When is the best time for a Great Migration river crossing safari in Northern Serengeti?

The best time is usually July to October, when wildebeest and zebra herds are often in Tanzania’s Northern Serengeti near the Mara River. Crossings are natural events influenced by rain, grazing, herd movement and predator pressure, so they can never be guaranteed.

Are Mara River crossings guaranteed on this 7-day safari?

No, river crossings are never guaranteed because the herds move according to weather and grazing conditions. This itinerary gives you two nights in Northern Serengeti during peak season, placing you in the right region with a strong chance of seeing migration activity.

What wildlife can I see besides the Great Migration?

You can see elephants, lions, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest and rich birdlife in Tarangire, plus lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, hippos and crocodiles in the Serengeti. Ngorongoro Crater offers a strong chance of Big Five sightings, including black rhino, though sightings are never guaranteed.

How much does a 7-day Great Migration safari in Tanzania cost?

The cost depends on travel dates, accommodation level, group size and whether you fly or drive between safari areas. Migration-season safaris in Northern Serengeti are usually more expensive than standard Serengeti trips because July to October is peak demand and the region is remote.

What is included in this 7-day Tanzania migration safari?

A typical Imara Africa Safaris package includes private 4x4 safari transport, a professional English-speaking guide, park and conservation fees, accommodation, meals on safari and scheduled game drives. International flights, visas, travel insurance, tips, premium drinks and optional Zanzibar extensions are usually excluded unless stated in your quote.

Is this safari suitable for families with children?

Yes, the itinerary can be suitable for families, especially with a private vehicle and child-friendly lodges or tented camps. Long game-drive days and early starts are common, so it works best for children who are comfortable spending several hours in a safari vehicle.

Can I add Zanzibar after the safari?

Yes, this itinerary can end in Arusha or connect onwards to Zanzibar for a beach extension. Many travellers add three to five nights in Zanzibar after the Serengeti and Ngorongoro to relax after the safari.

+254768540150Call usWhatsAppinfo@imaraafricasafaris.comEmail us

All Safaris Wildlife Safaris Great Migration SafarisPopular Big Five Safaris Gorilla TrekkingMust Do Family Safaris Honeymoon Safaris Beach & Bush Safaris Luxury SafarisSpecialist Ultra-Luxury SafarisSpecialist Bespoke Luxury Safari PlannerSpecialist

Safari Experiences

Every Imara safari is tailor-made by our Nairobi-based experts — from mid-range comfort up to luxury and ultra-luxury, right across East Africa.

Mid-range, luxury & ultra-luxury
Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda & Rwanda
24/7 on-trip support

“Imara” means strong in Swahili. We build every safari with that same strength — expert knowledge, honest pricing, and relentless attention to detail.

Ready for the trip of a lifetime?

Tell us what you're looking for — we reply within minutes and send a free, no-obligation custom itinerary within 24 hours.

WhatsApp Enquire Call Us

Start Planning

No spam, ever. Unsubscribe anytime.

Protected by Cloudflare Turnstile & Google reCAPTCHA. Privacy & Terms apply.

Join Our Newsletter

Safari deals, travel tips & destination guides — straight to your inbox.

No spam, ever. Unsubscribe anytime.

Protected by Cloudflare Turnstile & Google reCAPTCHA. Privacy & Terms apply.

Safari

Safarimid-rangeFrom $2,140/ppTanzania7 days

7-Day Great Migration River Crossing Safari in Tanzania

Name: Imara Africa Safaris — Company & Catalog Statistics
Creator: Imara Africa Safaris
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This 7-day Great Migration river crossing safari is a mid-range Tanzania road itinerary from Arusha through Tarangire, the Northern Serengeti, the Central Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, priced from US$2,140 per person. Timed for the July-to-October season, it places travellers near the Mara River when wildebeest crossings are most likely.

