Serengeti–Mara Ecosystem

A grassland ecosystem spanning Tanzania and Kenya, where two million wildebeest and zebra circle the plains each year in search of water and grass, setting the stage for the Great Migration.

The Serengeti–Mara Ecosystem comprises Tanzania's Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and surrounding reserves, together with Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve. It covers about 40,000 sq km and is famous for the annual circular migration of roughly 1.5 million wildebeest along with hundreds of thousands of zebra and gazelle, known in Chinese as the "Great East African Migration." The action moves with the seasons: in January–March the herds calve in the southern Serengeti and the Ndutu area, with predators highly active; in May–June they cross the Grumeti River in the Western Corridor; in July–October they reach the northern Serengeti and the Maasai Mara, where the Mara River crossings are the most spectacular sight of the year; and after the rains begin in November they head back south. The Maasai Mara also has dense lion populations and Maasai village culture. When planning, choose your month first, then the camps in the matching area: for July–September, go to the Maasai Mara or Lamai (Kogatende) in the northern Serengeti; for January–February, go to Ndutu. 3–5 days of game drives is usually enough, and adding a hot-air balloon makes it even better. The Isebania border post allows overland travel between the two countries, but you cannot cross directly between the parks of each country, so crossing usually means a light aircraft or a detour. The Maasai Mara is about 45 minutes by light aircraft from Nairobi, and the Serengeti is about 1–2 hours by light aircraft from Arusha. At crowded river-crossing viewpoints, follow park rules and don't let your driver cross the line; in peak season, book camps more than six months in advance.

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