Tanzania Safari 7 Days: Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Tarangire

Ngorongoro Crater safari tour with abundant wildlife including lions, wildebeest, zebra, and black rhino

A seven-day safari from Arusha covering Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire national parks with your own private 4x4 Toyota Cruiser, English-speaking driver-guide and all park entry fees. You stay in a mix of hotel, tented lodge and tented camp accommodation with private bathrooms, and the itinerary includes a 6am descent into Ngorongoro Crater and full-day game drives in the Serengeti. Accommodation spans one night in Arusha city and five nights on safari with all meals; soft drinks, coffee, tea and water come with you on every drive.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival and transfer to Arusha

• Arrive at Arusha Airport
• Meet driver guide
• Transfer to hotel in Arusha
• Introduction to city and country
• Dinner and overnight in Arusha

Day 2 — Lake Manyara National Park safari

• Collect picnic lunchbox
• Drive to Lake Manyara National Park
• Explore park wildlife and landscape
• Return to lodge
• Dinner and overnight at Lake Manyara

Day 3 — Travel to Serengeti National Park

• Breakfast at lodge
• Collect picnic lunchbox
• Depart Lake Manyara
• Drive to Serengeti National Park
• Dinner and overnight in Serengeti

Day 4 — Serengeti National Park game drives

• Breakfast at lodge
• Morning game drive in Serengeti
• Picnic lunch
• Afternoon game drive in Serengeti
• Dinner and overnight in Serengeti

Day 5 — Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation

• Breakfast at lodge
• Morning game drive in Serengeti
• Picnic lunch
• Drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
• Settle in at lodge
• Dinner and overnight in Ngorongoro

Day 6 — Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire

• Early breakfast
• Drive to Ngorongoro Crater rim
• Descend and game drive in crater
• Lunch
• Drive to Tarangire National Park
• Dinner and overnight in Tarangire

Day 7 — Tarangire safari and departure

• Morning game drive in Tarangire
• Lunch
• Drive to Arusha Airport

The Experience

The tour starts with pickup from Arusha Airport and a night in the city before the safari begins. Day two takes you west to Lake Manyara National Park, a full game drive through acacia woodlands and along the shores of the shallow alkaline lake where you'll watch for lions, elephants and the park's tree-climbing cats. A picnic lunch breaks the drive, and you're back at the lodge by afternoon.

From Lake Manyara, a 5-hour journey of around 222km northwestward follows the Rift Valley to the Serengeti. The drive itself is the highlight for first-time visitors—the sheer vastness of the plains rolling away in front of you creates a sense of awe that no photograph prepares you for. Once there, you have a full day of game drives: morning and afternoon sessions with your driver-guide, separated by a picnic lunch at the lodge. The Serengeti's light and wildlife change subtly as the day progresses, and your guide explains what you're seeing as you search for lions, cheetahs, buffalo, wildebeest and zebra.

The Ngorongoro Crater comes next. You depart at 6am to reach the rim and then descend into the crater floor itself—a unique ecosystem holding around 120 lions with well-defined territories, 15,000 wildebeest, 9,000 zebra, 400 hyenas and roughly 50 black rhino. After the morning game drive in the crater, you drive southeastward for 4½ hours (200km) to Tarangire National Park. The final day is another full game drive through Tarangire's nearly 3,000 km² of diverse landscape, where animal densities can rival the Serengeti. After lunch, a 3-hour drive covering 175km returns you to Arusha Airport.

What’s included

• Accommodation for six nights split between Arusha city hotel and safari lodges with private bathrooms.
• all park entry fees for Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire.
• private 4x4 Toyota Cruiser throughout the tour.
• expert English-speaking driver-guide.
• all meals on safari (breakfast, lunch and dinner) plus dinner and breakfast in Arusha.
• soft drinks, coffee, tea and water on every game drive.
• airport pickup and return transfer.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Easy Travel Tours LTD

Is this one for you?Book the Comfort Lodging option if you want the classic parks and wildlife without premium amenities eating into the safari budget; choose Comfort Plus or higher if private bathroom facilities and upgraded camp settings matter more than cost. The early 6am Ngorongoro descent is fixed across all options, so if you prefer a later start to your days, this tour's schedule is not flexible.

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Top questions

What wildlife might I see on a seven-day Tanzania safari?

The tour covers four parks where you'll encounter lions, cheetahs, elephants, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, gazelle and hyenas. Ngorongoro Crater specifically holds around 120 lions, 15,000 wildebeest, 9,000 zebra, 400 hyenas and approximately 50 black rhino, plus birdlife throughout all parks.

How much driving is involved each day?

Game drives run morning and afternoon on most days, split by a picnic lunch at your lodge. The longest single drive is the 5-hour, 222km journey from Lake Manyara to the Serengeti; other transfers between parks range from 3 to 4½ hours.

What's included in the accommodation?

You get one night in an Arusha hotel with half-board (dinner and breakfast), then five nights on safari with full board (all meals) split between tented lodges and tented camps, each with private bathroom facilities.

Is a guide included, and what languages do they speak?

Your own private driver-guide stays with you throughout the seven days and speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and one additional language, explaining the wildlife and landscape as you drive.

What's covered in the price and what isn't?

Park fees, accommodation, all meals on safari, your private 4x4 vehicle, driver-guide, soft drinks, coffee, tea and water on game drives are included. International and domestic flights, visa, travel insurance, tips for guide and hotel staff, and drinks or laundry at the lodges are optional add-ons depending on your chosen lodging tier.