5 Days / 4 Nights – Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Lake Manyara
5 days
Group size: Up to 6 people
$1,980/ per person
$1,980 – $2,350/ per person
Reply within 24 hours · no payment to reserve
TALA licensedWhatsApp replyFlexible dates
Duration
5 days
Category
Wildlife Safari
Difficulty
Easy
Best time
Jun–Oct (dry) & Jan–Mar (calving)
Route
Arusha
Price
$1,980 – $2,350
Jun–Oct peak season
Overview
Safari Details
This five-day safari is the classic way to see the northern circuit properly, with two full days in the Serengeti rather than the rushed single night many shorter itineraries allow. It opens in Tarangire among elephant herds and ancient baobabs, crosses the Ngorongoro highlands to the endless plains of the Serengeti for a full 36 hours of game driving, then descends into the Ngorongoro Crater for the most concentrated Big Five viewing in Tanzania before finishing with a morning at Lake Manyara.
Two nights in the Serengeti give real time to follow the resident lion prides, track the migration's seasonal position, and be in position for early morning and late afternoon light — the two windows when predators are most active. It suits travellers who want depth in the Serengeti itself rather than treating it as a single overnight stop.
Safari Highlights
Full-day game drive among Tarangire's elephant herds and baobabs
Two full days in the Serengeti — real time to find the Big Five
Scenic drive across the Ngorongoro highlands with crater rim views
A full morning inside the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania's best rhino ground
Closing game drive at Lake Manyara among flamingos and tree-climbing lions
Only one lodge change in five days — Serengeti, then Ngorongoro area
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Latest Safari
TALA licensed · 5.0★ (68)
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Arusha120 km to Tarangire, then 90 km on to Mto wa Mbu2 hours to Tarangire, ~2 hours on to Mto wa MbuMto wa Mbu
01
Arusha – Tarangire National Park – Mto wa Mbu
Lunch
Dinner
Fanaka Lodge, Mto wa Mbu
Depart Arusha for the two-hour drive to Tarangire National Park and spend the day on a full game drive along the Tarangire River, famous for its huge elephant herds and ancient baobab trees. In the late afternoon, continue to Mto wa Mbu for dinner and overnight at Fanaka Lodge, at the foot of the Rift Valley escarpment.
Activities
Large elephant herds along the Tarangire RiverThousand-year-old baobab landscapeOvernight at the foot of the Great Rift Valley wall
Picnic or lodge lunch inside Tarangire; carry a hat, sunscreen and binoculars.
Mto wa Mbu~210 km via the Ngorongoro highlands5–6 hours, with game viewing en routeSerengeti National Park (Central/Seronera)
02
Mto wa Mbu – Serengeti National Park
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Tukaone Serengeti Camp
After breakfast, drive up and across the Ngorongoro highlands, with panoramic views down into the crater from the rim road, and on into the Serengeti with game viewing along the way. Arrive at Tukaone Serengeti Camp in time for an afternoon game drive across the plains before dinner.
Activities
Crater rim views from the Ngorongoro highlands roadFirst afternoon game drive on the Serengeti plainsTwo nights based at Tukaone Serengeti Camp
A long but scenic driving day; the route is partly unpaved through the highlands.
Tukaone Serengeti CampFull-day game drive circuitFull dayTukaone Serengeti Camp
03
Full Day – Serengeti National Park
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Tukaone Serengeti Camp
A full day exploring the Serengeti's plains, woodland and granite kopjes, with morning and late-afternoon game drives timed to when predators are most active. The Serengeti holds over 3,000 lions and excellent leopard and cheetah country, alongside elephant, buffalo and — seasonally — the migration's enormous herds of wildebeest and zebra. Return to camp for dinner and a second night at Tukaone.
Activities
Full day dedicated to finding lion, leopard and cheetahSeasonal migration herds, depending on time of yearMorning and late-afternoon drives for the best light and activity
An optional sunrise hot air balloon safari with bush breakfast can be added to this day on request.
Serengeti National Park~145 km3–4 hours, with a crater game drive on arrivalNgorongoro Conservation Area
04
Serengeti – Ngorongoro Area
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
My Africa, Ngorongoro/Karatu area
After breakfast, depart the Serengeti and drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, descending 600 metres onto the crater floor for a game drive with packed lunch boxes. Around 25,000 large animals live within the caldera year-round, giving one of the most reliable Big Five mornings in Africa, along with a genuine chance at the endangered black rhino. Climb back up to the rim in the afternoon and continue to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Activities
Descend into the world's largest intact volcanic calderaA real chance at the endangered black rhinoLion, elephant and buffalo on the crater floor
Vehicles must exit the crater by a fixed time each evening.
Ngorongoro/Karatu~175 km total (via Lake Manyara)Morning game drive, then ~2–3 hours on to ArushaArusha
05
Lake Manyara National Park – Arusha
Breakfast
Lunch
Safari ends — no accommodation
After breakfast, drive to Lake Manyara National Park for a final morning game drive through groundwater forest and along the flamingo-lined soda lake shallows, with a chance at the park's famous tree-climbing lions. After lunch, continue the drive back to Arusha, arriving in the afternoon where your safari ends.
Activities
A last chance at Manyara's tree-climbing lionsFlamingos and dense birdlife on the lake shallowsRift Valley escarpment views on the drive back to Arusha
Flight connections from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) should be booked no earlier than the evening of Day 5.
Route
Departs from: Arusha
Stays
Night
Stay
Meals
1
Fanaka Lodge, Mto wa Mbu
Lunch, Dinner
2
Tukaone Serengeti Camp
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
3
Tukaone Serengeti Camp
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
4
My Africa, Ngorongoro/Karatu area
Breakfast, Packed Lunch, Dinner
5
Safari ends — no accommodation
Breakfast, Lunch
What's Included
All park, crater and conservation fees
Professional English-speaking driver-guide
4WD safari vehicle with pop-up roof
Four nights accommodation (Mto wa Mbu, Serengeti x2, Ngorongoro area)
All meals from Day 1 lunch to Day 5 lunch, including packed lunch boxes on crater day
Bottled water throughout the safari
Pick-up and drop-off in Arusha
Not Included
International flights and visa fees
Travel insurance
Tips for guide and camp staff
Alcoholic and premium bottled drinks
Optional hot air balloon safari over the Serengeti
Items of a personal nature
Gallery
See all 6 photos
Questions about this safari
Why two full days in the Serengeti instead of one?
A single overnight only gives you one real game drive. Two full days mean an early morning and a late afternoon drive on both days — the hours when predators are most active — plus time to reposition if the migration has moved.
Where is the migration during this itinerary?
It depends on the month: the herds are in the southern plains around calving season (roughly January to March), moving north through the year, and crossing the Mara River in the far north from July to October. Your guide plans the Serengeti routing around the herds' current position.
Will we see the Big Five on this safari?
Lion, elephant and buffalo are near-certain across the Serengeti and Ngorongoro combination; leopard is common but less predictable, and the Ngorongoro Crater gives the best remaining chance in Tanzania at the endangered black rhino.
How many lodge changes does this itinerary involve?
Three: one night in the Mto wa Mbu area, two nights in the Serengeti, and one night in the Ngorongoro/Karatu area — fewer changes than many 5-day itineraries, which keeps travel time down.
Can a hot air balloon safari be added?
Yes, an optional sunrise balloon flight over the Serengeti plains, ending with a bush breakfast, can be booked as an add-on for either Serengeti day.
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5 Days / 4 Nights – Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Lake Manyara
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Wildlife Safari
