A brand new safariLIVE adventure is about to kick off!

That’s right safarians, an exciting new African wilderness adventure is about to kick off with safariLIVE! WE are gearing up to take you on an intrepid, never before done, LIVE safari through the great wildebeest migration in Kenya’s Maasai Mara reserve!

(A large herd of wildebeest graze and rest in the Maasai Mara, Image credit: James Hendry)

WE have beefed up our tech and with the help of thermal, infrared and exquisite low light cameras, no animal will be hidden from view. Our goal, is to follow iconic prides of lions as they hunt under the cover of darkness in this perfect piece of African wilderness, they call home.

(The iconic Scarface male lions walks through golden grass as a wary herd of buffalo watch, Image credit: James Hendry)

Your journey through Africa begins on Sunday, 9 July at 8pm EDT with the global premiere of Earth Live, simulcast on National Geographic and Nat Geo WILD across 171 countries! National Geographic and Earth Live have teamed up to bring you the most incredible wildlife spectacles LIVE from six different continents from 17 unique locations.

From the eerie underwater world of the humpbacked whale in Alaska to the howling calls of the Hanuman langurs in India, you get to experience the planet’s wildest locations LIVE and in real time!

The Maasai Mara will form the crown jewel of the Earth Live broadcast as the safariLIVE team employ cutting edge, military grade camera technology to bring you the wilderness like you’ve never seen it before! In the darkest hours of the night, WE are going to follow lion prides on the prowl as they attempt to hunt thousands of new migration arrivals. With the use of thermal imaging, infrared and low light cameras not a whisker of the drama will go unnoticed!

(World renowned wildlife cinematographer, Sophie Darlington takes the new low light Canon camera for a test drive with the help of safariLIVE camera operator Jeandre Gerding, Image credit: Louise Pavid)

Once the two hour Earth Live spectacle is complete you will immediately be transported back to the Maasai Mara for the very first safariLIVE show which is known as ‘the journey begins’.

This live safari adventure will then continue weekly on Nat Geo WILD, Fridays at 11pm EDT, across seven weeks of wildebeest migration madness. Hosted by our expert safari guides Brent Leo-Smith, Jamie Paterson, Scott Dyson and of course the extremely talented James Hendry.

(Kito, one of the newest mechanical additions to the safariLIVE team, is ready to head out on safari, Image credit: Louise Pavid)

Over 2 million different prey species make the perilous journey between Tanzania and Kenya every year seeking greener pastures. WE are placed in pole position to capture every heart-pounding moment of the migration, as it unfolds dramatically across the vast expanse of the Maasai Mara!

(Massive herd of wildebeest stream in dark ribbons across the vast grasslands of the Maasai Mara, Image credit: James Hendry)

While the apex predator of the land will be followed by our LIVE safari vehicles WE have also ensured that not a second of the river crossing pandemonium is missed. The massive nile crocodiles can’t wait to sink their teeth into this year’s migration after waiting patiently and hungrily for almost a year. With five live crossing cams set up along the meandering beauty of the Mara river not a moment of crossing chaos will go unnoticed!

(Panicked wildebeest swim the gauntlet of the Mara river, Image credit: James Hendry)

safariLIVE is going to bring you raw and unedited wildlife magic as WE transition from the darkest hours of the night using thermal, infrared and low light cameras, to breathtaking African dawns. With three live vehicle feeds, a hot air balloon cam, studio lookout cam and five different crossing cams there is not an angle of the migration WE won’t be able to show you!

(A view from the top, Image credit: James Hendry)

Earth Live will only be available on the National Geographic and Nat Geo WILD television channels. But of course no safariLIVE experience would be complete without our usual digital broadcast to all internet platforms. Our live digital streaming will kick in at the start of safariLIVE “the journey begins” and continue throughout all seven episodes in the safariLIVE Migration series.

Please see the start times safariLIVE preview show for your time zone below: