Tanzania Wildlife Safari: Lake Manyara, Serengeti & Ngorongoro

The Serengeti's vastness hits differently when you're standing in it at sunrise.

A six-day safari tour from Arusha, Tanzania, combining three major parks—Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater—with game drives led by an English-speaking driver-guide, comfortable lodge stays and all park entry included. Five nights' accommodation (one in Arusha city, four on safari with full board), a 4x4 Toyota Cruiser, soft drinks and coffee or tea during drives, and airport pickup are part of the package. You choose your lodge level at checkout—Comfort, Comfort Plus, Luxury or Luxury Plus—and some options add international flights, travel insurance and laundry service at the lodges.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival and transfer to Arusha

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

Day 2 — Lake Manyara National Park safari

• Collect picnic lunchbox
• Drive from Arusha to Lake Manyara
• Explore Lake Manyara National Park wildlife
• Return to lodge for dinner and rest

Day 3 — Travel to Serengeti National Park

• Breakfast at lodge
• Collect lunch boxes
• Depart Lake Manyara for Serengeti
• Enjoy Serengeti terrain views
• Dinner and overnight in Serengeti

Day 4 — Full day Serengeti game drives

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

Day 5 — Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater

• 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 departure

• Early morning game drive in Ngorongoro Crater
• Picnic lunch in crater
• Return to Arusha Airport
• Flight home

The Experience

The tour starts with pickup at Arusha Airport and a drive into the city, where your driver-guide introduces you to Tanzania's safari capital before settling you at your chosen hotel. The next morning, you collect a picnic lunchbox and head west to Lake Manyara National Park for your first game drive, exploring the park's acacia woodlands, plains and the shallow alkaline lake itself. Afternoons mean returning to the lodge for rest and dinner—a rhythm that repeats across the five safari days.

From Lake Manyara, a 222-kilometer drive northwest takes you across the Rift Valley to Serengeti National Park, a journey that takes around five hours. The plains themselves are the headline here: the sheer scale of the landscape, rolling away without end, is what first-time visitors remember. You get two full days in the Serengeti—morning and afternoon game drives with your guide, picnic lunch between them, and the lodge in between. The light changes constantly, and so does what you see: the guide explains the animals and their behavior as you move through the park.

On day five, an early morning drive in the Serengeti is followed by the eastward drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The crater itself—often called a wonder of the world—gets your final morning game drive before a picnic lunch inside it and the drive back to Arusha Airport. Breakfast and lunch are included that day; dinner is not. Your driver-guide speaks English (and Spanish, Italian, French or one additional language, depending on availability), and the 4x4 Toyota Cruiser stays the same throughout, so you're not switching vehicles between parks.

What’s included

• Five nights' accommodation with breakfast and dinner included at all lodges, plus full board (all meals) during the four safari nights.
• park entry fees for Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
• a 4x4 Toyota Cruiser for the entire tour.
• an English-speaking driver-guide (or guide in Spanish, Italian, French or one additional language).
• soft drinks, coffee and tea during game drives.
• picnic lunches in the parks.
• and airport pickup in Arusha.

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 this tour if you want three major parks in one trip without arranging transport between them or managing multiple guides—the same driver stays with you from airport to crater, and the lodges handle the rest. Choose Comfort or Comfort Plus if you prioritize value; pick Luxury or Luxury Plus if lodge amenities and included drinks matter more than the savings. Add flights at checkout if you're flying internationally and want one booking to cover the whole journey.

Traveler reviews

4.98★★★★★★★★★★

358 verified traveler reviews

5 ★351

4 ★7

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What wildlife will I actually see on the game drives?

Lake Manyara is known for its tree-climbing lions and large elephant herds, along with buffalo, zebra and giraffe. Serengeti holds the full range of East African wildlife—lions, leopards, cheetahs, wildebeest, zebra and countless bird species—and the guide points out what's moving through the landscape as you drive. Ngorongoro Crater concentrates wildlife in a smaller space, so sightings tend to be frequent, though what you see varies by season and time of day.

How much time do I actually spend on game drives each day?

Game drives run in the morning (after breakfast) and in the afternoon (after a picnic lunch), with the lodge for rest, meals and relaxation in between. The exact timing depends on the lodge and the season, but the structure is consistent: early start, drive until midday, lunch break, then another drive until late afternoon.

Do I need to book flights separately, or are they included?

International and domestic flights are optional add-ons available at checkout on some lodge options, not included in the base tour price. If you don't add flights, you arrange your own way to Arusha Airport, where the driver-guide meets you on arrival and returns you on departure day.

What's the difference between the four lodge options?

The tour offers Comfort, Comfort Plus, Luxury and Luxury Plus lodging levels. The itinerary and game drives are the same across all four; the difference is the standard of accommodation and amenities at each lodge. Some options also include laundry service at the lodges and all drinks during your stay, while others don't—check the details at checkout.

Is the five-hour drive to Serengeti as tiring as it sounds?

The 222-kilometer journey follows the Rift Valley and is part of the experience rather than a burden—the landscape itself is the draw. You're in a 4x4 with your guide, who explains what you're passing through, and you stop for the picnic lunch along the way. It's a long drive but not a grueling one, and the arrival in Serengeti makes the time in the vehicle feel worthwhile.

Can I bring young children or babies on this tour?

Infants and small children can travel; infants can sit on an adult's lap or use a specialized infant seat if available. Strollers and prams are permitted. The tour is not recommended for pregnant travelers or those with poor cardiovascular health, but it suits all other fitness levels.