Great Migration Tanzania

Our first Safari trip.. I'm planning to go on the 19 July 2017 Kenya/Tanzania Safari. What are our chances to witness the great migration over the Grumeti Reserve and Ikorongo at that time? Is there a better date?

Comments

  • We were in Africa one time at that time of year and did not see the migration. We saw a small group of wilderbeest crossing the river at one point. But it really does not matter because you will see plenty of animals whenever you go. The exact dates for the migration cannot be guaranteed because it depends on the weather pattern. If you have not yet booked the trip, I strongly recommend you do so because that date shows limited space already.
  • edited August 2016
    Who are you traveling with? Are you piggy-backing another safari onto a Tauck safari?

    Tauck's K&T Classic Safari does not go to the Grumeti Reserve (and camps along the Grumeti River) or the Ikorongo Game Reserve, both of which are, or were, privately managed game reserves located at the northwest edge of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania (along the migration route.)

    Tauck's K&T safaris stay at the Four Seasons in the Serengeti National Park in the central Serengeti in Tanzania and conduct their game drives nearby. They stay at the Fairmont Mara Safari Club that overlooks the Mara river in Kenya. River crossings are the best opportunity to view the full drama of the migration, otherwise you'll just see vast herds of wildebeest, zebra, etc. winding their way across the plains- but crossings don't happen at, or close to, the Fairmount lodge.

    If you Google it you will find many opinions but July thru Oct, when the grasses are dry, are often regarded as the best time for viewing the migration.

    map_kt2017.jpg?revisionid=02_06_2016
  • British and Alan, Thx for the clarification.. we're on the Tauck K&T tour. . it makes sense to me that the river crossing are timed on the weather patterns..
  • radamchak wrote:
    British and Alan, Thx for the clarification.. we're on the Tauck K&T tour. . it makes sense to me that the river crossing are timed on the weather patterns..

    We did the K & T in July 2014, and witnessed a "mass" migration across the Mara on July 15. But some had been waiting for days, and nothing happened until we drove up. (;-)
  • British wrote:
    We were in Africa one time at that time of year and did not see the migration. We saw a small group of wilderbeest crossing the river at one point. But it really does not matter because you will see plenty of animals whenever you go. The exact dates for the migration cannot be guaranteed because it depends on the weather pattern. If you have not yet booked the trip, I strongly recommend you do so because that date shows limited space already.

    We have done the Classic East Africa, and the Zambia, Botswana, and South Africa. Primarily interested in the animals, so we are thinking about going back to K&T, the classic. I think you said you have done four. Any repeats, or what are your thoughts?

    https://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47a6d829b3127cce98548a65b72300000040122IbMmTVu1cy
  • British wrote:
    We were in Africa one time at that time of year and did not see the migration. We saw a small group of wilderbeest crossing the river at one point. But it really does not matter because you will see plenty of animals whenever you go. The exact dates for the migration cannot be guaranteed because it depends on the weather pattern. If you have not yet booked the trip, I strongly recommend you do so because that date shows limited space already.

    We have done the Classic East Africa, and the Zambia, Botswana, and South Africa. Primarily interested in the animals, so we are thinking about going back to K&T, the classic. I think you said you have done four. Any repeats, or what are your thoughts?

    https://im1.shutterfly.com/procgtaserv/47a6d829b3127cce98548a65b72300000040122IbMmTVu1cy
  • edited September 2016
    Need British input/confirmation on this, but, it looks like the TZ-Zanzibar trip spends two nights at the Kirawira Serena luxury Tented Camp in the western Serengeti south of the Grumeti River. This might provide the best chance of Tauck's Africa tours to view the migration. Remember, the migration primarily involves wildebeest and zebra, and smaller numbers of Grant's gazelle, T h o mpson's gazelle, eland and impala. According to the moving map at this website the best time see the migration in the western Serengeti is May and also June when they bunch waiting to cross the Grumeti. The site at my link has some of the best maps and hotel/camp info (links on the map) I have found.

    Sealord, where was that lion photo taken?

    Speaking of maps- Tauck's generalized K&T map in my earlier post makes it look like you travel further west than you actually do- K&T stays in the central Serengeti. This one below of the Tanzania-Zanzibar trip is more correct.

    map_tz2017.jpg?mw=300&revisionid=29_49_2016
  • AlanS wrote:
    Need British input/confirmation on this, but, it looks like the TZ-Zanzibar trip spends two nights at the Kirawira Serena luxury Tented Camp in the western Serengeti south of the Grumeti River. This might provide the best chance of Tauck's Africa tours to view the migration. Remember, the migration primarily involves wildebeest and zebra, and smaller numbers of Grant's gazelle, T h o mpson's gazelle, eland and impala. According to the moving map at this website the best time see the migration in the western Serengeti is May and also June when they bunch waiting to cross the Grumeti. The site at my link has some of the best maps and hotel/camp info (links on the map) I have found.

