In the latest of our
series on the world’s greatest journeys, Brian Jackman tells you how to make
the most of a trip to East Africa to watch the vast migration across the plains
of the Serengeti.
No matter how often I
visit the Serengeti its magic never palls. In this wild and open country you
feel you could drive forever and never have enough of it. Out on the plains the
light is dazzling. Colossal thunderheads trail shawls of rain across horizons
wider than the sea, and wherever you look there are animals.
When United Nations
delegates met in Stockholm in 1972 to choose the first World Heritage Sites it
was the Serengeti that came top of the list. Today it is one of the most famous
national parks on Earth, renowned for its magnificent lions but best known for
its great migration.
The key players in
this 1,200-mile odyssey are the wildebeest – 1.5 million of them – accompanied by 200,000
zebras. For them, every year is an endless journey, chasing the rains in a race
for life. The action takes place across 150,000 square miles of woodlands,
hills and open plains, a wilderness that includes not only the Serengeti
national park and Kenya’s Maasai Mara game reserve but also the dispersal areas
beyond.
The yearly cycle
begins in the south of the park, where half a million calves are born between
January and March. But when the rains end in May the land dries fast and the
grazing animals must move on, heading for their dry season refuge in the Maasai
Mara.
With the beginning of
the short rains in late October the migration makes its way back into the
Serengeti, so this a good time to be anywhere in the north of the park between
Klein’s Camp and the Lamai Wedge. By December, having emerged from the northern
woodlands, the herds return past Seronera to mass on their calving grounds
again and the circle is complete.
WHEN TO TRAVEL
July to October is the
time to catch the show in Kenya. The rest of the year belongs to Tanzania and
the reason is the weather. Rain is the engine that drives the migration,
dictating where the herds will be at different times of the year.
The rainy season
normally runs from October to May. It begins with the short rains – a period of
gloriously hot sunny days that end with brief torrential thunderstorms. It
peaks in the long rains of April — a month to avoid when most camps close and
the plains become quagmires.
When the rains end in
May the wildebeest make tracks for the Maasai Mara. Some take Route One – north
across the Seronera Valley. Others swing through the Western Corridor, but for
all of them the journey is beset with danger. For a start there are the famous
Serengeti lions – about 3,000 at the last count – to which can be added
leopards and cheetahs, hungry hyena clans and monster crocodiles.
Zebras are often the
first to arrive in the Mara, chomping down the tall grass with the wildebeest
hot on their heels. Here they stay from July to October — the main tourist
season – when visitors flock to watch the dramatic river crossings.
But as soon as the
rains return the wildebeest head back to the Serengeti, drawn towards their
calving grounds in the park’s deep south. In the dry season you will see
nothing here but an emptiness of dust and stubble. But between January and
March when the calves are born there is nowhere on Earth so vibrantly alive.
WHERE TO GO
Tanzania
The best game-viewing areas in the Serengeti are the shortgrass plains and their granite kopjes in the south, the Seronera Valley, the Western Corridor and the far north of the park where it meets the Mara.
The best game-viewing areas in the Serengeti are the shortgrass plains and their granite kopjes in the south, the Seronera Valley, the Western Corridor and the far north of the park where it meets the Mara.
Ndutu Safari Lodge (ndutu.com) is ideally placed for exploring the southern plains, set on
the edge of woodlands that teem with game in the rainy season. There are soda
lakes, too, with pink clouds of flamingos, and marshes where serval cats love
to hang out.
One of the loveliest
areas lies in the heart of the park, where the Seronera river meanders across
the plains, creating a linear paradise of Senegal palms and fever trees in
which to look for leopards.
June is when the
migration pours through the Western Corridor into Singita Grumeti, a private
game-viewing stronghold the size of the Mara with only 70 guests at a time (singita.com).
The north of the park
between the Lamai Wedge and Klein’s Camp is a wild, broken country of granite
kopjes, hidden valleys and open savannah.
Off-track driving is
still allowed and the abundance of game is reminiscent of the Mara I knew 30
years ago. During the migration in early November you can watch huge river
crossings with fewer vehicles than you will see in the Mara.
