Mara River Crossing Points 2027: Where the Herds Cross, When and How to See One

Mara River crossing points are the stretches of river where the Great Migration herds can reach the water, find a bank they can climb and commit to the current, and they lie on both the Kenyan and the Tanzanian side of the border. Most travellers choose a bank by reputation, then find that the weeks, the crowds and the odds differ from one point to the next. This guide names each crossing area, shows when the herds use it and how a crossing unfolds, and says plainly that nobody can promise you one. It sits inside our Great Migration safari guide.

Facts checked 12 October 2026. Fees, schedules and herd positions change, so we confirm them again when we quote.

What actually happens at a Mara River crossing?

A Mara River crossing is a slow build-up that ends in a few loud minutes, and a crossing point is an area of river with usable banks rather than a signpost. The herds choose where to cross on the day, so the action can shift from one point to another within days.

The river itself explains the drama. The Mara rises in Kenya's Mau Forest, flows south through the Maasai Mara, passes into Tanzania's northern Serengeti and then turns west towards Lake Victoria. Because the herds follow the rain and the grass, they meet this river on the way north and again on the way south. Nile crocodiles live in it.

A crossing, step by step

1. The gathering. Wildebeest gather on the bank. Zebra are often the first to go down to the water.
2. The hesitation. The herd mills, edges forward, then retreats. Herds gather, mill and retreat, sometimes for days. Some gatherings end with the animals walking away without entering the water.
3. The sound. The grunting rises, then drops. Dust lifts near the bank. Guides listen before they look.
4. The commitment. A first animal or a small group goes in, and the rest stream after them. The crossing itself can last minutes or run past an hour.
5. The aftermath. Animals climb out on the far bank and regroup. Some do not make it, because of the current, the drop at the bank or the crocodiles.

Mara River crossing points: Kenya and Tanzania compared

The Mara River crossing points on the Kenyan side are the most photographed, and the points on the Tanzanian side are generally quieter. Both banks see the same herds, and both can be productive in the same week. The difference lies in the crowd, the rules and the way you reach the river.

• Crowds. The central Maasai Mara crossings draw the most vehicles in peak weeks. The Tanzanian points, reached from the northern Serengeti, are usually less busy.
• Rules. The Mara Triangle enforces strict vehicle rules and runs strong ranger patrols. Off-road driving is not allowed in the Maasai Mara National Reserve or in Serengeti National Park.
• Timing. Kenya hosts the Serengeti herds for roughly three to four months, from July to October. Tanzania holds them for about nine months, but the river crossings sit in the northern Serengeti in the same July to October period.
• Access. The Mara is reached by a 45 to 60 minute flight from Nairobi's Wilson airport or a five to six hour drive. The northern Serengeti is reached by air from Arusha or Kilimanjaro, usually in one to two and a half hours.

Every named crossing area is a stretch of river, not a numbered gate. The two tables below set out each area, including who it suits.

The Kenyan Mara River crossing points: Lookout, Paradise, the Mara Triangle and Sand River

Kenya has three groups of crossing areas: the central Maasai Mara, the Mara Triangle and the Sand River. The central Mara holds the best-known scenes. The Triangle offers a more regulated visit. The Sand River is a smaller early signal.

One detail about the Mara Triangle causes confusion. Purungat Bridge links the Triangle and the main reserve for vehicles, but it is not a wildlife crossing point and it is not where the herds cross.

To choose where to sleep on the Kenyan side, read our guide to where to stay in the Masai Mara for the migration. For the wider picture of the herds' time in Kenya, see our Great Migration in Kenya guide.

The Tanzanian Mara River crossing points: Kogatende, Lamai Wedge, Bologonja and Wogakuria

The Tanzanian crossing points lie in the northern Serengeti and are described by their position from the Kogatende area. Kogatende is the ranger post just south of the river, and the Lamai Wedge is the remote triangle between the river and the Kenya border. This side is generally quieter than the central Maasai Mara.

The Kogatende crossing points are not a guaranteed show in any given week, because herds gather, mill and retreat, sometimes for days. For a full guide to this side, with camp styles, airstrips and how many nights to allow, read our northern Serengeti migration guide.

When are the Mara River crossings? Crossing season by the week

The Mara River crossing season runs from July to October in a typical year, and the likeliest window is mid-August to mid-September. The herds can run two to four weeks early or late with the rains, so the weeks below describe a typical year, not a timetable.

Because the herds cross in both directions, northbound and southbound crossings are both part of the season. That is why the busy middle of the season has so many crossings and why no single date can be named.

Month-by-month detail belongs to our other guides. Our Great Migration in August guide covers the early peak, and our Great Migration in September guide covers the weeks when visitor numbers often ease slightly and the grass is short. Here the point is simple: choose weeks, and choose the bank that suits your style.

What time of day do crossings happen?

Crossings follow the herd, not the clock. A typical safari day in crossing season starts with a 05:45 wake-up and first light at about 06:15. Breakfast is a bush breakfast. The long wait usually sits between about 10:00 and 14:00, with a picnic lunch, and the day ends with sundowners. A crossing can come at any point in that day, which is why we plan full days out rather than a short morning drive.

