Wildlife encounters

Watch the Great Migration river crossings

Few wildlife moments anywhere match the sight of the herds massing on the riverbank and then plunging across. It is the scene most people picture when they think of a Kenyan safari — and the reason many plan their whole trip around a few weeks of the year.

KenyaPlus's own description. The facts below come from the sources shown.

Plan a trip to Maasai Mara Ask Kenya about it

Wildebeest pouring down a steep bank and crossing the Mara River in a long column

Where

Maasai MaraNarok County

What our sources say

It is known for the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebras, and is home to the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros.
Information status: Verified
Source: Kenya Biodiversity — National Clearing House Mechanism (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
More in the guide: Planning a Maasai Mara safari
Wildebeest and zebras usually cross the Mara River into the Maasai Mara between July and October — the most dramatic part of the migration.
Information status: Verified
Sources: Magical Kenya (Kenya Tourism Board) (opens in a new tab); Kenya News Agency (kenyanews.go.ke) (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
More in the guide: Planning a Maasai Mara safari
The herds return to the Serengeti from around December, and calving is reported between March and May.
Information status: Verified
Source: Kenya News Agency (kenyanews.go.ke) (opens in a new tab) · checked 16 Oct 2026
More in the guide: Best time to visit Kenya

Before you go

Crossings depend on the herds and the rain, so even in the right months you may wait hours — or days — for one. Build in several game drives rather than a single morning.
Information status: Unconfirmed
KenyaPlus planning advice, not from an official source.