4-Day Safari to Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Lake Manyara

Serengeti and Ngorongoro wildlife safari with diverse East African species in one night

This 4-day safari from Arusha visits Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, with park fees, a professional guide and hotel pickup included. Day one is a full game drive through Lake Manyara's acacia forest and along its shoreline. Day two crosses the Great Rift Valley to the Serengeti's 6,900 square miles of open plains, home to two million wildebeest and the Great Migration. Days three and four split between an early morning game drive in the Serengeti, a drive to Ngorongoro's 102-square-mile crater, and a final crater floor game drive before returning to Arusha by late afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arusha to Lake Manyara

• Pick up from hotel at 8 am
• Drive across Great Rift Valley
• Full day game drive in Lake Manyara
• Return to camp for dinner

Day 2: Lake Manyara to Serengeti NP

• Early breakfast
• Depart to Serengeti National Park
• Enjoy scenic drive to Serengeti

Day 3: Serengeti Game Drive then Ngorongoro Crater

• Early morning game drive in Serengeti
• Return to camp for brunch
• Drive to Ngorongoro Crater
• Enjoy sundowner at Ngorongoro

Day 4: Ngorongoro then Arusha

• Early descent into Ngorongoro Crater
• Morning wildlife game drive
• Picnic lunch near Hippo Lake
• Short game drive after lunch
• Ascend crater and drive to Arusha

The experience

Lake Manyara opens the tour with a full day of game drives through a park small in size but dense with wildlife. The acacia forest, giant figs and mahogany trees frame permanent residents (giraffes, elephants, impalas and large buffalo herds), while the lake itself holds hippos and attracts flamingos. The drive follows the shoreline, putting giraffes and buffaloes in the foreground with the water behind them, a setup that makes for the kind of photograph that reads as implausible until you see it. Pickup starts at 8 am from your hotel in Arusha, and the afternoon returns you to Ngare Lodge for dinner.

The drive to the Serengeti on day two is long but the landscape does the work. As the plains open up, the name makes sense. It means "endless plains" in the local language, and they do stretch to the horizon. The park covers 6,900 square miles and holds two million wildebeest, hundreds of thousands of zebras and every kind of antelope. Lions, cheetahs, leopards and hyenas are the predators to watch for, and the Serengeti is where the famous River Crossings of the Great Migration have been filmed. You'll spend one night at Seronera Public Campsite, which is short by safari standards but fits the four-day frame.

Day three starts before dawn for an early morning game drive when animals are most active, followed by a brunch back at camp. Then the route turns toward Ngorongoro, the 8th Wonder of the Natural World. The crater spreads across 102 square miles with 2,000-foot walls that make it a self-contained ecosystem. It holds a river, swamps, a soda lake crowded with flamingos, forest and open plains, and it is one of the few places on the continent where black rhinos still live. The elephants here are the largest in the world, with tusks to match. You'll reach the crater in time for a sundowner at Ngorongoro Simba Campsite. On the final morning, an early descent to the crater floor gives a last game drive in one of the most densely populated wildlife zones on earth, followed by a picnic lunch near Hippo Lake and a short afternoon drive before the ascent back to Arusha by around 5 pm.

What’s included

• Park fees for Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
• unlimited drinking water.
• professional guide in your choice of English, Spanish, Italian, French or one additional language.
• hotel pickup from Arusha.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (3 to 90 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupUp to 100

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

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 yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Serengeti Wildlife Safaris

Is this one for you?Pickup from your Arusha hotel settles the transport question if you're arriving without a car or staying in the city. The four-day frame fits travelers who want the three most famous parks but have limited time. If you can stay longer, a 6-day version adds depth to each stop.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

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

What animals am I most likely to see on a 4-day Serengeti and Ngorongoro safari?

Lake Manyara holds hippos, giraffes, elephants, impalas and buffalo herds year-round, plus flamingos on the lake itself. The Serengeti is home to two million wildebeest, hundreds of thousands of zebras, lions, cheetahs, leopards and hyenas, and is the stage for the Great Migration. Ngorongoro Crater is one of the few places in East Africa where you can see black rhinos, and it also holds the largest elephants on the continent.

How much time do I actually spend in the Serengeti on this tour?

You spend one night in the Serengeti, with an early morning game drive on day three before departing for Ngorongoro. The operator notes this is shorter than ideal but fits the four-day timeframe if your schedule is tight and you still want to see the park.

What time does the tour start and end each day?

Pickup from your Arusha hotel is at 8 am on day one. Early morning game drives happen on days three and four to catch animals when they are most active and to see sunrise. The final return to Arusha is expected around 5 pm on day four, though the operator is flexible if you have a flight to catch.

What is included in the price?

Park fees for all three parks, unlimited drinking water throughout the tour, a professional guide, and hotel pickup from Arusha are included. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and one additional language.

Where do I sleep on this safari?

Night one is at Ngare Lodge near Lake Manyara, night two at Seronera Public Campsite in the Serengeti, and night three at Ngorongoro Simba Campsite overlooking the crater. Accommodation upgrades are available at each stop.

Is this tour physically demanding?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. It is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health due to the long driving days and early morning starts, but otherwise no special fitness is required.