5-Day Tanzania Wildlife Safari through Serengeti Ngorongoro and Tarangire

5 Days Round trip from Arusha Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Explore Tarangire National Park, famous for its elephant migration and giant baobab trees
02 Discover Serengeti National Park, whose name means "endless plain" in the Maasai language
03 Visit Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera
04 Enjoy a lakeside picnic at Ngoitoktok while watching hippos in the crater

Go on a search for the Big Five across three national parks of Tanzania on this 5-day safari. Explore Tarangire National Park, the endless plains of Serengeti National Park, and the remarkable Ngorongoro Crater while admiring abundant wildlife and stunning skies. Enjoy memorable game drives, including a lakeside picnic near hippos and birds, for a quintessential African safari experience.

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, Mount Kilimanjaro, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tarangire National Park, Lake Eyasi

Languages English, German, Italian, Spanish

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Arusha to Tarangire National Park Safari

After breakfast, start your safari to Tarangire National Park, leaving Arusha with a picnic lunch. You may be able to see 4 species of the Big Five animals.
Then drive to Tarangire Sangaiwe Tented Lodge, built on top of a high bluff with a breathtaking panorama. The lodge is superbly located in Tarangire National Park, providing one of the best views in Africa. Below the lodge lies Lake Burunge, a favourite watering place that attracts impressive numbers and a wide variety of game. The scene unfolds before you while you lounge on the outdoor patio, allowing you to appreciate the diverse wildlife of Tarangire without ever leaving the lodge.
After lunch, go on a game drive into this, the fifth-largest national park in Tanzania, which covers an area of 2,850 sq. km and was established in 1970. It is the numerous baobab trees that will initially catch your eye, followed by the many, many elephants.
Drive back to the lodge before dark.

All meals and overnight at Tarangire Sangaiwe Tented Lodge.

Day 02

Through Ngorongoro to Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, leave for Serengeti National Park, check in, and proceed for game viewing.
The name "Serengeti" comes from the Maasai language and appropriately means an "endless plain." The national park is as big as Northern Ireland, and its ecosystem includes the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the Maswa Game Reserve, and the Maasai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya. It lies between the shores of Lake Victoria in the west, Lake Eyasi in the south, and the Great Rift Valley to the east. The driving distance is 205 km, approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes.

Late in the evening, drive to Serengeti Heritage for dinner and overnight.

Day 03

Full-Day Game Drive in Serengeti

After breakfast, depart with lunch boxes and drive to explore central Serengeti National Park. Here, you will have different experiences with resident wild animals that depend on the Seronera River for drinking during the dry season, when all migratory animals have moved to Maasai Mara. This is also one of the best places to see the famous acacia trees for leopard climbing along the Seronera Valley.
Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Heritage.

Day 04

Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive

After an early breakfast, drive to Ngorongoro and descend into the caldera for a half-day game drive with a picnic lunch from the hotel. Explore every corner of the crater and try to find the last of the Big Five that you may not have seen in Serengeti National Park. Here, you can see the endangered Black Rhinoceros. You may also be lucky enough to see big bull elephants feeding in the permanent swamp in the crater.
Enjoy your lunch at the Ngoitoktok picnic site, where you will sit alongside the lake while watching the hippos.

Dinner and overnight at Country Lodge.

Day 05

Return to Arusha and Departure

After breakfast, drive to Arusha.
Transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport or Arusha Airport for your flight, or proceed to Zanzibar.

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

Tanzania guide - Italian-, Spanish-, German-, or English-speaking
4x4 Land Cruiser with unlimited kilometres
Water, coffee, and soft drinks in the car for the game drive only
Park fees for clients and guide, conservation fees, crater service fees, and vehicle park fees

What's Not Included

International flight ticket
Visa
Health insurance
International transfer
Bank transfer charges
Tips for the guide and hotel staff
Bar bills or any personal consumption, such as cigarettes and laundry

Know before you go

Immigration: Travellers arriving from overseas must comply with immigration formalities on arrival. Travellers going between East African countries, such as Kenya and Tanzania, need to complete immigration formalities. Landing cards are generally provided by the airline in advance and must be completed for each traveller.
Customs: On arrival, travellers must pass through customs for clearance. Tourists generally are not questioned; however, customs officials have the right to inspect all luggage. Patience and courtesy are important. Personal effects, including cameras and film, may be imported temporarily without a permit. A customs bond may be demanded from visitors bringing in filming equipment, radios, tape recorders, and musical instruments to ensure that the goods are re-exported. Firearms require a special permit.
Back-up copies: Safari participants should make copies of their passports, visas (if purchased in advance), itineraries, emergency contact numbers, names of medication prescriptions, and other important information. It is also recommended to carry the back-up copies in a separate place or have a travelling companion carry them.
Arrival delays and group joining information: Should events such as missed or delayed flights mean that a safari participant will arrive late, the traveller or agent should contact their local tour operator as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made for joining other safari members on their trip. Any additional costs must, however, be borne by the safari participant or airline.
Lost luggage on safari to Africa:
- Should a safari participant arrive without their luggage, a detailed report must be filed with the airline company before leaving the airport. If the bag has been locked, it is important that keys and combinations be left with the airline so they can open and clear it with customs. Once luggage has been located, we will work with the airline to help the bag catch up with the safari participant. Should there be any costs for forwarding luggage, the safari member must meet those costs and recover them from their insurance or airline.
Game viewing: The best times for game viewing are normally in the early morning and late afternoon, as animals tend to hide during the heat of midday. However, it is also worthwhile to spend the full day out with picnic lunches, as you might see great things as well.
Laundry: There are laundry facilities at practically all hotels, lodges, and safari camps, and laundry will often be returned on the same day, weather permitting.
Insurance: We require that all clients arrange personal travel insurance to cover their medical, property, and other personal risks for the duration of their safaris.
Language: The official languages of Tanzania are Kiswahili and English, and in Kenya and Uganda, English. Kiswahili is spoken and understood by the great majority of East Africans. English is also widely used and understood, particularly in town centres.