    Sealord, where was that lion photo taken?

    Speaking of maps- Tauck's generalized K&T map in my earlier post makes it look like you travel further west than you actually do- K&T stays in the central Serengeti. This one below of the Tanzania-Zanzibar trip is more correct.

    map_tz2017.jpg?mw=300&revisionid=29_49_2016

    AlanS, the lion picture was taken in Zambia about a twenty minute drive from the Royal Livingston. The Zambia, Botswana, & South Africa trip used to include a walk with the lions excursion. But their operator went out of business and I think Tauck may have acquired some liability concerns after a couple of people we killed by lions while doing stupid things in South Africa last year. But the activity desk at the Livingstone is run by Bush Tracks, and they run the place where we walked with the lions. They also have a walk with the Cheetah option. We went to Zambia a day early, and used that day to schedule the walk with the lions. I called the moment I checked into the hotel, as I was unable to contact them using email. As you might expect, the waiver you sign is a sign your life away agreement. And if your heirs file a lawsuit you authorize them to use 'your' money to fight it. (;-). They had a male and a female which everyone was able to 'pet'. But, everyone walked with the male. I'll let you figure that one out.

    How do you post a picture that 'appears' as a picture on this forum?
  • edited September 2016
    Sealord wrote:
    How do you post a picture that 'appears' as a picture on this forum?

    It can be pretty simple to post a photo, but it depends on the photo. . . . The photo must already be hosted on the web somewhere. You can't upload them directly from your computer.

    In the case of the Tauck tour maps, I just right clicked on the map (photo), from the drop down menu I selected "copy link location," then I went into the forum post I was working on which I already had open in another tab. I put my cursor where I wanted the map, then selected the insert image button ('mountain w/sun') on the forum tool bar. That generates two sets of "img" brackets (image brackets). I pasted the url of the photo between them- easier done than said. Don't try it with your lion photo. If you do, be ready to remove it- see last para below- because your photo is way too big- I just tried it!

    To post personal photos, again, you can't upload them from your computer, they must be hosted somewhere on the web- Picassa, Facebook, Shutterfly, etc. The woodworking forum I frequent has unlimited photo storage so I upload some of my travel photos there.

    There is one gotcha, however. All photos you want to post must be no wider than approx 640 pixels (*the photo below was 640 X 427). If they aren't, if you post them, the thread (all posts in the thread) will overrun the computer screens of everyone who attempts to read it- which is really annoying. Unfortunately, unlike most forum software, Tauck's does not automatically resize photos- I've tried adding various html code in an attempt to resize them, but haven't found anything that works with the Tauck software. If I find a web photo I want to use that is too big, I first save it to my computer, resize it, then upload it to my woodworking gallery before I insert it in a post. That is almost too much work!!

    IMG_2332r.jpg

  • edited September 2016
    You forgot to put the image url between img brackets. The text should look like this, except with brackets ( [ ] ) instead of parens around both sets of img:

    (img)https://im1.shutterfly.com/ng/services/mediarender/THISLIFE/009005750226/media/72135624662/small/enhance(img)


    This is the "insert image" button which generates the brackets and "img." You might have hit the one next to it, the "insert link" button.

    button.jpg

    Your picture should look like this: (nice photo by the way!

    enhance
  • AlanS wrote:
    You forgot to put the image url between img brackets. The text should look like this, except with brackets ( [ ] ) instead of parens around both sets of img:

    (img)https://im1.shutterfly.com/ng/services/mediarender/THISLIFE/009005750226/media/72135624662/small/enhance(img)


    This is the "insert image" button which generates the brackets and "img." You might have hit the one next to it, the "insert link" button.

    button.jpg

    Your picture should look like this: (nice photo by the way!

    enhance

    enhance
  • AlanS ... got it ... thanks.
  • Sealord wrote:
    enhance

    I think you have it. Easier than flying Whales! :)
  • AlanS wrote:
    I think you have it. Easier than flying Whales! :)


    I have forgotten why you know that? I must have been jabbering.
    (;-)
  • edited September 2016
    Sealord wrote:
    I have forgotten why you know that? I must have been jabbering.
    (;-)

    We chatted a bit last year(?) though I can't find your email address. Me- USNA '71, NFO, Alameda VAQ-130 RAG, EKA-3B Nav trng, CQ on Lex with nuggets!! ECM trng cut short- shunted to VAQ-135, Whales to boneyard, sqdn to NAS Whidbey for transition to EA-6B. Multiple sqdn and RAG tours (ECMO), Pentagon, Hangar Deck O CV-67, JTFME Dessert Shield, retired w/22.5 yr, CDR, DoD civilian 6+, 2004 man of leisure, woodworker, Taucktourian. B-I-L VQ-1 & 2 (whales) NFO. Remember now? :)

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