Ngorongoro Crater Serengeti National Park Arusha City Central Serengeti Tarangire National ParkAll year round5 Photos

Explore Details

Safari

Tanzania

7-Day Great Migration River Crossing Safari in Tanzania

Duration

7 days

Country

Tanzania

Type

Safari

Pricing & Seasons

Important to Know

Rates are per person and exclude the international flight from/to your home country.
This tour accepts children of all ages. Age-based rates apply as set for this tour:
Free: 0–3 yrsChild discount: 4–12 yrsAdult rate: 13+ yrs
Prices are shown in USD and are confirmed at the time of booking.

Choose your travel season

USD · per person

Season	2 people 1 roomper person	3 people 2 roomsper person	4 people 2 roomsper person	5 people 3 roomsper person	6 people 3 roomsper person	7+ peopleGet quote
PEAK SEASONNow 1 Jul 2026 – 31 Oct 2026	$2,948/pp	$2,642/pp	$2,375/pp	$2,306/pp	$2,184/pp	Quote
MID SEASON 1 Nov 2026 – 19 Dec 2026	$2,904/pp	$2,590/pp	$2,331/pp	$2,257/pp	$2,140/pp	Quote
HIGH SEASON 20 Dec 2026 – 3 Jan 2027	$3,036/pp	$2,736/pp	$2,736/pp	$2,463/pp	$2,397/pp	Quote
LOW SEASON 4 Jan 2027 – 31 Mar 2027	$3,036/pp	$2,736/pp	$2,463/pp	$2,397/pp	$2,272/pp	Quote
GREEN SEASON 1 Apr 2027 – 30 Jun 2027	$3,036/pp	$2,736/pp	$2,463/pp	$2,397/pp	$2,272/pp	Quote

PEAK SEASONNow

1 Jul 2026 – 31 Oct 2026

from$2,184/pp

2 people 1 room

$2,948/pp

3 people 2 rooms

$2,642/pp

4 people 2 rooms

$2,375/pp

5 people 3 rooms

$2,306/pp

6 people 3 rooms

$2,184/pp

7+ people — Get a quote

MID SEASON

1 Nov 2026 – 19 Dec 2026

from$2,140/pp

2 people 1 room

$2,904/pp

3 people 2 rooms

$2,590/pp

4 people 2 rooms

$2,331/pp

5 people 3 rooms

$2,257/pp

6 people 3 rooms

$2,140/pp

7+ people — Get a quote

HIGH SEASON

20 Dec 2026 – 3 Jan 2027

from$2,397/pp

2 people 1 room

$3,036/pp

3 people 2 rooms

$2,736/pp

4 people 2 rooms

$2,736/pp

5 people 3 rooms

$2,463/pp

6 people 3 rooms

$2,397/pp

7+ people — Get a quote

LOW SEASON

4 Jan 2027 – 31 Mar 2027

from$2,272/pp

2 people 1 room

$3,036/pp

3 people 2 rooms

$2,736/pp

4 people 2 rooms

$2,463/pp

5 people 3 rooms

$2,397/pp

6 people 3 rooms

$2,272/pp

7+ people — Get a quote

GREEN SEASON

1 Apr 2027 – 30 Jun 2027

from$2,272/pp

2 people 1 room

$3,036/pp

3 people 2 rooms

$2,736/pp

4 people 2 rooms

$2,463/pp

5 people 3 rooms

$2,397/pp

6 people 3 rooms

$2,272/pp

7+ people — Get a quote

Per person sharing in USD.

Ready to Book?

Secure your spot on this adventure

No payment required — we'll confirm availability first

Ask Us

What's Included & Excluded

17 included

5 not included

Safari Overview

The 7-Day Great Migration River Crossing Safari is a mid-range Tanzania road itinerary from Arusha through Tarangire, the Northern Serengeti, the Central Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, priced from US$2,140 per person. Timed for the July-to-October season, it suits wildlife travellers hoping to witness wildebeest crossings on the Mara River.

Which Destinations Does This Safari Visit?

