Tanzania Safari: Serengeti, Crater & Game Drives

Track wildlife across four national parks without arranging transport, camps or meals

A seven-day guided safari from Arusha through Tanzania's Northern Safari Circuit, visiting Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater with private transportation, all park fees, meals and accommodation at luxury lodges included. The itinerary is fixed so the timing holds; you arrive at each park ready to drive, not planning the logistics.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival in Arusha

• Pick up from airport
• Transfer to accommodation
• Overnight at Grand Melia Arusha

Day 2 — Tarangire National Park

• Collect from Arusha lodging
• Drive to Tarangire National Park
• Game drive in Tarangire
• Dinner and overnight at Maramboi Luxury Tented Camp

Day 3 — Lake Manyara National Park

• Breakfast at lodge
• Drive to Lake Manyara National Park
• Game drive in Lake Manyara
• Overnight at Kitela Luxury Lodge

Day 4 — Serengeti National Park

• Breakfast at lodge
• Drive through Ngorongoro Conservation Area
• View Ngorongoro Crater
• Arrive at Serengeti National Park
• Game drive in Serengeti
• Dinner and overnight at Nyota Luxury Camp

Day 5 — Serengeti National Park

• Full day game drives in Serengeti
• Return to Nyota Luxury Camp
• Dinner and overnight at camp

Day 6 — Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater

• Breakfast at camp
• Drive to Ngorongoro Crater
• Descend into Ngorongoro Crater
• Game drive in crater
• Dinner and overnight in Karatu

Day 7 — Karatu to the Airport

• Pick up from accommodation
• Drive to airport
• End of safari

The Experience

You're picked up from Arusha airport and spend the first night at Gran Melia Arusha before the safari begins. The next morning a personal guide collects you from your lodging and heads toward Tarangire National Park across Masai plains dotted with acacia trees. From the open roof of a safari jeep you watch for elephants—the park is known for large herds—alongside zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, giraffe and the occasional lion or leopard in the trees. After the game drive you move to Maramboi Luxury Tented Camp for dinner and overnight.

Lake Manyara comes next, a smaller park 120 kilometers west of Arusha where a shallow soda lake covers seventy percent of the surface. The water draws thousands of flamingos and over 500 bird species; on the ground you encounter monkeys in woodlands, giraffes, zebras and elephants against baobab-dotted cliffs. The park shifts between open grassy plains and dense forest, so the landscape changes as you drive. You stay at Kitela Luxury Lodge before moving on.

The route to Serengeti passes through Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where you see the crater rim before descending into the park itself by midday. Serengeti covers 15,000 square kilometers of grassy plains, swamps, lakes and savannah. Depending on the season, you may witness the great migration of wildebeest, zebra and antelope moving across the landscape in search of water and food. Two full days here—one at Nyota Luxury Camp, then another day of game drives—give you time to track resident predators like leopard, cheetah and lion, and the migrating herds that define the park.

On day six you drive from Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater, descending the volcanic walls into a landscape that looks isolated from the rest of the world. The crater floor holds sweeping savannah, acacia woodland, lakes and swamps created when a volcano collapsed two to three million years ago. Large numbers of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle graze here, and the crater offers your best chance of spotting the endangered black rhino in the open grasslands. After an afternoon inside, you head to Kitela Luxury Lodge in Karatu for your final night. The last morning brings a drive back to the airport.

What’s included

• Private transportation throughout the seven days.
• all park entry fees and taxes.
• accommodation at luxury lodges (Gran Melia Arusha, Maramboi Tented Camp, Kitela Luxury Lodge, Nyota Luxury Camp).
• all meals.
• personal safari guide speaking your choice of language.
• game drives from open-roof jeeps at Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Lion King Adventures

Is this one for you?This tour suits travelers arriving in Arusha who want the Northern Safari Circuit without building the itinerary themselves—the fixed schedule, guide and lodges mean you step off the plane and into game drives, not into planning. If you prefer to move at your own pace or skip parks, a self-guided rental would work better; this one locks the timing so all four parks fit inside seven days without gaps.

Traveler reviews

4.99★★★★★★★★★★

706 verified traveler reviews

5 ★700

4 ★6

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What animals am I most likely to see on this Tanzania safari?

Tarangire is known for large elephant herds; Lake Manyara holds thousands of flamingos and over 500 bird species; Serengeti hosts the great migration of wildebeest, zebra and antelope, plus resident lions, leopards and cheetahs. Ngorongoro Crater offers the best chance of seeing the endangered black rhino. Across all parks you encounter giraffes, buffalo, zebras and various monkey species.

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

No. Private transportation is included for all transfers between parks and lodges. A personal guide drives you in a safari jeep with an open roof, and the itinerary handles the timing so you arrive at each park ready to begin game drives.

What happens on arrival in Arusha?

You're picked up from the airport by a Lion King representative and driven to Gran Melia Arusha, where you spend the first night relaxing and preparing for the safari. The game drives begin the following morning.

Is the great migration guaranteed during this safari?

The migration's location depends on rainfall and varies year to year. In November and December the herds move from the northern woodlands to the southern grassy plains; from April to June they return north. Depending on when you travel, you may witness thousands of animals on their seasonal trek, though the exact timing is not fixed.

What languages does the guide speak?

Your personal guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and one additional language, so you can request your preferred language when booking.

Are meals included in the safari?

Yes. All meals are included at your luxury lodges each night. After each day's game drive you return to your accommodation for dinner.