4-Day Mara River Fly-In Safari

Crossings in the northern Serengeti happen roughly from July to October, so your dates matter a great deal on a trip this short. The herds move according to rain and grazing, and a crossing on a particular day can never be promised. We have no fixed departures listed, so tell our Arusha team your travel dates and we will advise on timing.

Days two and three are spent on the banks of the Mara, waiting as wildebeest and zebras gather and build up to cross past crocodiles in the shallows. Your guide positions the vehicle for the best angles. During quiet hours you track the lion prides, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas that follow the herds, or explore alternative crossing points along the river.

All three nights are at Savannah Mara River Camp, a seasonal mobile camp positioned near the Mara River in the northern Serengeti. Staying in one camp means no packing up between nights and short drives to the crossing points. You finish each day back in camp and start the last morning with a bush breakfast.

The standard plan has you fly from Arusha Airport to Kogatende airstrip in the northern Serengeti, with a scenic flight over the Great Rift Valley. On day four you take a slow final game drive to Kogatende and fly back to Kilimanjaro, Arusha or Zanzibar. Tell us your onward plans and we will arrange the right return flight.

Yes, it is built with photographers in mind. Your guide stays with you from the airstrip to the final day and positions the vehicle for clean, unobstructed angles on crossings and predators. The third day is set aside to refine shots, revisit crossing points or focus on portraits of lions, leopards and hyenas.

Yes. It works well as a short add-on to a longer Tanzania itinerary or a Zanzibar beach stay, because the return flight can go to Kilimanjaro, Arusha or Zanzibar. Our Arusha team can link it with a northern circuit safari, a Kilimanjaro climb or beach days and handle the connections.

Yes. Your guide and vehicle stay with you for the whole trip, and our Arusha team can run it privately for your own group, extend it with extra nights at the river, or adjust it around your flights. Let us know your group and dates when you enquire.

Light aircraft to the bush airstrips have strict luggage limits, so pack in a soft duffel bag rather than a hard suitcase. Our team will confirm the current allowance for your flight when you book. Photographers should plan their camera bag carefully and let us know about heavy lenses in advance.

Most visitors need a Tanzanian tourist visa, which you can get through the official eVisa portal before you travel or on arrival at the airport. A yellow fever certificate is required if you arrive from, or transit through, a country with yellow fever risk. Malaria prophylaxis is advised for safari areas, so speak to a travel clinic a few weeks before you fly.

The 4-Day Mara River Fly-In Safari is 4 days and 3 nights. The day-by-day itinerary on this page shows where you go and stay each day.

It is rated moderate: a reasonable level of general fitness is enough.

It runs for groups of 2 to 8 travellers.

Included: Full board accommodation at handpicked lodges and camps, All game drives in 4x4 safari vehicles with pop-up roofs, Professional English-speaking safari guide, Park entry fees for all national parks and conservation areas, Bottled water during game drives, All transfers and transportation and Emergency medical evacuation insurance.

Not included: International flights, Visa fees, Travel insurance (recommended), Alcoholic beverages, Tips and gratuities for guide and lodge staff, Personal items and souvenirs, Optional activities not mentioned in itinerary and Additional meals and drinks outside of full board.