Hill country at the Kenyan border
The northern Serengeti is the part of Serengeti National Park running up to the Kenyan border, around Kogatende and the Lamai wedge — the block of land between the Mara River and the border itself. It is hillier and more wooded than the plains that give the park its name, and it is a different landscape to photograph as well as a different one to drive.
It is also, for two or three months a year, the busiest wildlife destination in East Africa, and for the rest of the year one of the emptiest parts of the park.
Why the crossing months dominate it
The Mara is the only river flowing through the Serengeti all year, a point UNESCO records as a major management concern for the property. The migration crosses it during the northern phase, generally in the second half of the year, and those crossings are the single most sought-after wildlife sighting on the continent.
The consequences for anyone planning a trip are worth saying plainly. Camps in the north are seasonal and in heavy demand during the crossing window. The crossings cannot be scheduled and the herds move back and forth across the river rather than once. And because off-road driving is prohibited in the Serengeti, every vehicle watching a crossing is on the same track network, so a good sighting is a shared one.
Three nights here in the crossing window is a working minimum. One night is close to a lottery ticket, and the great migration safari guide explains why.
Getting there, and why flying usually wins
TANAPA’s airstrips at Kogatende and Lamai serve the north, and the road gates are Lamai, Machochwe and Klein’s. From Arusha the north is the far end of the park; the drive up through Ngorongoro and the length of the Serengeti consumes the better part of two days in each direction.
For the northern Serengeti in particular, a light aircraft leg is often the difference between three usable days on the river and one. See scenic flights.
The north outside the crossing months
This is the part most itineraries never consider, and it is the better value. The country is green, hilly and quiet; the Mara still holds hippo and very large crocodiles; and resident lion, elephant, buffalo and giraffe do not migrate. TANAPA lists walking safaris in the northern part of the park, accompanied in its Serengeti wording by a skilled armed park ranger, and balloon flights operate over the north among other parts.
Black rhino are being re-established in the north and south of the park. TANAPA names the Serengeti as one of the last remaining sanctuaries for the critically endangered black rhino; no count, location or sighting expectation is published, and none appears here.
Common questions
When should you go to the northern Serengeti?
For crossings, during the northern phase of the migration in the second half of the year, with the caveat that timing moves between years. For quiet and for resident game, almost any other month.
Is a Mara crossing guaranteed?
No. Crossings are unpredictable in timing and location. More nights in the right region during the right window is the only thing that improves the odds.
Should you fly or drive?
Most travellers with fewer than a week in the park are better off flying into Kogatende or Lamai. The road journey from Arusha takes the better part of two days each way.