Every year, one of the greatest spectacles of the natural world unfolds across the plains of East Africa: The Great Migration. Over 600,000 wildebeest, joined by 300,000 of zebras and enormous numbers of Eland, Thompson’s, and Grant’s gazelles, totaling an estimated 2 million ungulates, march in a relentless cycle of life, death, and renewal. Nowhere is this drama more intense than at the Mara River in the Northern Serengeti, where the herds gather in July and August to make their fateful crossing.
A Photographer’s Map to the Migration
The Mara River crossings occur in the far north of Tanzania, close to the Kenyan border. Camps like Kogatende and Serian’s Serengeti North place photographers close to the action.
Most of the camps are accessed via Kogatende airport and lie on the south side of the river. The causeway that allowed the river to be crossed to the north has been washed away. As a result, the bulk of the tourists, sometimes more than 100 vehicles, gather on the south bank of the Mara, frequently blocking the animals.
In comparison, there are maybe four to five camps on the north side of the river, serviced by Limau airport. They give the photographer the chance to view the scene head-on and in less crowded circumstances, typically just four to six vehicles. Until the causeway is repaired, there is a unique opportunity to photograph the drama of the migration without the thousands of other tourists who crowd the spaces in Kenya and on the southern side of the Mara River in Tanzania.
The migration itself is circular from the birthing grounds in the Southern Serengeti in January, through the western corridor by June, to the dramatic Mara River crossings from July to October, before looping south again in November. Understanding this cycle is essential for planning photography trips. The stimulus of the migration is the animals’ need to follow the rainfall and find fresh and renewed grazing ground.
Arriving After a Long Wait
A year has passed since I first committed to this trip and I’m finally travelling the long, three-day journey to the Northern Serengeti. I arrive on a hot, dusty afternoon in late July on a small plane, excitement surging as I spot the herds of wildebeest and Zebra materializing in increasing detail on the banks of the Mara River. While I have encountered the massive herds before, I have never witnessed a river crossing. I am filled with anticipation, anxious to capture my first photo, and eager to solve the riddle on how to tell this monumental story in photographs over the next five days.
Dawn on the Plains
The day begins with a surreal calm. In the soft haze of the Serengeti morning, hot-air balloons rise quietly above the savannah, offering a god’s-eye view of the landscape. Wildebeest stretch in their thousands to the horizon, a living tide of anticipation. A lone tree, silhouetted against the pale sky, seems to mark the edge between tranquility and the chaos about to unfold.
Eventually, the animals begin to move, accumulating in large herds as they search for a place to cross. This leads to frantic movement up and down the river, where even a single crocodile on the bank can stop a crossing and send the herd scurrying away to find a new location.
Into the Water: Peril at Every Turn
For the herds, the river crossing is unavoidable. The banks are steep, the current swift, and crocodiles lie in wait. As the first wildebeest plunge into the muddy torrent, survival becomes a desperate gamble.
Massive Nile crocodiles launch ambushes, their jaws snapping shut with prehistoric force. They twist their prey underwater to drown them. The wildebeest surge forward, driven by instinct, yet many will not make it to the far bank.
The Chaos of the Crossing
At the peak of the crossings, dust clouds rise as thousands of wildebeest crowd the banks, jostling for positions and summoning the courage to plunge into the waters.
Some leap dramatically into the river while others choke the narrow descent paths, horns clashing in confusion. The scenes are frenetic, filled with energy, tension, noise and raw power. At times, golden light bathes the dust, turning the chaos into a painterly canvas.
Zebras often join the wildebeest, their black-and-white stripes adding striking contrast to the swirling mass of brown bodies. These moments test every photographer’s skill: timing, positioning, and patience are all crucial.
Life, Death, and Storytelling Through the Lens
Photographing the Great Migration is not only about documenting animals in motion; it’s about telling the story of survival. Every frame carries layers of drama—the anticipation on the banks, the peril in midstream, and the relief of reaching the far side. It’s also about perspective: wide shots capture the sheer scale of the herds, while tight frames reveal the fear and determination in an animal’s eye.
All the prior images were shot with a Sony A1 and a 200-600mm f/5.6 zoom lens. It is important to remember that a long lens (200-600mm) has a shallow depth of field and this is a situation in which you want ALL of the subject in focus. Therefore, I set my camera at 1/2000s to freeze the action and at f/11 for depth of field. I left the ISO on Auto to allow it to correct the exposure.
In Closing
I sought to find a single image that conveyed the incredible scale, drama and tension of the Great Migration and found it close to impossible. I chose this image as my best example.
For a photographer, the Mara River crossings offer an unrepeatable chance to blend wildlife, landscape, and narrative into a single composition. These are not just images of animals—they are visual testaments to one of the last great migrations on Earth.
Camera Club Tip
If you plan to photograph the Great Migration, bring long telephoto lenses, ideally in the 200–600mm range. You’ll constantly and quickly from 200mm for close-ups and mid action to 600mm for the far bank. Settings should be Auto ISO, 1/2000s and f/11. Patience is key: crossings are unpredictable, and the best shots come to those who wait.
Nick Delany
I began photography in my teens with a Kodak Instamatic and developed my interest in B&W photography early with my Pentax SP1000. After 40 years of work I returned to my hobby, able to apply more time to learning and travel. I joined VCC on my arrival in Victoria in 2019 and found the club to be an inspiration to learn and try new things. I was fortunate to be the Photographer of the Year at VCC in 2023 and have earned a PPSA certification from the Photographic Society of America by gaining more than 300 acceptances in International Competitions plus over 100 awards. The bulk of my photography has been wildlife either in the Pacific Northwest or Africa but my current passion is B&W Street & Landscape photography. For wildlife photography, my equipment is the Sony A1 or A9 matched with the FE 200-600mm or the FE 70-200mm zoom. For all other genres I use a Leica Q3-43mm and for my B&W images I use a Leica Q2 28mm & M11 Monchrom with 50mm. I have been married to my fellow Club member Kathryn Delany for 40 years and we love to travel to destinations seldom covered by other photographers to seek out new and interesting stories.