Day 1: Welcome to the Wild – Tarangire National Park
Your safari begins with a scenic drive from Arusha to Tarangire National Park, a haven for elephant lovers and famous for its dramatic baobab-studded landscapes. As you enter the park, your first game drive offers sightings of elephants, buffalo, giraffes, and possibly big cats lurking in the tall grasses. With fewer crowds and rich biodiversity, Tarangire is a serene introduction to Tanzania’s wildlife. After your drive, you settle into a comfortable lodge or tented camp nestled near the park.
Day 2: Rift Valley Beauty – Lake Manyara National Park
After breakfast, you travel to Lake Manyara National Park, a picturesque reserve at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. Though small in size, Manyara boasts a surprising range of ecosystems—from lush groundwater forests to open plains and the alkaline lake itself. You’ll explore these diverse landscapes on a game drive, watching for tree-climbing lions, elephants, hippos, and hundreds of bird species including flamingos. After a relaxed afternoon, you continue to your lodge in nearby Karatu for the evening.
Day 3: Into the Iconic – Serengeti National Park
Today’s journey takes you through the scenic highlands of Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with opportunities to see Maasai villages and breathtaking views. By midday, you reach the legendary Serengeti, home to the world’s most dramatic wildlife displays. Your first game drive in the Central Serengeti (Seronera area) begins soon after entering, with high chances of spotting lions, cheetahs, leopards, and large grazing herds. You’ll spend the night deep in the savannah, either in a tented camp or lodge, surrounded by the sounds of the wild.
Day 4: Safari Immersion – Full Day in the Serengeti
Spend a full day exploring the vast plains of the Serengeti, where the rhythm of nature plays out in real time. Depending on the season, you may follow the path of the Great Migration—thousands of wildebeest and zebras moving across the landscape. Predators abound here, and your experienced guide will help track lions, hyenas, jackals, and more. For a truly unforgettable experience, you can opt for a sunrise hot air balloon safari, followed by a champagne breakfast in the bush. Return to camp as the sun sets over the endless plains.
Day 5: Highland to Crater – Journey to Ngorongoro
After a final Serengeti game drive, you begin your journey back east, entering the Ngorongoro Conservation Area by afternoon. En route, you may visit Olduvai Gorge, one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world. You arrive at your lodge perched on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, where the cool air and panoramic views set the stage for tomorrow’s descent into the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera.
Day 6: Crater of Life – Ngorongoro Crater & Return to Arusha
An early morning descent into the Ngorongoro Crater offers one of the most rewarding game drives in Africa. The crater floor is home to nearly every species found in East Africa, including the elusive black rhino, massive tusker elephants, lions, and flocks of flamingos around the central lake. After a picnic lunch on the crater floor, you begin your return drive to Arusha, marking the end of your unforgettable safari adventure through Tanzania’s most treasured landscapes.
