Mara River crossings
August to October.
Bjørn Christian Tørrissen — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Giles Laurent — CC BY-SA 4.0 · N O E L | F E A N S — CC BY 2.0 · Giles Laurent — CC BY-SA 4.0
The world's most famous wildlife reserve, endless grassy plains in northern Tanzania covering about 14,763 square kilometres, established in 1940. Its name is often traced to a Maasai word for the land that runs on forever. It hosts the largest animal migration on Earth: more than a million and a half wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles moving in a yearly circuit in search of grass and water. From December to March the herds give birth on the southern plains; in June and July they cross the Grumeti River in the west; and from August to October they cross the Mara River in the north, in dramatic scenes among the crocodiles. The Serengeti also has Africa's largest lion population, along with cheetahs, leopards, elephants and giraffes, so a safari here pays off in any month. You can see the plains from a hot-air balloon at dawn. It is usually visited on an organised safari by 4x4 with a licensed guide, for at least three days, flying in on a light aircraft or driving from Arusha via Ngorongoro.
August to October.
December to March, south.
Over the plains.
Northern Tanzania, about 300 km west of Arusha
August to October for the Mara River crossings in the north, and December to March for the calving season on the southern plains.
About USD 82.60 per adult per 24 hours, per visitor guides, usually included in the safari price.