Tanzania · Safari

5-Day Tanzania Wildlife Safari through Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro

5 Days Round trip from Arusha Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Explore Lake Manyara National Park, home to more than 350 bird species
  • 02 Learn about the Big Five in Serengeti National Park
  • 03 Visit Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera
  • 04 Look out for Lake Manyara's famous tree-climbing lions
  • 05 Search for wildlife across the Serengeti's endless plains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Explore the vast landscapes and wilderness of some of Tanzania's most popular national parks and game reserves on this 5-day safari. Enjoy beautiful scenery as you immerse yourself in Africa's breathtaking nature and wildlife, from Lake Manyara and the Serengeti to the famous Ngorongoro Crater. Expect rewarding game drives, remarkable birdlife, and the chance to admire stunning skies throughout this quintessential African safari experience.

Lake Manyara is rightly famous for its tree-climbing lions, but they’re far from the only highlight.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 5 Days
Tour type Shared
Activity level Easy
Accommodation Not included
Transport Included
Wheelchair access Not applicable
Cities Arusha, Moshi, Mount Kilimanjaro, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara
Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha/Moshi

  • Upon arriving at Kilimanjaro International Airport, be welcomed by one of the experienced Tanzanian driver/guides, ready to greet and escort you to Arusha and your chosen hotel.

Accommodation: Lake Duluti Serena Lodge

Meal Plan: Dinner

Journey time and Distance: 1 hour, 55 km

2
Day 02

Arusha/Moshi to Lake Manyara National Park

  • Collect your picnic lunch box and start early from your Arusha hotel for the pleasant drive westwards to Lake Manyara National Park, exploring the stunning landscape of the park, looking for wildlife on the plains, in the acacia woodlands and by the shores of the shallow alkaline lake. Lake Manyara is rightly famous for its tree-climbing lions, but they’re far from the only highlight. 
  • By the end of an exhilarating afternoon, you could easily have spotted elephant, hippo, wildebeest, buffalo and giraffe, plus many other species. Pink-hued flamingos, one of 400 bird species recorded here, provide a splash of colour.
  • At the end of the afternoon, return to your lodge for some relaxation and a delicious dinner.

Accommodation: Lake Manyara Serena Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box and Dinner

Journey time and Distance: 2 hours, 130 km

3
Day 03

Lake Manyara to Serengeti National Park

  • After breakfast, collect lunch boxes and leave Lake Manyara, National Park. The journey takes you west and north, your exciting destination being a name familiar to everyone – the Serengeti! Along the way, the sheer scale of the territory and the raw beauty of the landscapes reveal themselves, and your driver-guide will help you to spot animals and birds. This is just a preview of things to come, for the Serengeti is home to what is possibly the world’s greatest gathering of wildlife; this is an unforgettable experience on this Tanzania Safari Luxury.
  • After enjoying a picnic lunch, you’ll be eager to pursue some greater wildlife-spotting opportunities in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. These ‘endless plains’ are home to elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah, hippo, and crocodile.
  • At the end of the afternoon, exhausted and exhilarated, it’s back to your chosen accommodation for dinner.

Accommodation: Serengeti Serena Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box, and Dinner

Journey time and Distance: 4.5 hours, 205 km

4
Day 04

Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater

  • Make the most of the day with an 08:00 am start, heading off on your morning game drive. 
  • It’s almost impossible to spend too much time in Serengeti, and with more than 1.6 million herbivores – plus thousands of predators – there’s always something new and interesting to see.
  • Spot some more of the many species at Serengeti, teaching you about their fascinating habits and habitats. Later, the adventure will continue when you travel up to Ngorongoro, another African icon.
  • After a pleasant picnic lunch, it’s time to drive eastwards to visit another spectacular setting for Tanzania’s wildlife, the famous Ngorongoro Crater.
  • On arrival, settle in at the lodge while a tasty, hot dinner is prepared for you.

Accommodation: Ngorongoro Serena Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box, and Dinner

Journey time and Distance: 3.5 hours, 145 km

5
Day 05

Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha

  • At Ngorongoro Crater, spot elephant, lion, leopard, hyena, jackal, wallowing hippo, waterbuck, baboons, even the rare black rhino.
  • After your early morning game drive, enjoy your picnic lunch in the crater before returning to the airport for your flight home.
  • Drive for 5 hours from Ngorongoro Crater floor to Kilimanjaro International Airport.

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Picnic lunch box
Journey time and Distance: 5 hours, 245 km

Lake Manyara shores, Serengeti National Park plains, Ngorongoro Crater

Where this trip takes you

Lake Manyara shores, Serengeti National Park plains, Ngorongoro Crater

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Arusha 6 cities · 5 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • All taxes/VAT

  • All airport transfers

  • Professional, English-speaking Tanzania safari guides

  • All national park fees

  • AMREF Flying Doctors

  • Transportation in a 4x4WD safari vehicle

  • Meals and mineral water according to the itinerary

  • Camping equipment (tents, sleeping mats, chairs, tables, etc.)

What's Not Included

  • Tips

  • Sleeping bag

  • Travel insurance

  • Optional activities

  • Flights and visa fees

  • Alcoholic and soft drinks

  • Personal spending money for souvenirs, etc.

  • Any government-imposed increases in taxes and/or park fees

  • Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour

Know before you go

  • This tour ends at Kilimanjaro International Airport at 5:30 pm. You can only depart on day 5 if you have booked a domestic flight that departs from Kilimanjaro International Airport at 7:40 pm onwards, or an international flight that departs at 9:00 pm onwards. Otherwise, you will need to book post-night accommodation if you are departing on an earlier flight.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Arusha, Tanzania
Tour start
Arusha, Tanzania
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 5 days finish where they began, in Arusha.

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