Where to watch the Great Migration of animals in Africa

There should be many friends who are more interested in matters related to the Great Migration of Animals. Below, the editor will tell you about other places besides Kenya where you can watch the migration. You can see these. Introduction

1. First of all, if you go to Kenya to see the Great Migration, it must be in July and August during the summer, because only during these two months will animals migrate from Tanzania to Kenya to graze, and they need to cross A river of death, also known as the Crossing of Heaven (to be discussed later)

2. Is it very hot in the summer in Kenya? Sorry, you went to Africa to escape the heat! The average temperature in Kenya throughout the year It's 27 degrees. In July and August, most of our cities in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Guangzhou are experiencing an unbearably hot summer, but Kenya has ushered in the coolest month of the year. Every year, Kenya maintains comfortable and cool temperatures from June until October, when the dry season begins.

3. Is there no place to see the Great Migration except in the summer? Wrong! Is there no place to see the Great Migration except Kenya? Wrong! To solve this misunderstanding, we first need to explain what East Africa is. Great migration of animals.

The Great Migration of Wild Animals in East Africa, also known as the Great Wildebeest Migration, generally refers to millions of wildebeests and hundreds of thousands of zebras and antelopes forming a massive procession in search of water and food. The regular annual migration moves north from Tanzania’s Serengeti Reserve to Kenya’s Masai Mara National Park. After reaching the destination, due to climate changes, in just two or three months, the expedition army composed of more than 2 million herbivorous wild animals will once again tirelessly pursue green grass and return to the Serengeti. The entire loop can be called the migration loop.

From the above migration map, it can be clearly seen that the Great Migration of animals only takes up 20% of the time in Kenya (mainly in July and August), and the other 80% of the time is in Kenya. Serengeti grassland in Tanzania, that is, the part below the red dotted line. So why do people only know about the Great Migration in Kenya? The main reason is that in July and August, animals arrive at the junction of Tanzania and Kenya: the Mara River. The migration team passing through the Mara River is also called: the Crossing of Heaven. There are a large number of crocodiles and hippopotamuses inhabiting the Mara River. They also know that animals migrate here at this time, and natural selection will take place at this time, and the survival of the fittest will take place!

A battle between Yin and Yang River! This is because the scene is so cruel and heroic. Repeated reports by news documentaries have led to many people understanding it as the main scene of the great migration of animals. This is also the main reason why more than 200,000 people from all over the world flock to the Mara River in Kenya every year in July and August to watch the migration of animals!

But the animals will only stay here for about 2 months. Because the Maasai Mara covers an area of ??about 1,500 square kilometers, only about one-tenth of the Serengeti grassland. Nearly 3 million animals have eaten almost all the grass in the Masai Mara in two months. As the rainwater moves southward, the herbivores will cross the Mara River and enter the Serengeti again to start a new journey of searching for grass. During the long journey, the animals will pass through the three main habitats of the Serengeti - the southern grassland, the northern woodland, and the Grumiti River, Seron Lela River, and the Mara River area in the north. Tanken comparison

Maasai Mara, Kenya, is undoubtedly an animal paradise. There are really many animals, and the chance of encountering cats is also very high, but as has been reported too much, Kenya is currently developing mass tourism, with lower consumption, more developed infrastructure, and more hotels of different grades and types. Due to the large influx of tourists in recent years, the commercialization of tourism in Kenya has become increasingly obvious. Guides trample the grasslands at will to please tourists. There are reports that the most spectacular crossing of the heaven can be seen in Kenya, because the banks of the Mara River in Kenya are very steep, the river bed is also very narrow, the water is very fast and deep, and the scene is very special. Spectacular. But at the same time, you should also be prepared to watch this spectacular scene with nearly 200,000 guests at this time. If you want to take photos, the large number of people will make it difficult to capture the scene. July and August are the peak tourist seasons in Kenya. There are many vehicles in the park, and sometimes you can even see more than a dozen vehicles surrounding lions.

Tanzania’s current tourism industry is dominated by “non-development at the expense of the environment”.

