Conservationists Stay for Free at Great Migration Camps

April 20, 2023Posted in Conservation Through Tourism, Great-Migration-Camps, Great-Migration-SafarisWritten by Sally GriersonLeave a comment

“Conservation needs to become part of real life, not a fringe activity, and for that to happen it has to move out of science and into lifestyle. We need to create a culture of conservation.” –Colleen Begg*

Conservationists Stay for Free in Tanzania

Every day Conservationists head out to protect and preserve our planet, the environment and the wildlife supported by biodiverse habitats and eco-systems. In recognition of their daily efforts, passion and bravery to conserve and protect biodiversity, habitats or species anywhere in the world, Conservation Through Tourism has a #STAY4FREE policy. This offer is for all those heroes who have a long-term commitment of being part of the conservation solution.

Free Stay for Conservationists

We welcome professional conservationists from all disciplines to any Great Migration Camps for free. Thank you to all the planet protectors, the soil scientists, the climate campaigners, the habitat heroes and biodiversity backers, the species supporters, the ecology activists, environmental scientists and those who make a real contribution to conservation. Take a break with Great Migration Camps – Conservation fatigue is real and it is hard trying to protect our planet. You deserve it.

How #Stay4Free for Conservationists Works

Professional Conservationists with valid credentials should contact info@greatmigrationcamps.com for a free B&B stay at any Great Migration Camp.
Being mobile the camps do move location so getting in touch shortly before you travel

Select your dates
Select your camp
Create your trip based on availability
Confirm your safari

Conservationists Stay 4 Free T’s and C’s

Stay4Free is available when booked less than 60 days prior to arrival. See if we are free!
Stay4Free includes accommodation and breakfast at any GMC Camp subject to availability- additional meals and fuel/vehicle surcharge may be applicable
Stay4Free excludes getting to any GMC Camp (we can assist with flights or safari transport)
Stay4Free excludes Park & Camping fees in any National Park, WMA or Conservancy along with any applicable government taxes.
Stay4Free excludes any third-party costs that may apply.
Stay4Free is applicable to any Conservation Professional with valid credentials.
Stay4Free Partners, Friends or Children pay 50% of Published Rates and all 3^rd party costs.

Great Migration Camps for Conservationists (#stay4free)

Great Migration Camps creates low impact mobile safari experiences, following the great migration in the Serengeti National Park. GMC mobile fly-camps are available in, around or enroute to the great-migration seasonal camp. Mobile explorer camps travel to other parks and wildlife management areas, currently within Tanzania, and can be booked exclusively or as part of an itinerary for conservation or for safari clients. Contact info@greatmigrationcamps.com for reservations.

Conservation Through Tourism: Conservationists stay for free

Our aim is to encourage travellers to visit vulnerable areas – areas that need conservation help, habitat and biodiversity protection and community support. The benefits of the physical presence of visitors, in addition to their crucial revenue spend, is critical to the protection of natural areas that are home to unique flora and fauna. We aim to create habit and wildlife value for communities, governments and wildlife.

*Colleen Begg is a South African conservation ecologist with 30 years’ practical experience in African conservation. Colleen is Co-founder Women for the Environment Africa (WE Africa) / Co- Founder & Co-Director Niassa Carnivore Project

The Great Migration: Double River Crossings

July 23, 2022Posted in Conservation Through Tourism, Great-Migration Updates, Great-Migration-Camps, Great-Migration-SafarisWritten by Sally GriersonLeave a comment

Double river crossings of the Great Wildebeest Migration, Serengeti

The Great Wildebeest Migration is often erroneously linked with the river crossings of the Mara River. The river crossings are riveting to witness, and the star of the great migration show. For some lucky observers, it is possible to watch a double crossing during one river crossing event.

What is a double river crossing of the Great Migration?

Some of the wildebeest calves are separated from their mothers whilst crossing the Mara River with the rest of the herd. These calves often return to where the came from, looking for their mothers. Sometimes the mothers go back and swim through the waters again to find their young ones. The double river crossing or return river crossing refers to some wildebeest individuals crossing the river twice in one event.

Who is involved in double river crossings during the Great Migration?

Watch this amazing video of the 6-month-old calves in a “return crossing”. We witnessed the main crossing of the entire herd, then in a state of confusion, these calves returned to the Mara River and crossed it again. The adrenaline and chaos of the crossing and being in the water dulls the calves’ sense of smell. Smell is their primary way of identification. In the water, or just after getting out of the water, they cannot smell or find their mothers. In a sense of desperation at being lost their natural instinct is to go back to where they came from, resulting in a double crossing. Lost calves are brave in their determination to find their moms!

