5 days, private, starts and ends in Arusha
Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Lake Manyara
If people ask us for the classic Tanzania safari, this is usually what they mean: all four northern-circuit parks, a lodge every night, and enough days in the Serengeti to settle into it.
Each park looks different. Tarangire has baobabs and elephants, the Serengeti has open plains and big cats, the crater is a volcanic bowl full of game, and Manyara has groundwater forest beside a soda lake.
Times and drives are approximate. Your guide adjusts each day to the weather, the wildlife and you.
Pick-up at your Arusha hotel at 7:00 and a two-hour drive south-west to Tarangire. The park is famous for its baobabs and for some of the largest elephant herds in Tanzania, especially in the dry season, when the Tarangire River is the only water for miles around. We spend the day on the river circuit, watching elephants dig for water and giraffe, zebra and wildebeest come to drink. Lions rest in the riverbank shade, and pythons are sometimes seen in the trees. After a picnic lunch at a lookout and a slow afternoon drive, we climb the Rift Valley escarpment to your lodge near Karatu.
After breakfast we drive through the forested highlands of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, stopping at the crater viewpoint, then descend onto the short-grass plains. We picnic at Naabi Hill gate, and from there the Serengeti opens out in every direction. The afternoon is a game drive towards Seronera, where the river attracts wildlife all year: lion prides, leopards in the sausage trees, elephants, giraffe and big herds of buffalo. You reach your lodge in time for sundowners.
An early start for the best light and the most active predators. Your guide chooses the route based on recent sightings and the season, whether that means cheetahs on the eastern plains, leopards along the river, or the migration herds if they’re close. We take a picnic lunch under an acacia and continue exploring through the afternoon, returning to the lodge at dusk.
A morning drive out of the Serengeti, then down into the Ngorongoro Crater for an afternoon game drive. The crater floor is about 260 square kilometres of grassland, swamp and soda lake, surrounded by walls 600 metres high, and it has one of the densest populations of large animals in Africa. Lions, hyenas, buffalo, hippos and flamingos are almost certain, and black rhino are regularly seen. We climb out before the crater closes and spend the night on the rim or in Karatu.
After breakfast we drive down the escarpment to Lake Manyara. The park’s groundwater forest is full of baboons and blue monkeys, and the lakeshore has hippos, pelicans and flamingos. Its lions are known for climbing trees, though they don’t do it every day. After lunch we drive back to Arusha, arriving by late afternoon.
We quote per person, based on your group size, season and accommodation level. Send an enquiry and you’ll have a full price within 24 hours. There’s nothing to pay until you confirm.
Most days start between 6:00 and 6:30, because the first hours after sunrise have the best light and the most active animals and birds. We usually take a picnic lunch in the park or return to camp for a midday rest, then head out again in the late afternoon. Parks close at sunset, so evenings are at the lodge.
Yes. Every trip is private, so we can add days, swap parks, change the accommodation level or slow the pace. Tell us what you’d like, and we’ll send a revised plan and price.
A 4x4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof for viewing and photography, charging points and a window seat for everyone. The vehicle and guide are yours alone for the whole trip.
Send an enquiry and we’ll reply within 24 hours with a tailored itinerary and a full quote. Once you’re happy, we take a deposit to confirm, with the balance due before you travel. We’ll give you the exact terms in writing.
Just tell us. Lodges and our camp cooks regularly cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and other diets.
2daysTwo days is enough for a real safari if you pick the right parks.
3daysThe Serengeti is a long drive from Arusha, so on a three-day trip we suggest flying in.
6daysAn extra day changes the whole feel of a safari.
Tell us your dates and the birds or animals you most want to see. We’ll reply within 24 hours with a route and a full quote.
