Northern Serengeti & Mara River Safaris

Venture to the Northern Serengeti and Mara River, the heart of the Great Migration. Explore remote landscapes teeming with resident wildlife and witness the legendary wildebeest river crossings. Escape the crowds and experience untouched wilderness.

Situated between Tanzania’s Central Serengeti and Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve, the Northern Serengeti is a pristine, relatively inaccessible region. This area, with its wooded rolling hills, open grassy patches, and large granite outcrops, offers stunning landscapes and optimal wildlife viewing.

The Northern Serengeti is home to diverse wildlife, including hippos, giraffes, topis, elands, and Thomson’s gazelles. It boasts the largest remaining concentrations of elephants in the Serengeti and an abundance of predators like lions, hyenas, cheetahs, and leopards, although the thick bush can make spotting them challenging.

Game viewing peaks when herds of wildebeest and zebras migrate through the area during the dry season. This great migration typically occurs between mid-July and September, though its exact timing depends on rainfall patterns. The wildebeest crossings between the Serengeti and Maasai Mara are iconic safari highlights.

The Mara River, originating from the Mau Escarpment, winds across the Northern Serengeti, draining into Lake Victoria. Pods of hippos, large herds of giraffes, and elephants are commonly seen along the river. Predators like lions and leopards are abundant but harder to spot in this riverine area. During the dry season, the Mara River becomes a maelstrom of muddy waters with wildebeest and zebra stampeding across, while Nile crocodiles lurk below.

On the Serengeti side of the Mara River, you can experience exceptional game viewing without the tourist crowds of the Maasai Mara. Safari vehicles can drive off-road for up-close wildlife encounters, and walking safaris along the riverbanks offer a unique perspective of the captivating scenery.