10-Day Ultimate Great Migration — Mara River-Crossing Safari

Arrive and transfer to Arusha for an overnight stay ahead of your safari.

Wilderness Trail

Kahawa House

Wilderness Sovereign

Arusha Coffee Lodge

A free day in Arusha to settle in before heading into the parks.

Wilderness Trail

Kahawa House

Wilderness Sovereign

Arusha Coffee Lodge

A guided game drive through Tarangire, tracking Tanzania's largest elephant herds beneath ancient baobabs.

Wilderness Trail

Conserve Safari Tarangire

Wilderness Sovereign

Tarangire Treetops

A morning walking safari in Tarangire, then on to Lake Manyara before continuing to Karatu for the night.

Wilderness Trail

Ngorongoro Farm House

Wilderness Sovereign

Gibb's Farm

A full day guided descent into the Ngorongoro Crater, tracking the Big Five within the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world.

Wilderness Trail

Ngorongoro Farm House

Wilderness Sovereign

Gibb's Farm

Transit through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area with a stop at Olduvai Gorge — often called the cradle of humankind — before continuing into Central Serengeti.

Wilderness Trail

Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge

Wilderness Sovereign

Serengeti Explorer

Drive north toward the Mara River, entering the Serengeti's prime river-crossing territory.

Wilderness Trail

Mara Mara Tented Lodge

Wilderness Sovereign

Lemala Kuria Hills

A full day positioned to track the Great Migration's river crossings.

Wilderness Trail

Mara Mara Tented Lodge

Wilderness Sovereign

Lemala Kuria Hills

A second full day in the same territory — river crossings don't run on a schedule, so this extra day meaningfully improves your odds of witnessing one.

Wilderness Trail

Mara Mara Tented Lodge

Wilderness Sovereign

Lemala Kuria Hills

Transfer to Kogatende Airstrip for your onward flight.

Crossings typically happen from July through October as the migration moves through the northern Serengeti, though exact timing varies year to year depending on rainfall. Nothing is guaranteed on any single day — which is exactly why this itinerary builds in three full days in the crossing zone rather than one.

River crossings are unpredictable — herds can gather at the bank for hours or days before committing. A single day gives you one roll of the dice; three days meaningfully improves your odds of being in the right place when it happens.

Yes — the route builds naturally from Tarangire and Ngorongoro's more reliable, concentrated wildlife viewing before reaching the Mara's higher-variance river-crossing territory, so you're guaranteed strong game viewing throughout even on days without a crossing.

Often called the "cradle of humankind," Olduvai Gorge is where some of the most important early human fossils were discovered. It's a brief but genuinely fascinating stop on the drive between Ngorongoro and the Serengeti.

Wilderness Reserve pairs comfortable, well-located properties with the same route and guiding as our premium tier. Wilderness Sovereign upgrades every stop to Tanzania's most celebrated camps and lodges — several with Game Package rates that bundle shared game drives directly into your stay.

Your guide and vehicle are private to your group throughout, with the exception of shared game drives at select Wilderness Sovereign properties operating on a Game Package rate.