Tanzania takes animal protection more seriously than Kenya and strictly limits the number of tourists in Serengeti National Park. The number and grade of hotels are strictly limited. The number of hotels is small and the prices are relatively expensive. For this reason, Tanzania even closed the passage between the Masai Mara and Serengeti in 1977! That is, the Sand River Gate. In this way, Kenyan tourists cannot enter the Serengeti directly from the Masai Mara, but must take a detour through Arusha or Mwanza, which takes 12 hours. In this way, most tourists going to Kenya will not spend more time and money to make a special trip to the Serengeti.

The Serengeti is 8-10 times larger than the Masai Mara. It is more primitive, a more pure wildlife safari experience, and an in-depth photography experience in East Africa. You can see the largest number of animals and species, and have more opportunities to see the Big Five in Africa: lions, bison, cheetahs, rhinos, and elephants. (The species and number of animals in Serengeti National Park are second to none in the world). There are fewer tourists, the experience is better, it's like safari alone in the vast African savannah, and the hotel standards are relatively high-end.

Tips:

So how do we choose to go to Kenya or Tanzania?

There is actually no standard answer here. Each country has its own characteristics. The suggestions can be followed Make your choice based on budget and time!

Here are the differences between the two countries:

Advantages of going to Kenya: 1. Spectacular scenes of animals crossing the river. 2. Cheaper prices. 3. There are many tour groups during the summer, so it is easy to choose and arrange.

Disadvantages of going to Kenya: 1. There are many summer tour groups and crowded crowds, so it may be difficult to take a clean picture. 2. There are more opportunities to see lions and leopards in the Serengeti.

Advantages of going to Tanzania: 1. You can see the great migration of animals almost 365 days a year. (July and August are at the border between the two countries) 2. You can see the largest number of animals and species. The species and number of animals in Serengeti National Park are second to none in the world. 3. Fewer tourists and a better experience. It's like safari alone in the vast African savanna. 4. The level and quality of roads, communications, and hotel services in Serengeti National Park are higher than those in Masai Mara.

Disadvantages of going to Tanzania: expensive, the main reason! For the same tour time, it is expected to be 30% or even 50% more expensive than Kenya. Things to know before traveling to Tanzania

1. Visa

Just get a visa on arrival in Tanzania. You only need to provide a passport valid for more than 6 months, an itinerary within Tanzania, a printed electronic ticket and a yellow book with yellow fever vaccination. The fee is US$50. After arrival, first fill in the "Entry Card" (you only need to fill in the immigration card, no other cards or papers are needed); when going to Tanzania, fill in the "Travel", otherwise you will be asked for the cost of a business visa or temporary work permit; the length of stay in Tanzania Please fill in the round-trip air ticket.

2. Yellow Book

Entry into Tanzania must hold an international vaccination certificate (small yellow book) with yellow fever prevention, which can be vaccinated at the International Travel Health Care Center in various cities in the country . Address of Hubei International Travel Health Care Center: No. 453, Luoshi Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan City. Vaccination is free, takes effect 10 days after vaccination, and is valid for 10 years.

3. Currency

Tanzania’s currency is the shilling, which is exchanged with US dollars, and the exchange ratio is about 1:2100. (Be sure to bring U.S. dollars issued after the 2003 version.) In addition, be sure to exchange a certain number of 1-dollar bills domestically for small expenses. Tanzania is a tipping country. Luggage porters, security guards, and room cleaners cost about US$1-2 each time.

4. Time difference

Tanzania adopts the Eastern Three Zones time, which is later than Beijing time. 5 hours. That is, 12 noon in Beijing is 7 a.m. East African time. Recommended equipment (including photographic equipment)

1. Back up two sets of important travel documents such as passport copies, photos, air tickets and itineraries and store them separately.

2. Tanzania (especially in nature reserves) has a large temperature difference between day and night, and the light is very strong, so quick-drying T-shirts, skin clothing, jackets, sunhats, sunglasses, and sunscreen , magic headscarf is a must.

3. There are many electronic devices. It is recommended to bring British adapter plugs and multi-port USB charging cable boards.

4. You must bring anti-mosquito supplies. The mosquito repellent ointment used by the military is sold at the small yellow needle injection place, which is very good and is recommended to be purchased.

