Northern Serengeti
The Mara River Crossings, July to October
The remote far north of the Serengeti round Kogatende and Lamai, on the Kenyan border, where the migration's wildebeest and zebra plunge across the crocodile-filled Mara River from about July to October. Far fewer vehicles than Kenya's Masai Mara side, but expensive and far: an 8-10 hour drive from the Seronera valley, or a bush flight to Kogatende airstrip. Most camps are seasonal or close in the April-May long rains; outside the crossing months the herds are elsewhere. Park fee US$82.60 a person a day in high season.
Highlights
- Wildebeest crossing the Mara River
- Crocodiles at the crossing points
- Lions and cheetahs following the herds
- The empty Lamai triangle
- Sundowner over the Mara
Things to do
- Full day waiting at the Mara River crossing pointsJul–OctMorning · 8h
- Morning game drive in the Lamai triangleMorning · 4h
- Afternoon game drive on the Kogatende plainsAfternoon · 3h
- Sundowner above the Mara RiverEvening · 1h 30m
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: July – October
Worth knowing
Mara River Crossings: Book Early
The wildebeest cross the Mara River from about July to October, though no one can say which day or at which crossing point: allow at least three nights. Camps in the north are few and fill 6-12 months ahead, and a dozen vehicles may wait at one crossing; the bush flights fill too.
Worth knowing
Most Camps Closed for the Long Rains
Most camps here close from about April to May (some from mid-March or until June), the tracks become impassable, and several bush flights stop. Go between June and March.