Skip to main content

Tanzania Sights & Sounds

Explore the breathtaking landscapes of northern Tanzania’s national parks, including the world-famous plains of the Serengeti, in this six-night itinerary.

 

Highlights include: Lake Manyara or Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, Great Wildebeest Migration and Ngorongoro Crater

Detailed Itinerary

Arrival Day: Kilimanjaro Airport – Arusha

Welcome to Tanzania! Upon your arrival, you will be met by a Pristine Trails driver and transferred to your hotel in Arusha town. Enjoy the evening at your leisure.

Transfer Time: 1 hour

Day 1: Lake Manyara or Tarangire National Park

In the early morning you will meet your guide and pile into your very own 4×4 safari vehicle for the start of your adventure. This itinerary starts with a day in either Lake Manyara or Tarangire, depending on the time of year.

[January-May] Lake Manyara: Enjoy a half-day’s game drive inside this park, set beneath the cliffs of the Manyara Escarpment, a jewel known for its primates, hippos and infamous tree-climbing lions. With its varied ecosystems, you will be able to observe forest creatures, large baboon troops in addition to other animals like giraffe and elephant. Vast flamingo populations dot the lakeshore and interact with an array of bird species. As the sun sets, you will make your way to your lodge or tented camp for the evening.

[June-December] Tarangire: Enjoy a half-day’s game drive inside Tarangire, known for its bulbous baobab trees and savannah woodland habitat heavily populated with herds of elephants and a variety of migratory zebra, wildebeest, gazelle, impala, buffalo and more. The park’s annual perennial river serves as a water source for these migrating herds during the dry season, making the game viewing spectacular, the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem. In the late afternoon, you will retreat to your lodge or tented camp for the evening.

Transfer Time: 2-4 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 2: Serengeti National Park

After breakfast you will head to Serengeti National Park, the largest park in Tanzania. The Serengeti, a world heritage site, is known for its famous migration during which six million hooves pound the plains as zebra and Thomson’s gazelle travel alongside millions of wildebeest looking for fresh grazing. Even when the migration is quiet, Serengeti offers unmatched game and predator versus prey viewing of the over 4 million animals that reside there. Overnight inside the park.

Transfer Time: 4-5 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Serengeti National Park

Experience a full day’s game drive in the Serengeti, driving across vast plains, observing daily wildlife patterns or in search of the great migration. For all full days in the Serengeti, you have the options of taking a full-day game drive with a packed lunch, or heading back to your camp/lodge for lunch and a rest, with game drives in the early morning and late afternoon when the animals are most active.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Serengeti National Park

Enjoy another full day game drive across the sun-kissed savannahs of the Serengeti.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Serengeti National Park – Ngorongoro Crater Rim

Spend the morning game driving in the Serengeti, after which you will depart for the crisp air of the Ngorongoro Highlands. Spend the night atop the Ngorongoro Crater rim, where you will have an awarding view of the crater floor.

Transfer Time: 2-3 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport

Wake early and descend into the crater by dawn for a half-day’s game drive. The Ngorongoro Crater, a small haven of 300 km², is bestowed with wildlife, an estimated 35,000 in number, comprising zebra, buffalo, lions, old bull elephants and so much more. It is also one of the best places to spot the rare black rhino. After a picnic lunch on the crater floor, you will drive back to Arusha or on to the airport for an early evening arrival.

Transfer Time: 3-4 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodations

Below is a sample of our accommodation recommendations in each location of your safari.

Lake Manyara / Tarangire

STANDARD Kirurumu Manyara Lodge | Tarangire Safari Lodge
MID-RANGE Escarpment Luxury Lodge | Ndovu Tented Lodge
LUXURY Gibb’s Farm | Lemala Mpingo Ridge

Ngorongoro Crater

STANDARD Ngorongoro Rhino Lodge
MID-RANGE Lion’s Paw Ngorongoro Camp
LUXURY Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp

Serengeti

We recommend you stay overnight where the Great Migration is likely to be found at the time of year you are traveling. See below for the approximate location of the migration throughout the year.

Dec – Mar

South

April – May

Central

June – July

West

July – Oct

North

Oct- Dec

Moving South through the East

STANDARD South, Central & North Kenzan Tented Camps
MID-RANGE South Lake Masek Tented Lodge
Central Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge
West Cherero Camp
North Kaskaz Mara Camp
LUXURY South Sanctuary Kusini Camp
Central Four Seasons Safari Lodge
North Lemala Kuria Hills

Pricing

2 pax: From $3,600
4 pax: From $3,000

Per person peak season pricing
Based on standard tier accommodations

Inclusions / Exclusions

Price Inclusions:

  • Private 4×4 safari vehicle, unlimited mileage
  • English-speaking Driver Guide
  • National Park fees, concession fees and taxes
  • Accommodation – 6 nights
  • Meals specified (special diets can be accommodated)
  • Filtered drinking water in your vehicle
  • Airport transfers upon arrival and departure

Price Exclusions:

  • Gratuities/tips
  • Soft drinks, beer, wine and liquor (included at exclusive level)
  • Tanzania entry visa
  • Travel insurance
  • International and domestic airfare
  • Additional airport transfers
  • Expenses of a personal nature (souvenirs, etc.)

Looking for more?

We’ll help you customize your own itinerary for a once in a lifetime adventure in Tanzania.

Plan My trip
Back to top