This season, videos of vehicles crowding river crossings in the Mara and Serengeti raced through the press and social feeds, prompting reminders on viewing rules and conduct at the river. Let us start with a reality check. If you want a front row view of a river crossing in late July or August, you will meet other vehicles. Rules help and good guides make a difference, but no operator can manage the whole riverbank. What we can do is set expectations, choose our moments, and watch in ways that let the animals lead.
“The recent images from the Serengeti are concerning and highlight the need for more effective regulation and enforcement around one of the world’s most important wildlife spectacles.” – Hamish Van Gruisen, Director at The Ultimate Travel Company
What great fieldcraft looks like
The best sightings begin before you see anything. A good guide reads wind and light, tracks overnight movement, listens to radio traffic, then chooses a line that gives animals an open path. They position early, hold back when nervous herds stack at the bank, and leave once numbers build. It feels unhurried. It keeps the river calm.
What you can control
Timing. Use the shoulders around river season, or the Southern Serengeti calving months from January to March. Short grass, fewer vehicles, extraordinary behaviour.
Operator. Choose teams that work in private conservancies or low density areas, that brief clearly, and that move on when a sighting gets crowded.
Behaviour. Stay in the vehicle, keep voices low, do not block approaches, give the animals time, and let the guide call the moment to leave.
How we run your safari
Briefing. We talk you through river etiquette before you travel.
Choice of place. We favour private conservancies and quiet corners wherever we can.
Partners. We choose teams who take the rules seriously, and we change the plan or the partner if something is not right.
Timing. We will plan for shoulder weeks or calving months if you would rather have space than crowds.
On the day. We keep time short at busy sightings and never block an approach to the river.
Accountability. We report poor behaviour to the right people on the ground.
Four rules that change everything
Rule one. Stay in the vehicle and keep voices low.
Rule two. Do not crowd or channel animals at the river.
Rule three. Keep distance and limit time when a sighting is busy.
Rule four. Let your guide call the moment to move on.
If a sighting gets crowded
We reposition to give the animals an open path, reduce time on station, and move on. Your guide can return later or switch to a quieter area.
Will I still see a crossing
If your heart is set on a crossing, we will plan for it with clear eyes. That means travelling with guides who position early, holding back when herds stack at the bank, and accepting that peak weeks are shared spaces. You trade a little control for the chance of a natural movement. If you prefer space and time, we will steer you to calving season or the shoulders, where behaviour is extraordinary and vehicles are fewer.
“It’s also the responsibility of tour operators to help mitigate these issues. We have a duty to protect these fragile environments from the outset by guiding travellers toward responsible choices, recommending ethical operators on the ground, and helping them understand the impact of their decisions at the point of booking. At The Ultimate Travel Company we encourage travellers to consider alternative timings and locations. The Southern Serengeti during calving season offers an extraordinary migration experience with far fewer people, and lesser known migrations, such as the zebra movement in Botswana, are equally remarkable. With careful planning and responsible partners, it is still very possible to witness Africa’s wildlife in a way that is respectful, engaging and sustainable.” – Hamish Van Gruisen, Director at The Ultimate Travel Company
When to go instead
Calving season, Southern Serengeti and Ndutu (January to March). A different kind of drama, wide horizons, lovely light and fewer vehicles. Calving also brings predators in numbers.
Early and late shoulders to river season. Quieter banks, softer light, less radio chatter.
Kenyan conservancies. Fewer beds and vehicle limits change the feel of a day, with the option to pop into the reserve when you need to.
Where to watch with more space
Southern and Western Tanzania. Pair Ruaha for predators with Nyerere for walking and boating. Add Katavi and Mahale for late dry season intensity followed by chimp trekking.
Northern Kenya, Zambia and Botswana private concessions. Fewer vehicles, firmer guiding standards, room for patient viewing.
Alternative trips you can book now
Southern Tanzania and Zanzibar. A classic circuit that avoids the northern pinch points. Start in Ruaha, move to Nyerere for boating and walking, finish on the coast.
Explore it: Southern Tanzania & Zanzibar
Western Tanzania: Katavi and Greystoke Mahale. Late dry season drama on the floodplains, then boat across Lake Tanganyika for chimp trekking. Wild and quiet.
Explore it: Western Tanzania
An alternative to the Mara: Sosian, Northern Kenya. A private Laikipia ranch with a single lodge on a vast conservancy. Flexible activities and room to breathe.
Discover it: Sosian Laikipia
Speak to Our African Experts
The other migrations
Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan, Botswana. Zebra follow the rains from about December to March.
Liuwa Plain, Zambia. Wildebeest sweep across wide grasslands in the late dry season into the first rains.
Kasanka, Zambia. Millions of straw coloured fruit bats gather from late October to December.
Plan it with our Africa team
Every itinerary starts with three levers. Timing. Place. Format. Our Africa specialists live and work in the region and compare notes on each brief so you benefit from the whole team.
Tania. Loves low density areas and guiding that gives wildlife room to move. She often nudges travellers to quieter regions in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana, and into remote parts of Tanzania when time allows. Pace, space and patient sightings are her priorities.
Sophie Levey. Based in Nairobi and previously in Dar es Salaam. She helps you pick between calving months, early or late shoulders, or a conservancy base that balances access with space, then matches camps to your style.
Cassie. Works across Southern and East Africa, including Kenya and Tanzania. She blends walking or boating with game drives so busy areas never feel rushed, choosing characterful camps that keep the focus on the bush rather than the car.
Speak to an expert
Before you book
Decide what you want to feel at the sighting.
Be clear about your tolerance for crowds.
Let us shape a plan that balances timing, place and camp style.
We live and breathe these places. With the right timing, the right guides and a clear code of conduct, the Migration becomes what it should be: calm, generous and unforgettable.
Call +44 (0) 2039 933538 or make an online enquiry.
Image credits: Shutterstock; cover image courtesy of Time+Tide Africa.