5. Use photography equipment according to your ability. If conditions permit, bring the best camera you can find. The lens should be at least one wide focal length and one telephoto. It is best not to shoot in the open air if the dust is large. Changing the lens in the middle, let alone shooting wild animals, the opportunity is fleeting and there is no time to change the lens (here is a little trick, make an agreement with the team members in the same group, who will take the details, who will take the big scenes, and finally share the photos to avoid (To avoid the problem of changing lenses)

6. The wider the wide angle, the better, the longer the telephoto, the better, and the bigger the memory card, the better! It is not recommended to bring a tripod. Safari spends most of its time in the car, so there are no opportunities to use it. many. On the contrary, it is recommended to bring a lightweight bean bag, because when we were in the Mara River, we were shooting in the car and could not get out of the car. Using a bean bag for stability was the only way. Animal Illustrations

Before going to the African Wild National Park, you must read the following animal illustrations so that you can identify them and name them!

First of all, you must know the five giants of Africa

Detailed explanation of large animals

Detailed explanation of herbivory

Detailed explanation of birds

Tips for photographing other animals

1. Wide-angle exaggeration method: If an animal has the opportunity to be in front of you, take the opportunity to adjust the lens to the widest state and leave a headshot of it

2. Silhouette shooting method: when shooting, The horizon is placed very low, leaving a lot of white space in the sky. Can show the silhouette effect of animals. Animals must be photographed against a strong light background to create a silhouette effect.

3. Diagonal composition: The moment of crossing the river, diagonal lines give a spectacular vision.

4. Contrast composition: blur the grass behind and highlight the lion. One is far and one is near, one is high and one is low, one is large and one is small, one is virtual and the other is real.

5. Symmetrical composition:

Generally, as long as the water surface is relatively calm, it can be photographed. However, the composition should not be too tight, and appropriate space must be reserved to explain the shooting environment.

General photography skills

Understand animal habits and local environment

In Tanzania, although wild animals can be found everywhere, their active nature determines that shooting will not go smoothly. Wonderful Moments are often missed in the blink of an eye. Therefore, to photograph wild animals, you must first fully understand the habits of wild animals, have certain natural common sense, and know when they rest, when they eat, and when they are active. Secondly, we need to have some understanding of the environment in which animals live, so that we can select the required photographic equipment and set the camera's shooting parameters in advance according to the terrain and light conditions of the shooting location.

The biggest difference between photographing wild animals and other subjects is the uncontrollability of the subjects. You cannot ask the animals to cooperate with the shooting, and it is difficult to guide and communicate with them. You can only observe carefully and wait passively. , looking for the right time to shoot, so every wonderful picture of wild animals is hard-won. Serengeti National Park

Serengeti National Park is located to the west of the Great Rift Valley in East Africa,

130 kilometers west-northwest of Arusha, with a part of the narrow strip heading It extends into Lake Victoria for 8 kilometers in the west and reaches the Kenyan border in the north. It became a protected area after 1940; in 1929, 228,600 hectares of the central Serengeti was designated as a hunting reserve; it was established as a national park in 1951; it was expanded in 1959. The Serengeti-Ngorongoro Biological Reserve is internationally recognized as part of UNESCO's People and Ecology Program and was included in the World Heritage List in the same year.

Most people who come to the Serengeti are completely mesmerized by the spectacular sight of animal migration. In fact, what is truly fascinating about the Serengeti is its entire ecosystem, including migratory and non-migratory animals throughout the year. There are several places in the Serengeti where you can always enjoy stunning wildlife scenery no matter when you go. There are many places that are also great for year-round wildlife sightings, with many non-migrating residents such as lions and cheetahs. For visitors who love the Serengeti, even in the dry season, the barren wilderness of the southern plains is full of charm, because it is a perfect place for them to study the various survival strategies of the wildlife that reside here.

The annual great migration of animals in the Serengeti grassland is the greatest natural spectacle in the world. Animals rely on migration to find water and pasture. Viewed from the air, the migration scene is particularly spectacular - about 1.5 million wildebeest and zebras cruise through the Serengeti for a week every year, moving like a giant rumbling lawnmower across the grassland. Sweeping away, an average of 450 tons of feces are returned to the earth every day. In addition to wildebeest and zebra being the protagonists of this stage, there are also about 300,000 Thomson's gazelles and 30,000 Grant's gazelles walking on this migration route. The ever-growing migration team formed a shocking and mighty herd.

