5-Day Northern Tanzania Safari from Arusha: Private Game Drives

Move through four parks at your own rhythm, with a guide who knows the routes and the animals.

A private 5-day safari from Arusha covering Tarangire National Park, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, with a professional English-speaking guide, private 4x4 vehicle with pop-up roof, all national park entrance fees, accommodation in hand-selected lodges and camps, and meals throughout. The itinerary is fully customizable, allowing you to spend more time on wildlife sightings that matter to you and adjust the pace to match your interests and energy.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arusha to Tarangire National Park

• Breakfast in Arusha
• Drive to Tarangire National Park
• Full-day game drive in Tarangire
• Picnic lunch inside the park
• Afternoon game drive
• Drive to lodge or camp
• Dinner and overnight stay

Day 2 — Tarangire to Serengeti National Park

• Breakfast at camp
• Travel toward Serengeti National Park
• Game viewing en route
• Arrive in central Serengeti (Seronera)
• Picnic lunch in the park
• Afternoon and evening game drive
• Arrive at luxury camp
• Dinner and overnight stay

Day 3 — Full-day Serengeti game drive

• Breakfast at camp
• Full-day game drive across Serengeti plains
• Picnic lunch inside the park
• Afternoon safari continuation
• Return to camp at sunset
• Dinner and overnight stay

Day 4 — Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

• Breakfast at camp
• Morning game drive in Serengeti
• Travel to Ngorongoro
• Wildlife viewing en route
• Arrive at crater rim lodge
• Dinner and overnight stay

Day 5 — Ngorongoro Crater safari and return

• Breakfast at lodge
• Descend into Ngorongoro Crater
• Full-day crater safari
• Picnic lunch by crater floor
• Continue exploration
• Drive back to Arusha
• Proceed to hotel or airport

The Experience

Tarangire National Park opens the safari on day one. After breakfast in Arusha, you drive into a landscape of baobab trees and large elephant herds, with a full day of game drives and a picnic lunch inside the park. The park is quieter than the Serengeti — fewer vehicles, more space to watch animals move through their day. You overnight at Serian Tarangire Camp.

Days two and three center on the Serengeti. The drive from Tarangire crosses open country with wildlife viewing along the way, and you arrive at Seronera in the central Serengeti, one of Africa's richest wildlife corridors. Two full days of game drives here mean you can follow predators, watch for migration herds if the season aligns, and return to camp at sunset. Your guide brings binoculars, guidebooks and the knowledge of which areas hold lions, leopards and cheetahs on any given morning. The vehicle has a pop-up roof so you can stand and scan the plains without leaving your seat.

Day four moves you from the Serengeti toward Ngorongoro, with game viewing along the scenic route. You arrive at your lodge on the crater rim in the late afternoon — the views of the crater itself frame dinner and the night. On the final day, you descend into Ngorongoro Crater for a full game drive across the crater floor, where lions, elephants, buffalo, hippos, zebras, flamingos and rhinos share one of the world's most concentrated wildlife sanctuaries. A picnic lunch happens by the crater floor before you drive back to Arusha and your hotel or airport in the afternoon.

The guide is Tanzanian and speaks English fluently; the 4x4 comes with a fridge, unlimited bottled water and tea or coffee during drives. All park entrance fees, accommodation, and meals are included. Airport pickup and drop-off are arranged before you arrive. The itinerary is private — no other travelers — and fully customizable, so if you want to spend an extra morning in one park or adjust the route, your guide and the camps work with you to make it happen.

What’s included

• Professional private English-speaking guide.
• private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof, fridge, binoculars and guidebooks.
• all national park entrance fees and Ngorongoro Crater service fee.
• 4 nights' accommodation in hand-selected luxury lodges and tented camps.
• breakfast, lunch and dinner as listed in the itinerary.
• unlimited tea, coffee and bottled mineral water during game drives.
• airport pickup and drop-off.
• government taxes and levies.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availableNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Gosheni Safaris (T) Limited

Is this one for you?Most group safaris move on a fixed schedule and stop where the operator chooses. This one is private — your guide adjusts the route and timing to follow the animals and match your pace, so a morning of lions doesn't get cut short because the van needs to move on.

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Top questions

What animals will I actually see on a 5-day safari in northern Tanzania?

The Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater hold lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, buffalo, hippos, zebras and rhinos. Tarangire is known for large elephant herds and varied birdlife. What you see depends on the season and the animals' movement patterns — your guide reads the landscape and adjusts the route to follow activity, but sightings are never guaranteed on any single drive.

Can I customize the itinerary, or is the 5-day route fixed?

The safari is fully private and customizable. The itinerary shows the standard route and parks, but you can adjust the pace, spend extra time in one area, or change the route based on wildlife activity or your interests. Your guide and the lodges work with you to make those changes.

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

The price includes all national park entrance fees, accommodation in the four specified lodges and camps, all meals listed in the itinerary, the private 4x4 vehicle with guide, airport pickup and drop-off, and unlimited tea, coffee and bottled water during drives. Tips for the guide and driver are recommended at $20 per person per day; visa fees, travel insurance, alcoholic drinks and personal expenses are separate.

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

Game drives are unlimited mileage and typically run in the morning and afternoon, with a picnic lunch break inside the park. The exact timing adjusts based on wildlife activity and your preferences — your guide plans the day around when and where animals are most active.

Is this safari suitable for children?

Children are welcome from age 1. Infants can sit on an adult's lap or use specialized infant seats. The vehicle has a pop-up roof so children can see over the grass, and the pace is flexible, so you can return to camp earlier if needed.

What is Ngorongoro Crater, and why is it worth a full day?

Ngorongoro Crater is a volcanic caldera in the highlands of northern Tanzania, roughly 20 kilometers across and 600 meters deep, with a crater floor that holds one of Africa's highest concentrations of large animals in a single area. A full day descending into the crater and driving across the floor gives you time to watch lions, elephants, buffalo and hippos in close proximity without the crowds of other parks.