4-Day Tanzania Safari through Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Manyara

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Spot the Big Five in Tanzania's most famous parks
• 02 Explore Lake Manyara beneath the dramatic Rift Valley escarpment
• 03 Spend a full day on safari in the vast Serengeti National Park
• 04 Descend into the iconic Ngorongoro Crater in search of a black rhino

Embark on a 4-day expedition through Tanzania's most famous national parks. Explore the wildlife-rich landscapes of Lake Manyara, the vast Serengeti National Park, and the iconic Ngorongoro Crater as you look out for the Big Five. Enjoy game drives with expert guides, spot diverse wildlife, and immerse yourself in the country's stunning natural surroundings.

Explore the wildlife-rich landscapes of Lake Manyara, the vast Serengeti National Park, and the iconic Ngorongoro Crater as you look out for the Big Five.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 4 Days

Tour type Private

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Yes

Cities Arusha, Moshi, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara

Languages English, French, Spanish

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Lake Manyara National Park Safari

• You'll be picked up from your hotel at 8 am and begin a beautiful journey to Lake Manyara, with a travel time of around 2 hours.
• Stretching along the Rift Valley Escarpment and characterized by its shimmering lake, Manyara is rich in vegetation and the wildlife that thrives here.
• Enjoy the tranquility as majestic pink flamingoes wade elegantly, picking out a meal of algae from the shallow, alkaline waters. Bird lovers are in for a treat, as over 400 species have been recorded here - everything from bee-eaters to hornbills and everything in between.
• If you visit between February and June, watch out for yellow-billed storks and pink-backed pelicans, two more avian highlights.
• On land, Manyara's terrain is compact, yet it boasts differing environments such as diverse forests fed by waters seeping from the nearby escarpment.
• Monkeys are abundant, but look out too for lions, giraffes, warthogs, and grumpy Cape buffalo, who all proudly call this park home.
• Hold your nose when you reach the hippo pool, because these big semi-aquatic mammals smell!
• After an extensive game drive and, of course, lunch, you will continue onwards to Karatu in the Ngorongoro Highlands, where you will spend the night at your lodge.

2

Day 02

Serengeti National Park via Ngorongoro Conservation Area

• After breakfast, you will set off for your next destination, the stunning Serengeti National Park, a distance of 166 km and a journey time of around 3 1/2 hours.
• By late morning, you will reach Serengeti, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the country's oldest and most celebrated national park, and take a game drive.
• There are surely not many better places on earth to see such quantities and variety of wildlife.
• You will absorb the breathtaking scenery, fantastic changing light and, of course, spot the many animals choosing to make their home here.
• Your dedicated driver-guide will be delighted to share with you knowledge of this incredible place and its flora and fauna.
• With thousands of predators - and their prey numbering in the hundreds of thousands - it is no surprise that there is always something fascinating happening among the wildlife populations.
• Your driver-guide may find you lion, leopard, elephant, zebra, cheetah, and antelope on today's safari - just some of the many species here.
• Snap off some memorable photos, but don't forget to simply take a deep breath and enjoy nature in its real-time, raw beauty.
• After the game drive, you will be taken to your accommodation for some welcome rest, your evening meal, and to spend the night.

3

Day 03

Full-Day Serengeti Wildlife Safari

• Waking up in the Serengeti is something really special. The sights, sounds, and smells of Africa are all around you, and ahead is a full day of adventure in the world's most famous national park.
• After breakfast, you start today with the morning section of your game drive in Serengeti National Park, marveling at the stunning scenery, ever-changing light, and always entertaining wildlife, all explained to you by your expert driver-guide.
• The Seronera River weaves its way through this area, providing water for all species of wildlife.
• You will also see the distinctive rocky outcrops, the famous kopjes which characterize the Serengeti landscape. Kopjes are very hard and are often granite.
• They may be around 600 million years old and were created even before the earth's surface was pushed up from the ocean. Lions and other cats frequent these stony places, and they are also home to snakes and hyraxes.
• Slowly weathering in wind and rain, they peel off in layers, which you may see on close inspection.
• Lunch will be an unforgettable experience, enjoyed in the middle of the bush.
• After lunch, you set off again, searching for wildlife in this awe-inspiring park.
• Serengeti's wonders evolve subtly as the day progresses. The myriad animals and birds are the 'stars of the show,' and Nature's dramas can unfold at any time.
• Of course, the animals don't work to a timetable, so you may find lion or leopard, elephant and zebra, cheetah and antelope at any time on your drives.
• Look out for the magnificent sight of the world's heaviest bird capable of flight, the Kori Bustard. The avian equivalent of a lumbering cargo plane, it can weigh up to 15 kg and has a wingspan of nearly three metres.
• At the end of the afternoon, you return to the accommodation for dinner and some much-needed rest.

4

Day 04

Ngorongoro Crater Safari and Return to Arusha

• From your accommodation, you will set off after breakfast, with a 6 am departure to reach the rim and then descend into the vast crater itself.
• At one side there's the Lerai Forest, a classic mountain forest landscape with almost tropical characteristics. This is good elephant country, so keep your eyes peeled.
• By the side of the nearby swampland is what is sometimes called the 'elephant graveyard,' as the mighty male tuskers at the end of their lives come to chew on the soft swampland grasses once their teeth have failed them.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• Entrance fees into all Tanzania national parks
• Arrival and departure transfer to/from Kilimanjaro International Airport
• 4x4 custom-built Toyota Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, opening sliding windows, seat belts, heavy-duty wheels, and an extra fuel tank
• Refrigerator for cooling drinks, one pair of binoculars per couple, and an eco-friendly trash bag
• Charging outlets Type G plug for charging cameras and smartphones
• Professional, English-speaking driver-guide
• A friendly, experienced, and passionate driver-guide with expertise in flora and fauna, and Tanzania's cultural and natural history

What's Not Included

• Drinks at the lodges/tented camps: all kinds of alcoholic and soft drinks at the lodges/tented camps are not included.
• Internal and international flights.
• Tips and gratuities for drivers and guides.
• Travel and health insurance: the trip cost excludes travel and health insurance, which is essential.
• Any changes made by you: the trip excludes changes made by you during or before the safari which deviate from the original program.
• Laundry service: if you require your clothes to be laundered while on your safari, you will need to pay the amount charged by the accommodation as per their rate sheet.
• Post-night accommodation in Arusha: this tour ends in Arusha at 17:00 hrs. You can only depart the following day if you have booked a domestic flight departing from Kilimanjaro International Airport at 07:10 hrs and onwards, or an international flight departing at 06:40 hrs and onwards. Thus, you will need to book an extra night's accommodation, which is not included in the tour price, and depart the following day.

Know before you go

• If you only have 4 days safari in Tanzania, you will visit the most famous parks of Tanzania (Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Manyara or Tarangire), this is the perfect tour for you. Lake Manyara National Park's wildlife lives its daily life beneath the dramatic backdrop of the Rift Valley escarpment, and on the shores of the sparkling lake itself... In Serengeti, you will have a full program of game drives, letting you explore the stunning and varied landscapes of this famous place. Then, you will finish your adventure in another Tanzanian gem, the incomparable crater of Ngorongoro, on the lookout for a black rhino.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Moshi, Tanzania

Tour start

Moshi, Tanzania

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.