In July 2025, veteran safari information Nick Kleer was main a visit in Tanzania’s Serengeti through the peak of East Africa’s well-known Nice Migration when he witnessed a chaotic and disturbing scene: Greater than 150 autos swarmed a single river-crossing level, blocking wildebeest migration routes and making a crush of vacationers so overwhelming that it threatened each animal and human security. Kleer took to social media to precise his outrage, and the video ignited a wave of dialog throughout the safari business about overtourism within the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, which spans northern Tanzania and southern Kenya.

Based mostly in South Africa, Kleer has been guiding for 16 years; he labored at a few of Africa’s most iconic lodges (together with Londolozi and Thornybush Recreation Lodge), earlier than changing into a personal information.

As a journey journalist who has been visiting Africa’s wilderness areas repeatedly for the previous decade, I’ve seen firsthand how transformative a safari expertise will be—but additionally how delicate the steadiness is between preservation and stress. With thousands and thousands of {dollars} in funding pouring into new safari lodges, it’s by no means been extra vital to ask: How will we get this proper?

We caught up with Nick to unpack what he witnessed that day, how issues have modified within the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, and what vacationers, tour operators, governments, and the media have to do now to guard the way forward for East Africa’s wildlife habitats.

This dialog has been edited for readability and circulate.

What was it concerning the scene you witnessed that made you so upset?

The wildebeest have a tendency to make use of particular routes yearly—paths they’ve adopted for a very long time. These crossing factors are numbered now, and every one has completely different terrain and challenges. This occurred at Crossing Level #4, which is a extremely tight spot—very bushy on one facet of the river. There’s a bridge that used to permit folks to cross upstream, but it surely’s been washed away. So now, everybody gathers on one facet. Realistically, that space can deal with possibly 10 autos.

However on this present day, there have been greater than 100 autos within the space. The wildebeest had initially tried to cross at Level #5, however they couldn’t even get to the water—there have been so many autos parked that the animals bodily couldn’t discover a method by means of. So that they turned and moved towards Level #4 as an alternative.

That is the place all of it unraveled. The second the wildebeest began shifting, the autos did too, racing to beat one another to the crossing. It was complete chaos. Drivers had parked in bushes they weren’t imagined to be in, and visitors have been out of their vehicles, working right down to the riverbank, sitting in entrance of their autos, filming, taking selfies. The wildebeest began panicking. Some turned again. Some jumped off cliffs. Just a few managed to get to the river and triggered a crossing, however even then, extra vehicles confirmed up and wedged themselves in, slicing off the remainder of the herd. All of the official automobile markers and viewing limits have been fully ignored.

The place have been you at this level, and what did you resolve to do then?

We have been on the opposite facet of the river, shouting at folks to maneuver, making an attempt to get them to create space. I misplaced it. I apologized to my visitors after which simply began yelling at folks to get again into their vehicles. I’ve by no means been that offended on safari in my life.

Once we received again to camp, I posted the video with out actually occupied with the response it’d get. After which my cellphone blew up—1000’s of messages. Some supportive, some offended, some constructive, others not a lot. Just a few corporations reached out and took actual accountability, which I appreciated. Others simply deflected blame or pointed fingers. However the vital factor is that individuals are speaking about it now, and hopefully that results in change. This isn’t nearly sooner or later or one crossing. It’s a systemic drawback. There are such a lot of folks making a living off this ecosystem—but the animals are handled like props for leisure.

What does this incident say concerning the state of tourism within the Serengeti’s excessive season?

It’s grow to be overcrowded. It’s like Ngorongoro Crater, which I gained’t even enter anymore—it’s simply insufferable in there. Too many individuals, unhealthy habits, shouting, hooting, everybody making an attempt to get on prime of the animals for the very best photograph. It’s not the wilderness expertise it needs to be.

