season in the north. Crossings are unpredictable: herds can stand at the bank for six hours and then turn around. Plan three nights minimum in the north if this is your goal.

November the short rains pull them back south, and by December they're on the plains again. Book the month, not the sight — that's the honest advice.