Auberge Safari has positioned two luxury camps in Tanzania’s northern Serengeti close to the Mara River crossings during the 2026 Great Migration season.
Songa, Auberge Safari, sits on a hillside in the Kogatende region, within easy reach of established crossing points. Nyasi, Auberge Safari, occupies the more secluded Lamai Wedge north of the river, offering access to the migration with fewer vehicles nearby.
Both became part of Auberge Collection’s first African portfolio in May 2026, when the hotel group brought together nine Tanzanian camps and lodges through partnerships with Legendary Expeditions and Chem Chem Safari. Guests can book a single camp or combine several properties into a longer journey through Tanzania’s northern safari circuit.
The timing places Songa and Nyasi near one of the migration’s most closely watched stages. About two million animals move through the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem over the course of the year, with wildebeest joined by zebra, gazelles and other species. During the northern season, groups gather around the Mara River and may cross its fast-flowing channels as predators follow nearby.
Songa Camp in Kogatende
Set above the plains of Kogatende, Songa is a seasonal tented camp designed around access to the northern migration route. Its elevated position looks over rolling grassland where wildlife can sometimes be seen directly from camp.
The aesthetic draws on traditional expedition travel, with canvas accommodation and vintage-inspired details creating an intimate base in the bush. Auberge Safari’s current description lists eight explorer-style rooms set in tents and one family unit.
Each booking includes a private safari vehicle and guide, allowing guests to decide when to leave camp and how long to remain at a sighting. This flexibility matters around the Mara River, where animals can pause on the bank for hours or retreat without crossing.
When movement begins, guides can head towards the established river sites, where wildebeest may descend steep banks before entering water inhabited by crocodiles. Lions, cheetahs and other predators also follow the herds across the northern plains, extending the game-viewing possibilities beyond the river itself.
Songa can also arrange sunrise hot-air balloon flights over the Serengeti. Guests float above the plains as the day begins before landing for breakfast in the bush, offering a different perspective on the region.
The camp usually operates from mid-June until early October, according to Safari Consultants’ Songa guide. It is divided into two independently functioning sections, which can also be combined for larger parties.
Songa suits travellers who want a classic canvas-camp atmosphere and private guiding close to the northern Serengeti’s principal migration areas.
Nyasi Camp in the Lamai Wedge
Hidden among acacia trees in the Lamai Wedge, Nyasi is a remote tented camp north of the Mara River, where open plains and lower visitor numbers create a more secluded safari experience.
Its location remains a short game drive from crossing areas, but the Lamai setting separates it from busier sections of the northern Serengeti. Cicadas sound through the grass around camp, while wildlife moves across the surrounding plains.
Auberge Safari’s 2026 description lists eight rooms set in tents alongside a family suite. Guests can also reserve one complete side of the camp for exclusive use, an arrangement aimed at groups and multigenerational families seeking greater privacy and personalised service.
Like Songa, Nyasi provides a private vehicle and guide with flexible daytime game drives. Guided walks and hot-air balloon flights are also available, giving guests options beyond watching the riverbanks from a vehicle.
The Lamai plains support resident wildlife as well as animals moving with the migration. Lions, cheetahs, leopards and hyenas can all be encountered in the area as they track the herds during the northern season.
Nyasi operates from June into early January, with its principal migration period running from July to October. The camp is arranged in two sections with separate communal spaces, while a gym tent and small spa tent provide places to retreat between drives.
For families or friends travelling together, the option to secure one side of Nyasi gives the camp a useful balance of Mara River access and private space.
What a stay at Songa or Nyasi includes
Private guiding is central to both camps. Guests have their own vehicle and can shape each drive around current wildlife reports, preferred departure times and the pace of their party.
At Songa, the package includes meals and drinks, unlimited game drives, transfers from the nearest airstrip and selected cultural experiences. Nyasi follows a similarly flexible model, with its activities focused on private daytime game viewing.
Neither camp has a swimming pool, according to Safari Consultants. Luxury here centres on spacious tented accommodation, personal guiding, remote settings and small-scale communal areas around the campfire.
Families should check individual room arrangements before booking. Songa accepts children aged four and older, while Nyasi has family accommodation and the exclusive-use option for larger parties.
Mara River crossings remain unpredictable
July and August are commonly associated with Mara River crossings, although groups can remain in the northern Serengeti into October or early November. Exact dates cannot be guaranteed because the animals respond to rainfall and the availability of fresh grazing.
The migration is a continuous annual movement rather than one herd travelling on a fixed timetable. Groups separate, regroup and sometimes cross the river in different directions. Some animals enter the water soon after reaching a bank, while others wait for days or turn away.
A longer stay improves the opportunity to observe different stages of the migration, but no camp or guide can promise a crossing on a particular drive. Songa and Nyasi also offer broader game viewing, making their locations worthwhile when the herds are dispersed or inactive around the river.
After the short rains begin, the migration gradually turns south towards the Serengeti’s short-grass plains. The usual calving period follows from January to March, when the focus shifts away from the Mara River.
Auberge Safari’s wider Tanzania circuit
Songa and Nyasi are two of nine properties within Auberge Safari’s Tanzania collection. The portfolio stretches from Legendary Lodge on a working coffee estate in Arusha to camps in the Serengeti, the Greater Mwiba Protected Wildlife Area and the Burunge Wildlife Management Area.
Other properties cover different habitats and stages of the migration. Mila is positioned in the western Serengeti, while Mwiba Plains is scheduled to open on 15 December 2026 near the southern calving grounds. Chem Chem Lodge, Little Chem Chem and Forest Chem Chem are based around the wildlife corridor between Tarangire and Lake Manyara national parks.
As covered in our guide to Auberge Safari’s 2026 additions, the collection has also introduced selected helicopter excursions and refurbished Nyasi for its return this year.
Auberge Safari says stays across the portfolio support the independently operated Friedkin Conservation Fund and Chem Chem Association. For the northern crossing season, however, Songa and Nyasi provide the collection’s closest access to the Mara River, with two distinct choices between Kogatende’s elevated views and the quieter plains of Lamai.