Arusha (Day 1): arrival and overnight before the safari begins.
Tarangire National Park (Day 2): baobab country with large elephant herds, lions, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, wildebeests and rich birdlife.
Northern Serengeti (Days 3–4): two nights in the key river-crossing region, following herd movement around the Mara River — the same river system that flows through Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve. Resident wildlife includes lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, crocodiles and hippos.
Central Serengeti (Day 5): year-round wildlife and excellent predator sightings.
Ngorongoro Crater (Day 6): a Big Five game drive inside the spectacular volcanic caldera; see the Ngorongoro Crater park guide for more detail.
Mto wa Mbu and Arusha (Day 7): an authentic cultural village visit before the return to Arusha or an onward connection.

Who Is This Safari For?

This route suits travellers whose priority is being in the right region during the peak crossing season. River crossings are never guaranteed — they depend on herd movement, weather and natural conditions — but two nights in the Northern Serengeti give a strong opportunity. It works well for photographers, couples and small groups comfortable with a full seven-day road circuit at mid-range level, and it can end with a Zanzibar beach extension such as the 9-day Tanzania safari and Zanzibar beach holiday.

What Is Included?

The price covers all transfers by pop-up-roof safari Land Cruiser, a professional English-speaking safari guide, all national park entry fees and meals on a full-board basis, with drinking water and in-vehicle Wi-Fi provided throughout; the complete list of inclusions appears further down this page. Group sizes from 1 to 100 travellers can be arranged. Migration-focused alternatives include the 4-day luxury Kenya safari with Masai Mara flights, the 3-day Maasai Mara safari adventure, the 5-day mid-range Kenya safari and the cross-border 10-day Kenya and Tanzania flying safari.

Day by Day

Itinerary at a Glance

7 days7 stops1 stay

Arusha CityTarangire National ParkSerengeti National ParkDay 4: Full-Day Northern Serengeti and Mara River Crossing AreaCentral SerengetiNgorongoro CraterArusha City

Day	Destination	Key Sightings	Overnight	Meals
1	Arusha CityDay 1: Arrival in Arusha	Game Drive, Bird Watching	—	BLD
2	Tarangire National ParkDay 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park	African Elephant

Day1
Arusha City
Day 1: Arrival in Arusha
BLD
Game Drive, Bird Watching
Day2
Tarangire National Park
Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park
BLD

Day-by-Day Itinerary

7 days · 7 of 7 expanded

Day

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by an Imara Africa Safaris representative and transferred to your hotel in Arusha. Arusha is the main gateway to Tanzania’s northern safari circuit and offers a convenient place to rest before beginning your wildlife adventure.

After check-in, take time to relax and recover from your journey. Depending on your arrival time, you may enjoy the hotel atmosphere, prepare your safari luggage, and meet your representative or guide for a safari briefing.

This first day is designed to help you settle in comfortably before heading to Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Mto wa Mbu.

L, D, BArusha City

Tanzania

Day

Day 2: Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park

After breakfast, depart Arusha and drive to Tarangire National Park, one of Tanzania’s most scenic and rewarding wildlife parks. Tarangire is famous for its giant baobab trees, seasonal river system, open woodland, and impressive elephant populations.

Enjoy a full-day game drive with your professional English-speaking safari guide. As you explore the park, you may see elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, buffaloes, antelopes, warthogs, and a wide variety of bird species. Wildlife sightings depend on season and natural animal movement, but Tarangire offers excellent safari viewing throughout the year.

After the game drive, continue to your overnight location in the Tarangire area.

Overnight Destination: Tarangire area

L, D, BTarangire National Park

Tanzania

Day

Day 3: Day 3: Tarangire to Northern Serengeti

After an early breakfast, begin your journey toward Northern Serengeti, the region best known for the Mara River and Great Migration river crossing opportunities from July to October. This is a long but rewarding travel day, taking you deeper into Tanzania’s most famous wildlife ecosystem.

Arrive in Northern Serengeti in the afternoon and enjoy a game drive as you begin exploring the region. During migration season, your guide will help follow herd movement and search for areas where wildebeests and zebras may be gathering near the river.

