Kenya

The wildebeest migration takes place within Kenya and Tanzania and is one of the greatest wildlife shows on earth. Between the open plains of the Serengeti and the Masai Mara, thousands of wildebeest and zebras migrate to greener pastures as the seasons change. The precise timing of the Wildebeest Migration changes annually.

The calving season takes place in the Serengeti between the months of January and mid-March before the Wildebeest Migration begins, heading towards the Western Serengeti in June. The best time to see the migration is usually between June and August when the wildebeest congregate and prepare to cross the famous Grumeti River.

If you are in the Masai Mara you can expect the wildebeest to arrive as early as July, but they generally arrive between August and September and remain in the Mara between October and November. Between December and January, the wildebeest gradually begin their migration back towards the Serengeti. These monthly migration patterns can change from year to year, so these estimates should be used as a general guide.

Situated between Lakes Naivasha and Baringo, beneath the high cliffs of the Eastern Rift, lies Lake Nakuru. This is a shallow soda lake surrounded by yellow-barked acacia woodland and grasslands, rocky cliffs, and hillsides covered with the unusual giant Euphorbia trees.

Lake Nakuru is world famous as home to flocks of greater and lesser flamingoes, which frequently form a stunning pink ribbon along the edges of the lake. But flamingoes are unpredictable and are not always found here in such vast numbers. They migrate up and down the Rift Valley from Natron to Turkana in search of the best food supply, and their numbers at Lake Nakuru have declined in recent years. However, other species still populate the area in healthy numbers. An entertaining spectacle is the large flocks of pelicans found fishing and washing at the southern end of the Lake. Over 400 species of birdlife have been recorded at the lake, making this yet another of Kenya's major ornithological sites.

MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE is situated to the west of Nairobi, on Tanzania's northern border. This 1,812 km² (700 sq. miles) Reserve is the northern extension of the larger Serengeti National Park - a massive 56,000 km² (5,600 sq. miles).

The Masai Mara offers wonderful scenery and an abundance of big games. It is perhaps the only region left in Kenya where the visitor may see animals in the same super-abundance that existed a century ago. It is a reserve of breathtaking vistas, panoramas of vast rolling plains, hills, and woodland groves, well watered by the lovely Mara River which bisects the Reserve from north to south.

The Mara is home to the largest population of lions in Kenya. These magnificent beasts spend most of the day sleeping in the shade of acacia trees. Vast herds of buffalo, zebra, and wildebeest roam the plains. Impala, gazelle, giraffe, and hartebeest grace the landscape. The cautious topi may also be seen standing sentinel on earth mounds on a constant look-out for predators. The waters of the Mara River are home to crocodiles and pools of hippo, the acacia woodlands and riverine forests favored by leopard and elephant, and the open savannah and dry bush areas host the plains game and their attendant predators such as lion, cheetah, hyena, and jackal.

The birdlife of the Mara is as profuse as the animal life. On the open plains, there is a variety of bustards and ground hornbills. Birds of prey are abundant - no less than 53 species have been recorded, including the magnificent Bateleur eagle. In the sky, there are always opportunistic vultures circling and waiting in anticipation, and distinctive secretary birds are a common sight as they stalk sedately over the open plains.