5-Day Tanzania Safari: Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater

See wildebeest move across the Serengeti, then descend into the crater where animals gather at a single water source.

A five-day camping safari from Arusha that takes you through Tarangire National Park, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater with a guide, all meals and accommodation at campsites. You drive the parks on game drives timed to catch sunrise and sunset, follow the wildebeest migration route (best June through September), and descend 610 meters into the crater to see elephants, zebras, gazelles and over 500 bird species in a single ecosystem. The tour ends with a village visit to Mto wa Mbu where a local guide walks you through banana plantations and explains how the community lives.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arusha to Tarangire National Park

• Pick up from Arusha hotel at 8:00 AM
• Drive 3 hours to Tarangire National Park
• Full day game drive in Tarangire National Park
• Drive to Jambo lodge for dinner and overnight

Day 2: Tarangire to Serengeti

• Breakfast at lodge
• Drive to Serengeti National Park via Karatu and Ngorongoro
• Arrive in Seronera area for lunch
• Afternoon game drive in Serengeti until sunset

Day 3: Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Tour

• Early morning wake up and breakfast
• Full day game drive following wildebeest migration
• Return to Seronera campsite for dinner and overnight

Day 4: Serengeti to Ngorongoro

• Wake at 5:45 AM for early breakfast and sunrise
• Early morning game drive until 11:30 AM
• Return to campsite for hot lunch and pack
• Game drive en route to Ngorongoro crater
• Dinner and overnight at Simba campsite

Day 5: Ngorongoro to Arusha

• Early breakfast and sunrise views over crater
• Drive down into Ngorongoro crater for game viewing
• Lunch inside crater
• Ascend crater walls and visit Mto wa Mbu village
• Drive to Arusha for overnight

The experience

How do you see a million animals move across one landscape? You start in Tarangire, 115 kilometers from Arusha, where a full day of game drives takes you past herds of elephants drinking from the Tarangire River. The river the park is named for. The park covers 2,800 square kilometers and holds climbing tree pythons, lions, leopards and baobab trees so massive they can store up to 1,000 liters of water and live for 600 years. You sleep at Jambo campsite and wake early the next morning to drive toward the Serengeti through the highland farmland of Karatu and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, descending into endless plains that roll to the horizon.

Two full days in the Serengeti put you in the Seronera area, one of the richest wildlife zones in the park, where the Seronera River draws species representative of the whole ecosystem. On your second Serengeti day, you wake before dawn for a full day of game drives following the wildebeest migration: a movement of 1.5 million animals that follows rainfall and fresh grazing. The migration pattern shifts: June through September, the herds move north toward the Mara River crossings. January through March, calving happens in the south. Your driver knows where to position you to witness it. You watch sunrise and sunset from inside the park, and the scale of it (the dust, the sheer number of animals moving together) is the thing people come back to describe.

On day four, you wake at 5:45 for an early morning game drive in the Serengeti, then drive toward Ngorongoro Crater, arriving at Simba campsite for the night. The final day starts before sunrise at the crater's edge. After breakfast you descend the steep track into the crater itself, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Africa's seven wonders, formed millions of years ago when a volcano exploded. It is 610 meters deep, covers 260 square kilometers, and holds approximately 25,000 animals in one enclosed ecosystem. In minutes you see wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, elephants and some of the 500 bird species. The crater's density of wildlife means you encounter more animals per hour here than in the other parks. After lunch you climb back out and drive to Mto wa Mbu village, where a local guide takes you through banana plantations growing over 30 species, explains the community's social and economic life, and answers questions about how people live alongside the conservation areas. You return to Arusha the same day.

What’s included

• All national park entry fees and taxes.
• accommodation at Jambo, Seronera and Simba campsites.
• unlimited drinking water during game drives.
• a free night at your Arusha hotel before and after the safari.
• a guide who speaks English.
• pickup from your Arusha hotel.
• all meals during the safari.

Options for this experience

2 options

5 Days tour.Guide in English · 09:00This safari spends a full day in Tarangire National Park, nearly two days in the Serengeti, and two full days touring the Ngorongoro Crater. It covers the best places in Tanzania. Pickup is included.

A 5-day Big Five tour.Guide in English · 09:00This safari spends a full day in Tarangire National Park, nearly two days in the Serengeti, and two full days touring the Ngorongoro Crater. It covers the best places in Tanzania. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 5d, runs every day at 09:00, from US$ 1,290 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 307 private ›

Live guideEnglishOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (19 to 45 years) · Senior (46 to 90 years) · Youth (14 to 18 years) · Child (6 to 13 years) · Infant (under 6)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by MERU SLOPES TOURS AND SAFARIS

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to follow the wildebeest migration and see it move across the Serengeti plains. The timing and route are built around where the herds are. The five-day structure holds all three parks and the crater descent inside one trip, so you don't piece together separate bookings. Pickup, accommodation and park fees are settled before you arrive.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (14 to 18 years); Child (6 to 13 years); Infant (under 6).

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

Tarangire holds large herds of elephants, lions, leopards, pythons and baobab trees. The Serengeti is where you follow the wildebeest migration, 1.5 million animals moving together, plus zebras, gazelles, eland and impala. Ngorongoro Crater, with 25,000 animals in one enclosed space, gives you the best chance of seeing wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, elephants and over 500 bird species, including the endangered black rhino if you're lucky.

When is the best time to see the wildebeest migration?

June through September is when the herds move north toward the Mara River crossings in the northern Serengeti, and your driver will position you to witness the river crossings. January through March is calving season in the south. The migration pattern shifts every year based on rainfall and grazing conditions.

What's included in the five-day price?

The tour includes all park entry fees and taxes, accommodation at campsites (Jambo, Seronera and Simba), unlimited drinking water during drives, and a free night before and after the safari at your Arusha hotel. A guide speaks English and drives you on all game drives. Pickup from your Arusha hotel is included.

Do I need to be fit to do this safari?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Most of your time is spent in a safari jeep during game drives. The main physical demand is descending and ascending the steep track into Ngorongoro Crater on the final day, but it is a standard part of the crater tour.

What happens on the last day after the crater?

After you climb out of Ngorongoro Crater and have lunch, you drive to Mto wa Mbu village where a local guide walks you through banana plantations growing over 30 species and explains the community's daily life and economy. You then drive back to Arusha for the night.

What's the difference between the two tour options?

One option is the big five tour. The other is the standard five-day tour. Both follow the same five-day itinerary through Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Confirm which option suits your wildlife priorities at checkout.