Northern Serengeti is also rich in resident wildlife, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, hippos, crocodiles, and many bird species.

Accommodation

PrimaryKontiki Serengeti

Camp · Best Value

View

Accommodation is subject to availability. We can suggest similar-level alternatives or tailor options to suit your budget.

L, D, BSerengeti National Park

Tanzania

Day

Day 4: Day 4: Full-Day Northern Serengeti and Mara River Crossing Area

Spend the entire day exploring Northern Serengeti and the Mara River region, one of the best areas for Great Migration river crossing opportunities during the July to October season. Your guide will follow wildlife movement and position the day around the best available sightings.

This region is famous for dramatic migration scenes as wildebeests and zebras gather near river crossing points. When crossings happen, animals face strong currents and crocodile-filled waters, creating one of nature’s most powerful safari moments. However, crossings are natural events and cannot be guaranteed on a specific day.

Beyond the migration, Northern Serengeti offers excellent predator viewing, scenic landscapes, and outstanding photography opportunities.

Accommodation

PrimaryKontiki Serengeti

Camp · Best Value

View

Accommodation is subject to availability. We can suggest similar-level alternatives or tailor options to suit your budget.

B, L, D

Tanzania

Day

Day 5: Day 5: Northern Serengeti to Central Serengeti

After breakfast, enjoy a game drive en route as you travel south through the vast Serengeti plains toward the Central Serengeti and the wildlife-rich Seronera region. This journey allows you to experience different Serengeti landscapes while continuing to search for wildlife along the way.

Central Serengeti is known for year-round wildlife concentrations and excellent predator sightings. The Seronera Valley is especially famous for lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, wildebeests, and many bird species.

Arrive in the Central Serengeti area for dinner and overnight after a rewarding day of game viewing.

Accommodation

PrimaryKontiki Serengeti

Camp · Best Value

View

Accommodation is subject to availability. We can suggest similar-level alternatives or tailor options to suit your budget.

B, L, DCentral Serengeti

Tanzania

Day

Day 6: Day 6: Central Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater and Karatu

After an early breakfast, enjoy a final Serengeti game drive before proceeding to the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater. The drive offers more wildlife viewing opportunities as you leave the Serengeti and head toward one of Africa’s most remarkable natural safari landscapes.

Descend to the crater floor for a game drive in one of the continent’s most wildlife-dense ecosystems. You may see lions, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeests, hippos, hyenas, gazelles, and, with luck, the endangered black rhino. The crater also offers beautiful scenery, open grasslands, wetlands, and dramatic highland views.

After a picnic lunch, ascend the crater and continue to Karatu for dinner and overnight.

L, D, BNgorongoro Crater

Tanzania

Day

Day 7: Day 7: Mto wa Mbu Cultural Experience and Return to Arusha or Zanzibar Connection

After breakfast, visit Mto wa Mbu for an authentic cultural experience. This vibrant village is known for its cultural diversity, local farming, banana plantations, artisans, markets, and community life.

Enjoy a guided village walk as you learn about local traditions, farming practices, food culture, and daily life. You may visit banana plantations, meet local artisans, interact with community members, and experience one of Tanzania’s most culturally diverse areas.

After lunch, transfer to Arusha for drop-off at your hotel, Arusha Airport, or Kilimanjaro International Airport. Guests continuing to the coast can connect with a flight to Zanzibar for a beach extension.

