Dear Vacations To Go Customer,

The annual migration of nearly 2 million wildebeest, zebras and gazelles through Tanzania and Kenya is a spectacle unlike any other. Several summers ago, my family and I witnessed the Great Migration firsthand. The animals' journey follows a predictable route, but the exact timing varies a bit each year, depending on the start and severity of the dry season throughout eastern Africa.

Wildebeests and zebras typically spend December to April in Tanzania, nursing new calves born in the spring. The slow-moving calves draw the attention of lions, cheetahs and hyenas, and this mix of predator and prey offers prime wildlife-viewing opportunities in nature preserves like Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. For a list of safaris that visit the Serengeti and Ngorongoro between now and April, click here. For a list of safaris that visit these areas between December 2012 and April 2013, click here.

The seasonal rains usually end in May. Grass and leaves wither, forcing grazing species to move west and then north in search of food. This is the start of the Great Migration, a steady stream of animals in columns that can stretch for miles, heading toward the western and northern Serengeti.

Predators -- more territorial than migratory -- await the zebra and wildebeest as these animals pass through their hunting grounds. The migrating herds must cross the Grumeti River, where crocodiles will feast on the weak and the slow. Scavenging birds watch from treetops and circle overhead. June and July are the best months for witnessing the Great Migration in the western and northern Serengeti of Tanzania. For a list of 2012 safaris that visit the Serengeti in June and July, click here.

As the summer progresses, the herds travel farther north. Between July and August, they cross the Mara River, where some are lost in surging floodwaters and others are seized by waiting crocs. They move into Kenya, typically reaching the abundant greenery of the Masai Mara in August or September, a dazzling number of animals within a single nature preserve. For a list of 2012 safaris that visit the Masai Mara National Reserve in August and September, click here.

Some naturalists claim that the Masai Mara contains the largest concentration of predators along the migratory route. The animals will stay here until October or November. Most safaris visit the area before fall brings another rainy season to the plains and the herds turn south toward Tanzania.

Those animals that complete the journey will have traveled more than 1,800 miles, covering Africa's vast grasslands in a clockwise direction. To see an animated map of the Great Migration, click here.

This week, I've created a Top 10 list of terrific Africa trips from the world's best operators. All prices are per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability.

Top 10 Africa vacations

1) Tanzania Deluxe Safari, 7 days with SITA Tours. Begins and ends in Arusha with visits to Lake Manyara National Park, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. Land-only starting from $2,245. Departures from March 8 through December 27, 2012.

2) Best of East Africa, 22 days with Intrepid Travel. Begins in Nairobi and ends in Zanzibar with visits to Lake Naivasha, Masai Mara National Reserve and Serengeti National Park. Land-only starting from $2,070. Departures from April 7, 2012 through June 22, 2013.

3) In the Footsteps of Mandela, 8 days with African Travel. Begins in Cape Town and ends in Johannesburg with visits to Robben Island, Soweto and Kapama Private Reserve. Land-only starting from $3,145. Daily departures from March 11 through December 30, 2012.

4) Tanzania: The Savannah & Beyond, 10 days with Globus. Begins and ends in Arusha with visits to Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. Save $500 per couple. Land-only starting from $4,079. Departures from June 20 through October 24, 2012. Book now!

5) 17 Day Classic South Africa with Victoria Falls & Botswana, 17 days with Gate 1 Travel. Begins in Johannesburg and ends in Cape Town with visits to Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park and Kruger National Park. Land-only starting from $4,099. Departures from May 19 through October 6, 2012.

6) An East Africa Safari - The Wildebeest Migration, 9 days with African Travel. Begins and ends in Arusha with visits to Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park. Land-only starting from $4,445. Daily departures from March 16 through December 31, 2012.

7) Botswana in Depth, 11 days with SITA Tours. Begins in Livingstone and ends in Maun with visits to Chobe National Park, the Moremi Wildlife Reserve and Makgadikgadi National Park. Land-only starting from $5,245. Daily departures from March 17 through November 24, 2012.

8) Kenya Wildlife Discovery, 10 days with Abercrombie & Kent. Begins and ends in Nairobi with visits to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Samburu Game Reserve and Masai Mara Game Reserve. Land-only starting from $5,895. Departures from June 21 through December 20, 2012.

9) Signature Namibia, 10 days with Abercrombie & Kent. Begins and ends in Windhoek with visits to Sossusvlei Desert Reserve, Damaraland and the Onguma Private Nature Reserve. Land-only starting from $6,620. Departures from April 8 through November 4, 2012.

10) Amazing Southern Africa, 21 days with Intrepid Travel. Begins in Cape Town and ends in Victoria Falls with visits to Fish River Canyon, Etosha National Park and the Okavango Delta. Land-only starting from $7,525. Departures from March 31, 2012 through June 15, 2013.

Once you've found a safari that interests you, call us toll free at 800-291-3346 (US and Canada) and a safari specialist will attend to your needs. Customers from the UK, please call toll free 0800 279 8084. All other international customers, please e-mail or call us at +1-713-974-2121.

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Please e-mail me your comments, suggestions and questions at alanfox@africasafari.com and I will respond the same day.

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Sincerely,

Alan Fox
Chairman & CEO
Vacations To Go