where is the migration in the mara
 

hello........... just wanted to know in which area of the mara is the migration located at present, should i include a camp in the eastern part of the mara and also a camp in the serengeti.... keeping it 3 nights each.... making it a total of 14-15 nights at 4 locations in the mara serengeti eco system with trasfers included.... like 3 nights near the mara triangle, 3 nights outside the park near serian, 3 nights somewhere in the east.... or south east like sala's and a couple of days at wogakuria in serengeti......... or would u forgo serengeti and spend all the time in the mara,,,,,pls help

Hello African Lover, due to great vegetation in the Mara, the migration are still in the eastern side of the Mara, however they are moving to Serengeti via Mara triangle in large groups. Maybe you could check in the following options and get guided until early October when they return to Serengeti proper.

3 nights 4 days - OL-Moran camp/ governors camp ( western Mara)
3 nights 4 days - Mara leisure camp/ Tulipikwani camp/ Simba lodge ( Eastern Mara)
3 nights 4 days - migration camp (South west Serengeti)
3 nights 4 days - Lobo Lodge ( South East Serengeti)

With this information you will be highly assisted to plan your trip.
Also note that the camps vary from different rates/prices
Good Luck.

Also should you consider travelling. You can try and a compare your rates with a travel agent called Travellerslink based in Kenya. They are the ones who have been arranging our safaris at a very good rate. Their website is www.travellerslink.co.ke
wish you all the best.

Hi africalover, we just returned from 5 days at Kichwa Tembo camp last week. The Mara was just teeming with animals, still heading north and arriving at the river in large groups at all times of the day, but (frustratingly) taking some time to cross. In the end we saw only one crossing, but spent hours at various crossing points watching groups go to the water's edge, then turn back, numerous times. My understanding is that the action is pretty much still all in the Mara at this point. I highly recommend KT camp, haven't been to any of the others.

thanks for the suggestions...........

sammie - is a tout and if you followed his instructions (or indication of where certain properties located) you'd be very very lost.

In the Serengeti, Migration Camp and Lobo Lodge are nowhere in the "south" of anything. Except maybe that Migration is southwest of Lobo!

If you were to venture to the Serengeti, best you be in the very north where those herds that didn't quite make it into the Masai Mara "hang" - using camps as: Sayari, Olakira, Lemala, Nomad's... all of which are in the "lux" category.

Just don't delay if traveling soon, as availability for consecutive days can be a problem.

Hi Africalover,

We just return from Kenya 2 days ago. The migration is very spread all over the Mara with many animals still crossing from the triangle and some very big herds heading to the north .
We spent a few days at the Olare Orok and there where some nice herds there and some more coming.

North Serengeti should also be good but same ecosystem , same animals and landscape and you have to pay extra visa and park fees ???

Plenty of cats in The Mara as usual. We saw 17 different cheetah ( including 8 very small cubs ) 5 different leopards and many lions in 5 days ( also many vehicles in some of the sightings , specially the crossing points )

Good luck with availability.

thanks sandi..... so i guess it would be better to stay at all days at the mara, which camps and lodges would u recommend, also as there are many camps and lodges in the mara, availiability for one room is quite good

paco, thanks, i think i will stick to the mara, which camps and lodges did you stay in ?

What about:

- 4 nights Kicheche Bush Camp (or Kicheche Mara)
- 4 nights Governor's Il Moran
- 4 Nights Rekero or Entim

To me that sounds like a dream safari. Great locations, diversity, very good chances to watch crossings!

Map of the camps:

http://www.go-safari.com/Masai%20Mar...araApril09.jpg

Happy Planning

((@))

thanks... alot, just read at wildwatch, that some of the wildies hv migrated back to the serengeti..........what camp do u suggest in serengeti

We stayed 2 Nts Intrepids and 3 Nts Kicheche Bush(fantastic in every aspect).

Big herds move back and forth all the time.Some stay in the Serengeti and never cross to the Mara, others are Mara residents , besides by the time you get there what they did last week doesn´t matter.

Is nice to read news about the herds movements but decide your trip base on that may be confusing ??

The good thing is whatever you choose you are going to have a great time!!

Good luck.

What Paco said.

Hi Paco... looking forward to hearing (and seeing) more about your trip. Eight very small cheetah cubs is very exciting.

africalover
Do yourself a favour and keep focusing on to the Mara - you simply can't get back and forth hoping you just hit the biggest patch of wildebeest at the peak.

Believe: There are more animals in the Mara than the biggest wide angle lens can swallow.

As Paco says - moving and criss crossing all the time PLUS some patches don't even cross into the Mara.

((@))

africalover -

Suggestion: don't drive yourself nuts. The herds are in the Masai Mara. Some of the herds that don't make it into the Mara, remain in the very Northern Serengeti. That said, from day-to-day, week-to-week, they can be anywhere.

As I mentioned, when I visited in early June knowing the herds are normally in the Central or Western Serengeti, some small numbers had already crossed into the Mara from Northern Serengeti. Whoopie, maybe 10,000 wildies and surprising to most. But as soon as they arrived, as I along with camp manager, being the only guest, sat enjoying lunch on the lawn at Sala's Camp, the farthest south in the Mara... we watched the same group that had crossed an hour earlier, heading back to the Serengeti and they did the same next day - back-n-forth and back-n-forth. Even those who remained in the Mara, they'd be in one area in the morning and later in the day that area was completely void of any game.

There are some visitors who stop at both the Mara and Northern Serengeti but don't always find herds in the North on the actual days they were. Even when in the Mara, some days large numbers will be in the Triangle, others out on the private conservancies, and some are all over the place... Triangle, Reserve, Conservancies. And, there are still resident herds that never migrate.

What you decide today, maybe for naught by the time you arrive. Best always to allow Africa to show you what she has to offer from day-to-day and not put money on it. More enjoyable to be pleasantly surprised.