River Crossing Spectacular

We have all seen the spectacular wildebeest river crossings on television.  Thousands of creates lined up along the river banks and then in an instant a giant rush toward the other side almost in a single file line.  Crocodiles and lion seem to be everywhere, anticipating an easy meal.

These river crossings are happening right now in the Masai Mara Game Reserve (see the amazing pictures below).  What’s the best way to see these river crossings?  Timing and luck.  The Great Migration moves into the Masai Mara from July to October.  During this time they are forced to cross the Mara River in order to complete their annual journey back to Tanzania.  So first of all, you want to be in the Masai Mara from July to October.

Secondly, bring your rabbit’s foot or other lucky charm.  The large herds of wildebeest line up along the river’s banks and can often wait there for hours or even days.  There are 4-5 main locations where the herds cross the river each year.  Once the first animal heads across the river, the others (often thousands of others) follow suit and create a steady line of wildebeest and zebra heading to the opposite bank.  For those lucky enough to see it, the river crossing is as spectacular as advertised on TV.  It can take 30-60 minutes for the larger herds to all cross the river.  Meanwhile crocodile and lion lie in wait, picking off the less fortunate wildebeest and zebra.  One can view nature during one of its most dramatic moments.  These animals have performed this annual migration for thousands of years and will continue to do so for thousands of years more.  With over 1.5 million wildebeest and zebra, there are plenty of opportunities to see a river crossing.

Check out these pictures taken 2 weeks ago in the Masai Mara Game Reserve:

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