This weekend, after a several years of break, I got to visit the local (Chicago) Science Museum, planning to see the African documentary film called "Serengeti" in the OMNIMAX Theater. "Serengeti" is the renowned (and quite incredible) part of the African savanna ecosystem, famous for the "Great Migration"...No, not of human migration of the type I'd mentioned in my previous post about Klondike Gold Rush...🙂...but of millions of wildebeest (mostly gazelle and zebra) that, driven by needs for survival and food, undertake the annual (extremely arduous and dangerous) journey, covering a distance of nearly thousand miles, across the Serengeti Plains of Africa...in search of water and fresh grazing grounds. It's an enormous and continuous (roughly circular) movement across the plains and woodlands of Tanzania and Kenya. And, today, I've (virtually) flown over much of the same land and route...🙂...

The (Chicago) Museum's (Giant Dome) version of the film packed an unforgettable punch and portrayed The Great Wildebeest Migration in a fascinating and educational manner. This film is shown in OMNIMAX/IMAX theaters worldwide and a trailer of the film is available on-line (search for "Serengeti official trailer"). The (30-min) version shown in the Museums has been carefully edited to make it suitable for the younger audience (thankfully so, because I noticed an abundance of kids and youngsters in the theater...🙂...). However, as you can guess, there is inevitably also a violent and dark side to the Serengeti Migration (think of the ferocious predators of the Serengeti), that makes up an integral part of this remarkable (and sustainable) ecosystem. 

The (year-round) Serengeti Migration pattern occurs in a fairly predictable (and repetitive) way. Broadly speaking, the movement is always clockwise, say, starting at this time (March) of the year, when the wildebeest begin to move, originating from the southern edge of Serengeti Plains in Tanzania, up northwest toward the eastern edge of Lake Victoria. There, they cross the Mara River (a significant component of the Serengeti ecosystem) and then finally reach Kenya around September. The (spectacular) Mara River crossing features prominently in the OMNIMAX film (the wildebeest charge across the river's steep banks into the perilous waters below and scramble to reach the other side while they must evade the swarm of lurking crocodiles). This river can also be seen in the last minute or so of the Official Trailer (above). On the southward journey, the animals would have to cross the same Mara River again in the opposite direction and then travel hundreds of miles overland to eventually reach their original point around February and thus complete the circular route...only to repeat the process, all over again, starting in March.

The exact mechanisms of how these animals precisely navigate over such large distances are not fully understood. It's suggested that they use a combination of natural instincts, and stimuli such as sunlight, the Earth's magnetic field, and chemical cues to find their way. 

For this flight, I've roughly followed the same migration route across the African savanna (aided by my modern GPS...🙂...), travelling likewise in a clockwise fashion around the Serengeti Plains (see my EFB and MFD Route Map). I start from Kilimanjaro Airport (HTKJ), and, first, complete an obligatory...🙂...circumnavigation of the majestic and fearsome mountain (see images), and then head for Lake Victoria, specifically the (infamous) Mara River. Below, look for the (single) image of a B727...🙂...that is the divider screenshot after which my GPS is guiding me directly towards Lake Victoria and the picturesque valley of Mara River (the river drains into Lake Victoria). In my visits to the (local) Science Museum, I never fail to get a sighting of this UNITED B727 exhibit, a Boeing 727-100, meticulously preserved inside the building (the engine seen on this 727 is a P&W JT8D-7B). 

For aircraft here, I'm using the Carenado/Asobo C408 SkyCourier (exclusively available for MSFS2024), a novel Cessna airplane (twin turboprop and high wing - a type I am especially fond of...🙂...) in the tradition of other twin turboprops such as Beechcraft 1900 and Dornier 228. This aircraft was introduced into service by FedEx less than 3 years ago (after our MSSF2020 was released), and I'm flying here the 19-seat pax version (see one interior shot). I greatly enjoyed flying this aircraft today as it transported me flawlessly (and safely) across and around the vast Serengeti, including an expert touchdown...🙂...into Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (HKJK) ILS Runway 06.

I hope you enjoy my collection of images from this African adventure flight, as I myself reminisce alongside, about the incredible Wildebeest Migration of Serengeti...sometimes called The Greatest Show on earth...

Thanks for viewing...!

Fine shots, thanks for sharing !

cheers 😉

23 hours ago, pmplayer said:

Fine shots, thanks for sharing !

cheers 😉

Appreciated the comment, pmplayer, and you're welcome...🙂...

Cheers...!

nice shots, especially the 727

12 hours ago, jankees said:

nice shots, especially the 727

Thanks, Jan. And glad that you noticed the B727 image in my above set...an iconic jet-plane indeed. Just FYI, here are 3 more pictures of this (RW) B727-100:

Great set of shots! 😉 

On 4/4/2025 at 12:31 PM, Alaska738 said:

Great set of shots! 😉 

Appreciated the comment, Will.

And glad that you liked the (RW) 727-100 images too...🙂...