8 Days Serengeti and Ngorongoro Big 5 Safari
Tour Overview
This 8-day Tanzania safari starts with Tarangire's elephant herds and baobabs, then gives you five nights in the Serengeti — two in the central Seronera area and three in the remote Northern Serengeti near the Mara River, where the Great Migration crosses between July and October.
On the way back you descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a day with the Big Five, and finish with a game drive at Lake Manyara before returning to Arusha. All our safaris are offered as private trips, starting on any day.
Detailed Itinerary
After an early pickup from your hotel in Arusha, drive about two hours to Tarangire National Park. Spend the day on game drives among ancient baobab trees and some of the largest elephant herds in Tanzania, with lion, giraffe, zebra and rich birdlife along the Tarangire River. Picnic lunch in the park. In the late afternoon, continue to Karatu in the green highlands for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, drive up through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and down onto the endless plains of the Serengeti. Game drive en route into the Seronera area of central Serengeti — the park's year-round wildlife hub, known for big lion prides, leopards in the sausage trees and cheetahs hunting on the open grasslands. Dinner and overnight in central Serengeti.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Head north with game viewing all the way through the Lobo hills to the Northern Serengeti near the Mara River. This remote corner of the park sees far fewer vehicles, and from July to October it is where the Great Migration herds gather and cross the river. Dinner and overnight in Northern Serengeti.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A full day exploring the Northern Serengeti. Morning and afternoon game drives along the Mara River and the Kogatende plains — in season you may witness dramatic wildebeest crossings with crocodiles waiting below, and year-round the area is rich in lion, elephant, buffalo and hippo. Dinner and overnight in Northern Serengeti.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Another full day in the north, following your guide's knowledge of where the herds and predators are moving. Take a picnic lunch out on the plains so you can stay with the action, and enjoy a sundowner as the light turns gold. Dinner and overnight in Northern Serengeti.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Morning game drive in the north before heading back south to central Serengeti, searching for wildlife along the way. Afternoon game drive around the Seronera River and the granite kopjes where lions often rest. Dinner and overnight in central Serengeti.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Leave the Serengeti early and drive to the Ngorongoro Crater rim. Descend 600 metres onto the crater floor for a game drive in the world's largest intact volcanic caldera — home to black rhino, lion, elephant, hippo, buffalo and flamingos. Picnic lunch on the crater floor, then climb back out and drive to Karatu for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, drive a short distance to Lake Manyara National Park for a final game drive through the groundwater forest and along the lakeshore — look for tree-climbing lions, elephants, baboons and flocks of flamingos. After lunch, drive back to Arusha, arriving in the late afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Included
- All accommodations per itinerary
- All meals per itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
- All park entrance fees and government taxes
- All transportation in 4×4 custom safari vehicle
- Professional English-speaking naturalist guide
- Safari vehicle with viewing roof, charging inverter, cooler and filtered water
- National Park gate fees, Park Commission and taxes
Excluded
- International and domestic flights
- Beverages and alcohol
- Tips for guides, drivers and hotel staff
- Single room supplement
- Personal expenses (visas, airport taxes, internet)
- Optional tours (Olduvai Gorge, Maasai Village visit)
- Holiday supplement December 20 – January 5
Gallery
Common Questions
The Big Five are lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros. All five can be found on this safari, with the best rhino sightings at Ngorongoro Crater.
Typically two game drives per day — morning and afternoon. In Serengeti you may also do a sunrise drive or evening drive.
We have budget, mid-range, luxury and elite accommodation options. Let us know your preference when you enquire.
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