Day 1 – Arusha to Tarangire. Wildlife viewing in Tarangire National Park

Day 2 – Full day of wildlife exploration in Tarangire

Day 3 – Transfer to Lake Manyara for wildlife viewing

Day 4 – Transfer to Lake Natron (Bird watching & Flamingo trek)

Day 5 – Optional short hike to Ngare Sero waterfalls, then proceed to Northern Serengeti with wildlife viewing en route

Day 6 – Northern Serengeti – full day wildlife exploration

Day 7 – Northern Serengeti – full day wildlife exploration

Day 8 – Morning wildlife viewing in Northern Serengeti, then transfer to Central Serengeti

Day 9 – Central Serengeti full day wildlife exploration

Day 10 – Morning wildlife viewing in Central Serengeti, then transfer to Ngorongoro/Karatu

Day 11 – Ngorongoro Crater exploration (5 hours) and transfer to Lake Eyasi

Day 12 – Lake Eyasi (Hadzabe and Datoga tribal visit) to Arusha

Safari tour pricing varies based on departure date, group size, and accommodation preferences.

Presented below are packages featuring popular ensuite options for your journey. Ensuite properties include tented camps and lodges situated either within or near national parks. Each offers private sleeping quarters with attached bathroom facilities. Meals are provided by the respective properties.

Click to learn more about safari accommodations (ensuite camps/lodges).

A comprehensive list of inclusions is provided below. Additional accommodation options and add-on excursions are available upon request. Please share your specific requirements by clicking the "Request Quote" button, and our reservations team will respond promptly.

Presented below are budget camping options for your journey. On basic camping safaris, you will sleep in compact dome tents pitched at designated campsites with shared bathroom facilities. A dedicated cook accompanies your group and prepares all meals.

Click to learn more about how basic/budget camping safaris operate.

Detailed Itinerary

Your adventure begins with a morning pickup at 7:30 AM from your Arusha hotel. You'll depart for Tarangire National Park carrying a picnic lunch for a full day of wildlife viewing. Tanzania's third-largest national park is distinguished by its iconic baobab trees that punctuate the landscape, their massive trunks creating a dramatic backdrop for the wildlife that roams beneath them. The Tarangire River serves as the lifeblood of this ecosystem, drawing some of the largest elephant herds found anywhere in Africa. Beyond elephants, the park offers excellent opportunities to spot lion, leopard, cheetah, lesser kudu, buffalo, oryx, eland, giraffe, and zebra. Following your day of exploration, you'll return to your camp or lodge for a well-deserved evening meal.

After breakfast at approximately 8:00 AM, you'll set out for another full day of wildlife viewing in Tarangire National Park. This remarkable protected area is celebrated for its varied terrain and nine distinct vegetation zones. As you traverse the park, you'll be greeted by the ancient, towering baobab trees that make even giraffes appear diminutive by comparison. Covering 3,000 square kilometers, the park derives its name from the Tarangire River that meanders through its heart. This permanent water source attracts an extraordinary diversity of wildlife, and you can expect to encounter large numbers of elephants, giraffes, lions, antelopes, and zebras. Tarangire boasts the highest concentration of elephants of any park in Tanzania, offering a unique window into the social dynamics of elephant families. Keep your camera within easy reach to capture these unforgettable scenes. As evening approaches, you'll return to your accommodation for dinner and a restful night in anticipation of tomorrow's adventures.

Following breakfast, you'll depart at 7:30 AM for Lake Manyara National Park, carrying a picnic lunch for a complete day of wildlife exploration. As you enter the park, the dense woodlands of acacia and mahogany trees immediately set the stage for the wonders ahead. Your game drive will continue until evening, with a brief pause for a picnic lunch. Keep watch for buffalo, giraffe, impala, baboon, and the distinctive blue monkey. Lake Manyara is also renowned for its tree-climbing lions, though spotting them requires a measure of good fortune. During the appropriate season, the lake's shoreline transforms into a breathtaking sea of pink as countless flamingos gather there. After your day's exploration, you'll retire to your camp or lodge for an evening meal.

Your day commences after breakfast around 8:00 AM. You'll depart with packed lunch boxes bound for Lake Natron. Located approximately 3.5 hours from Mto Wa Mbu/Manyara, Lake Natron presents an otherworldly destination and a remarkable natural phenomenon. Its waters are extremely alkaline and remarkably shallow, averaging only one meter in depth. Following check-in at your lodge and a brief rest, you'll lace up your walking shoes as a Maasai guide leads you on a shoreline trek to observe the area's birdlife, particularly the lesser flamingos. Lake Natron stands as the most significant and consistent breeding site for lesser flamingos in East Africa, hosting up to two million of these birds during breeding season. The majority of egg-laying and hatching occurs between September and January. After your hike, you'll return to your camp or lodge for a satisfying dinner and an evening of rest.

An early start awaits you today. At approximately 6:00 AM, accompanied by a Maasai guide, you'll enjoy a light trek to the nearby Ngare Sero waterfalls, where you can refresh yourself in the cool mist of water cascading over the rocks of this scenic gorge. Be sure to wear sturdy footwear! You'll return to your accommodation by 8:30 AM, and after a hearty breakfast, you'll set out toward Serengeti National Park. This overland journey takes you through a diverse array of landscapes: towns and villages, savannah and woodlands, with opportunities to spot antelope, wildebeest, and zebra along the way. You'll enter the Serengeti in the afternoon and proceed toward the northern sector. An afternoon game drive across the endless plains offers chances to witness the great herds of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles, or perhaps a pride of lions resting in the shade. A picnic lunch will be enjoyed during the day's exploration. Your eventful day concludes with dinner and a peaceful night's rest at your accommodation.

