6-Day Private Safari Arusha: Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro

Six days hunting the big five across Tanzania's three greatest parks

A 6-day private safari from Arusha takes you through Tarangire National Park, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater with an English-speaking guide, hotel pickup and all transport included. You spend two days in the Serengeti with sunrise and afternoon game drives, descend into Ngorongoro to search for black rhino, and finish at Lake Manyara before returning to Arusha. The itinerary is fixed, the guide is yours alone, and the route covers the parks where Tanzania's wildlife concentrates.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Tarangire National Park Safari

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive 2 hours to Tarangire National Park
• Game viewing from open roof vehicle
• Picnic lunch with park view
• Continue game viewing
• Drive to Fig Tree Lodge
• Dinner and overnight at lodge

Day 2 — Travel to Serengeti National Park

• Breakfast at lodge
• Drive 4-5 hours to Serengeti
• Picnic lunch en route
• Afternoon game drive in Serengeti
• Dinner and overnight at Seronera Campsite

Day 3 — Full Day Serengeti Game Drive

• Sunrise game drive
• Explore Serengeti wildlife and birds
• Return to camp for hot lunch
• Afternoon game drive
• Dinner and overnight at Seronera Campsite

Day 4 — Morning Serengeti and Travel to Ngorongoro

• Early morning sunrise game drive
• Breakfast picnic in the bush
• Return to camp for hot lunch
• Load vehicle and depart to Ngorongoro
• Dinner and overnight at Simba Campsite

Day 5 — Ngorongoro Crater Exploration

• Early breakfast
• Descend to Ngorongoro Crater
• Wildlife viewing including black rhino
• Picnic lunch at Hippo Lake or hot lunch at camp
• Drive to Fig Tree Lodge
• Dinner and overnight at lodge

Day 6 — Lake Manyara National Park Visit

• Breakfast at lodge
• Short drive to Lake Manyara park gate
• Game viewing including flamingos and tree climbing lions
• Return to Arusha by 4 pm

The Experience

The safari starts with a 2-hour drive from your hotel to Tarangire National Park, where you'll spend your first two days. The park is built around its river and seasonal swamps — animals gather there because water is scarce elsewhere — so you'll see herds of elephants, giraffes, zebras, lions and leopards from the open roof of your vehicle. The landscape is defined by ancient baobab trees, some of the largest on the continent. You'll have a picnic lunch at a site overlooking the park, then continue game viewing before heading to Fig Tree Lodge for the night.

Days two and three belong to the Serengeti. The drive takes 4 to 5 hours through the crater highlands, with a picnic stop on the way. Once you arrive, you'll have an afternoon game drive, then a full day exploring the park — sunrise drive at 6 am, hot lunch back at camp, afternoon drive until sunset. The Serengeti holds over 500 bird species alongside the large mammals, and the open grassland means you can spot animals across vast distances. Your guide will search for the big five while you watch the landscape change with the light.

On day four, you'll wake before dawn for a sunrise game drive when animals are most active, eat breakfast in the bush, then drive to Ngorongoro. Day five takes you into the crater itself — you'll descend early and spend the day on the crater floor, where black rhino, buffalo, lions and zebras live in one of the world's largest intact calderas. The crater concentrates wildlife in a smaller space than the open parks, so sightings are frequent. You can choose to picnic at Hippo Lake or eat back at camp, then return to Fig Tree Lodge. The final morning is a short drive to Lake Manyara, known for tree-climbing lions and thousands of flamingos. You'll be back in Arusha by 4 pm, though the guide can adjust timing if you have a flight to catch.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Arusha.
• English-speaking guide for all six days.
• transport in a vehicle with an open roof.
• park entry fees for Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara.
• accommodation at Fig Tree Lodge, Seronera Campsite and Simba Campsite.
• picnic lunches and hot meals at camp.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Serengeti Wakanda Tours & Safaris

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want a private guide and vehicle for the full six days without coordinating pickups, park bookings or logistics yourself — everything is arranged, and the driver adjusts timing if your flight changes.

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Top questions

What's the difference between the Serengeti and Ngorongoro on this safari?

The Serengeti is vast open plains where you search across huge distances for wildlife; Ngorongoro is a crater floor where animals are concentrated in a smaller area, so sightings tend to be more frequent and closer. Both are included on this tour.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the parks?

No. Hotel pickup is included, and the guide drives you the entire route — from Arusha to each park, between parks, and back to Arusha at the end. All transport is part of the package.

What time do game drives start each day?

Most days you'll drive in the afternoon after arriving or after lunch. On days three and four in the Serengeti, sunrise drives start around 6 am when animals are most active; you'll return to camp for hot lunch, then head out again in the afternoon.

Will I see the big five on this safari?

The itinerary is designed to search for them — lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino — across three parks where they live. Sightings depend on animal movement and luck, but your guide will use experience to find them. Ngorongoro is known for black rhino, which are rare elsewhere.

What kind of accommodation is included?

You'll stay at Fig Tree Lodge (nights one and five), Seronera Campsite (nights two and three) and Simba Campsite (night four). These are the operator's standard lodges for this route; the level of comfort varies between them.

Can the guide adjust the schedule if I have a flight to catch?

Yes. The final day ends with a drive back to Arusha, normally arriving around 4 pm, but the guide is flexible if you need to leave earlier or later to match your flight time.