Great Migration vs Resident Game: Which Safari?

The Great Migration is spectacular, but excellent wildlife viewing does not depend on it, and chasing the herds is not always the best use of a safari. Resident-game parks deliver superb, reliable sightings of predators, elephants and much more all year, often with fewer crowds and lower prices. This guide helps you weigh the seasonal drama of the migration against the year-round dependability of resident wildlife.

Key things to know

• ➜Migration safaris are seasonal, weather-dependent and often busier and pricier.
• ➜Resident-game parks deliver superb sightings all year, independent of the herds.
• ➜Predators, elephants, giraffe and plains game thrive well outside migration areas.
• ➜The migration offers spectacle; resident parks often offer quieter, closer sightings.
• ➜Crossings and calving are unpredictable, while resident wildlife is more reliable.
• ➜Combining both can give you the best of the spectacle and the quiet.

References & further reading

1. Thirgood, S., et al. (2004). Can parks protect migratory ungulates? The case of the Serengeti wildebeest. Animal Conservation, 7(2), 113-120.
2. Holdo, R. M., Holt, R. D., & Fryxell, J. M. (2009). Opposing rainfall and plant nutritional gradients best explain the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti. The American Naturalist, 173(4), 431-445.
3. Sinclair, A. R. E., et al. (Eds.) (2015). Serengeti IV. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.