Even in locations just like the southern Serengeti through the calving season in February, the habits has been troubling. The wildebeest often arrive within the southern Serengeti round December or January, and so they start giving beginning from January by means of March. Round 350,000 calves are born in just a few weeks throughout that point. It’s probably the most unimaginable pure spectacles you’ll be able to witness—seeing the mega herds unfold throughout the plains. What you see on the river crossings doesn’t even evaluate. However the entire system is beneath stress from overtourism.

What is going to it take to resolve this?

Just a few of us within the safari business have been speaking in a latest name about potential options, and it’s going to take a collective effort. All of us play a job—guides, corporations, vacationers—as a result of all of us profit from this ecosystem. One of many key issues is spreading out the stress. The migration isn’t a two-month occasion; it’s year-round. The animals are all the time transferring. So we have to encourage vacationers to go to outdoors of the “peak” moments and discover completely different areas. Staying away totally isn’t the reply both. I additionally need folks to come back—safaris are how I make my dwelling. It’s a troublesome steadiness.

I noticed you repost a reel from a fellow information, Michael Laubscher, who was within the Masai Mara in Kenya across the similar time. Do you suppose what’s occurring is restricted to Tanzania?

Historically, this type of drawback was extra related to the Masai Mara. It’s a smaller space, and previously, there have been large points with automobile overcrowding there. However this yr, the migration has shifted. Extra crossings are occurring within the Mara once more, and Michael posted some of that.

However paradoxically, issues appear calmer within the Mara this season. That’s most likely as a result of in 2024, Kenya doubled its park charges—from $100 to $200 per particular person per day—which has led a variety of vacationers and operators to shift to the Serengeti as an alternative. And that’s put a ton of additional stress on the Tanzanian facet.

So there’s an financial and coverage domino impact occurring?

Precisely. On the similar time, Tanzania has authorised a bunch of latest lodge developments lately. Extra permits, extra lodges, extra autos, and nonetheless no regulation on the variety of autos allowed at a crossing. We counted 156 autos at one crossing. That’s not simply unsustainable—it’s harmful. The land itself can’t take that type of pressure. Automobiles are parking alongside fragile riverbanks. If a type of collapses whereas individuals are out of their autos—or if the wildebeest panic and stampede—individuals are going to die. I don’t suppose it’s a matter of if. I feel it’s when. And solely then, I worry, will the world care.

Individuals wish to see these items, and that’s good—there’s cash coming in. However governments have to step up. There must be actual governance round what’s allowed and the way it’s enforced. In any other case, the entire system goes to break down. And that collapse gained’t simply harm wildlife. If the expertise turns into that degraded, vacationers will cease coming—after which what?

It actually does really feel like a tipping level. Thousands and thousands are being invested into new lodges in delicate ecosystems just like the Mara and the Serengeti. And with out regulation, I fear we’re pushing one thing fragile previous its limits.

Yeah. And it’s not nearly constructing a lodge. It’s every little thing that comes with it: The place does the water come from? The place do the assets come from? And, most significantly, the place are they constructing? Too usually, these new lodges go up in prime areas. However “prime” for folks usually means vital for wildlife too: breeding grounds, migration corridors, and denning websites.

And it raises the larger query: If these corporations have the cash to construct luxurious lodges in protected areas, why can’t they spend money on increasing or buffering these protected areas, too? Why not add land to conservation areas, like Tswalu is doing in South Africa, as an alternative of simply including beds? And past that, how are native communities benefiting? As a result of proper now, they’re usually not. Many individuals dwelling simply outdoors these reserves don’t have primary infrastructure. No electrical energy. No water. No correct faculties. After which a multimillion-dollar lodge opens just a few kilometers away.

Everybody desires to see the identical issues in a handful of areas, like the massive river crossings or the Massive 5. However there are such a lot of unimaginable parks and reserves throughout Africa that sit virtually empty.

Undoubtedly. There are nonetheless so many locations in Africa that provide quiet, distant, and fewer developed wildlife experiences. But it surely’s a catch-22. A few of these locations ought to keep quiet—for the sake of the animals and for people who find themselves searching for solitude and one thing rawer. And the fact is, not all parks will appeal to large crowds anyway. If a spot doesn’t have the Massive 5 or an enormous migration spectacle, it’s usually ignored. Individuals need drama. They need adrenaline.

