9 Days Tanzania Wildlife Safari: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti & Ngorongoro

Your adventure begins with your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK). Our driver-guide will greet you with a warm welcome and transfer you to your hotel in Arusha for relaxation after your journey.

Settle in and enjoy views of Mount Meru, followed by a safari briefing to prepare for your upcoming adventure. Optional city tour or local market visit depending on arrival time.

Overnight: Ilboru Safari Lodge / Four Points by Sheraton
Meals: Dinner

After breakfast, depart for Tarangire National Park, a 2.5-hour drive southwest of Arusha. The park is famed for its giant baobab trees, ancient elephant herds, and the Tarangire River which draws abundant wildlife year-round.

Embark on a full-day game drive where you’ll likely encounter buffaloes, zebras, wildebeests, and predators like lions and leopards. Tarangire is also a birdwatcher’s paradise with over 500 species recorded.

Overnight: Tarangire Safari Lodge / Sangaiwe Tented Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leave Tarangire after breakfast and continue to Lake Manyara National Park, nestled at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment (1.5 hrs drive). Though small in size, this park is incredibly diverse.

Enjoy a half-day game drive through lush forests, open savannahs, and lake shores. Spot elephants, hippos, and the park’s unique tree-climbing lions. The lake is also home to thousands of flamingos and water birds.

Overnight: Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge / Marera Valley Lodge in Karatu
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After an early breakfast, depart for Serengeti National Park, passing through the Ngorongoro highlands with brief stops for photos. You may optionally visit the Olduvai Gorge, one of the most significant prehistoric sites in Africa (entry fee extra).

Arrive in central Serengeti (Seronera) for a game drive en route to your lodge. Explore the vast open plains dotted with acacias and kopjes, home to lions, cheetahs, hyenas, and grazing herds of buffalo, wildebeest, and gazelles.

Overnight: Serengeti Tortilis Camp / Serengeti Heritage Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Spend a full day exploring the world-famous Serengeti. If traveling during the migration period (roughly June–October in central/northern areas), follow the herds of wildebeests and zebras as they cross predator-filled territories.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the bush and continue the search for wildlife including leopards, hippos, topis, vultures, and possibly caracals or servals. The Serengeti delivers incredible action year-round.

Optional: Experience a sunrise hot air balloon safari followed by a champagne breakfast (advance booking required).

Overnight: Same Serengeti Camp or Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast and a final early morning game drive in Serengeti, begin your journey toward Ngorongoro Conservation Area. En route, enjoy wildlife sightings and scenic views.

Arrive at your lodge on the crater rim by evening. Take in panoramic views of the ancient caldera below as you relax and prepare for an epic safari the next morning.

Overnight: Ngorongoro Rhino Lodge / Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you’ll descend 600 meters into the Ngorongoro Crater, often described as Africa’s Garden of Eden. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a haven for wildlife, supporting nearly 25,000 large animals.

You’ll explore the floor of the crater searching for the Big Five, including rare black rhinos, massive bull elephants, and pride of lions. Visit the hippo pool and enjoy a picnic lunch surrounded by wildlife.

Later, ascend back to the rim and transfer to your lodge in Karatu.

Overnight: Marera Valley Lodge / Country Lodge Karatu
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is more relaxed and culturally rich. After breakfast, visit a traditional Maasai boma for a cultural tour. Learn about their lifestyle, dress, beliefs, and how they live in harmony with wildlife.

Continue to Mto wa Mbu town, a melting pot of over 120 tribes. Walk through banana farms, local markets, and artisan workshops on a guided village tour. Sample local dishes during a traditional Swahili lunch.

Overnight: Lake Duluti Lodge / Karatu Area Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, drive back to Arusha (approx. 2.5–3 hrs), arriving in time for lunch or early afternoon flights. Depending on your departure schedule, you may explore Arusha Coffee Lodge, visit a local craft market, or simply relax before your transfer to the airport.

End of Safari
Meals: Breakfast