Seeing the Great Migration is one of the things on most people’s bucket list. We’ve all seen it on television but nothing can match up to the experience of being there as around a million and a half animals pound the earth into dust with their hooves on an epic quest for food.

From Tanzania's Serengeti to the hills of Kenya’s Masai Mara, over 1.4 million wildebeests and 200,000 zebras and gazelles, all being relentlessly pursued by Africa’s great predators, make the perilous journey of 1,800 miles each year in search of fresh green shoots to graze upon.

The key places of departure and arrival for the migration are Tanzania’s Serengeti and Kenya’s Masai Mara. It is, of course, impossible to call somewhere the starting place as the migration is a timeless circular trek across the face of Africa following the pattern of the rains. Wildebeests (gnus), which make up the overwhelming majority of the animals, give birth to their offspring between December and March. This takes place in various Tanzanian safari hot-spots such as the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serenegeti and is, of course, of great interest to the thousands of predators who prey upon the weak youngsters.

Find out when to see to see the Great Migration