Experience the Great Migration in 2022 – River Crossings and more

Join us for the world’s largest overland mammal migration as 1.5 million wildebeest, 400,000 zebra, 18,000 eland and 200,000 Thompson’s gazelle move through the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. We don’t wait for the herds to come to us, we take you to them – leaving no trace. Follow them with us online or in person. Migration Updates every month. Email sally@greatmigrationcamps.com to book your seat to the great migration. We still have some availability in late August, into September, so join us before the 2022 river crossing season is over.

“Nothing ever becomes real ‘til it is experienced.” John Keats

The Great Migration: July 2022 Update

July 19, 2022Posted in Conservation Through Tourism, Great-Migration Updates, Great-Migration-Camps, Great-Migration-SafarisWritten by Sally Grierson1 Comment

Great Migration Update from Tanzania 19 July 2022

As per our great migration predications last month, the river crossings started in the Northern Serengeti in early July. It’s been a cracking start to the great migration crossing season, with the majority of the herds arriving near Makutano. The early river crossings were at Crossing Points 7 & 7B. As more great migration herds arrived in the second week of July, the Mara River crossing point shifted west to coincide with the arrivals of the Western Herds. There were some spectacular great migration river crossings at Numbers 4 and 5. The steep banks and intensive herds, created billowing dust for some impressive crossings. Superb sightings for happy guests who were up early to enjoy Nature’s greatest show. Large herds are now grazing leisurely in Lamai Wedge.

Mara River crossing at No 4 from south to north MIGRATION UPDATE: 16 July 2022

Great Migration Update from Kenya: July 2022

Last week there were some huge crossings of the Sand River into Kenya. The herds that crossed the Mara River are moving slowly and should reach the Mara Triangle soon, they seem to be hanging around Miles Turner Hill and taking a leisurely break.

MIGRATION UPDATE JULY 2022: Huge herds of the Great Migration cross the Sand River into Kenya

Let’s hope it’s a great year for the Maasai Mara and Mara Triangle, where we are monitoring how long they spend in the Maasai Mara and Mara Triangle and how far north they go into the Mara Conservancies this year of 2022 (if at all). Results will be good indicators if the Kenyan conservancy model (where cattle also graze the land), will allow enough grazing for the wildebeest of the great migration, who seem to be competing for the same resources as cattle. Holding thumbs for the great migration to have a longer stay in the Maasai Mara this year.

MIGRATION UPDATE JULY 2022: Serengeti Great migration, Mara River crocodile kill 2022

Great Migration predictions for July and early August 2022.

It is fairly dry up in the Northern Serengeti, with no real rain forecast in the next two weeks. Despite a build up of some moisture from Lake Victoria creating some amazing clouds, there has been no rainfall and very little is predicted. We are hoping for some light showers here and there, to provide short green grass for the wildebeest to eat, otherwise it becomes tough going for the great migration herds. The drier spells accentuate the pressure on the eco-system and limited food becomes obvious when there is no rainfall. We are even noticing that the low water levels of the Mara River this 2022 are making it hard for the crocodiles to feed.

Until there is big rain in the north to pull them further, we predict smaller crossings back and forth across the Mara River in the next few weeks. There are still some herds arriving from the south, so it’s likely there will be lots of to-and-fro with wildebeest herds on both sides of the Mara River.

Great Migration: News update July 2022

More good news from Kogatende is that the bridge to the Lamai Wedge is now open. Thanks to TANAPA for coordinating the repairs to the bridge across the Mara River for the great migration crossing season. It is wonderful to have road access on both sides of the river, when staying at Great Migration Camps for the great migration river crossing season 2022.

Visit the Great Migration in 2022

Email info@greatmigrationcamps.com to book your seat to the great migration. We still have some availability first week of August & the last two weeks of August, into September. Book soon to avoid disappointment. The show must go on.

Finding the Great Migration- June 2022

June 18, 2022Posted in Great-Migration Updates, Great-Migration-Camps, Great-Migration-SafarisWritten by Sally Grierson1 Comment

Finding the Great Migration: Migration Update June 2022

Great Migration update 18 June 2022. This is a difficult time of year to find the great migration. In years of normal rainfall, the statistics and literature indicate that the large herds should be on the western side of the Serengeti National Park. The western side of the Serengeti gets more rain due to its physical location close to Lake Victoria, so the logic is that in dry years the wildebeest herds should migrate through the North Western Serengeti. Finding the herds can be tricky as vast tracks of the area is privately owned hunting blocks of the park buffer zone.

