6-Day Serengeti Safari from Arusha: Big Five and Crater

Cross four ecosystems and descend into a crater teeming with lions and rhinos

A 6-day guided safari from Arusha that moves through Tarangire National Park, the Serengeti plains and Ngorongoro Crater, with park entry, accommodations and a private vehicle included. You'll spend full days on game drives watching elephants, Big Five and seasonal migration, descend into the crater for a picnic lunch surrounded by wildlife, and cross the Rift Valley en route between parks.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Transfer from Arusha to Tarangire

• Travel from Arusha to Tarangire
• Observe elephants and diverse wildlife
• See rare species and birdlife
• Enjoy landscape with baobab trees
• Overnight at Manyara secret Luxury Hotel

Day 2: Drive Lake Manyara to Serengeti

• Breakfast at accommodation
• Drive to Serengeti (approx. 5 hours)
• Enjoy Rift Valley views en route
• Afternoon game drive in Serengeti
• Overnight at Nyota luxury tented camp

Day 3: Full day game drive Serengeti

• Morning game drive in Serengeti
• Afternoon game drive in Serengeti
• Optional hot air balloon safari
• Return to Nyota luxury tented camp

Day 4: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Area

• Morning game drive in Serengeti
• Drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
• Optional stop at Olduvai Gorge
• Evening arrival at lodge overlooking crater
• Overnight at Ngorongoro Tortilis camp

Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater Tour

• Early morning descent into Ngorongoro Crater
• Game viewing inside crater
• Picnic lunch inside crater
• Return to lodge for relaxation
• Transfer to Karatu for overnight stay
• Overnight at Farm of Dream Lodge

Day 6: Transfer Karatu to Arusha and Departure

• Breakfast at accommodation
• Drive back to Arusha (3-4 hours)
• Shopping stop for souvenirs
• Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport

The experience

The route chains four distinct landscapes over six days, each one built around what lives there. Tarangire draws herds of elephants and over 500 bird species to the river during the dry season. The Serengeti's open plains let you track lions, leopards and wildebeest across vast distances. The Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, concentrates rhinos, hippos and predators inside a caldera you descend into on foot for a full day of game viewing. Lake Manyara sits between them, crossed en route on the drive north.

The itinerary runs morning and afternoon game drives most days, with a full day in the Serengeti built around the possibility of witnessing the Great Migration if you travel during the season it passes through. An optional hot air balloon safari (additional cost, pre-booked) lifts you above the plains at dawn. You'll eat breakfast at camp, picnic inside the crater, and return each evening to your lodge: three nights in luxury tented camps inside the parks and two in lodges overlooking them or nearby. A professional guide drives the private vehicle and navigates the parks. WiFi reaches you on board.

The route begins and ends in Arusha, with pickup included and a final stop at Kilimanjaro International Airport. The drive from Arusha to Tarangire takes a morning. The Serengeti leg covers roughly five hours through the Rift Valley. The return to Arusha on day six takes three to four hours after breakfast, with time for a souvenir stop if you want one.

What’s included

• Park fees for all four parks.
• accommodations in luxury tented camps inside the Serengeti and lodges at Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Karatu.
• professional guide fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, French and additional languages.
• private safari vehicle for the full six days.
• WiFi on board.
• pickup from Kilimanjaro International Airport and return transfer on day six.

Options for this experience

2 options

6 Day AdventureGuide in 6 languages · 08:00pickup is included

Includes a hot air balloon rideGuide in 6 languages · 08:00pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (16 to 90 years) · Youth (8 to 15 years) · Child (5 to 7 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Chinese

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 46 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by RO SCAVENGER SAFARIS

Is this one for you?Pick this 6-day itinerary if you want to visit all four parks with a full day descending into Ngorongoro Crater on foot. Shorter versions skip either the crater or Lake Manyara, while longer ones add extra Serengeti time.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

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

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (8 to 15 years); Child (5 to 7 years); Infant (1 to 4 years).

What animals will I actually see on a Serengeti game drive?

The Serengeti holds lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, zebras, giraffes and wildebeest year-round, and if you travel during the migration season (typically June through October), you'll witness the movement of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebras across the plains. The guide positions the vehicle for viewing and knows where predators hunt.

Can I see the Big Five in the Ngorongoro Crater?

Ngorongoro Crater is home to lions, rhinos, hippos, elephants and buffalo, all concentrated in the caldera. You descend on foot early in the morning for a full day of game viewing, with a picnic lunch at a scenic spot inside the crater itself, so you're surrounded by wildlife while you eat.

How much time do I spend driving versus game viewing?

Most days include morning and afternoon game drives from your lodge, with the longest single drive being the five-hour transfer from Lake Manyara to the Serengeti, which itself includes wildlife viewing en route through the Rift Valley. The day you move from the Serengeti to Ngorongoro includes a morning game drive before departure.

What's included in the price, and what costs extra?

Park fees, accommodations, meals at your lodges, the professional guide and private vehicle are all included. International flights and travel insurance are not. A hot air balloon safari over the Serengeti is optional and costs extra. It requires pre-booking and is available to children aged eight and up.

Do I need a visa to enter Tanzania, and how do I get to Arusha?

Visa requirements depend on your nationality. Check with the Tanzanian embassy for your country. You'll fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport, and your transfer from there to Arusha on day one is included in the tour price.