Each year thousands of travelers converge on Kenya's Masai Mara in hope of witnessing the million strong wildebeest migration crossing the Mara River. What they fail to realize is that the migration is a highly complex natural phenomenon, the timing of which varies widely from year to year. Some years the wildebeest cross from Tanzania's Serengeti into Kenya's Mara in July...other years in August or September. In years with no rains in the Mara, and hence no new grass, the wildebeest will stay in Tanzania.

Keeping in mind that the Mara represents only 3% of the total Serengeti ecosystem would you wager that your "US $10,000 per person once in a lifetime 10 day African safari to see the migration in Kenya" would happen to perfectly coincide with the migration? Or would you bet on Tanzania, home to 97% of the Serengeti ecosystem? In our professional opinion Tanzania is a far superior choice. Not only do you avoid the budget tour groups of the Mara (there are now over 3,000 beds in the Masai Mara) but you can traverse the entire Serengeti in search of the wildebeest...