Planning safari in Serengeti June 2011. From firsthand experience, has anyone been to Serengeti in June (around Seronera area) that can attest to quality of migration experience at that time?

I have visited Serengeti once before in 2007 (arrived June 28th & onward) and was told that we "missed" a big chunk of the migration already. Now we are planning revisit and trying to balance going too soon after May (still possibly wet) and too late in June.

Any recommendations appreciated..... or info/experiences from people who have been to Serengeti in June previously.

Where the herds will be can/will change from year-to-year. It's always a best guess based on previous years. And, the herds don't all move at the same time, nor is there consideration of resident herds that never migrate. Also, remember the movement is based on the rains and the grasses, so this too can speed up or delay where the wildies will be.

There is a pattern in direction they move and can be anywhere from Central, Western and even some in Northern. Some years they arrive in Central early June, where they can divide with most then heading West, and smaller group up North. And, for a few weeks they can move back-n-forth between Central/West.

I've been late-May when the herds were in Central and not moving anywhere till the zebra that were still in the south made it up to eat the taller grasses. Another year, late-May they were in West, but moving back-n-forth to Central. And, even in June, they can be in West with some moving north.

Whether you stay in Central or West (only 2/hrs apart), your game drives should take you to where the herds are located. That is assuming your tour operator hasn't limited the miles you can travel any day.

I was in the Serengeti in mid June 2010. The wildebeest were pretty much gone from the central Serengeti, although there were still lots of zebras. We saw the migration in the western Serengeti in pretty good numbers. We were near the Grumeti river and not that many of them were crossing yet. Mostly they were just standing around the Musabi plain resting. But there were thousands of them! Good luck!

I've been to the central Serengeti area twice in June, both times in the Rongai 2 campsite in a mobile camp. In 2004, the Migration had moved on and we didn't see it. In 2007, the Migration herds surrounded us. You can't say from year to year exactly where they will be. I think the other posters are correct in saying that the bulk of the herds "may" be in the Western Corridor, but you never know.

To further illustrate the uncertainty of the timing, a few comments on earlier trips we had to the Serengeti. In early June 2002 we hit the migration in the Seronera area while staying at the Sopa (great numbers of wildebeest and zebra were easily seen from our balcony). Two years later practically to the week we stayed there again and missed the large herds. Alas, we were part of a packaged group safari and did not have the means to move further afield. We still had a great trip and saw even more elephant, giraffe and other major game than on the previous trip there. Since then we have gone the route of a private safari so we could be more flexible in game drives. Still, it all depends on the rainfall and vegetation response.