9-Day Mara River & Northern Serengeti Migration Safari

Tailor-made safari

9-Day Mara River & Northern Serengeti Migration Safari

A thoughtfully designed Tanzania journey, shaped around the way you want to travel.

The journey

Safari Overview

Safari Overview

This migration itinerary is built around seasonal positioning. Tamri International should confirm the most suitable Serengeti sector for the guest's actual travel dates rather than treating the migration as a fixed attraction in one location. Over 9 days, the planned route is Arusha, Tarangire, Central Serengeti, Northern Serengeti, Northern Serengeti, Northern Serengeti, Central/Ngorongoro, Ngorongoro, Arusha. It is especially suitable for guests who want enough time to wait patiently in the north. Accommodation examples are selected for practical location and comfort, but the final property must be confirmed against availability, season and the guest's budget. The website price is a planning benchmark, not a promise for every date or group size.

Route: Arusha - Tarangire - Central Serengeti - Northern Serengeti - Northern Serengeti - Northern Serengeti Central/Ngorongoro - Ngorongoro - Arusha

Start: Arusha | End: Arusha | Duration: 9 Days

Travel style: Private comfort safari
Best for: Guests who want enough time to wait patiently in the north
Season: Seasonal northern Serengeti migration positioning

Website price: From USD 3,480 per person. This is a planning benchmark, generally based on four adults sharing comfort accommodation in lower or shoulder-rate periods. Final pricing depends on travel dates, group size, confirmed accommodation, park fees, flight sectors and supplier availability.

Operational Note

Market as a migration opportunity, never as a guaranteed crossing package.

Accommodation Confirmation

Accommodation names in this itinerary are recommended examples used to show the intended standard and geography of the route. A property is not guaranteed until availability has been checked, the room category and meal plan have been agreed, and the reservation has been confirmed in writing. If a named property is unavailable, Tamri International may propose a comparable alternative in a location that protects the itinerary flow.

Wildlife & Timing Reality

Wildlife sightings are natural and cannot be guaranteed. Driving times are approximate and may change because of road conditions, weather, park formalities, wildlife stops, border procedures or flight schedules. Great Migration itineraries are routed according to the most suitable Serengeti sector for the travel dates, but exact herd positions and river crossings are never guaranteed.

Day by day

Follow the rhythm of your safari.

Each day is designed with a gentle balance of movement, discovery and time to simply be in the wild.

Day 01

Arrival in Arusha / Kilimanjaro

Arrival in Arusha / Kilimanjaro
Day 01Arusha

Meet your Tamri International representative at Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport and transfer to your hotel. This arrival day is intentionally light, allowing time to rest after the flight, review the safari plan and meet the team. Your guide will confirm departure time, luggage arrangements and any dietary or mobility requirements before the wildlife journey begins. If your flight arrives early, optional Arusha activities can be arranged without forcing a long park transfer on the same day. This is primarily an arrival, transfer and briefing day. The final timing depends on the guest's international or domestic arrival, and no major wildlife activity should be promised unless enough daylight and confirmed logistics make it practical.

Night accommodation: Forest Hill Hotel or Rivertrees Country Inn

Tonight’s stayForest Hill Hotel
Day 02

Arusha to Tarangire National Park

Arusha to Tarangire National Park
Day 02Tarangire

Depart Arusha after breakfast and travel south-west toward Tarangire. The drive normally takes around two to three hours before park formalities and the first game drive. Tarangire is known for large baobab trees, the Tarangire River and strong elephant viewing, while lions, giraffes, zebra, wildebeest and many bird species are also possible. Enjoy a picnic lunch or lodge lunch depending on routing, continue the afternoon game drive and reach your lodge before dinner. Daily timing remains flexible within park regulations and confirmed logistics. The guide will adjust stops and pacing according to road conditions, wildlife activity and the guests' comfort while protecting the overall route plan.

