East African safari in October – Where to go in East Africa in October? -Gorilla trekking safaris and wildlife holidays
East African safari in October – East Africa is widely regarded as a fantastic year-round safari destination. Its temperate climate, seasonal migration, and abundant resident wildlife mean there is no single best time for a safari experience in East Africa. The most important thing to keep in mind when planning your East African safari is how the rainy and dry seasons influence the game viewing experience and how the rains drive the Great Wildebeest Migration.
The month of October is typically the last month of the dry season, in East Africa. In East Africa, the herds of the Wildebeest are still fairly well spread out over Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve and Tanzania’s northern Serengeti National Park. The short rains usually arrive towards the end of the month the short rains, triggering the herds to start moving south again.
The short rains from October are characterized by short-lived, dramatic afternoon downpours. Despite these bursts of rainfall, an East African safari during this time is very rewarding. With plenty of resident games and fewer vehicles and tourists, the game viewing experience is less crowded.
While the exact timing is different every year, by early to mid-October, the migration has usually left the Masai Mara National Reserve and crossed into Tanzania. However, this is still an excellent time to go on safari in the Masai Mara National Reserve. By November, many of Masai Mara’s resident wildlife have started giving birth to their young ones, and keen wildlife photographers are spoiled for choice with newborn calves, foals, fawns, cubs, and pups sightings.
The onset of the short rains in October sees wildebeest organizing into mega herds as they make their way down from the Masai Mara National Reserve in the north onto the eastern plains of the Serengeti National Park and the northern parts of the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area in Tanzania. This is a great time to take advantage of lower accommodation rates and fewer crowds and to go on safari in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park.
