A guide to where to stay to see the Serengeti's Great Migration in October
Firstly, where are the herds? Throughout October the Migration is still located in the far north of the Serengeti and Kenya’s Maasai Mara. There is no rain in the southern Serengeti but reliable rainfall in the northern plains due to the macro climate dictated by Lake Victoria and the Oloololo Escarpment. However Tanzania's light rains will usually start at some point in October which triggers the herds push south...but designing your trip to anticipate this push south is asking for trouble; the northern Serengeti is still the place to be throughout October.
October is still a good month for river crossings, one of the major reasons that travellers come to the park. The Tanzanian side of the border is significantly quieter than the Kenyan side - the Mara Conservancies excluded but they don’t offer good river crossings - and for that reason I focus the vast majority of trips in the northern Serengeti.
The exact location for the river crossings on the Tanzanian side is an area called Kogatende and the Lamai Wedge. Both sides are excellent with Lamai being a quieter location that’s truly away from the crowds. Further away from the river is an area called Lobo to the east of the Mara River – a place that offers great value with a few excellent camps. It’s easy to access the river area from Lobo and some camps prefer to locate themselves between the two areas to find a quiet part of the Serengeti all to themselves.
THE VIDEO BELOW – an overview of where to stay in October to maximise your chance of seeing the herds.
BENEATH THE VIDEO - a write up of my favourite lodges and recommendations for where to stay that covers all price points