This is how the rare migration of two spectacular wild animals will boost Kenya’s economy

The whale migration will see whales swimming from North Antarctica to the Kenyan coast of Watamu while the wildebeest will cross from Serengeti National Park, Tanzania to Masai Mara game reserve, Kenya.
According to Tourism Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Najib Balala the country is expecting over 1.7 million tourists in the three-month wildebeest and humpback whale migration.

Kenya is set to be treated to a rare twin migration of two of the most spectacular wild animals, set to leave billions behind its tracks and attract millions of tourists.

Kenya is set to witness the annual spectacular wildebeest migration and the rare humpback whale migration all being eagerly awaited.

According to Tourism Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Najib Balala the country is expecting over 1.7 million tourists in the three-month wildebeest and humpback whale migration, the highlight of the current tourists season.

“It is a major tourist boom for us, we have about 800,000 wildebeest already in the Mara and the humpback whales swimming to our coasts,” Said Balala at the Mara Serena lodge in the heart of the Maasai Mara during a promotional tour.

The whale migration will see whales swimming from North Antarctica to the Kenyan coast of Watamu while the wildebeest will cross from Serengeti National Park, Tanzania to Masai Mara game reserve, Kenya attracting tourists from all over the world.

Each year, humpback whales are first sighted along the coast of East Africa in early June as they make their annual migration north from Antarctica.

It is believed that they travel to warm tropical inner reefs for protection to enable them to breed and give birth to their calves, which remain with the mothers for about two years, until weaned. They then make the return journey in October, swimming over 4,000km to the cold food-rich seas of Antarctica, their main feeding area.

Also read: 11 places in Kenya where you can never miss a chance to spot the endangered black rhino

Already hotels are doing brisk businesses with booking currently standing at 98 percent.

“Here at the Mara hotels and camps are fully booked, tourists are here to witness the rare phenomenon. Kenya is now a safe destination and the sector is now and the sector is now at 18 percent in growth, we are projecting it to get to 50 per cent in the next five years” Said Balala.

Taunted as the eighth wonder of the world, over a million wildebeests and about 200,000 zebras and gazelles cross the border of Kenya and Tanzania for a four month stay (July-October) in the savannah of this national reserve.

The migration was expected to begin two weeks ago but delayed.

Mr. Balala who recently came under severe attack after he oversaw a botched rhino translocation exercise which left eleven endangered black rhinos dead, said the delayed migration of the wildebeests’ was caused by the rains contrary to tour guides claims that Tanzania had intentionally delayed the migration by lighting fire on the Serengeti National Park and Masai Mara Game Reserve border to sabotage the much awaited wildebeests migration to the Mara.