Is a Mara River crossing guaranteed? How to improve the odds

No, a Mara River crossing is not guaranteed, and any company that says otherwise is selling a promise it cannot keep. Herds gather, mill, retreat and sometimes leave without crossing. A safari in the best week of the season can still pass without one, and a visit in a quiet week can be lucky. What you can do is improve the odds.

• Sleep near the river. A camp 20 minutes from the action can give about two extra hours of viewing a day compared with one 90 minutes away. Ask every camp how far it sits from the river, not just which side.
• Plan full-day drives. Take a picnic lunch and stay out through the 10:00 to 14:00 wait. A herd that commits while your vehicle is back at camp cannot be recalled.
• Use a private vehicle and a specialist guide. A private vehicle can move when the guide reads the herd, without waiting on a group.
• Allow enough nights. Each extra night is another chance. We recommend at least four nights in the main migration area, which means a river camp where crossings are the goal.
• Build flexibility into the plan, not just the dates. On a longer trip, a split stay such as three nights at Kogatende and three in a Mara conservancy keeps your options open if the herds favour one bank.

The honest summary on Mara River crossings

The honest summary: a well-planned stay in the likeliest weeks improves your odds, and a poorly planned one does not. We say "likely" and "chance" for a reason.

Crossing etiquette: the rules that protect the herds

The first rule at every crossing is to wait well back until the herd commits. Blocking a crossing can turn back a whole herd and lead to more drownings.

• Keep the landing zone clear. Animals need the far bank free to climb out. Never park on the exit slope.
• Do not block the approach. Leave a wide gap between your vehicle and the nearest animals, and give way to a herd that is moving.
• Stay on the tracks. Off-road driving is not allowed in the Maasai Mara National Reserve or in Serengeti National Park. Some Mara conservancies and private reserves have different rules, which we confirm when we quote.
• Follow your guide. The guide decides when to move forward and when to stay back. Tell your guide early if you want to leave, not at the moment the herd goes in.
• Keep quiet. The grunting that tells you a crossing is near is easy to lose under noise.

Drowning is a real part of the story, and some animals die in the river every year. Keeping vehicles back and the landing zones clear gives the herd its best chance of getting out.

Which bank should you choose?

Choose the Kenyan bank if you want the best-known crossings, and the Tanzanian bank if you want fewer vehicles and a quieter, more remote visit. If you cannot decide, do both. The full decision between the two countries sits in our Serengeti vs Masai Mara migration guide.

On the Kenyan side, our Kenya Migration Explorer: Maasai Mara River Crossings runs eight days from US$6,100 per person. It visits the Mara Triangle, the central Mara and Mara North Conservancy by private 4x4, and it fits late July to early October.

To see both banks, our Mara to Serengeti: The Ultimate Migration Crossing Safari takes nine days from US$7,600 per person, with four nights in Kenya and four in Tanzania. It suits travellers with July to October dates who want both banks of the river.

Fees also differ by bank. The Maasai Mara National Reserve ticket is US$200 per adult per day from 1 July 2026 and was US$100 per adult per day from 1 January to 30 June 2026. It is valid from 06:00 to 18:00, and the Mara Triangle sells its own cashless ticket. Fees for 2027 are confirmed in your quote.

The Grumeti River in the Western Corridor has its own earlier crossing season, but it is a different experience from the Mara. Our Grumeti River crossings guide sets it out in full.

Mistakes that cost people the crossing

• Choosing dates by the calendar alone. The herds follow rain, not dates, and can run two to four weeks early or late.
• Booking too few nights. Fewer than four nights leaves no room for a herd that hesitates.
• Staying too far from the water. A camp 90 minutes from the river can cost you about two hours of viewing a day compared with one 20 minutes away.
• Going back for lunch. Waiting between 10:00 and 14:00 is normal. Pack lunch and stay.
• Chasing every rumour. Moving between points all day uses up the hours you need at the bank. A good guide knows when to stay put.
• Booking late. Crossing-point camps sell out first. For July to September we advise at least 9 to 12 months ahead, and our guide on how far ahead to book a migration safari sets out the full table.
• Treating one bank as the only option. Herds cross in both directions, so a split stay across both banks keeps more options open.

Plan your trip around the Mara River crossing points

1. Choose your weeks first: July to October, with mid-August to mid-September as the likeliest window.
2. Decide on a bank, or on a split stay that lets you follow the herd.
3. Allow at least four nights where the river is the goal, and ask how far each camp sits from the water.
4. Tell us your dates, your group and your nationality, so we can check availability and the entry rules.
5. Book early for July to September. Crossing-point camps sell out first.

If you are still choosing between regions, start with how the Great Migration works, then return to the full Great Migration safari guide to compare itineraries.

Keep reading: related Great Migration guides

For the whole picture, see our Great Migration safari guide. If you are ready to price a trip, Kenya Migration Explorer: Maasai Mara River Crossings starts from US$6,100 per person.