Have You Ever Dreamed About Being On An African Safari?

I have been lucky to travel the world with my camera. I have witnessed some fantastic wildlife. I have photographed Musk Ox in the mountains of Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park, a Caribou migration in Nunavut, Penguins in Antarctica, and Grizzly, Black and Spirit Bear in British Columbia, to name a few. But nothing will ever compare to the Wildebeest migration and the ensuing predation that accompanies this annual event during the calving season in Tanzania.

Like everything in travel photography, timing and knowledgeable guidance are keys to success. You need to know when to go and where to stay to create the best opportunity to witness this spectacle that has been cycling long before man has inhabited Earth. As large as this migration is, it can be challenging to find in such a vast area as the Serengeti.

The Wildebeest migration is in the eastern Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation area from January to early March. The herds split into veins, covering massive areas of the plains and giving birth to their young as they follow the rains. The thundering movement of the herds casts sand into the air like an 18-wheel truck speeding down a dirt road. The first time I witnessed this was in 2015. I vividly remember being in the middle of over 200,000 wildebeest. It was intimidating and exhilarating and made me feel genuinely insignificant.

This time of year also means the predators methodically take weak or young animals to feed their families. Watching and photographing predation brings a range of emotions. I’ve felt the thrill of the chase when a cheetah chases down its prey at over 100 km/h, mixed with sadness when I see a kill of a defenseless wildebeest or zebra.

Photographing these chases is fun and challenging, resulting in bucket list photos to share with the folks back home. Sometimes the results are sad or gruesome, and sometimes I will sit and watch the cycle of nature that predates our time on this planet, allowing the strong to survive.

You should join me on a photo safari of a lifetime to Tanzania. My next safari will be in February 2025. You can view that safari here.