9-Day Tanzania Safari

Birding & Big Game in Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Beyond

Overview:

This 9-day Tanzania safari masterfully blends world-class birdwatching with iconic Big Five encounters, traversing Arusha National Park, Tarangire’s elephant plains, the Serengeti’s endless savannahs, Ngorongoro’s volcanic caldera, and Lake Manyara’s lush forests. Designed for travelers who refuse to choose between avian marvels and wildlife spectacles, this itinerary delivers rare endemics like Beasley’s Lark, Grey-breasted Spurfowl, and Karamoja Apalis, alongside lions, elephants, and the Great Migration (seasonal). With expert guides, small-group intimacy, and eco-conscious lodges, this is Tanzania at its most untamed and unforgettable.

Day To Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Arusha – Gateway to the Wild

Touch down at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where a Chalers Tours guide welcomes you with a Swahili “Karibu!” Transfer to your Arusha hotel, where the silhouette of Mount Meru sets the stage for tomorrow’s adventures.

Day 2: Birding in Arusha NP

Explore Arusha National Park, where montane forests and Momella Lakes teem with life. Track Hartlaub’s Turaco through fig trees and watch them leap through canopies, Narina Trogon, Palm-nut Vulture, African Fish Eagle, African Crowed Eagle, Bar-tailed Trogon, Scaly Francolin, Taveta Golden Weaver, White-sterred Robin, and many more. After a picnic lunch, scan grasslands for giraffes and buffalo, then return to Arusha, your binoculars already busy.

Day 3: Lark Plains & Tarangire

At dawn, drive to Lark Plains—Tanzania’s only home to the critically endangered Beasley’s Lark. Capture Fischer’s Sparrow-Larks mid-flight and Capped Wheatears perched on termite mounds. Post-lunch, visit Maasai Bomas for Grey-capped Social Weavers and many more. After lunch, we drive to Tarangire National Park, where elephants bathe in golden light at sunset.

Day 4: Tarangire – Endemics & Giants

Spend a full day in Tarangire, a baobab-dotted Eden. Seek Yellow-collared Lovebirds darting through palm groves and Ashy Starlings flocking near waterholes. Watch elephants trumpet along the Tarangire River and lions laze on termite mounds. Transfer to Karatu, where farm-fresh meals and Ngorongoro vistas await.

Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater – Birds

The Ngorongoro Crater is a UNESCO World Heritage Site teeming with wildlife. Spot African Water Rail and Golden-winged Sunbirds sipping nectar from lobelias. Watch Secretary Birds stalk through the savannah and Kori Bustards—Africa’s heaviest flying bird—strut near hippo pools. Return to your lodge, where a crackling fireplace and Swahili-inspired dishes await.

Days 6+7: Serengeti-Avian Rarities

Journey to the Serengeti, where endless plains host the Great Migration (seasonal) and big cats. Target the Grey-breasted Spurfowl in acacia woodlands, the Rufous-tailed Weavers building bottle-shaped nests, and the elusive Karamoja Apalis, Grey-crested Helmetshrike, Fischer’s Lovebird, Tawny Eagle, Lilac-breasted Roller, Martial Eagle, Tanzania Red-billed Hornbill, and many more

Day 8: Serengeti to Karatu – Farewell to the Plains

Morning game drives reveal cheetahs on termite mounds and herds of zebra. Return to Karatu via the Ngorongoro Highlands, birding en route for Schalow’s Turaco and Cape Robin-Chat, and many more beautiful species.

Day 9: Lake Manyara –Feathered Jewels

Conclude at Lake Manyara, where lions nap in sausage trees and lilac-breasted rollers dazzle in flight. Scan the lake for water birds, then transfer to Arusha/airport, your camera bursting with feathered and furry memories.

Some Of Target Species

Lark Plains	Tarangire	Serengeti	Ngorongoro
Beasley’s Lark (endemic)	Yellow-collared Lovebird	Grey-breasted Spurfowl	Golden-winged Sunbird
Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark	Ashy Starling	Rufous-tailed Weaver	Secretary Bird
Rosy-patched Bushshrike	Emin’s Barbet	Karamoja Apalis (endemic)	Kori Bustard