8 Day Mara River Crossing Safari
Spend three nights near the Mara River in the northern Serengeti for the best chance of witnessing dramatic wildebeest crossings, plus Tarangire and Ngorongoro.
- Duration
- 8 days
- Route
- Arusha – Tarangire – Karatu – Central Serengeti – Northern Serengeti (Kogatende) – Central Serengeti – Karatu – Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha
- Start / end
- Starts and ends in Arusha (pick-up from your hotel or Kilimanjaro Airport)
- Best time
- Designed for July to October, when river crossings typically take place; August and September are often the most active months.
- Trip style
- Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with driver-guide for your group only. Mid-range lodges and seasonal tented camps with full board.
Tour overview
From around July to October, the Great Migration reaches the northern Serengeti, where hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra repeatedly cross the Mara River. Watching a herd gather on the bank, hesitate and then surge into the water past waiting crocodiles is one of the most thrilling sights in nature.
This eight-day safari is built to maximize your chances. After Tarangire and the central Serengeti, you spend three nights in the Kogatende and Lamai area, with full days to wait patiently at crossing points while your guide reads the herds. On the way out, you return through the central Serengeti and finish with the Ngorongoro Crater.
It suits wildlife lovers and photographers traveling in the dry season, and anyone who wants the complete migration story in one trip.
Highlights
- Three nights in the northern Serengeti near the Mara River
- Best chance of witnessing wildebeest river crossings
- Scenic drive through the remote Lobo area
- Big-cat country in the central Serengeti
- Ngorongoro Crater game drive
- Private vehicle with flexible timing at crossing points
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Arusha to Tarangire and Karatu
Your guide collects you from your Arusha hotel or Kilimanjaro Airport and drives about 2 hours to Tarangire National Park. In the dry season, Tarangire hosts some of the largest elephant gatherings in Tanzania as animals crowd along the river. Spend the day on game drives with a picnic lunch, watching for lions, leopards, giraffes and zebras among the baobabs. In the late afternoon, drive about 1.5 hours up the Rift Valley escarpment to Karatu for dinner and overnight.
Day 2Karatu to the Central Serengeti
After breakfast, drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area with a stop at a crater viewpoint, then descend to the Serengeti plains. After a picnic lunch at Naabi Hill Gate, game drive to the central Serengeti, about 4 to 5 hours in total including game viewing. The Seronera area is famous for lions and leopards, and in the dry season animals concentrate near permanent water. Arrive at your camp in the late afternoon for dinner and overnight.
Day 3Central Serengeti to the Northern Serengeti
Today is a long but scenic journey north, about 4 to 5 hours plus game viewing. You pass through the Lobo area, with its striking granite hills and resident elephants, then continue toward Kogatende near the Kenyan border. As you approach the Mara River, you are likely to encounter large columns of wildebeest and zebra. Picnic lunch on the way, and arrive at your tented camp in the afternoon, with time for a short game drive along the river before dinner.
Day 4Mara River Crossings
Spend a full day along the Mara River. Your guide checks the main crossing points and positions the vehicle where herds are gathering on the banks. Crossings can happen at any time of day and may take minutes or hours to start, so patience is key. When the first animal jumps, the rest follow in a thundering rush, braving strong currents and huge Nile crocodiles. Between crossings, look for lions, cheetahs and hippos. Picnic lunch by the river and dinner at camp.
Day 5Kogatende and the Lamai Triangle
Today you may cross to the northern bank of the Mara River to explore the Lamai Triangle, a remote wedge of grassland that sees far fewer vehicles than other parts of the Serengeti. The herds often spread across these plains, and lions and cheetahs follow them closely. Return to the river in the afternoon for another chance of a crossing. Back at camp, swap stories over dinner as the sounds of the herds carry across the plains at night.
Day 6Northern Serengeti to the Central Serengeti
After a final early visit to the river, drive south through the Lobo hills and back to the central Serengeti, about 4 to 5 hours with game viewing along the way. There is plenty of time to stop for elephants, giraffes and any big cats you spot near the road. In the afternoon, enjoy a game drive along the Seronera River, a reliable area for leopards and lion prides. Arrive at your camp in the evening for dinner and a well-earned rest.
Day 7Central Serengeti to Karatu
Enjoy a final morning game drive in the Serengeti before heading south across the plains toward the Ngorongoro highlands. On the way you may visit Olduvai Gorge, one of the world's most important sites for early human fossils, and look out for Maasai herders and their cattle. The drive takes about 4 to 5 hours. In the late afternoon you reach your lodge in Karatu, set among coffee plantations, where you can relax by the pool before dinner.
Day 8Ngorongoro Crater and Return to Arusha
Rise early and descend into the Ngorongoro Crater as the gates open. The crater floor is one of the best places in Tanzania to see black rhino, and lions, elephants, buffalo, hyenas and flamingos are commonly spotted during the game drive of about 6 hours. After a picnic lunch near a hippo pool, climb out of the crater and drive about 3.5 hours back to Arusha. Your guide drops you at your hotel or Kilimanjaro Airport.
What is included
- Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof and professional English-speaking driver-guide
- All park entry and conservation fees, including the Ngorongoro Crater service fee
- Accommodation in mid-range lodges and tented camps as listed
- All meals as listed, with picnic lunches on game-drive days
- Unlimited bottled drinking water in the vehicle
- Binoculars and in-vehicle charging
- Pick-up and drop-off at your Arusha hotel or Kilimanjaro Airport
- Government taxes and fuel
Not included
- International flights and Tanzania visa
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tips for your guide and lodge staff
- Drinks at lodges and camps
- Optional hot-air balloon flight
- Laundry and personal items
Good to know
- River crossings depend on the herds and cannot be guaranteed, but three nights in the north give you an excellent chance.
- The drives between the central and northern Serengeti are long; to save time we can replace them with light-aircraft flights to Kogatende.
- Seasonal camps in the north are popular from July to September, so early booking is recommended.
- Mornings and evenings can be cool in the dry season; bring a warm layer for early game drives.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see Mara River crossings?
Crossings typically happen from July to October, with August and September often the most active. Timing varies each year depending on the rains and the herds' movements.
How long do we wait for a crossing?
It varies. Sometimes a herd crosses within minutes, and sometimes they gather for hours and then turn away. Your guide balances waiting at the river with game drives nearby so you never spend the whole day idle.
Can we fly to the northern Serengeti instead of driving?
Yes. We can arrange scheduled flights to Kogatende airstrip, which saves a long day of driving. Your guide can drive up to meet you, or a local guide can host you in the north.
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