Arusha City

Tanzania

Verified Guest Reviews

What our travellers say

From 1 guest who travelled the 7-Day Great Migration River Crossing Safari in Tanzania

5.0· 184 reviews

TripAdvisor5.0 Google4.9

This trip is really one for the books! We started planning for a Safari Tour a year ago so that we will have an ample time to look for a good itinerary and tour provider that will our needs. We have inquired to several local travel agencies from our country, the Philippines and as well as thru online to Kenyan agencies. Most Kenyan agencies either disregarded our inquiries, too presistent that we book instantly or presented unreasonably priced agencies. We came across IMARA AFRICA SAFARIES thru Instagram and Wendy was very accommodating to our request. She patiently presented to us different options for our safari tours. And most welcomingly answered our never ending queries. She also gave us tips as to securing our travel documents down to our safari outfits. From then on, we knew IMARA is the right choice for us. So here we go! We booked and we eagerly anticipated for our much awaited safari experience! But I guess as the time came and no matter how prepared you were, there were some bumps along the way such as flight delays and missing our connecting flights. Yet, it never deterred our excitement. Good thing, Wendy was always in contact since day 1. And she was flexible as always readjusting our itinerary. We were met and greeted by the whole staff and even gave us souvenirs already. We met Wendy in person and of course Lewis who eagerly explained our itinerary. We also gotten to know Simon, our guide/driver in Kenya. He was very enthusiastic in touring us to different national parks in Kenya and made us witness the amazing wildlife it has to offer. We even driven into the deep areas of Maasai Mara just to find a whole pride of 20 lions! Next stop was Tanzania and there we met Dallas, our guide and driver and Mr Plan B guy. Without him, we could have never witnessed the Great Migration and completed the Big 5 of Africa. All in all, our safari experience was more than what we expected and way too amazing! It was way too difficult to part ways with our two big guides who made this experience memorable! Thank you Imara Africa Safaries! We would definitely recommend you to everyone for their safari experience! Five stars!!!

Rotsen Alitao

September 2026

Read full

7-Day Great Migration River Crossing Safari in Tanzania

Anna/September 2026

Thank you for a great safari experience! The organisation process was excellent and professional. Vehicle safari is our huge recommendation. It’s an opportunity to see all the local animals and to hear their stories from the driver! Massai Mara and Nakuru are the top parks here. P. S. The only note is that walking safari doesn’t make any sense when you’re living in the hotel with the animals walking through the territory freely.

Read Review

Dana Siciliano di Rende/September 2026

The safari fulfilled every safari dream. We loved our guide and driver. We cannot praise IMARA Africa Safari enough!! We highly recommend this wonderful safari to everyone

Read Review

Jeff Bauer/September 2026

We had a blast and were well taken care of. Multiple days and locations with the great Patrick of Imara Safari Tours!

Read Review

Craig McClelland/September 2026

We had a fantastic safari with Imara. Right from the start the team was easy and straight-forward to deal with. Our guide/driver was excellent (thanks so much Tony!), managed to find every animal on our wishlist, and made sure we enjoyed the whole trip. We were a group of 3 and did a private safari. This gave us a lot more flexibility about where to go, which animals to search for etc, and our guide (Tony) was always adjusting the plan make sure we had the best experience. Covering our 'spotting wishlist' was fantastic, but Tony was always working to ensure we got better views and up-close experience with our favourites. That made all the difference to how much we enjoyed the safari. I'd definitely recommend Imara, and we would happily book our next safari through them.

Read Review

Gianpiero Siciliano di Rende/August 2026

Exceptional people, fantastic service, the best. Don't book anywhere else. Edward, our guide and driver was the best. I will request him again at the next adventure. Edward, you are the best!

Read Review

Maren/August 2026

Thank you so much Imara Team for our unforgetable Safari Tour (5 days)! We (2 adults, 12 + 9 year old children from Germany) spent an incredible time in Masai Mara, at Lake Naivasha and Amboseli Parc. Only 3 weeks in advance we booked our trip and faced a very professional and prompt communication. At that point a big THANK YOU to Susan! We were picked up at our hotel, where we were given a detailed overview of our itinerary and route. The team surprised us with a few very useful gifts. The 4x4 was in a good condition and the frige was filled with enough cold drinks. Wifi worked well. There were small binoculars on board, but we didn't need to use them because we were so close to the animals. Our very experienced guide, Patrick, gave us some incredibly beautiful experiences. Without his knowledge and intuition, we wouldn't have seen so many amazing animals up close. He had a good network of contacts among other drivers and park attendants A very, very big THANK YOU to Patrick! We will unconditionally recommend Imara Tours to our families, friends, and everyone else.

Read Review

Anna/September 2026

Read Review

Dana Siciliano di Rende/September 2026

The safari fulfilled every safari dream. We loved our guide and driver. We cannot praise IMARA Africa Safari enough!! We highly recommend this wonderful safari to everyone

Read Review

Jeff Bauer/September 2026

We had a blast and were well taken care of. Multiple days and locations with the great Patrick of Imara Safari Tours!

Read Review

Craig McClelland/September 2026

Read Review

Gianpiero Siciliano di Rende/August 2026

Exceptional people, fantastic service, the best. Don't book anywhere else. Edward, our guide and driver was the best. I will request him again at the next adventure. Edward, you are the best!

Read Review

Maren/August 2026

Read Review

S I/August 2026

We had a wonderful experience with Imara Safaris. They made everything easy, arranging all transport, accommodation, and meals during the trip. Our guide Patrick was brilliant and expertly drove us around Masai Mara, getting a great view of lots of animals. We would definitely recommend Imara!

Read Review

Austin Frayler/August 2026

My wife and I were fortunate enough to spend a 7 day Lakes & Plains safari with Imara Africa this summer for our honeymoon. From the first message that we sent out asking for quotes and a proposed itinerary all the way to when we landed in Nairobi, Faith was there to make sure we had all of our questions answered and that our experience was exactly what we wanted. She was incredibly accommodating to us, answering at all hours of the day and making sure that we were informed and comfortable with each step of our itinerary and journey. Most of all, we never felt pressured to book or make deposits, which was incredibly important since other companies were actively putting sales pressure on us everyday. Also, the accommodations were all fantastic, clean, and exceptionally hospitable. The food was also delicious. Edward, or the “safari doctor” as we’ve come to know him, is an incredible guide. He is personable, kind, and incredibly knowledgeable. He was happy to share everything he knew about each animal that we saw, from a small bird to a leopard that we were fortunate enough to see climbing up a tree with its kill in Maasai Mara. We couldn’t have been more fortunate as we were to be paired with Edward for the past week, and I’m positive that all of Imara’s guides are just as exceptional as he is. We never felt rushed while spending time at each park, and Edward and Faith both worked together to accomplish a small itinerary change, since we wanted to spend a little extra time at the Mara in substitution for another activity. He seemed to be friends with everyone that we encountered across the trip, and it’s clear why that is— he’s a genuinely kind and knowledgeable person, and is great at what he does. Thank you so much for the most incredible honeymoon my wife and I could have asked for!

Read Review

Live from Tripadvisor

Read all 184 reviews Plan your safari

Ready for the trip of a lifetime?

Join Our Newsletter

7-Day Great Migration River Crossing Safari in Tanzania

Pricing & Seasons

Important to Know

Choose your travel season

What's Included & Excluded

Safari Overview

Which Destinations Does This Safari Visit?

Who Is This Safari For?

What Is Included?

Safari Vehicles

4×4 Safari Land Cruiser

Itinerary at a Glance

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Arusha

Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park

Day 3: Tarangire to Northern Serengeti

Day 4: Full-Day Northern Serengeti and Mara River Crossing Area

Day 5: Northern Serengeti to Central Serengeti

Day 6: Central Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater and Karatu

Day 7: Mto wa Mbu Cultural Experience and Return to Arusha or Zanzibar Connection

What's Included

What's Not Included

Destinations You'll Visit

Arusha City

Tarangire National Park

Serengeti National Park

Central Serengeti

Ngorongoro Crater

Arusha City

Where You'll Stay

What our travellers say

Live from Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions

Similar Safaris

10 Days Two Nations Safari Kenya&Tanzania Flying (Ultra-Luxury)

10 Days Two Nations Safari Kenya&Tanzania

8-Day Mid-Range Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Beach Holiday