DestinationsSafari destination · Serengeti National Park
Lamai Northern Serengeti
The Lamai Wedge is the final triangle of the Serengeti, a sweep of golden grassland caught between the northern bank of the Mara River and the Kenyan border.
- Drive from Arusha
- 12+ Hours
- Recommended nights
- 3 nights
- Best months
- Jul, Aug, Sep +1
- Airstrip
- Fly-in possible
About
About Lamai Northern Serengeti.
The Lamai Wedge is the final triangle of the Serengeti, a sweep of golden grassland caught between the northern bank of the Mara River and the Kenyan border. While most travelers watch the great migration approach the river from the south, Lamai is where the herds arrive once they have crossed, and from August through October the wedge holds them in extraordinary numbers. Staying here reverses the usual safari logic: rather than chasing the migration, you wake up inside it, with wildebeest grazing past camp and the river crossings unfolding below you from the north bank.
This is also the most sparsely visited corner of the entire ecosystem. A handful of small camps share the wedge, and the great granite kopjes of Wogakuria rise from the plains like islands, sheltering leopard, lion and klipspringer above seas of moving herds. Game viewing in Lamai feels possessive in the best sense. A crossing watched from the north bank often belongs to your vehicle alone, and on a full day in the wedge you may see more cats than cars.
Lamai suits the traveler returning to Tanzania, or the first timer who wants the migration at its most intimate rather than its most photographed. Pair it with two nights at Kogatende on the southern bank and you cover both sides of the river story, doubling your crossing opportunities while the herds shuttle back and forth with the rains. In a season when the whole safari world points its lenses at the Mara River, Lamai is the quiet seat on the far bank, closest to where the story actually goes next.
When to go
Best time to visit Lamai Northern Serengeti.
- January: not a best month
- February: not a best month
- March: not a best month
- April: not a best month
- May: not a best month
- June: not a best month
- July: best
- August: best
- September: best
- October: best
- November: not a best month
- December: not a best month
The Lamai wedge is the northernmost corner of the Serengeti, between the Mara River and the Kenyan border. Like Kogatende it comes alive with the Mara River crossings from July to October, but it often feels quieter, with fewer vehicles at sightings.
The land here holds resident game and predators year round, so a green season visit outside the migration months is rewarding and peaceful, if without the river drama. We match your camp and dates to where the herds are most likely to be.
Gallery
A closer look.
On the map
Lamai Northern Serengeti and its neighbours.
1.520° S, 35.020° E
Government fees
Fees at Lamai Northern Serengeti.
Pass-through to the Tanzanian government, paid directly to the authority on top of accommodation. We always itemise every line on our quotes. TDL applies on top at 1% of net room rate.
| Fee | Amount | Peak | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Concession Fee | $59.00 | $70.80 | Per person / night |
| Adult Entry Fee | $70.80 | $82.60 | Per person / day |
| Child Concession Fee | $11.80 | No peak rate | Per person / night |
| Child Entry Fee | $23.60 | No peak rate | Per person / day |
| TDL (Tanzania Development Levy) | 1% of room | No peak rate | Per room / night |
| Vehicle Fee | $16.16 | No peak rate | Per vehicle / day (24-hour permit) |
Getting there
Drive times to other destinations.
Approximate dry-season drive times in a private 4×4. Legs marked as productive game viewing are themselves part of the safari experience. Long legs that need an overnight midway, or transfers we always fly, are flagged in the note column.
| Destination | Drive time | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Kogatende Northern Serengeti (Mara River) | 1 hr 30 min | Game-viewing drive |
| Seronera Central Serengeti | 5 hr 30 min | Game-viewing drive |
| Ndutu Plains | 8 hrs | Game-viewing drive |
| Grumeti Western Serengeti | 8 hrs | Two-day drive (overnight in Seronera) or fly |
| Ngorongoro Crater | 9 hrs | Game-viewing drive |
| Karatu | 9 hr 30 min | Game-viewing drive |
| Lake Manyara National Park | 11 hrs | Two-day drive (overnight in Seronera) or fly |
| Tarangire National Park | 11 hr 30 min | Game-viewing drive |
| Arusha City | 12 hr 30 min | Transit drive |
Where to stay
Lodges and camps here.
Properties we work with directly. Each links to a dedicated lodge page with rooms, amenities, and best months.
Ubuntu Migration Camp North
A mobile canvas camp on the quiet Lamai Wedge, north of the Mara River, pitched for the crossing season with ten tents among the acacias.
- Migration River Crossings
- Walking Safari
- Exclusivity
What to do here
Experiences in Lamai Northern Serengeti.
The journeys we plan around this destination. Each one covers the best months, what it costs, and how to build it into a trip.
Great Migration
The Mara and Grumeti river crossings of the northern and western Serengeti, planned around where the herds actually are.
Explore : Great MigrationBig Five Safari
Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and black rhino across Ngorongoro, the Serengeti and Tarangire, with honest odds for each.
Explore : Big Five SafariLuxury Honeymoon
A private-vehicle safari on the northern circuit followed by a quiet stretch of Zanzibar coast, paced for two.
Explore : Luxury HoneymoonPhotography Safari
A safari built around light and position: private vehicles, unhurried time, and seasons chosen for the pictures you want.
Explore : Photography Safari
Common questions
Questions, answered.
Where is the Lamai wedge?
Lamai is the far northern corner of the Serengeti, north of the Mara River and up against the Kenyan border. It is one of the prime areas for the Mara River crossings and tends to be quieter than the busier Kogatende side.
When is the best time to visit Lamai?
July to October for the Mara River crossings, with August and September usually the most active. The area is green and peaceful outside those months, with resident game but no river crossings.
How much are the park fees at Lamai?
Adult entry is currently 70.80 US dollars per person per day, rising to 82.60 in peak season, plus 17.70 US dollars per vehicle per day, before VAT. Children pay less. See the full table above; every fee is itemised on your quote.
How many nights should I spend in the northern Serengeti?
Three nights or more during crossing season, since crossings are unpredictable and more time near the river improves your chances of seeing one.
Make it part of your trip
Plan a safari that includes Lamai Northern Serengeti.
Tell us how long you have and what you most want to see. We'll build a custom itinerary around Lamai Northern Serengeti with transparent pricing throughout.
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