✦Most loved · Savannah

The Migration and theBeach

The Mara crossings, then four days to slow down.

13 days · 12 nights6 parksBest: Aug to Sep
Nights
12
Parks
6
In season
Jul to Oct
Park fees, itemised
On request
The journey

This is the trip for travellers who want both the great Mara crossings and the time to recover from them. Thirteen days. The full Northern Circuit with three of them on the Mara river. Four nights on the Indian Ocean after. The flagship long-format Tanzania safari and Zanzibar combination in the catalogue, and the answer to the question every well-travelled client asks when they want the whole experience without flying home tired.

The route opens in Arusha for an arrival night, then a single Tarangire night to start the safari softly. Two Seronera nights move you west across the central Serengeti plains. Three nights at Kogatende put you on the Mara itself for the August-to-September crossings: the herds, the crocodiles, the Mara Triangle lion prides tracking the migration night by night. A closing Crater day seals the safari with the Big Five inside the caldera. Then a short flight to Zanzibar and four nights on the warm sea, long enough to actually unwind, not just touch down before the long flight home.

Every camp on the safari is yours to choose, from authentic tented to flagship private. The Zanzibar coast and lodge are yours to pick, and the activities at every stop are yours to layer in. Park fees, lodge nights, and vehicle days are itemised on the page before you book. Same seasonal window as our shorter Mara Crossings trip: July through October, peak August and September. Outside that window, the Classic Hybrid covers the same parks year-round.

Every camp on the route is yours to choose. Park fees, lodge nights and vehicle days are itemised on the page before you book. What we quote is what you pay.

The route
The journey, day by day.
13 days · 7 stops
  1. 1
    Arusha
    1 night
  2. 2
    Tarangire
    1 night
  3. 3
    Seronera Serengeti
    1 night
  4. 4
    Kogatende Northern Serengeti (Mara River)
    3 nights
  5. 5
    Seronera Serengeti
    1 night
  6. 6
    Ngorongoro Crater
    1 night
  7. 7
    ZanzibarCentrepiece
    4 nights
Arusha City1
01
Arusha City1 night
A soft landing after the long flight.
01Hotel pickup at JRO
02Walk in the gardens of your town lodge
03Early start the next morning
Tarangire National Park2
02
Tarangire National Park1 night
Single arrival night under the baobabs.
01Arrival drive in the corridor
02Evening at camp
03Early start the next morning
Seronera Central Serengeti3
03
Seronera Central Serengeti1 night
Two nights working west.
01Central plains game viewing
02Lion at the kopjes
03Transfer towards the Mara
Kogatende Northern Serengeti (Mara River)4
04
Kogatende Northern Serengeti (Mara River)3 nights
Three nights on the Mara river.
01Crossings on multiple river sections
02Nile crocodiles waiting at the points
03Mara lion prides tracking the herds
Seronera Central Serengeti5
05
Seronera Central Serengeti1 night
Two nights working west.
01Central plains game viewing
02Lion at the kopjes
03Transfer towards the Mara
Ngorongoro Crater6
06
Ngorongoro Crater1 night
Caldera day before the beach leg.
01Dawn descent
02Big Five before lunch
03Flight on to Zanzibar
Zanzibar
7✦The centrepiece
Days 9 to 12 · 4 nights
Zanzibar
Four nights to recover from the migration.
Long stretches on the beach
Reef snorkelling at Mnemba
Dhow sunset and spice walk
Wildlife

What you'll typically see

Wildlife is wild, so we quote likelihood, not promises. Bars reflect this route in this season.

Mara river crossings
Mara river crossings
Three nights of crossings coverage
Likely
Nile crocodile
Nile crocodile
Twelve-foot residents at the crossing points
Very likely
Northern lion prides
Northern lion prides
Mara-region prides tracking the herds
Very likely
Crater rhino
Crater rhino
Caldera day before the beach leg
Likely
Choose your stay

Pick your lodges by budget.

Most operators lock you to one lodge per stop. We give you three price tiers: pick the same tier across the trip, or splurge on one night and save on another after you submit.

Park fees

Park fees, shown.

Other operators bury them. We put TANAPA, NCAA and WMA fees on the page before you book, itemised, with a per-night rate you can audit.

ArushaTarangireSeroneraKogatendeSeroneraNgorongoroZanzibar
01Arusha City$0
02Tarangire National Park$0
03Seronera Central Serengeti$0
04Kogatende Northern Serengeti (Mara River)$0
05Seronera Central Serengeti$0
06Ngorongoro Crater$0
07Zanzibar$0
No hidden line items
Every fee shown before deposit.
Quotes match invoices
What we quote is what you pay.
Total · per person
$0
The 4×4 and Crater permits are shared across your group, so the per-person total falls as more travellers join.
Based on 2 adults, 1 vehicle, standard season. Recomputes as you adjust the panel.

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