Serengeti Great Migration Update, Serengeti Balloon Safaris, 16 June 2022

Finding the great migration in the west – June 2022

It’s mid-June 2022, and the majority of the herds are in the western corridor of the Serengeti. This is the longer route to the Mara River and northern Serengeti. The herds are moving slowly and a full Grumeti River has also slowed the progress of the herds moving northwards.

There was a lot of early rain in the NW corner of the ecosystem. The rains stopped early this year, so the southern plains dried out quickly causing the wildebeest herds to migrate. The wetter north-west corner is the preferred dry season grazing. Wildebeest love the red oat grass that grows in the moist, deeper soils. June 2022 is becoming a classic text book year for the great migration. By the end of June, all the Western herds should have crossed the Grumeti River, and we can expect the migration to reach Kogatende and the Mara River from the west for river crossings in 4-6 weeks’ time.

June is a privileged time to find the great migration. You may have to work a bit harder out in the west – which is further away and fascinatingly wilder. If you are lucky to find the great migration in June- it is spectacular. Witness this great natural phenomenon of hundreds of thousands of animals marching in columns up to 40 kilometers long and be blown away. Check out the video below from the Western Serengeti and the marching herds. It’s insane! Follow up your watch journey to the western Serengeti with Episode 24- West End . There’s more great migration, as well as river animals of the Serengeti on show.

Migration Madness. Episode 23 of the Serengeti Show Live Series in 2020.
Discover the Western Corridor of the Serengeti and the classic long columns of wildebeests migrating through the area- it’s astounding!

Finding the great migration in the east – June 2022

Finding the great migration in the east, is sometimes forgotten when the western herds dominate the wildlife news. This June many of the Eastern Herds, moved west through Seronera to join the western herds and contribute to the big numbers on that side of the Serengeti National Park.

20% of the Eastern Herds remained on that side of the Serengeti, and those wildebeest can currently be found near Togoro Plains. The eastern great migration herds are moving northwards fairly quickly so we anticipate them reaching the Sand River in the first week of July. This means there could be some Sand River Crossings into the Mara Reserve as early as July 2022 for the first river crossings of the 2022 season.

This seasonal river with a sandy bottom, is the virtual game drive of Episode 28 exploring the Serengeti. Watch for an unexpected crossing.

If the conditions in the Mara reserve aren’t suited to the wildebeest needs yet, the early herds may back track to the Serengeti and cross the Mara River from north to south. These would be the first Mara River Crossings.

The third, yet least likely scenario for the first river crossings of 2022, is that the eastern herds don’t cross the sand river in early July. They would move north and west, slowly gathering near crossing point No 10 or Makutano for a potential Mara River crossing at the junction.

Finding the great migration in July. Predictions for river crossing season ’22

We predict some small river crossings to start in the first half of July. Crossings would likely be the Sand River or Eastern Mara River.
The first herds of the great migration coming from the West, should arrive at the Mara River in mid-July 2022. Big herds are already gathering as the wildebeest migrate northwards.
At Great Migration Camps we are eagerly waiting for a bumper season. We are expecting some big river crossings starting in July ’22.

Email info@greatmigrationcamps.com to book your seat to the great migration. We still have some space still available in early July & late August. Book soon to avoid disappointment.

wildebeest

May 31, 2022Posted in Great-Migration Updates, Great-Migration-SafarisWritten by Sally GriersonLeave a comment

Wildebeest

noun [ C ]
UK /ˈwɪl.də.biːst/ US /ˈwɪl.də.biːst/

a large antelope with curved horns
a herd of wildebeest
plural wildebeest or wildebeests

a large African animal with a long tail and horns that curve to the sides that lives in areas covered in grass

Wildebeest are large African antelopes and belong to the Bovidae family. The word wildebeest comes from the Afrikaans language and translates to wild beast. Another name for the wildebeest is gnu (pronounced “new”).

Wildebeest Synonym

gnu (/njuː/ NEW or /nuː/ NOO)

‘Gnu’ is from a Khoikhoi language (which pronounced the [g]), which likely imitated it from the grunt-type noise that a wildebeest makes.

Wildebeest Word Origin

early 19th cent.: from Afrikaans, literally ‘wild beast’.

Dutch settlers first “discovered” wildebeest in about 1700, on their way to the interior of South Africa. Due to their resemblance to wild cattle, the Afrikaans people called them “wild ox/cattle” or “wildebeest” due to its untamed appearance and vigorous nature.

Wildebeest Size and Appearance

The blue wildebeest is a member of the antelope family, although its heavy build and disproportionately large forequarters make it look more bovine. They have large heads, shaggy manes, pointed beards, and sharp, curved horns. Blue wildebeests can reach 8 feet in length, stand 4.5 feet tall at the shoulders and weigh up to 600 pounds. Both males and females grow horns.

