Considered the ‘greatest wildlife show on earth’, the annual Great Migration brings flocks of visitors to Kenya between July and October. The event involves the impressive journey of one and a half million wildebeest and their entourage of zebra, antelope and predators from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the greener pastures of the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. In a single day you can see it all: elephant, lion, cheetah, leopard, plains game, even the more elusive rhino. Karen Darnborough, from the team of our local experts at Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp, just sent over these amazing eye-witness videos recently shot of this year’s migration. The exciting clips are a wonderful way to experience it virtually. Karen also tells us why the next few months are an ideal time to go to Kenya, read on, watch on… and let yourself be tempted!
“What an amazing couple of months we’ve had! The migration came early which was a nice surprise for our guests staying with us in June, since then it’s been go, go, go and we’ve had some of the most amazing sightings! From a male Lion swimming across the Sand River, to seeing the big five all in one day, coming across a leopard in a tree with a kill, nearly driving over a huge juvenile African Python and getting to watch some of the most dramatic Mara River crossings. We’ve been on the edge of our Landcruiser car seats anticipating what’s going to come up next!
“Go, go, go! A dramatic crossing seen by Josphat Mako, Willy Mpatiany and their guests on Monday 17th July, 2017.
“Cottar’s guide, Ken and his guests had a great day recently, spotting the Big 5 all in one day on July 7th! How amazing is that? Definitely the highlight of the day was spending some time with this rhino.
“And here’s the juvenile African python, he’s huge… and more than a little bit scary! Better observed from the safety of the Landcruiser!
“So as you can see we’ve been kept very busy and very entertained lately. The Sand River even decided to get in on the action and it flooded for two days, it was pretty exciting crossing it. “We’re enjoying keeping up with nature’s hustle and bustle, what a great start to the busy season.”
A big thank you to Karen and these recent guests of Cottar’s for sharing their thrilling experiences viewing the Great Migration!
Kenya in September through November
Even if you visit beyond the magical months of August through September, you are certain to see large resident herds of zebra and wildebeest along with lion, cheetah, hippo, elephant, leopard, buffalo, warthog and giraffe. Couple the incredible wildlife of this area, with a beautiful and varied landscape of rivers, rolling hills and woodlands — and you can see why the Masai Mara is the most popular national park in Africa.
September and October are still the High Season as the migration is in full swing and wildlife is in abundance all across the Mara Reserve and all the conservancies. Staying in the less-crowded conservancies like Cottar’s Olderkesi Conservancy really helps make the most of any visit to the Masai Mara. While November is not traditionally the busy season, it’s highly recommended if you’re looking to beat the crowds. There’s still a lot of wildlife about but the summer holidays are over and the Mara quietens down quite a bit, you’ll have it all to yourself — especially if you reserve Cottar’s special private Bush Villa which is booked on exclusive basis only. The custom-built 10,000 sq ft villa features a spacious living room, dining room, an expansive viewing deck, five en-suite bedrooms and a 25m swimming pool. Its guests enjoy their own private vehicles, guides, dining and other activities.
Experience the magic of the Great Migration or Kenya off season with Cottar’s. Learn more about their 1920s Safari Camp and their exquisite Bush Villa at this link.
