7-Day Great Migration Safari – Mara River Crossing

Experience a 7-day Tanzania Great Migration safari in northern Serengeti. Search for Mara River crossings, wildebeest herds, Big Five wildlife, and Ngorongoro Crater.

Overview

Witness one of Africa’s most extraordinary wildlife spectacles on this 7-Day Great Migration Safari – Mara River Crossing in Tanzania’s legendary Serengeti National Park. This adventure is designed for travelers who dream of seeing enormous herds of wildebeests and zebras moving across the northern Serengeti, with opportunities to observe the dramatic Mara River crossings when nature allows.

Explore the endless Serengeti plains, search for predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, and crocodiles, and spend dedicated time in the northern migration region with an experienced safari guide. Complete your journey with an unforgettable wildlife safari in the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater.

This safari is ideal for wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, couples, and adventurous travelers seeking an immersive Tanzania safari experience. Since river crossings are unpredictable, the itinerary prioritizes time in the northern Serengeti during the migration season to improve your opportunities for witnessing this remarkable natural event.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Arusha

Our Safari guide from our office will pick you up at Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport and transfer you to your hotel in Arusha for relaxation and overnight. Get time to relax at the lodge and be prepared for a next day of safari

Feel free to experience Arusha city tour with our guide for free.

Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park

After breakfast, meet your professional safari guide and depart Arusha for Tarangire National Park. Upon arrival, begin your first game drive through a beautiful landscape of open grasslands, ancient baobab trees, and seasonal swamps.
Tarangire is famous for its large elephant herds and diverse wildlife. During your game drive, look for elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, buffaloes, and various antelope species. With luck, you may also spot lions or leopards resting beneath the trees.
Enjoy a picnic lunch at a designated site before continuing your afternoon wildlife exploration. Later, leave the park and travel to your mid-range lodge or tented camp for dinner and overnight accommodation.

Day 3: Tarangire to Central Serengeti

After breakfast, meet your professional safari guide and depart Arusha for Serengeti National Park. Travel through the scenic Ngorongoro Conservation Area, enjoying views of Tanzania’s highlands and open savannah landscapes along the way.

Enter Serengeti and begin your first game drive through its wildlife-rich plains. Search for lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, and other fascinating animals as you discover the vast Serengeti ecosystem.

Depending on your arrival time and route, enjoy an afternoon game drive before heading to your lodge or tented camp in central Serengeti. Relax over dinner and prepare for the journey north.

Day 4: Central Serengeti to Northern Serengeti – Following the Migration

Enjoy breakfast before departing for northern Serengeti, one of the key areas for observing the Great Wildebeest Migration during the northern season.

Travel through changing landscapes, stopping for wildlife sightings along the way. The Serengeti is home to resident predators, including lions, leopards, and cheetahs, as well as hyenas and numerous herbivores.

As you approach the northern region, your guide will monitor wildlife activity and identify suitable areas for migration viewing. During the main migration season, large herds may gather near the Mara River before attempting to cross.

Arrive at your northern Serengeti accommodation, enjoy dinner, and settle in for the night.

Day 5: Full-Day Northern Serengeti – Migration & Predator Encounters

Spend another full day exploring northern Serengeti, giving you additional opportunities to observe the migration and search for potential Mara River crossings.

After breakfast, head out with your guide toward the most promising areas based on recent herd movements and local wildlife reports. Having additional time in the region increases your opportunities to encounter migrating herds, although no particular event can be guaranteed.

Enjoy game drives across the northern plains, where resident wildlife and predators provide excellent viewing opportunities beyond the migration itself. Stop for a picnic lunch during the day and continue exploring into the afternoon.

Return to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay in the heart of the Serengeti wilderness.

Day 6: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Begin with breakfast and an early game drive in central Serengeti. Enjoy your final opportunities to observe wildlife in the park, searching for lions, elephants, giraffes, and other iconic species.

Later, depart for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, traveling through the Serengeti plains and toward the scenic volcanic highlands. Depending on the route and conditions, additional wildlife viewing may be possible along the way.

Arrive at your lodge or tented camp near Ngorongoro Crater in the afternoon or evening. Enjoy dinner and prepare for the final day of your safari.

Day 7: Ngorongoro Crater Safari – Big Five & Return to Arusha

After an early breakfast, descend into the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater for a memorable game drive. This spectacular volcanic caldera contains grasslands, wetlands, woodland, and a lake, supporting an impressive variety of wildlife.

Search for lions, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeests, hyenas, and hippos. Ngorongoro is also one of Tanzania’s best places to look for the endangered black rhinoceros, although sightings are never guaranteed.

Enjoy a picnic lunch at a designated site before ascending the crater walls and returning to Arusha. Your arrival time will depend on wildlife viewing, road conditions, and your onward travel arrangements.