Night accommodation: Sangaiwe Tented Lodge or Maramboi Tented Lodge

Day 03

Tarangire to Central Serengeti

Tarangire to Central Serengeti
Day 03Serengeti

Leave Tarangire after breakfast and travel through the highlands toward the Serengeti. This is a longer road day, but it becomes part of the safari as scenery changes from cultivated highlands to the open plains. Depending on permits and route, pause at viewpoints in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area before continuing through Naabi Hill Gate. Once inside Serengeti, the transfer becomes an en-route game drive, with opportunities for plains wildlife and predators before reaching camp in the central region. This is an important transfer-and-game-drive day rather than a short hop. Travel time varies with the chosen camp, road conditions and wildlife stops, so the itinerary should leave enough daylight and avoid overpromising a full separate game drive after a long transfer.

Night accommodation: Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge or Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge

Tonight’s stayKubu Kubu Tented Lodge
Day 04

Central Serengeti to Northern Serengeti

Central Serengeti to Northern Serengeti
Day 04Serengeti

Game drive north through changing Serengeti habitats toward the Kogatende and Mara River region. The transfer can take much of the day because wildlife stops are part of the journey. In the broader migration period, northern Serengeti is used to position travellers near seasonal herd concentrations and possible river activity; however, herd location and crossings are never guaranteed. Arrive at a northern camp for dinner and a quieter evening in this more remote part of the ecosystem. This is an important transfer-and-game-drive day rather than a short hop. Travel time varies with the chosen camp, road conditions and wildlife stops, so the itinerary should leave enough daylight and avoid overpromising a full separate game drive after a long transfer.

Night accommodation: Mara Mara Tented Lodge or comparable seasonal migration camp

Tonight’s stayMara Mara Tented Lodge
Day 05

Full Day in Northern Serengeti

Full Day in Northern Serengeti
Day 05Serengeti

Explore northern Serengeti with emphasis on the Mara River system, kopjes, open plains and resident wildlife. During the broader migration period your guide will use current field information to search for herd concentrations, while also focusing on resident lions, elephants, giraffes and other wildlife. River crossings are natural, unpredictable events, so the day is planned around patient observation rather than a promise of a specific spectacle. Return to the same northern camp after a full day in the field. The guide can adapt the day's game-drive rhythm to wildlife movement, road conditions, park rules and the guests' interests. Wild animals move freely, so the itinerary creates strong viewing opportunities without guaranteeing any specific sighting.

Night accommodation: Mara Mara Tented Lodge or comparable seasonal migration camp

Tonight’s stayMara Mara Tented Lodge
Day 06

Second Full Day in Northern Serengeti

Second Full Day in Northern Serengeti
Day 06Serengeti

Explore northern Serengeti with emphasis on the Mara River system, kopjes, open plains and resident wildlife. During the broader migration period your guide will use current field information to search for herd concentrations, while also focusing on resident lions, elephants, giraffes and other wildlife. River crossings are natural, unpredictable events, so the day is planned around patient observation rather than a promise of a specific spectacle. Return to the same northern camp after a full day in the field. The guide can adapt the day's game-drive rhythm to wildlife movement, road conditions, park rules and the guests' interests. Wild animals move freely, so the itinerary creates strong viewing opportunities without guaranteeing any specific sighting.

Night accommodation: Mara Mara Tented Lodge or comparable seasonal migration camp

Tonight’s stayMara Mara Tented Lodge
Day 07

Northern Serengeti to Ngorongoro Highlands

Northern Serengeti to Ngorongoro Highlands
Day 07Ngorongoro

Begin with a morning game drive in Serengeti, a useful time for predators and quieter roads, then travel east toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The route provides a final look at the plains before climbing into cooler highland country. Depending on the confirmed itinerary and timing, optional cultural or archaeological stops can be added at extra cost. Reach your lodge near the crater rim or in Karatu, where an early night prepares you for the crater descent the next morning. This is an important transfer-and-game-drive day rather than a short hop. Travel time varies with the chosen camp, road conditions and wildlife stops, so the itinerary should leave enough daylight and avoid overpromising a full separate game drive after a long transfer.

