Tanzania Safari: Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro Tour

Game drive through four parks and spot wildlife across Tanzania's most active ecosystems in five days.

A five-day group safari departing from Arusha that covers Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area with a certified English-speaking guide, midrange lodge accommodations and all game drives included. The itinerary moves through distinct landscapes—from baobab forests to soda lakes to endless savannah to a crater floor—so each day brings a different ecosystem and different animals. Hotel pickup is included; the minimum age is 15.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arusha to Tarangire National Park

• Depart from Arusha after breakfast
• Drive to Tarangire National Park
• Game drive in Tarangire National Park
• Enjoy picnic lunch amidst wildlife
• Afternoon game drive
• Relax at lodge in the evening

Day 2 — Explore Lake Manyara National Park

• Early morning game drive in Lake Manyara
• Spot elephants, giraffes, and lions
• Enjoy picnic lunch with lake views
• Afternoon game drive in diverse ecosystems
• Return to lodge for rest

Day 3 — Serengeti National Park Safari

• Breakfast and depart Lake Manyara
• Scenic drive to Serengeti National Park
• Game drive in Serengeti plains
• Spot lions, cheetahs, elephants, and more
• Settle into Serengeti accommodation

Day 4 — Serengeti to Ngorongoro Highlands

• Morning game drive in Serengeti
• Leisurely lunch
• Drive to Karatu area
• Arrive at lodge in Karatu

Day 5 — Ngorongoro Conservation Area Tour

• Early sunrise over Ngorongoro Crater
• Breakfast at lodge
• Guided tour inside Ngorongoro Crater
• Hot picnic lunch in crater
• Explore crater ecosystems
• Return journey to Arusha

The Experience

You leave Arusha after breakfast on day one and drive two hours to Tarangire National Park, where the first game drive takes you past ancient baobab trees and herds of elephants, zebras and giraffes. A picnic lunch happens in the field before an afternoon drive, then you settle into Suricata Boma Lodge as the African bush sounds fill the evening. Day two moves to Lake Manyara, known for tree-climbing lions and thousands of flamingos drawn to the soda lake; an early morning game drive catches the park at its most active, and the afternoon continues through dense forest and open woodlands. The third day is the longest drive—from Lake Manyara across the Great Rift Valley to the Serengeti—but the landscape shifts as you go, and wildlife sightings happen along the way. Once in the Serengeti, a game drive takes you into the endless plains where lions, cheetahs and elephants move across the savannah.

Day four begins with a final morning game drive in the Serengeti to catch predators on the move, then you drive toward Karatu in the Ngorongoro Highlands, arriving at your lodge in the evening. The fifth day is the crater itself: you wake early to see sunrise over Ngorongoro, then descend into the conservation area on a guided tour where the Big Five live in a self-contained ecosystem of forests and grasslands. A hot picnic lunch happens inside the crater, and the afternoon drive back to Arusha closes the loop. Your certified guide travels with the group the entire five days, sharing details about the animals, the land and the ecosystems that make each park distinct.

Accommodations shift with the parks—Suricata Boma Lodge for the first two nights, Serengeti Bush Camp for night three, and a lodge in the Karatu area for night four—so you are never far from where the day's game drives happen. All meals, park entry, game drives and ground transport between parks are included; you arrange your own international flights to Arusha and your own travel insurance. The group stays small, and the itinerary is fixed, which means the timing holds and the stops do not shift.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Arusha on day one.
• all accommodations across the five nights (Suricata Boma Lodge, Serengeti Bush Camp, and a Karatu lodge).
• all meals from breakfast on day one through lunch on day five.
• certified English-speaking guide for all game drives and park tours.
• entry to Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
• all ground transport between parks and lodges.
• game drives in each park with wildlife viewing from the vehicle.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Suricata Safaris

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you are arriving in Arusha and want to see Tanzania's four most active wildlife parks without arranging transport, guides or lodge bookings yourself — the group stays small, the certified guide travels with you the entire five days, and each park's game drives are timed to the animals' most active hours.

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Top questions

What animals will I actually see on a five-day Tanzania safari?

Tarangire is known for large elephant herds, zebras and giraffes among baobab trees; Lake Manyara is famous for tree-climbing lions and thousands of flamingos on the soda lake; the Serengeti holds lions, cheetahs, wildebeest and elephants across open plains; Ngorongoro Crater is a closed ecosystem where the Big Five—lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo—live together in one place.

How much driving is there between parks each day?

Day one is about two hours from Arusha to Tarangire; day three involves the longest drive, crossing from Lake Manyara across the Great Rift Valley to the Serengeti, with wildlife sightings along the way; day four is a shorter drive from the Serengeti to Karatu in the highlands; day five is the return drive to Arusha after the crater tour.

What is included in the midrange accommodations?

The tour includes three different lodge stays—Suricata Boma Lodge for nights one and two, Serengeti Bush Camp for night three, and a lodge in Karatu for night four—plus all meals, park entry fees, all game drives and ground transport between parks. You arrange your own international flights and travel insurance separately.

Do I need experience or fitness to do this safari?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels; game drives happen from a vehicle, so you are not hiking or walking long distances. The minimum age is 15, and pickup from your Arusha hotel is included on day one.

Is the group size small, and does the itinerary change?

The group stays small throughout the five days, and the itinerary is fixed—the same parks and stops happen on the same days for every departure, which means timing and wildlife viewing opportunities are planned in advance rather than shifting day to day.

What language does the guide speak?

Your certified guide speaks English throughout the five days and travels with the group at every game drive and park visit.