5 Days Amazing North Tanzania Safari

After breakfast in Arusha, depart for Tarangire National Park via Arusha town for any last-minute purchases. Tarangire is the fifth largest national park in Tanzania, at the foot of the Great Rift Valley, with acacia woodland, giant baobab trees and savannah grassland. Its main features are a large elephant population and the Tarangire River, a permanent water source. Expect to spot wildebeest, buffalo, elephant, zebra, giraffe, hippo and antelope, plus baboons and monkeys, lion, hyena, jackal and leopard. Late afternoon, drive across the Rift Valley for sunset, then to your lodge for dinner, campfire and overnight.

After breakfast, depart for the Serengeti via the high farmland of Karatu and the Ngorongoro gate, with a stop at the crater view point for photos. On the way, visit a Masai village, where a warrior shares a brief story of Masai life, followed by questions, a visit to a traditional house to meet the family, and a farewell song with high jumping. Continue with en-route game drives to Naabi Hill Gate before heading to the Seronera area in Central Serengeti, the richest wildlife habitat in the park thanks to the Seronera River. Picnic lunch at the kopjes, afternoon game drive searching for the wildebeest migration, then to the lodge for dinner, campfire and overnight.

Depart as early as 06:30 with a packed breakfast and lunch box for a full day of game viewing. Early morning game drives are ideal for spotting cats before the morning mist clears, or nocturnal animals returning from a night of hunting. Spend the day following the wildebeest migration and watching animal behaviour — hunting, feeding and more — before returning to camp for dinner, campfire and overnight.

Another early morning game drive with breakfast and lunch boxes, spending as much time as possible in the Serengeti before heading toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Arrive at the lodge in time for sunset at the crater rim, dinner and overnight.

Start early, descending 600 metres into the Ngorongoro Crater floor for a full morning of game viewing. The crater supports wildebeest, elephant, eland, zebra, warthog, buffalo and the rare black rhino, along with the Big Five and a dense population of predators. Visit Lake Magadi, home to flamingos, hippos and other aquatic birds. Packed lunch is served at the crater floor. In the afternoon, drive back to Arusha, with an optional stop at a Masai market or shopping centre on the way. If flying the same day, you'll be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport.