Experiences
The crossings, and how to be there for one
More than a million wildebeest and several hundred thousand zebra move in a continuous loop between the Serengeti and the Maasai Mara. The Mara River crossings happen in Kenya, between roughly late July and October.
In short
Book three nights, not one. The herds are not on a schedule, and the only real strategy is to be in the right place for long enough.
For the river crossings, be in the Maasai Mara between late July and October, in a camp positioned near the crossing points rather than an hour away from them.
For calving and the highest predator activity, be in the southern Serengeti between January and March. Enormous numbers of newborns, and the cats that follow them.
The migration is not an event, it is a year long circuit driven by rainfall and grass. Tell us your travel month and we will tell you honestly which side of the border you should be on.
Crossings in Kenya
Late Jul to Oct
Calving in Tanzania
Jan to Mar
Nights we advise
Three minimum
From
USD 1,450 pp
Balloon flights
Booked in advance
The Mara in August. Dust, and a great deal of noise.
What is actually happening
One herd, one loop, two countries
The herds calve on the short grass plains of the southern Serengeti between January and March, move west and north through the Serengeti from April to June, cross the Mara River into Kenya from late July, spend the dry months in the Maasai Mara, and turn south again around late October.
The crossings themselves are unpredictable. Herds gather at the bank, hesitate, sometimes for a day or more, and then go, often triggered by nothing a person can see. Crocodiles wait in the channels and lion and hyena work the far bank.
This is why we push people towards three nights rather than one, and towards camps on the western side of the reserve where the main crossing points are reachable at first light.
Month by month
Where the herds are through the year
01
January to March, southern Serengeti
Calving on the short grass plains. Constant predator activity, and the best months for cheetah.
02
April to June, central and western Serengeti
The long rains, then the columns forming and moving west. Quiet, green and considerably cheaper.
03
Late July to September, Maasai Mara
The Mara River crossings. Peak season in Kenya, and the reason our Kenya rates are quoted for August and September.
04
October to December, turning south
Still in Kenya early on, then drifting back onto the Serengeti plains for the short rains, ready to calve again.
A dawn balloon flight shows you the shape of the herds, which a vehicle cannot.
Positioning
Where to be, and why the camp matters
The Mara Triangle
Kenya
The western side of the reserve, closest to the main crossing points. Fewer vehicles than the eastern sector, and better road access to the banks.
Read more
Southern Serengeti
Tanzania
For calving, January to March. Mobile camps follow the herds in season, and the short grass makes cheetah easier to find than anywhere else.
Read more
A balloon at dawn
Optional, both countries
Booked well in advance and weather dependent. It finishes with breakfast on the plains, and almost nobody regrets the cost.
Read more
Routes
Routes that put you in the right place
Migration season is peak season, so these need booking well ahead. Prices are per person sharing at three lodge levels.
Most requested
3 days / 2 nights
Code UTS-MAMA-03
Three days, Maasai Mara
Kenya
Two nights in the reserve. The minimum for a realistic chance at a crossing.
From, per person sharing
USD 1,450 to 1,810
Details
7 days / 6 nights
Code UTS-FOPA-07
Seven days, four parks
Kenya
Two full days in the Mara during crossing season, plus three other ecosystems.
From, per person sharing
USD 3,190 to 5,645
Details
5 days / 4 nights
Code UTS-ANPL-05
Five days, crater and plains
Tanzania
For calving season, January to March, on the Tanzanian side of the loop.
From, per person sharing
USD 2,310 to 3,320
Details
Kenya rates are peak season, August and September. Tanzania rates are year round and exclude Ngorongoro crater service fees.
Practical
How to improve your odds
Worth doing
Book three or more nights in the Mara rather than one or two.
Choose a camp positioned near the river, not at the far side of the reserve.
Leave camp before sunrise with a packed breakfast, and stay out.
Accept a long wait at the bank. Crossings happen when they happen.
Book four to six months ahead for August and September.
Worth avoiding
A single night, with a crossing as the expectation.
Judging the day by the first hour. Herds often move late in the morning.
Skipping the resident wildlife. The Mara is outstanding with no herd in sight.
Assuming October is too late. Frequently it is not.
Expecting the herds to be in both countries at once.
What we will not promise
Nobody can guarantee you a river crossing
Any operator who does is selling you something they do not control. What we can do is put you in the right sector for the right month, for enough nights, with a guide who is out at first light and in radio contact with the vehicles working the other banks. That is the whole of the honest offer, and it is a good one.
Sector
Chosen for the month
Nights
Three or more advised
Vehicle
Private, pop-top 4×4
Guide
Out before sunrise
Questions
Great Migration questions
Can you guarantee I will see a crossing?–
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No, and no honest operator will. What we can do is put you in the right sector for enough nights with a guide who is out at first light.
Is the Kenyan or Tanzanian side better?+
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It depends on the month. Late July to October, Kenya. January to March, Tanzania for calving. June and July, the western Serengeti is excellent and much quieter.
How busy does the Mara get in August?+
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Busy at the well known crossing points. The Mara Triangle and the conservancies on the reserve boundary are noticeably quieter, and we favour camps on that side.
Is a balloon flight worth the money?+
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For most people, yes. You see the shape of the herds from above, which you cannot from a vehicle, and it ends with breakfast on the plains.
How far ahead should I book?+
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Four to six months for August and September. The best positioned camps sell out first.
Kenya registered tour operator
TRA registered
Our own 4×4 safari vehicles
In-house driver guides
Westlands, Nairobi
Start planning
Tell us your travel month. We will tell you which side of the border to be on, and how many nights it needs.