An aerial view captures vast herds of wildebeest and zebra streaming across the Mara plains.

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Great Migration River Crossing Safari

Seven days timed for the July–October crossing window, with extra time at the river and no promise of a crossing itself.

Enquire about this trip See the day by day

Duration7 Days / 6 Nights

Group size2 – 6 travellers

Best monthsJuly – October only, for the migration window

From$3,395 per person sharing

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The Trip in Short

Between roughly July and October, over a million wildebeest and zebra are somewhere in the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, and a good number of them end up at the Mara River at some point during those months. That is as far as any honest operator will commit. The crossing happens when it happens; the herds do not consult the calendar, and a river full of wildebeest one morning can be empty by the following afternoon.

What this trip does is maximise your odds: extra days at the river-adjacent conservancies, a guide in radio contact with others across the reserve, and enough flexibility in the daily schedule to move fast if word comes through.

Fees and rules in Kenya's national parks are set by the Kenya Wildlife Service.

Highlights

Extended time at Mara River crossing points
Guide in radio contact across the reserve and conservancies
Flexible daily schedule to chase a crossing when word comes
General Big Five and predator viewing throughout
Sundowner drives on the Mara plains
Optional dawn balloon flight over the herds

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Where You Go, Stop by Stop

Day 1

Nairobi to Maasai Mara

Day 2–6

Maasai Mara National Reserve and conservancies

Day 7

Return to Nairobi

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Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1: Nairobi to the Mara

A morning flight from Nairobi's Wilson Airport, forty-five minutes over the Rift Valley rather than the five to six hour road transfer, landing in time for lunch and an orientation drive along the river.

Day 2–3: The River and the Conservancies

Full days working the river crossing points and the private conservancies bordering the reserve, where vehicle numbers are limited and access to a sighting is faster. Some mornings start before dawn if the guide's network reports herds massing.

Day 4: A Day for the Wider Ecosystem

A break from the river to cover the reserve's other draws: the resident lion prides, leopard along the riverine forest, and whatever the plains are offering that day, including an optional early balloon flight.

Day 5–6: Back to the River

Two more days concentrated on the crossing points, with the schedule left loose enough to sit and wait if a herd is building toward the bank, which can take hours or not happen at all.

Day 7: Return to Nairobi

A final dawn drive, then the flight back to Nairobi in time for onward connections.

From

$3,395

Enquire about this trip

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What the Price Covers

Included

All accommodation, twin share
All meals
Domestic flights, Nairobi–Mara return
Private 4x4 vehicle and driver-guide with radio network access
Maasai Mara and conservancy entry fees
All game drives

Not included

International flights
Kenyan visa fee
Tips and gratuities
Alcoholic drinks
Optional hot air balloon flight

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Before You Book

Can you guarantee we'll see a crossing?

No, and any operator who says otherwise is not being straight with you. The odds are genuinely good across a five to six day stay in the right months, but the herds decide, not the itinerary.

What if we don't see one?

You will still have exceptional general game viewing; the Mara doesn't need a crossing to be worth the trip.

Why fly instead of drive?

Flying leaves an extra day and a half in the Mara compared with driving both ways, which matters when the goal is maximising time at the river.

How far in advance should this be booked?

Camps and conservancies fill early for the July–October window; six months ahead is not too soon.

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Where This Trip Goes

Kenya

Country

The Great Migration, open Rift Valley plains and the region's most developed safari infrastructure, with a beach at the end of most itineraries.

Lake Naivasha

Kenya · Lake

A freshwater Rift Valley lake explored mainly by boat, with strong hippo and bird populations and Crescent Island's predator-free walking safari nearby.

Nairobi National Park

Kenya · National Park

Kenya's oldest national park, seven kilometres from central Nairobi, with real savannah wildlife including a protected black rhino population.

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Great Migration River Crossing Safari