6-Day Tanzania Safari: Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater

Watch lions rest in acacia trees while three million animals move across endless plains.

This 6-day safari from Arusha covers Tarangire National Park, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara, with two nights in the Serengeti's central plains. You spend full days on game drives, starting before sunrise to catch wildlife at their most active, and stay in tented camps throughout. A live guide in English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language leads the tour, and hotel pickup is included. You'll need to arrange your own visa and tips for guides.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Tarangire National Park game drive

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to Tarangire National Park
• Full day game drive in Tarangire
• Overnight at Maramboi Tented Camp

Day 2: Drive to Serengeti and Maasai visit

• Breakfast at camp
• Drive to Serengeti National Park
• Game viewing en route
• Optional visit to Maasai Village
• Overnight at Kubu Kubu Tented Camp

Day 3: Serengeti full day game drive

• Early morning game drive before sunrise
• Breakfast break during game drive
• Continue game drive in Serengeti
• Return to camp in late afternoon
• Overnight at Kubu Kubu Tented Camp

Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater game drive

• Drive to Ngorongoro Crater
• Game drive inside Ngorongoro Crater
• Lunch inside the crater
• Continue game drive
• Drive to Karatu town
• Overnight at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge

Day 5: Lake Manyara National Park visit

• Visit Lake Manyara National Park
• Game drive and wildlife viewing
• Optional village or school visit
• Return to Arusha in late afternoon
• Overnight at Manyara's Secret

Day 6: Tour conclusion

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• End of safari tour

The experience

The route moves through four parks in sequence, each one distinct. Tarangire opens the safari with its herds of elephants and the Tarangire River, the only water source during the dry season and a magnet for every animal in the region. From there you drive roughly three hours to the Serengeti, crossing game on the way. The plains themselves are enormous, roughly the size of Switzerland, and the central area spreads with acacia trees, rocky outcrops and animals visible for miles. Two full nights here let you explore both the wide-open central plains and, depending on the season, either the northern crossing routes or the western migration herds near the Grumeti River.

The Ngorongoro Crater comes next: a two-hour drive from the Serengeti takes you to the world's largest intact collapsed volcano, a self-contained ecosystem where lions, hyenas, buffalo, zebras and rhinos live inside the crater walls. You descend for a full game drive and lunch in the crater itself, then return to higher ground. Lake Manyara, the final park, sits between Tarangire and Ngorongoro and holds a groundwater forest, Tanzania's only real forest, where blue monkeys live among giraffes, elephants and flamingos that dust the lake pink. The tour ends with a return to Arusha in the late afternoon.

Early mornings are built into the rhythm: you leave around 6 am for sunrise game drives with breakfast boxes, then break around 8 or 9 am before continuing. This timing catches wildlife when they're most active. Tented camps provide overnight stays, and the operator can arrange dietary needs like vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free meals if you note them at booking. An optional Maasai village visit in the Ngorongoro Highlands lets you meet elders, warriors and families to learn about the culture and traditions of Tanzania's last nomadic people.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Arusha.
• five nights in tented camps (Maramboi, Kubu Kubu, Ngorongoro Serena Lodge and Manyara's Secret).
• full-day game drives in Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara.
• entry to all four national parks.
• breakfast boxes on early morning drives.
• lunch in Ngorongoro Crater.
• a live guide in your chosen language.
• an optional Maasai village visit in the Ngorongoro Highlands.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (31 to 45 years) · Senior (46 to 80 years) · Youth (16 to 30 years) · Child (4 to 15 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

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 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by TALES OF TANZANIA SAFARIS

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see the full range of Tanzania's wildlife and landscapes in one trip. The two Serengeti nights mean you're not rushing through the plains, and the fixed route hits all four parks without backtracking. It suits travelers who prefer a structured itinerary with a guide rather than self-driving, and who can manage early mornings and full days in a vehicle.

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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 (16 to 30 years); Child (4 to 15 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What animals am I most likely to see on this 6-day safari?

The Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater hold lions, elephants, leopards, buffalo, zebras and hyenas as regular sightings. The Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo) are all present, though rhino sightings depend on luck. Tarangire is known especially for large elephant herds, and Lake Manyara holds giraffes, blue monkeys and flamingos.

How much time do I actually spend on game drives each day?

Full-day game drives are the standard: you leave around 6 am for the sunrise drive, break for breakfast around 8 or 9 am, then continue through the afternoon. The Ngorongoro Crater day includes a full game drive inside the crater itself plus lunch there. Driving between parks takes time (roughly three hours to reach the Serengeti from Tarangire), but game viewing happens en route.

Why two nights in the Serengeti instead of one?

The Serengeti is enormous and two nights let you explore different areas depending on the season: the central plains with their wide-open spaces and leopard sightings, or the northern and western regions where the migration herds concentrate. One night would leave most of the park unseen.

Is the Maasai village visit included, or do I pay extra?

The village visit in the Ngorongoro Highlands is optional, meaning you can choose to do it or skip it during the tour. Arrange it with your guide if you want to meet the elders, warriors and families and learn about their culture and traditions.

Does the price include park entry fees and meals?

Park entry is included in the tour. Meals and accommodation in tented camps are part of the package. Tips and gratuities for your guide are not included and are arranged separately.