Kenya
The Maasai Mara is
renowned for the spectacular river crossings that take place when the migration
is here from July to November. Some of the biggest crossings occur where the
Mara River flows past the Mara Serena Safari Lodge on its hilltop overlooking
the plains. The Mara Triangle, the area to the west of the river, has fewer
lodges, and therefore fewer visitors at this busy time.
Elsewhere in the
reserve you can often witness similar dramatic scenes when the herds gather
along the Sand river and the Talek, and with luck you may even spot the Marsh
Lions of Big Cat Diary fame hunting zebras near Governors’ Camp (governorscamp.com).
The best way to avoid
the crowds that gather whenever big cats are found is to stay outside the
national reserve on one of the excellent private wildlife concessions, such as
Naboisho, Mara North and Olare Orok, where visitor numbers are strictly
limited. The game viewing is as good as anywhere. So is the accommodation (some
of Kenya’s finest bush camps are here), and you can still enter the reserve to
watch the river crossings.
GETTING THERE
For Kenya fly from
Heathrow to Nairobi (eight hours non-stop with British Airways; 0844 493 0787; ba.com). For Tanzania, flying from Heathrow with
Kenya Airways (0208 283 1818; kenya-airways.com), it’s an extra hour to Kilimanjaro airport. After that the
choice is yours: fly direct into the bush by light aircraft (saving hours of
precious time) or transfer by road (long and arduous but cheaper).
If you are going to
Kenya you could combine the Mara with a stay on the Indian Ocean coast, and in
Tanzania you can easily visit Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro
Crater en route to the Serengeti.
First-timers may feel
happier staying in safari lodges, but tented camps are not lacking in comfort
and bring you closer to the wild. Best of all are mobile camping safaris that
move wherever the migration is and allow you greater freedom when deciding how
to spend each day. Wherever you stay, location is all-important, and good
professional driver-guides can make all the difference.
HOW TO BOOK
Forget about
independent travel. It’s far better to rely on the UK’s own bespoke safari tour
operators who know the logistics inside and out regarding camps and lodges,
internal flights and land transfers. For reliability, choose operators
belonging to the African Travel and Tourism Association (atta.travel).
ON A BUDGET
Gamewatchers (0870 471
7122; porini.com) offers a six-night/seven-day safari at its
exclusive Gamewatchers Adventure Camp in the private Ol Kinyei Conservancy
adjoining the Maasai Mara for £1,204 per person.
Accommodation is in
dome tents and the price includes all meals, park fees, game drives in
customised 4WD vehicles, with professional guides and local flights direct to
Ol Kinyei bush strip. International flights not included.
LUXURY CAMPS
Expert Africa (020 8232 9777; expertafrica.com) offers a five- night/seven-day fly-in safari with two nights
at Klein’s Camp and three nights with Serengeti Under Canvas, whose luxury camp
moves according to the position of the migration. Prices are from £3,825 per
person and include all meals, drinks, game drives, park fees, local flights and
transfers and international flights from London to Kilimanjaro with Kenya
Airways.
WHAT TO TAKE/PACK
Binoculars are
essential. So is a camera. Pack warm clothes for early morning game drives. I
always take walking boots, a baseball-style bush hat, P20 last-all-day sun
cream and a head torch. Don’t forget your antimalarial pills, and for currency
obtain US dollars in small denominations.
FURTHER READING
Before you go, read
The Great Migration by Jonathan Scott for informative text and pictures that
will whet your appetite for what you are about to see. Also invest in The
Kingdon Pocket Guide to African Mammals by Jonathan Kingdon.
THE INSIDE TRACK
When looking for the
big cats, study the body language of prey species such as giraffes and zebras.
If they are all staring fixedly in one direction they might have spotted a lion
in the grass; and if you see one lion, look again. There could be more around.
Learn a few basic
words of Swahili. Even if you only manage to say jambo (hello) and asante sana
(thank you very much).
Listen out for the
slang words guides use when meeting another driver in the bush. Examples:
masharubu (moustache) for male lion; masikiu (ears) for elephant; madoadoa
(speckles) for leopard and cheetah.
Learn to recognise cat
tracks. All have four toes but the clincher is the heel print with its triple
lobes.
Most camps offer
same-day laundry (weather permitting); but washing ladies’ underwear is taboo.
Travel light. Local
flights in light aircraft often have a 15kg weight limit – including hand
baggage. It also helps if you pack a soft bag as opposed to a rigid suitcase.
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