Serengeti wildebeest safaris

Serengeti wildebeest bewilderment brings unexpected savings.

Safari specialist Expert Africa, via a team member on the ground in Tanzania, is reporting something astonishing. On a research trip in the northern Serengeti, herds of wildebeest have been witnessed making river crossings. In July / August, this would be unremarkable; in December, however, it’s utterly bonkers.

Looking at this map, the herds should currently be solely in the southern Serengeti, yet they’re also in the north and in the west – in fact they’re spread all over. And the cause? Undoubtedly it’s down to the wildlife’s puzzlement over weather patterns.

For Africa travellers, this means some huge savings. Fantastic camps in the northern Serengeti, such as Sayari Camp and Lamai Serengeti, are available at greatly reduced rates compared to July – October, when the migration would normally occur in that location.

Expert Africa’s nine-day Fringe-Eared Oryx Fly-in Safari, for example, costs from £7,334 pp (two sharing) in July / August 2017 compared with £5,721 pp (two sharing) in January / February. Effectively, you’re saving well over £3,000 on an out-of-season trip for two, with a more than decent chance of high season migration sightings. These includes return flights from London, full board accommodation, most drinks, guided safari activities, park fees, and all transfers in Africa.

For further information, or to talk to a safari specialist, call Expert Africa on 020 8232 9777 or visit www.expertafrica.com.

Expert Africa’s sister brand, Wild about Africa (020 8758 4717, www.wildaboutafrica.com), is a small group specialist – known for affordability, inclusiveness and flexibility – to Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Tanzania. Many of Wild About Africa’s safaris have very low or no single-person supplements.