6-Day drive to Serengeti safari and Fly back to Arusha

Tour Summary

This 6-day safari takes you to three of the best parks in Tanzania: Tarangire or Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater, and the world-famous Serengeti. You’ll travel by road at the start and fly out at the end to save time. Along the way, you’ll see elephants, lions, zebras, and maybe even rhinos and leopards. It’s perfect for people who want an exciting safari in a short amount of time.

Tour Highlights

Tarangire National Park: Known for massive elephant herds and ancient baobabs.
Lake Manyara (Optional): Famous for tree-climbing lions and lush groundwater forest.
Ngorongoro Crater: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to one of the densest populations of wildlife in Africa.
Serengeti National Park: Africa’s most celebrated wildlife sanctuary, with a chance to witness the Great Migration (seasonal).
Fly-out from Serengeti: Skip the long return drive and enjoy aerial views of the plains.

Big Five spotting: Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino, and Buffalo.

INCLUDES

All accommodations per itinerary
All meals per itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
All tours and entrance fees per itinerary (unless listed as excluded)
All transportation and transfers per itinerary
Professional English-speaking naturalist driver/guide
All transportation in a custom safari 4x4 with viewing roof and guaranteed window seating
Safari vehicles have an inverter for charging batteries, communications radio, electric cooler, and filtered water
National Park gate fees, Park commission, and Government taxes (based on current rates)

EXCLUDES

International
Meals not listed
Beverages and alcohol
Tips for guides, drivers, hotel staff
Optional tours
Single room supplement
Personal expenses (visas, airport taxes, Internet, etc.)
Bottled water and drinks
Optional tours (Olduvai Gorge and Maasai Village visit)
Internal flight from the Serengeti to Arusha (with option to extend flight to Zanzibar on request, at extra cost)
Hot air balloon ride in the Serengeti
Holiday supplement December 20 - January 5
Ndutu supplement December-March
Discount for kids under 15 years old

6-Day Drive to Serengeti and flying back to Arusha or Zanzibar safari itinerary

Day 1: Exploring Lake Manyara or Tarangire

Your 6-day Tanzania safari kicks off with a journey to either Lake Manyara (from December to May) or Tarangire National Park (from June to November). Along the way, you'll enjoy a picnic lunch. Once you enter the park, an afternoon game drive awaits you, extending into the late afternoon. Afterward, you'll head to your safari lodge for the evening.

Tarangire is renowned for its vast herds of elephants and striking baobab trees. During the dry season, wildlife migrates here from far and wide to access the reliable water source at Tarangire River, attracting predators, especially large lion prides. You'll also spot common species like impalas, buffalos, zebras, elephants, giraffes, warthogs, elands, and waterbucks. Rare animals such as oryx, lesser kudo, roan antelope, wild dogs, leopards, and cheetahs can also be found. The birdlife here is diverse and stunning.

Meals included: Lunch, Dinner
Luxury Accommodations: Tarangire River Camp
Elite Accommodations: Lemala Manyara

Day 2: Ngorongoro Crater Adventure

On day two, you'll head to the remarkable Ngorongoro Crater. After reaching the crater, you'll descend into it for an extensive 6-hour game drive.

The Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtaking setting teeming with wildlife, hosting over 20,000 large animals, including Tanzania's last black rhinos. What makes this place unique is that it allows over 40,000 Maasai pastoralists with their cattle, goats, and sheep to coexist harmoniously with the abundant wildlife in a natural environment.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Luxury Accommodations: Gibbs Farm
Elite Accommodations: Lemala Ngorongoro Tented Camp

Day 3: Journey to the Serengeti with Cultural Stops

Today's adventure takes you to the Serengeti, with opportunities to visit the Olduvai Gorge and a Maasai village along the way. In the afternoon, you'll embark on a game drive in the Seronera area.

The Serengeti, one of the world's most spectacular parks, is also the largest national park in Tanzania. Encompassing nearly 14,763 square kilometers, it boasts a wide range of landscapes, including vast plains, short grass plains, kopjes (rocky outcrops), and lakes. The Serengeti is the northernmost park in the northern circuit and shares its borders with Kenya's Maasai Mara.

The Olduvai Gorge is a significant archaeological site, providing substantial evidence of the earliest signs of human existence, including rare hominid footprints preserved in solid rock dating back 3.6 million years.

In this region, you'll find authentic Maasai villages where you can immerse yourself in their culture, visit homes, witness traditional dances, and even purchase handmade jewelry.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Luxury Accommodations: Kubu Kubu Tented Camp
Elite Accommodations: Lemala Ewanjan Camp (Seronera)

Day 4: Serengeti Full-Day Game Drive

Your fourth day is dedicated to a full-day game drive in the Serengeti, with a focus on tracking the migration.

The Serengeti, whose name derives from the Maasai language meaning "endless plain," witnesses over a million wildebeests in long caravans crossing its plains each year, in search of better grazing areas. They are followed closely by a variety of other animals. Lions, cheetahs, and hyenas are among the predators that closely follow the migrating herds. Other predators like leopards, serval cats, and jackals observe the moving game with keen interest. Additionally, elephants, rhinos, and buffalos continue their grazing.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Luxury Accommodations: Kubu Kubu Tented Camp
Elite Accommodations: Lemala Ewanjan Camp (Seronera)

Day 5: Optional Hot Air Balloon Safari and More Serengeti Exploration

You have the option to experience a thrilling hot air balloon safari early in the morning at an additional cost. Following this, you'll embark on more exploration of this incredible wildlife reserve.

The Serengeti ecosystem has retained its essential characteristics for over a million years. Its boundless plains are dotted with wooded hills, towering termite mounds, rocky kopjes, and rivers lined with acacia trees. Here, you'll find a wide range of animals, including big cats, grazing animals, and unique species such as mongoose, hyrax, warthog, bat-eared fox, jackals, bushbabies, monkeys, baboons, and much more.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Luxury Accommodations: Kubu Kubu Tented Camp
Elite Accommodations: Lemala Ewanjan Camp (Seronera)

Day 6: Departure from Serengeti

On your final day, you'll bid farewell to the Serengeti as you fly from the Serengeti to Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport for your departure. Please note that luggage is limited to 20kg/45lb of soft-sided baggage.

Meals included: Breakfast