The Spectacle That is the Migration of Wildbeest Can be Tricky Sometimes

The wildebeest is a social animal, Seen in the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and the Serengeti Game Reserve in Tanzania Grazing with other herbivorous like the Zebra, Gazelle, Oryx, and others. The wildebeest stick together in tens of thousands often moving in the same direction as they constantly forage for pasture and water, creating a sensational picture that is beautiful to behold. Unlike the Big Five or the big cats wildebeests require a constant supply of water and would move in droves searching for these precious commodities. Its not uncommon though to see these animals grazing in smaller numbers where pasture and water is in ambudance.

The wildebeest grows to a massively built animal, weighing a maximum weight of 230 kilograms for the female and 300 kilograms for the male and reaching at a maximum height of 1.5 meters for both female and male. You will not fail to notice that the males usually take control of the herd as it grazes on the expansive Savanna grassland that is the Masai Mara and the Serengeti. The male usually grazes along the periphery of the herd giving the a false sense of security from their natural enemies, the lions.

Its the migration of wildebeests that has caught the attention of the world that everybody craves to see this phenomenon in reality. This spectacular event happens at the Rhino Bridge, commonly known as Kiboko wildebeest crossing site. The wildebeest cross the Mara river into the adjacent olpunyaia swamp on their way to the Serengeti Game Reserve and Later back to the Olorukoti plains and the Musiara swamps. This phenomenonal event happens in July and August when millions of these wildebeest cross the Mara river from the Serengeti Game reserve to the Masai Mara. Then it happens again in october, This time the migration of wildebeests takes them back south to the Serengeti Game Park.

It is actually the reason why thousands of tourists are jetting into the country daily From all over the world. At any any one time during the migration of wildebeest, you might be forgiven if you actually thought that the number of wildebeests crossing the Mara River is the same as the number of tourists that visit this Game reserve at these times. It was only recently declared the 7th Wonder of the World. This Reserve is a perfect example of Savannah grassland of the African plateau. It covers 1,500 square kilometers of grassland and shrubs and is home to the Masai, and a variety of wild animals scattered strategically within the reserve.

Getting to the Masai Mara at these times to experience the spectacle that is the migration of wildebeest can be tricky sometimes. The hotels in the Masai Mara Game Reserve are aways fully book. Surprisingly also, other lodges and camping sites in Kenya get their feet wet. Its advisable to make an early booking with one of the many vacation and tour companies in Nairobi like the Shelter tours, early enough to avoid frustrations