As a information, I’m all the time looking for these quieter locations that haven’t exploded but. However that’s the stress: As quickly as you begin placing a spot on the map, it begins to vary. It places immense stress on a really small patch of land and on the guides who work there. They’re beneath fixed stress to ship sightings. And the visitors—truthfully, a few of them have grow to be actually troublesome. Aggressive. Entitled. There’s a lot stress to get “the shot” that folks neglect why they got here within the first place.

What recommendation would you give a first-time traveler to the Serengeti who desires to go to the realm responsibly?

I feel it begins earlier than the journey. Lots of people google “East Africa safari,” and so they’re met with a thousand choices. It’s overwhelming. However if you happen to care about wildlife, it’s value placing some thought into how you journey—not simply the place you go. Listed below are just a few items of recommendation:

1. Don’t simply ebook the most cost effective possibility. That’s often the place the issues begin. The most cost effective operators usually lower corners. They might not rent skilled guides, simply drivers who haven’t any background in conservation. And that issues, as a result of a great information may also help set the tone for the way you have interaction with wildlife.

2. One factor folks overlook is timing. Everybody desires to come back throughout peak migration season, which drives up costs and stress. However East Africa is a year-round vacation spot. You’ll pay much less and see completely different behaviors if you happen to go within the shoulder seasons. And also you may actually have a higher expertise, with fewer autos round.

3. Take the time to analysis operators. Get on the cellphone with them. Ask questions. Learn critiques. Take a look at how they current themselves: Are they selling conservation, or are they displaying cheetahs leaping on autos for Instagram likes? That’s a purple flag.

4. Through the journey, attempt to pay attention to your affect. Be affected person. Hearken to your information. Don’t stress them to “discover the Massive 5” on a decent schedule—it’s not a zoo. And don’t be that particular person shouting or standing up within the automobile to get a greater photograph. The perfect moments come if you sit again and let the wild unfold.

5. After the journey, take into consideration the way you share what you noticed. Are you inspiring folks to attach with nature, or are you displaying off? That will sound small, however how we characterize safari issues. It influences how different folks dream about these locations and the way they deal with them once they get there.

Vacationers have energy. In case you’re on safari and also you see one thing flawed, take a photograph. Publish it. Say one thing. Social media has contributed to a few of these issues, but it surely will also be a part of the answer. If an organization begins dropping bookings due to the way it behaves round wildlife, it should change. It would both rent higher guides or lay down stricter guidelines. It must be animals first, nature first—images and social media second.

African safari lodges and camps that depart a optimistic affect on their locations

Afar’s Hotels We Love series highlights 20 camps and lodges that purpose to depart a optimistic affect on the folks and locations the place they function. They embrace Singita Grumeti, whose 5 retreats—together with the contemporary-feeling Sabora Tented Camp and the brand new, exclusive-use Milele villa—sit on 350,000 acres of protected wilderness in Tanzania. The reserve, managed in partnership with the Grumeti Fund, helps anti-poaching efforts, training, and group growth applications. In Kenya’s Masai Mara, Angama Mara pairs epic views from its location on an escarpment with a robust conservation ethos and deep group ties. Its sister property, Angama Amboseli, is located beneath Mount Kilimanjaro and provides intimate entry to big-tusked elephants in a personal conservancy.

In South Africa, Tswalu Kalahari, which Kleer additionally recommends, stands out for its long-term ecological imaginative and prescient to proceed increasing its protected space by rewilding former farmlands and restoring habitat for cheetahs, pangolins, black rhinos, and extra.

As a result of African safaris are extra complicated, Afar recommends working with accountable operators like Micato Safaris, Extraordinary Journeys, and Roar Africa, every of which helps visitors journey extra consciously, keep away from peak-season stress, and select camps that help each conservation and group.