A guide to where to stay to see the Serengeti's Great Migration in May
Firstly, where are the herds? May is a major moving month as the herds leave the short grass plains and move north. It is rutting season and very good prices in the camps due to low season offers. For early May the focus should be the central Serengeti plains, from the Moru Kopjes and further north into central Seronera (the heart of the park). I’ve always believed that Moru comes into its own in May. At the end of the month however the herds are focussing on the Western corridor and so splitting your time between these two areas is a great way to maximise your chance of viewing the mega herds.
There are two different styles of property to choose from. The first is the famous ‘Serengeti mobiles’ that follow the herds, and the second is the ‘permanent lodges’ (or camps). The Serengeti mobiles tend to cater for the more adventurous traveller, however I would always encourage people to consider the idea of the mobile camps; they are much more comfortable than people expect and are often the highlight of a safari.
To help you understand what you get for your money, we split the Serengeti’s properties into three different price brackets – Value, Classic, and Luxury. It's worth mentioning that the prices below do NOT include any long stay deals etc. Therefore our safaris can often be less expensive than this nightly rate. Also, May is very much LOW season, so rates in camps and therefore our price categories are different from previous months.
THE VIDEO BELOW – an overview of where to stay in May 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