For an ordinary tourist, no matter how far you come from any corner of the world, it will treat you generously and hospitably. But the Serengeti is so big, so in different seasons, different routes, different weather and even different drivers, you will see different natural scenes and encounter different animals unexpectedly. Regardless of whether you have seen all the five African continents, caught up with the spectacular scenes without the great migration, and captured the thrilling scenes without predators, I believe you will be shocked, because this is the wild world.

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Come to Serenge In the Ti prairie, the most common ones are zebras and wildebeests. The scene in the photo is the most common scene in the grassland. Ngorongoro Volcano

More than 2 million years ago, a volcano located in the East African Rift Valley in northern Tanzania suddenly erupted, leaving a 19-kilometer crater after the eruption, hence the name Ngorongoro. It is the second largest volcanic crater in the world. Over time, it has gradually formed a complete ecological system, providing a habitat for tens of millions of animals. It is also known as the "African Garden of Eden". It is shaped like a bowl, and animals live at the bottom of the bowl year after year. Unlike the animals in the Serengeti, which are constantly migrating, for the animals in Ngororo Crater, this is their home. , will never leave from birth to death. There are 25,000-30,000 animals living at the bottom of the crater. In addition to zebra, gazelle, eland, leopard, jackal and wildebeest, there are also large numbers of black rhino. Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara National Park is located in northern Tanzania. The entrance is located west of Arusha

(Arusha). Stretching for 50 kilometers at the bottom of the 600-meter-deep rust-colored and golden cliffs of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Manyara is a gem. Hemingway once praised "This is the loveliest place in Africa." Manyara offers intensive animal viewing and is a virtual miniature of Tanzanian safari.

Manyara is the best place to learn about Tanzania’s bird life.

There are more than 400 recorded species of birds, and even visitors to Africa for the first time can see 100 of them in one day. The most striking birds include thousands of permanently migrating pink flamingos, as well as other large waterbirds such as pelicans, cormorants and storks.

If you need to photograph the details of flamingos, it is recommended to bring more than 400 lenses to Mount Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro Airport is located between Moshi and Arusha , is one of the three international airports in Tanzania (the other two are Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar

). Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa (5895 meters above sea level), is located in Moshi, a small town in the northernmost part of Tanzania that borders Kenya. It is the watershed between Tanzania and Kenya, the highest mountain in Africa, and a volcano. and snowy mountains. The main body of the mountain extends for nearly 80 kilometers in the east-west direction. It is mainly composed of three extinct volcanoes: Kibo, Mawensi and Shila. It covers an area of ??756 square kilometers. Its central volcanic cone, Hulu Peak, is 5,895 meters above sea level and is the highest point in Africa.

Kilimanjaro is known as the "Roof of Africa", and many geographers call it the "King of Africa". The main body of the mountain slopes toward the plain below with a typical volcanic curve. The height of the plain is about 900 meters above sea level. The top of the mountain is covered with ice and snow all year round, but the glacier melting phenomenon is very serious. If you want to climb the roof of Africa, you must go to the small town of Moshi and start climbing from here. After checking some information, for those who have not received professional mountaineering training, Kilimanjaro is the only highest peak that is possible to climb on several continents.

Tips:

Hiking tips: Several countries on the equator in Africa have relatively high temperatures all year round, but the nights are cooler. If you go hiking, you must prepare clothing that exceeds Level 2 temperature. It is necessary to prepare quick-drying short (long) sleeve shirts, quick-drying pants that can be detached into shorts, jungle hats, raincoats and other equatorial equipment, as well as sweat-wicking thermal underwear, windproof fleece pants, and jackets and jackets. Down jackets, thick socks (at least 2 pairs), thin gloves and down gloves, etc. Waterproof hiking boots and sandals are required. A sleeping bag with 1,200 grams of down content is enough because wooden huts can be accommodated in the 4,700-meter assault camp. Sunglasses, sunscreen and sun-protective lip balm are of course a must.