5-day Serengeti safari: Mara River crossing with Great Migration

Herds crossing the Mara River in both directions on the same day

A 5-day guided safari through Serengeti National Park timed to the Great Migration, centered on the Mara River crossing where millions of wildebeest and zebras brave crocodile-infested waters. The itinerary includes Ngorongoro Crater on day one, full-day game drives in the Serengeti's central plains and northern Mara region, professional guide, all accommodations, park entry and ground transport from Arusha.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arusha to Ngorongoro Crater tour

• Pick up from Arusha hotel
• Drive to Ngorongoro Crater with picnic lunch
• Descend 2000ft into crater by 4WD
• Explore Ngorongoro Crater wildlife
• Ascend crater and drive to lodge
• Dinner at lodge on crater rim

Day 2: Serengeti National Park game drive

• Early breakfast at lodge
• Full-day game drive in Serengeti plains
• Spot wildlife including lions and elephants
• Return to camp for dinner

Day 3: Serengeti North Mara migration viewing

• Breakfast at camp
• Game drive with picnic lunch
• View great migration near Mara River
• Return to camp for dinner

Day 4: Mara River migration crossing

• Breakfast at camp
• Full-day game drive at Mara River
• Watch great migration river crossing
• Evening bonfire and dinner at camp

Day 5: Final game drive and departure

• Final game drive in Serengeti
• Breakfast at camp
• Transfer to Kogatende Airstrip
• Fly to Arusha and transfer to Kilimanjaro airport

The experience

The safari opens at Ngorongoro Crater, where a 4-wheel drive descends 2,000 feet into the caldera: a volcanic basin that formed 2.5 million years ago and now holds one of Africa's densest concentrations of wildlife. You spend the full first day exploring the crater floor before returning to a lodge perched on the rim. From there, the route moves north into Serengeti National Park's central plains, where expert guides navigate grasslands and kopjes in search of migrating herds and the predators that follow them.

Days three and four focus on the Mara River crossing itself. Between August and October, the herds move back and forth across the river multiple times, following fresh grasses after the rains. River crossings at Kogatende happen nearly every day during this window, though spotting one remains partly a matter of timing and luck. The guide positions you to watch wildebeest, zebras and other herbivores wade into crocodile-infested waters, sometimes crossing in opposite directions on the same day. Evenings include a bonfire at camp before the final morning game drive and transfer to the airstrip for your onward flight.

Accommodations are at three camps: An'gata Ngorongoro on the crater rim, Ang'ata Seronera in central Serengeti, and Ang'ata Migration Camp near the Mara River. A professional guide leads all game drives and handles navigation. Picnic lunches are provided en route. The package covers park entrance fees, all ground transport, lodging and taxes: flights to and from Tanzania are separate.

What’s included

• Professional guide and driver.
• all accommodations at three camps.
• entrance fees to Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park.
• ground transport from Arusha to the parks and between camps.
• picnic lunches during game drives.
• all meals at the lodges.
• park taxes and VAT.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 23:30

Book up to2d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Demanding physical levelInfant seats availableNot for heart conditions

Operated by Fantastic Time Travel

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to focus on the Mara River crossing season (August–October) with a fixed itinerary. Sightings depend on actual herd movement, not guaranteed timing.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Mara River crossing and when does it happen?

The Mara River crossing is the moment millions of wildebeest, zebras and other herbivores wade across the river as part of the Great Migration. Between August and October, herds cross nearly every day at Kogatende, often moving back and forth across the same river multiple times as they follow fresh grasses after seasonal rains.

How far down is Ngorongoro Crater and what wildlife will I see there?

Ngorongoro Crater sits 2,000 feet below the rim and measures 22.5 kilometers across. The crater floor holds exceptionally high numbers of resident wildlife including lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and buffalo, making it one of Africa's most concentrated wildlife viewing areas.

What kind of guide leads the game drives?

A professional driver and guide leads all game drives and handles navigation through the park. The guide is fluent in English, Spanish, Italian or French, depending on which language option you select at checkout.

Are flights included in this safari package?

Flights are not included. International flights to Tanzania and domestic flights to and from the Serengeti airstrip are booked separately. Ground transport from Arusha to Ngorongoro and between all safari camps is included, as is your transfer to Kilimanjaro airport on the final day.

What accommodations are included on each night?

Night one is at An'gata Ngorongoro Camp on the crater rim. Nights two through four are split between Ang'ata Seronera Camp in central Serengeti and Ang'ata Migration Camp near the Mara River. All lodging, meals and camp facilities are included in the package price.