7 Day Group Joining Safari: Mara River Crossing & Serengeti Migration
Overview
A fully overland migration safari chasing the Great Migration to the Mara River.
Natural phenomena are plentiful around the world, but few compare to the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem's annual Wildebeest Migration in sheer size — up to two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle travelling some 3,000km to follow the rains. This 7-day group joining safari drives you overland, entirely by 4x4 safari vehicle, straight into the heart of it, spending two nights in the wildlife-rich Central Serengeti, two nights in the Northern Serengeti near the Mara River in search of a crossing, and a final night in Karatu near the Ngorongoro Crater before you drive back to Kilimanjaro International Airport. You'll travel on a shared 4x4 safari vehicle alongside other travelers on the same fixed departure — no internal flights, just the road and the bush.
Tour Highlights
Itinerary
Where you go, what you do, and where you sleep each night.
Best travelled July to October, during the Great Migration's push toward the Mara River. Contact us for our next fixed group departure date.
Arrival in Arusha
Whatever your arrival time at Kilimanjaro International Airport, your driver-guide will be waiting to welcome you and transfer you to your hotel in Arusha. Depending on your arrival time, you'll either meet your safari expert today for a full briefing, or tomorrow morning before you set off.
Arusha to Central Serengeti
Today is a full day on the road. Leaving Arusha after an early breakfast, you'll drive overland toward the Central Serengeti, passing through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and descending off the crater highlands onto the open Serengeti plains before reaching the Seronera area — a journey of around 335km, taking roughly 6–7 hours with stops along the way for game viewing, lunch and photographs. Arriving in the area often called the Serengeti's "wildlife hub," you'll have time for an afternoon game drive before settling in for the evening.
Full Day in the Central Serengeti
Wildlife here is abundant — sometimes it feels like it comes looking for you rather than the other way round. Where bushland meets grassland is prime territory for big cats, so cheetah, leopard and lion are all real possibilities today. You'll explore the varied landscapes around the Seronera River, which draws every species of wildlife, and the distinctive rocky kopjes that define this part of the Serengeti, with a picnic lunch out in the bush.
Central to Northern Serengeti
After breakfast and a final morning game drive around Seronera, you'll head north toward the Mara River area of the Northern Serengeti, a journey of around 115km taking roughly 5 hours, with plenty to see along the way. Arriving among the changing landscapes of the north, you're now following in the footsteps of the Great Migration — great herds of zebra and wildebeest gathering ahead of their crossing into Kenya, and back again. You'll have lunch on arrival followed by an afternoon game drive, before unwinding around the campfire or over a sundowner in the evening.
Full Day in the Northern Serengeti
After breakfast, set out with your driver-guide on a full-day game drive in search of elephant, buffalo, eland and gazelle — and, if you're lucky, a cheetah or one of the north's rare resident black rhino. River crossings can't be guaranteed on any given day, but your guides know the most likely spots, and patience often pays off. If today isn't the day, there's always tomorrow's journey south to look forward to, and plenty more to see in the meantime.
Northern Serengeti to Karatu
Your adventure now takes you out of the Serengeti and toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, home to the wildlife-filled Ngorongoro Crater and one of Tanzania's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. After a final morning game drive and lunch, you'll begin the journey south to Karatu, retracing your route back through the Central Serengeti and up onto the crater highlands — around 300km, roughly 6 hours in total — arriving at your accommodation in time for dinner and an early night ahead of tomorrow's crater descent.
Ngorongoro Crater & Departure
An early 6am departure from Karatu takes you to the crater rim before descending into the vast Ngorongoro Crater itself. The crater holds around 120 lions with well-defined territories, roughly 15,000 wildebeest, 9,000 zebra, 400 hyena and some 50 black rhino, alongside resident buffalo, Thomson's gazelle, eland and hippo in its swamps and pools. Keep an eye on the Lerai Forest and the swampland known as the "elephant graveyard," where old bull elephants come to feed on soft grasses. After lunch, you'll begin the roughly 250km, 4-hour overland drive back to Kilimanjaro International Airport in time for your departure flight, marking the end of your safari.
Price
What you'll pay, no hidden extras.
| Option | Price per person | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 7-day group joining migration safari (drive-only) 1 night Arusha + 2 nights Central Serengeti + 2 nights Northern Serengeti + 1 night Karatu, overland 4x4 transport throughout, meals as listed, park fees included | $2,870 | Per person, group joining, twin/double sharing |
Payment & extras
A deposit confirms your booking, with the balance due before departure. Full terms are on our booking policy page.
This is a fixed-date group joining departure, so spaces are limited and confirmed on a first-come basis.
Inclusions
What's covered, and what's not.
- •Airport pick-up & drop-off (Kilimanjaro International Airport)
- •1 night in Arusha (bed & breakfast)
- •Overland 4x4 transport throughout — no internal flights
- •2 nights in the Central Serengeti (full board)
- •2 nights in the Northern Serengeti (full board)
- •1 night in Karatu, near Ngorongoro (full board)
- •All park entry fees (Serengeti & Ngorongoro)
- •4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof & English-speaking driver-guide
- •Bottled water during game drives
- •International flights
- •Tanzania e-Visa
- •Travel & medical insurance (required)
- •Alcoholic & bottled soft drinks outside of meals
- •Souvenirs & personal expenses
- •Tips for your guide & camp staff
- •Additional accommodation before or after the tour
Important to know before booking
- This safari is best travelled July to October, when the migration moves toward the Mara River — but a river crossing is a natural event and can never be guaranteed on a specific day.
- This is a fixed-date group joining tour — contact us for our next confirmed departure, as spaces are limited.
- Pack warm layers for early morning game drives and the Ngorongoro Crater, which is cooler at altitude.
- A Tanzania e-Visa is required for most nationalities — apply at immigration.go.tz at least 3 weeks before travel.
- A yellow fever certificate may be required depending on your transit country.
- This is a fully overland, drive-only safari — expect a couple of long driving days (up to 6–7 hours) with stops built in for comfort breaks, lunch and game viewing along the way.
Ready to chase the migration to the Mara River?
Reach out and we'll confirm your spot on this departure and send you a full quote.
FAQs
Questions we get asked most often.
You'll share a safari vehicle with other travelers on the same fixed departure dates, which keeps the cost lower than a fully private safari while still including an experienced driver-guide.
This is a fully overland, drive-only safari — there are no internal flights. You'll travel by 4x4 safari vehicle the whole way, including a couple of longer driving days (around 6–7 hours) to reach and leave the Northern Serengeti, with stops for game viewing along the route.
No responsible operator can promise a crossing on a specific day — it's a natural event. This itinerary gives you two full days in the Northern Serengeti near the river to maximize your chances, with an experienced guide who knows the likeliest spots.
July through October, when the migration is typically moving through the Northern Serengeti toward the Mara River. Contact us to check availability for our next fixed group departure.
Yes — this itinerary can be run as a private safari on dates of your choosing. Let us know and we'll send you a separate quote.
Most nationalities need a Tanzania e-Visa, available at immigration.go.tz. A yellow fever certificate may be required depending on your transit country.
We recommend taking out travel insurance as soon as you confirm your booking. Full cancellation and payment terms are on our booking policy page.