Wildebeest collective noun

confusion of wildebeests or an implausibility of wildebeests

The noun for a group of wildebeest is taken from the loud noise and confusion that erupt during migration season – caught up in the middle of the movement, your head is bound to spin.

Wildebeest species

There are two species of wildebeest: the black wildebeest or white-tailed gnu (Connochaetes gnou), and the blue wildebeest or brindled gnu (Connochaetes taurinus). In East Africa, the blue wildebeest perform the annual great migration and are the Serengeti species.

COMMON NAME: Blue Wildebeest
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Connochaetes taurinus
TYPE: Mammals
DIET: Herbivore
GROUP NAME: Herd
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 20 years
SIZE: 125 cm (48 inches)
WEIGHT: 118 – 270 kilograms (260 – 595 pounds)
HABITAT: Open woodlands, open grassy plains.
DIET: Herbivorous
GESTATION: 8.5 months
PREDATORS: Lions, cheetahs, hyena

Is it time to get your safari on and see some wildebeest for yourself?

Chat to us about which aspect of the Great Migration you’d most like to see. Read our explainer here. We can advise you on your Tanzania Safari and help you to plan your great migration safari to see the wildebeest herds! Contact us on sally@greatmigrationcamps.com. Let’s chat Great Migration! Let’s chat Conservation through Tourism. Come and see the wildebeest for yourself.

GMC Live Reviews at Ilboru Safari Lodge

March 6, 2018Posted in Great-Migration-SafarisWritten by Leave a comment

Join us for our next Live Review at Ilboru Safari Lodge, Arusha, Tanzania on Wednesday afternoon through to Thursday morning the 7th and 8th of March 2018. We will show you what this Arusha property, on the slopes of Mt Meru is all about. Our reviews will cover the lodge, its rooms, activities, meals and what Ilboru has to offer, we will as always also focus on the people behind the scenes and the “Ilboru Safari Lodge story” with owner and hands-on manager Annelies Metili. Ilboru Safari Lodge, Arusha

Ilboru Safari Lodge in Arusha has been welcoming guests to Tanzania for seventeen years. Annelies Metili, current owner, manages the lodge with a hand’s on approach that has been a huge success with guests. Annelies brings her sense of style and many years of experience in the Tanzanian hospitality industry to every aspect of the lodge.

Born in Holland, Annelies was a successful International entrepreneur when fate stepped in and she was given the opportunity to assist legendary wildlife documentary cinematographers Anton van Munster and Hugo van Lawick in Serengeti National Park in the early years of this century. This serendipitous encounter changed her life forever; Africa became home and she went on to create a life of safari, adventure, wonder and excitement.

After several ventures including helping build one of the most prestigious lodges in Africa, team member for other successful safari lodges, opening a raw food emporium and creating her own fine line of designer bags, she came to roost along with her two children on the slopes of Mt Meru in Arusha, taking over management of Ilboru Safari Lodge in early 2014.

LIVE REVIEW SCHEDULE: ILBORU SAFARI LODGE

Wednesday 7 March 2018

1500 Experience Review – Arrival Ilboru Safari Lodge
1530 Room Review Ilboru – Safari Lodge room review 1
1540 Room Review Ilboru – Safari Lodge room review 2
1630 Sustainability Review – Ilboru environmental worriers – reforestation project
1730 Experience Review – What to do at Ilboru
1800 People Review – Dinner preparation with Chef
1830 Main Lodge Review – Main review of Ilboru with Annelies Metili
1900 People Review- The Ilboru Safari Lodge Story with Annelies Metili
2000 Experience Review – Dinner at Ilboru Safari Lodge
2100 Experience Review – Soak up the atmosphere at Ilboru – poolside at night

Thursday 8 March 2018

0630 Experience Review – Wake up at Ilboru Safari Lodge
0730 Experience Review – Ilboru Safari Lodge breakfast
0830 People Review – People behind Ilboru with Annelies Metili
0900 Experience Review – Thank you and enjoy your safari.

We look forward to sharing this property with you. Join us on 7 and 8 March 2018.

Click here for more information about live reviews

What is a Live Review?

Imagine a visual online review forum that showcases the very best of your property and location recorded live and broadcast over the Internet for people to watch around the world. That is the essence of our LiveReview platform, a broad-spectrum content sharing website whose central focus is on the camps and lodges located along the path of the great wildebeest migration of east Africa. Through reviewing and showcasing every aspect of coming to visit and witness one of nature’s greatest events we utilise the latest online technology of live streaming in the form of our LiveReviews of lodges, camps and properties, as well as live experience reviews of game drives and sightings direct from remote locations in the bush.