5-Day Tanzania Safari: Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Big Five

Track lions, elephants and the Great Migration across four national parks in five days

A 5-day guided safari tour from Arusha through Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire and Lake Manyara with private 4x4 vehicle, expert English-speaking guide, and luxury lodge and tented camp stays. The itinerary covers over 2,850 square kilometers of wildlife habitat, with full-day and half-day game drives timed to spot the Big Five, tree-climbing lions, and seasonal Great Migration herds. Pickup from Arusha hotel is included. Children from age 6 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Game drive in Tarangire National Park

• Pick up from Arusha hotel
• Full day game drive in Tarangire
• Lunch in the park
• Dinner at Farm of Dream Lodge

Day 2: Travel to Serengeti and half game drive

• Depart from Mto wa Mbu early
• Drive through Ngorongoro Conservation Area
• Picnic lunch at Naabi Hill Gate
• Half-day game drive in Serengeti
• Overnight at Tukaone Luxury Tented Camp

Day 3: Full game drive in Serengeti National Park

• Early morning full-day game drive
• Picnic lunch near Grumeti River
• Afternoon game drive continues
• Return to Tukaone Luxury Tented Camp

Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater game drive and transfer

• Early breakfast
• Game drive in Ngorongoro Crater
• Picnic lunch at crater lake
• Transfer to Mto wa Mbu
• Dinner at Farm of Dream Lodge

Day 5: Lake Manyara game drive and drop off

• Full day game drive in Lake Manyara
• Picnic lunch with lake views
• Explore hot springs and wildlife
• Drop off at Arusha hotel

The experience

How do you see the Big Five without spending weeks in the bush? This 5-day tour strings together four parks (Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara) each one a different ecosystem and each one a different cast of animals. You start in Tarangire, where vast elephant herds gather around the Tarangire River and baobab trees dot the plains. The park sits quieter than the Serengeti, so you get the wildlife without the crowds. From there you move north into Serengeti's central Seronera Valley, where lions, cheetahs and leopards hunt year-round, and the Great Migration herds pass through depending on the season.

The Ngorongoro Crater day is the one people talk about afterward. The crater floor functions as a contained wildlife oasis: over 25,000 animals live inside it, and the Big Five all appear there regularly. You drive down into the crater itself, stop for lunch at a small lake where hippos and migratory birds gather, and spend the afternoon tracking rhinos, lions, elephants, leopards and buffalo across the crater floor. Lake Manyara rounds out the trip with tree-climbing lions draped across acacia branches, thousands of flamingos on the alkaline lake, and hot springs called Maji Moto that dot the shoreline. Each park offers a full-day or half-day game drive, with picnic lunches at scenic spots and early morning starts to catch animals when they are most active.

You travel in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with an open roof and large windows: built for game viewing and photography. Your guide speaks English and can arrange tours in Spanish, Italian or French. Accommodation alternates between luxury lodges and tented camps positioned near prime wildlife zones, so you wake up to the sounds of the African bush. The tour departs from your Arusha hotel at 7 am on day one and returns you there after the Lake Manyara drive on day five.

What’s included

• Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with open roof and large window access.
• expert guide fluent in English (Spanish, Italian and French available).
• all national park entry fees and taxes.
• luxury lodge and tented camp accommodation for four nights.
• picnic lunches at scenic spots during game drives.
• hotel pickup from Arusha on day one.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Youth (6 to 15 years) · Under 6: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 9 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Rede Tours and Safaris (Amore African Safari LTD)

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a small-group safari with flexible routing that follows animal movement, rather than a fixed itinerary: the open-roof vehicle seats just a handful, so your guide can pivot the day based on where wildlife is active.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

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

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (6 to 15 years). Under 6: they can't be included in the booking.

What is the Great Migration and when will I see it on this safari?

The Great Migration is the seasonal movement of over two million wildebeest, zebras and other herbivores across the Serengeti and surrounding areas, following rainfall and fresh grass. Timing varies: the herds typically move through the central Serengeti (where this tour drives) from June through October, and the northern regions from November through May. The itinerary includes full-day game drives in Serengeti's Seronera region, where migration herds pass depending on the season you travel.

Can I see all five members of the Big Five on this tour?

The Big Five (lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo) all live in these parks, and Ngorongoro Crater has a particularly high concentration of them. The crater's enclosed ecosystem creates what the operator calls an "animal oasis," so spotting all five on the crater day is common. Tarangire, Serengeti and Lake Manyara each hold all five as well, though sightings depend on animal movement and timing within each day's drive.

What are tree-climbing lions and where do I see them?

Tree-climbing lions are lions that rest on the branches of acacia trees, a behavior unique to Lake Manyara National Park. The park is famous for this sight. The lions climb into trees to escape insects and heat, and to survey the landscape. The fifth day's full-day game drive in Lake Manyara focuses on spotting them, along with the park's lush groundwater forests and the shallow alkaline lake itself.

How long are the game drives each day and when do they start?

Day one begins at 7 am with pickup from your Arusha hotel and a full-day drive in Tarangire. Day two involves a 5–6 hour journey to Serengeti with a half-day game drive after lunch. Days three and four are full-day game drives in Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater respectively. Day five is a full-day drive in Lake Manyara before return to Arusha. Early morning starts maximize wildlife sightings when animals are most active.

What kind of accommodation will I stay in?

The tour alternates between luxury lodges and tented camps. Farm of Dream Lodge hosts you on nights one and four. Tukaone Luxury Tented Camp is your base for nights two and three in Serengeti. Both are positioned near prime wildlife zones and include all fees and taxes in the tour price.