You have two options for your days in the Northern Serengeti. You may enjoy a leisurely breakfast and depart for full-day game drives around 9:00 AM with packed lunch, returning to the lodge in the late afternoon around 6:00 PM. Alternatively, you can set out at 6:00 AM for an early morning game drive, return to camp for breakfast, relax briefly, then head out for an afternoon game drive with packed lunch.

Between mid-June and September, the Great Migration is typically found in this region. During this period, the Mara River becomes the stage for one of nature's most dramatic spectacles—the river crossings. The powerful, deep, rain-fed river exacts a heavy toll on the migrating wildebeest. Observing these animals surging through the torrential currents, some succumbing to the waters while others fall prey to waiting crocodiles, creates an unforgettable experience. If fortune favors you, you'll witness this extraordinary natural event firsthand.

Following the migration may also lead you toward the Lobo Valley. This pristine area features a mosaic of woodlands, plains, hills, and famous granite kopjes, supporting abundant big cat populations including lions, leopards, and cheetahs. During the dry season, the valley's permanent water sources attract numerous resident and migratory animals, ensuring exceptional wildlife viewing. Your full-day game drive will include a stop for a picnic lunch. The day concludes with a delicious dinner and comfortable rest at your chosen accommodation.

You may choose between a relaxed breakfast followed by game drives starting around 9:00 AM with packed lunch, or an early departure at 6:00 AM for a morning game drive, returning for breakfast and some relaxation before continuing to Central Serengeti with packed lunch. The approximately four-hour drive to the central region offers moderate wildlife viewing along the way.

The journey south from the Mara River valley traverses hilly terrain, the Lobo region, woodlands, and eventually the Seronera landscape. The central Serengeti—known as the Seronera area—represents one of the park's richest wildlife habitats. The Seronera River provides a vital water source that attracts a representative cross-section of the Serengeti's wildlife species. As you enter the Seronera region, you'll notice the terrain transitioning from hills and broken ground to open grasslands. In Seronera, be particularly attentive for the numerous lion prides that flourish here. Their social interactions and survival strategies deliver excellent game viewing throughout the year. A picnic lunch will be enjoyed during the day's journey. Your eventful day ends with a substantial dinner and restful night at your accommodation.

Today, you can opt for a leisurely breakfast and full-day game drives starting around 9:00 AM with packed lunch, returning to the lodge by late afternoon around 6:00 PM. Alternatively, you may depart at 6:00 AM for an early morning game drive, return for breakfast, relax, then set out on an afternoon game drive with packed lunch.

You'll explore the central portion of Serengeti National Park today. This legendary park stands as Africa's most celebrated safari destination, renowned for its remarkable populations of lions and leopards. The Seronera area features the Seronera River, which draws wildlife representing most of the Serengeti's species. Outside the peak migration season, focus your attention on the numerous lion prides that inhabit this region—their social behaviors and survival strategies provide outstanding wildlife viewing throughout the year. A picnic lunch will be incorporated into your full-day exploration. The day's activities conclude around 5:00 PM, followed by a hearty dinner and restful evening at your accommodation.

After breakfast, you'll enjoy a morning game drive in Serengeti National Park before departing for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area with a picnic lunch. The Ngorongoro Crater represents the world's largest intact volcanic caldera—a fourteen-kilometer expanse of extraordinary natural beauty. Enclosed by a ring of extinct volcanoes, the crater floor features numerous watering holes that support approximately 30,000 animals. Your eventful day concludes with a substantial dinner and peaceful night's rest at your accommodation.

On the penultimate day of your safari, you'll rise early. Following a quick breakfast, you'll descend into the crater floor at approximately 6:30 AM. The Ngorongoro Crater stands as the world's largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera. Its vast floor covers approximately 260 square kilometers at a depth exceeding 2,000 feet. A five-hour game drive across the crater floor promises abundant wildlife activity—keep your camera at the ready. African elephants, buffalo, black rhinos, hippos, hyenas, cheetahs, and lions are present in significant numbers. After enjoying a picnic lunch at the scenic Hippo Pool, you'll begin your ascent to the crater rim's exit point. You'll then drive to your accommodation at Lake Eyasi for a relaxing afternoon.

You may also consider a brief visit to the shores of Lake Eyasi in the late afternoon or evening for a short trek, where you can often observe large flocks of flamingos and other bird species.

At approximately 5:30 AM, after a light breakfast, you'll depart your lodge to visit the Hadzabe people. They represent the last remaining hunter-gatherers of East Africa, maintaining their traditional way of life with minimal changes for tens of thousands of years. You'll participate in their early morning activities, including bush treks, hunting excursions, and campfire-making. Additional interactive experiences may include honey gathering, baobab fruit foraging, and engaging with the Hadzabe in their daily routines.

Later in the day, you'll travel back to the village to meet the Datoga people, another indigenous community of the region. The Datoga are skilled agriculturalists and livestock herders; some are craftspeople who have lived independently for generations, forging knives, arrowheads, and jewelry for their own community and for the Bushmen.

You'll return to your lodge for a hot lunch before continuing your journey to Arusha, arriving by approximately 5:00 PM.