Night accommodation: Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge or The Retreat at Ngorongoro

Tonight’s stayNgorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
Day 08

Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive

Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive
Day 08Karatu

Descend into Ngorongoro Crater early for a game drive across grassland, woodland and wetland habitats contained within the caldera. Wildlife can include buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, lion, hyena, hippo and, with luck, black rhino. The crater is famous for wildlife density, but no individual species is guaranteed. Enjoy a picnic lunch at a designated site, continue the drive as time allows, then ascend the crater road and continue to Arusha or your nearby lodge according to the package. The guide can adapt the day's game-drive rhythm to wildlife movement, road conditions, park rules and the guests' interests. Wild animals move freely, so the itinerary creates strong viewing opportunities without guaranteeing any specific sighting.

Night accommodation: Marera Valley Lodge or Ngorongoro Coffee Lodge

Tonight’s stayMarera Valley Lodge
Day 09

Karatu / Ngorongoro Highlands to Arusha

Karatu / Ngorongoro Highlands to Arusha
Day 09Arusha

After breakfast leave the Ngorongoro highlands and descend through the Rift Valley toward Arusha. This is a transfer and flexible stop day rather than a second crater visit. Depending on the guest's flight time and interests, optional stops for local crafts, coffee, a cultural visit or lunch can be arranged. Arrive in Arusha with a comfortable buffer for an evening hotel stay or continue to the airport only when the confirmed flight schedule allows. Final drop-off timing should be matched to the guest's onward flight or hotel plan. If an onward flight is booked, a safe time buffer should be kept rather than relying on the most optimistic road estimate.

Night accommodation: No overnight - package ends after the stated transfer/activity.

Straightforward planning

Pricing that adapts to your group.

Every departure is privately arranged. These guide prices help you plan; your final quotation confirms the exact stays, dates and services.

1 traveler$ 3,480per person
2 travelers$ 2,995per person
3 travelers$ 2,715per person
4 travelers$ 2,505per person
5 travelers$ 2,400per person
6 travelers$ 2,295per person

Price is per person and does not include international flights, visa costs or personal purchases unless they are expressly listed in your final quotation.

Travel with confidence

Everything made clear before you go.

We make the practical details simple, so you can focus on the anticipation of the journey ahead.

What Is Included

  • Private 4x4 safari vehicle and professional English-speaking driver-guide on Tanzania road-safari sectors unless otherwise stated.
  • Accommodation shown in the confirmed itinerary, normally on full-board basis during safari sectors.
  • National-park and conservation-area entrance fees included in the final written quotation.
  • Ngorongoro crater service fee when the itinerary includes a crater descent.
  • Drinking water in the safari vehicle during applicable road-safari days.
  • Airport, hotel and border transfers specifically listed in the confirmed itinerary.
  • Scheduled domestic/light-aircraft flights only where the package explicitly says they are included and after final confirmation.
  • Activities specifically named as included, such as a Rufiji boat safari in designated southern packages.

Not included

  • International flights and any domestic flight not specifically listed as included.
  • Kenya or Tanzania visas/eTA/entry permits and any future government charges unless explicitly included.
  • Comprehensive travel and medical insurance.
  • Tips and gratuities, which remain voluntary.
  • Premium alcoholic drinks, laundry, souvenirs and other personal expenses.
  • Optional balloon safaris, walking safaris, cultural visits and other add-ons unless explicitly included.
  • Changes requested after confirmation that alter accommodation, routing, flights or park-fee exposure.

Pack with ease

  • Neutral layers and a warm early-morning layer
  • Sun protection, camera and spare batteries
  • Comfortable closed shoes and personal medication

The next step

Ready when you are.

Tell us who is travelling and when. Our safari experts will refine the route, check availability and create your personal quote.

Let’s shape this safari around you.

We will guide you through dates, lodge style, dietary needs, special occasions and practical travel questions.

Chat on WhatsApp