2-Day Private Safari: Tarangire & Ngorongoro from Arusha

The Ngorongoro Crater sits deep, and you descend into it at first light.

A 2-day private safari tour from Arusha through Tarangire National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with a professional guide, 4x4 jeep, and overnight lodge stay. Day one tracks elephant herds and baobab trees across Tarangire's riverbanks. Day two descends into Ngorongoro Crater at dawn for black rhino sightings, then pauses for a picnic lunch at the hippo pool before returning to Arusha. The tour includes all park entries, meals, accommodation, and airport transfers.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Safari in Tarangire National Park

• Drive 2 hours to Tarangire
• Game drive spotting elephants and wildlife
• Picnic lunch in the wild
• Continue game drive along riverbanks
• Check in at Jungle Pearl lodge
• Dinner by campfire under stars

Day 2: Explore Ngorongoro Crater

• Early morning descent into Ngorongoro Crater
• Game drive spotting rhinos and wildlife
• Picnic lunch by hippo pool
• Afternoon game drive in crater
• Drive back to Arusha

The experience

Can you see the Big Five without spending four days in the bush? This 2-day loop from Arusha trades breadth for depth: Tarangire on day one for its elephant herds, then Ngorongoro Crater on day two, where the landscape changes with the seasons and the wildlife density is highest in the early hours. A professional guide drives the open-roof 4x4, and you move at the pace of the animals, not a clock.

Day one is a 2-hour drive from Arusha into Tarangire, where you hunt lions, leopards, giraffes, zebras and antelope along the riverbanks. Lunch is a picnic in the wild, not a box. After the afternoon game drive, you stay at Jungle Pearl, a lodge a few meters from Lake Manyara, and eat dinner under the stars if the weather holds. Day two starts between 6:30 and 7:00 am (the earlier departure raises your odds of spotting black rhinos), and the descent into Ngorongoro Crater takes you 600 to 650 meters down into what feels like a natural zoo. The game drive there runs 7 to 8 hours. Lunch is another picnic, this time by the hippo pool, and your guide drives you back to Arusha afterward.

The jeep has a pop-up roof cooler, charging ports, and air conditioning. Warm meals, water, wine and beer travel with you. A professional driver and guide stay for the full two days and speak English, Spanish, Italian, French or one other language. Airport transfers and free luggage storage are included, so you arrive and leave without arranging a second vehicle.

What’s included

• Professional safari guide and driver for both days.
• air-conditioned 4x4 jeep with pop-up roof, cooler fridge and charging ports.
• all national park entries and government tax.
• one night at Jungle Pearl mid-range lodge.
• breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• warm meals, water, wine and beer.
• airport transfers from and to Arusha.
• free luggage storage.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 06:30, 07:00, 07:30 and 08:30

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (16 to 90 years) · Youth (5 to 15 years) · Child (under 5)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Audio guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by African polecat safaris

Is this one for you?The tour picks you up from Arusha, so you don't need a car or a second booking to reach the parks. The 2-day loop fits a tight schedule while the early Ngorongoro descent and the picnic by the hippo pool are moments most 1-day tours skip.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (5 to 15 years); Child (under 5).

How early does the Ngorongoro descent start on day two?

The safari kicks off between 6:30 and 7:00 am so the guide can maximize your chances of spotting the elusive black rhinos before the heat drives them into cover.

What's included in the meals during the two days?

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included. Lunch both days is a picnic in the field rather than a boxed meal, and warm meals travel with you along with water, wine and beer.

Where do you sleep on the first night?

Jungle Pearl, a mid-range lodge nestled a few meters from Lake Manyara, is where you stay after day one in Tarangire. It's the base for your early start into Ngorongoro on day two.

Does the price cover the park entry fees?

Yes, all park entries, government tax and transport are included in the tour price. You pay nothing extra at the gates.

What wildlife should you expect to see in Tarangire?

Tarangire is home to the largest elephant herds in the region, and the riverbanks hold lions, leopards, giraffes, zebras and various antelope species. The baobab trees are landmarks in themselves.

How long is the game drive on day two in Ngorongoro?

The day two game drive runs 7 to 8 hours, starting at dawn and pausing for a picnic lunch by the hippo pool before the return drive to Arusha.