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Más allá del revuelo de la Gran Migración

Quizás cuando piense en las imágenes más icónicas de la Gran Migración, en Kenia y Tanzania, imagine cruces de ríos espectaculares, donde los ñus se lanzan a aguas infestadas de cocodrilos y las pezuñas remueven las orillas fangosas mientras ascienden por el otro lado.

En julio de 2025, el experimentado guía de safari Nick Kleer fue testigo de una escena angustiosa en el Serengueti durante la temporada alta turística de la migración. Alrededor de 150 vehículos de safari se apiñaron en un único punto de cruce del río, bloqueando la ruta de los ñus y provocando pánico entre la manada. Algunos animales se alejaron; otros saltaron desde orillas empinadas con desesperación, arriesgándose a sufrir lesiones graves o la muerte. Conmocionado e indignado por la escena, y tras gritarles que se retiraran, Kleer recurrió a las redes sociales para compartir un vídeo que reavivó preguntas urgentes sobre el turismo de vida salvaje ético.

Por ello, aquí tiene 5 consideraciones importantes para ayudarle a experimentar la Gran Migración de forma responsable:

1. Elija áreas de conservación privadas en lugar de reservas públicas abarrotadas
Las reservas privadas como Naboisho Camp de Asilia en la Reserva Naboisho (en Kenia) y Cottar’s en la Reserva Olderkesi, que limita con el Masai Mara, ofrecen una experiencia completamente diferente a la mencionada anteriormente.

El número de vehículos está estrictamente limitado, los guías siguen normas más protectoras para la vida salvaje y puede disfrutar de los avistamientos sin la presión de una docena de otros vehículos compitiendo por espacio. Sigue teniendo acceso a vistas fenomenales de la migración, pero con mucha menos intrusión.

2. Elévese a los cielos en un globo aerostático
Una de las formas más mágicas y de bajo impacto de experimentar la migración es desde arriba. Un safari en globo aerostático al amanecer ofrece una perspectiva completamente diferente de la vasta extensión de la sabana y las manadas que se extienden hasta el horizonte. Disfrute del suave ascenso y descenso de la cesta mientras flota silenciosamente sobre ellas, lo que le brinda una sensación de la escala y el ritmo de la migración sin molestar en absoluto a los animales. Cuando aterrice, a menudo le espera un desayuno con champán, lo que posiblemente lo convierta en una de las mañanas más memorables que jamás tendrá en un safari.

3. No presione a su guía para un avistamiento específico
Si bien los cruces de ríos son espectaculares, también son impredecibles y, como mostró el vídeo viral, pueden ser peligrosos para los animales cuando están abarrotados. Su guía quiere que tenga una experiencia de safari excepcional, pero el guiado ético de safari significa respetar el comportamiento animal y evitar el estrés innecesario en la vida salvaje.

Presionar a los guías para un avistamiento particular, como un cruce de río, a toda costa, puede conducir a prácticas arriesgadas y poco éticas. Confíe en la experiencia de su guía y esté abierto a toda la gama de experiencias de la migración, ya sea observar a las crías de ñu dar sus primeros pasos, ver a los depredadores en la caza o simplemente empaparse de la magnitud de las manadas mientras se desplazan por las llanuras.

4. Comprenda que la migración es un ciclo durante todo el año
La Gran Migración está impulsada por las lluvias y la búsqueda de pastos frescos, lo que significa que los animales están en constante movimiento. De diciembre a marzo, las manadas se reúnen en el sur del Serengueti y el norte de Ngorongoro para parir, con alrededor de 500.000 crías que atraen a los depredadores.

En abril, se trasladan al Serengueti central, luego al oeste en mayo y junio, siendo mayo la época de apareamiento y algunas manadas cruzan el río Grumeti. De julio a octubre, las manadas llegan al norte del Serengueti y al Masai Mara, donde comienzan los cruces de ríos (de forma más fiable en los ríos Mara y Talek). Cuando las lluvias regresan en noviembre, las manadas emprenden el viaje hacia el sur de regreso al Serengueti, llegando a Ndutu en diciembre para parir, completando el ciclo.

Al planificar en torno a diferentes etapas, puede evitar las multitudes en temporada alta mientras sigue siendo testigo de momentos impresionantes.

5. Descubra otras migraciones menos conocidas
Si bien la Gran Migración es la más famosa, está lejos de ser el único espectáculo de vida salvaje de este tipo en África. Buscar estas alternativas no solo distribuye la huella del turismo, sino que también le recompensa con experiencias únicas fuera de los caminos trillados.

Otra migración que vale la pena ver es la migración de cebras en Botsuana. Cada año, miles de cebras viajan entre el río Chobe y Nxai Pan en busca de pastos, creando llamativas olas en blanco y negro a través del paisaje.

Además, la mayor migración de mamíferos de la Tierra es la migración de murciélagos en Zambia. En el Parque Nacional de Kasanka, alrededor de 10 millones de murciélagos frugívoros de color paja llenan los cielos entre octubre y diciembre. Es una maravilla sensorial de alas, sonido y cifras impresionantes.

Ambas ofrecen extraordinarias oportunidades fotográficas y pueden combinarse con otros puntos destacados de vida salvaje en la región.

En Leopard, creemos que el verdadero viaje de lujo tiene que ver tanto con la ética y el impacto como con la comodidad y la exclusividad. Cuando ayudamos a nuestros huéspedes a presenciar la Gran Migración (o cualquier otra experiencia de viaje africana), siempre es con énfasis en la conservación, el respeto y la creación de recuerdos que durarán toda la vida.

Con cuidado por los espacios salvajes,

El equipo de Leopard

P. D. Si África despierta algo en usted, háganos saber cuándo esté listo para explorar una experiencia hecha a medida en este continente lleno de maravillas.

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    Helen moved to South Africa in the early ’80s and after leaving school, she entered the travel industry. She travelled to many countries for business research and later became a specialist in travel to South America, which she visited numerous times.

    Her husband’s work required the family to settle in the little town of Mtunzini, a beautiful spot on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, where she took a job in the finance department at the local school. This began a chapter in Helen’s life that prepared her for corporate finance. Later, Helen worked as an imports and exports administrator and then as treasurer for a large multinational company in Johannesburg while undertaking post-graduate studies in Corporate Governance and Administration.

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    She first worked in the United States, where she has family, then moved to England to complete a Master’s in International Marketing, and later to Oceania, where she tried “WWOOFing” — working on a farm in exchange for room and board. Along the way, she met a great love in Paris, who would later become her husband, and this brought her back to France to find work and start a family.

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    As she grew up, Diana became aware of the big, wide world outside of the African countries she knew so well, and she took her first solo overseas trip at age 14 to London to visit her father’s family. From that moment she became fascinated with experiencing the world beyond what she knew. Diana has since travelled extensively through Africa, Europe, America and Asia.

    Diana is married to a Frenchman and has two young kids, who are simultaneously developing a love for biltong & braai’s, and baguettes & brie. After 16 years gaining valuable experience working for big corporates in South Africa, Diana decided to follow her passion for travel and start Leopard. Diana has had the privilege of planning holidays for American celebrities, European royalty and high-net-worth individuals as well as regular folks who want to do a trip of a lifetime to Africa.

    She wants to create, with Leopard, a company that gives customers something unique: a curated experience of Africa, made especially for them. She says, “From the moment they arrive in Africa, to the moment they depart, I want them to have a seamless experience. I want them to enjoy the best the continent has to offer, leaving with memories that last a lifetime.”