6-Day River Crossing Safari
Fly straight to the northern Serengeti for two nights near the Mara River, then two nights in the central Serengeti and a last night by the Ngorongoro Crater. It can start from Zanzibar or Arusha.
- Length
- 6 days, 5 nights
- Comfort
- Premium
- Price
- Price on request
From around July to October the herds are usually in the northern Serengeti, moving back and forth across the Mara River. Crossings depend on the herds and the rain, so nobody can promise one on a given day. Time near the river is what gives you a fair chance.
Flying in saves two long days of driving. You land at Kogatende, close to the river, and have two nights in the north. You then game-drive south through the Serengeti, stopping two nights in the centre, and finish with the Ngorongoro Crater.
The lodges named on each day are options, not fixed choices. Similar camps can be used to suit your dates and budget.
Day by day
- Day 1: Fly to the northern Serengeti. A morning scheduled flight takes you to Kogatende airstrip in the northern Serengeti. Your guide meets you there. The north is hillier than the central park, with rolling grassland, granite outcrops and woodland, and the Mara River running through it. Spend the afternoon along the Mara River, getting to know its bends and the points where the herds tend to cross. Big Nile crocodiles live in these waters and hippos crowd the pools. Overnight at Siringit Migration Camp or similar.
- Day 2: Northern Serengeti. A full day in the north. Your guide watches where the herds are gathering on the riverbank and positions you to wait. Take a packed lunch so you do not have to leave a promising spot. A crossing can't be promised. Herds may build for hours on the bank, then turn away, or a few animals may suddenly jump and thousands follow. When it does happen, it is loud, dusty and fast. Waiting is part of it, and the plains around the river have plenty to watch in the meantime. Overnight at Siringit Migration Camp or similar.
- Day 3: North to the central Serengeti. Game-drive south through the park to the central Serengeti. It is a full day, with stops wherever the wildlife is good. It also shows you how varied the park is, as the northern hills and woodland slowly open out towards the Seronera valley. This drive covers ground that most people flying in and out never see, and herds may be spread along the way at this time of year. Overnight at Melia Serengeti Lodge or similar.
- Day 4: Central Serengeti. A day around Seronera. Lion, leopard and cheetah are resident here, and the rivers draw elephant and hippo. Because animals here don't leave with the migration, this area stays rewarding all year. Your guide will likely work the river first, looking for leopard resting in the trees, then check the kopjes for lion, and the open plains for cheetah. Keep an eye out for smaller things too: mongooses, hyrax on the rocks and plenty of birds. Overnight at Melia Serengeti Lodge or similar.
- Day 5: Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Crater. Leave early for the Ngorongoro Crater, about three and a half hours, and spend the afternoon on the crater floor. The road crosses the southern plains and climbs into the highlands, then you drop about 600 metres from the rim to the floor. The crater holds black rhino, lion, elephant, buffalo and hyena within its walls, and it feels very different from the open Serengeti. The highlands are cold at night, so have a warm layer ready. Overnight at Ngorongoro Lion's Paw Camp or similar.
- Day 6: Departure. Drive to Kilimanjaro International Airport, about four hours, with a packed lunch on the way. The road winds down from the highlands past Lake Manyara, drops over the Rift Valley wall at Mto wa Mbu and crosses Maasai country to Arusha. On a clear day, you may see Kilimanjaro as you get close to the airport.
Who checked this route
- Checked by Bariki, Senior safari guide, 10 November 2026.
- Nobody can time a river crossing. Two nights in the north gives us more chances to be at the Mara River when a herd decides to go.