6 Days - Tarangire, Lake Natron, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater
TRIP OVERVIEW
In this tour we will cover the 4 most popular destinations in Tanzania - Tarangire, Lake Natron, Central Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater. Tour starts and ends at Arusha. With our experienced driver guides, it will be a trip of a lifetime!
![trip overview](../assets/images/album/safari/2-days-arusha-manyara-1.jpg)
![trip overview](../assets/images/kenya/kenya-18.jpg)
![trip overview](../assets/images/kenya/kenya-16.jpg)
Short Itinerary
- Day 1 -Arusha to Tarangire. Game drives at Tarangire
- Day 2 -Transfer to Lake Natron (Bird Watching/ Flamingo Walk)
- Day 3 - Optional short hike to Ngare sero waterfalls and proceed to Central Serengeti with short enroute game drives in Serengeti
- Day 4 - Central Serengeti full day game drives
- Day 5 - Morning game drives in Central Serengeti and transfer to Ngorongoro/Karatu
- Day 6 -Ngorongoro Crater Tour (5 hours) and transfer to Arusha
Basic Camping Packages
Option C1: $1,688 per adult for safari with Land Cruiser
- Stay at Migombani Campsite, Mto Wa Mbu, Lake Manyara (Outside the Park)
- Stay at Africa Safari Lake Natron Campsite, Lake Natron
- Stay at Seronera Campsite, Central Serengeti
- Stay at Ngorongoro Campsite, NCA
Ensuite Accommodation Packages
Below are packages with a few popular ensuite options for your private tour, starting on Nov 13, 2023, in a group of two adults. Ensuite hotels are tented camps/lodges that can be inside/around national parks. You will have a private room with attached bathroom. Meals are provided by hotels.
Option E1 : $2,061 per adult for safari with Land Cruiser
- Stay at Nsya Lodge & Camp - Standard Bungalow, Lake Manyara (Outside the Park)
- Stay at Maasai Giraffe Eco Lodge, Lake Natron
- Stay at Tukaone Camps, Central Serengeti
- Stay at Omega View Hotel, Karatu
Option E2 : $2,290 per adult for safari with Land Cruiser
- Stay at Migombani Cottage, Lake Manyara (Outside the Park)
- Stay at Africa Safari Lake Natron - Safari Comfort, Lake Natron
- Stay at Tanzania Bush Camps, Seronera, Central Serengeti
- Stay at Rhino Lodge, NCA
Option E3 : $2,602 per adult for safari with Land Cruiser
- Stay at Tarangire Tortilis Camp, Tarangire (Within the Park)
- Stay at Africa Safari Lake Natron - Luxury Glamping, Lake Natron
- Stay at Serenity Nyota Camp, Central Serengeti
- Stay at Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, NCA
Option E4 : $3,365 per adult for safari with Land Cruiser
- Stay at Topguide Bush Camp Lolkisale, Tarangire (Within the Park)
- Stay at Lake Natron Camp, Lake Natron
- Stay at Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge, Central Serengeti
- Stay at Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp, NCA
Option E5 : $5,152 per adult for safari with Land Cruiser
- Stay at Lemala Mpingo Ridge, Tarangire (Within the Park)
- Stay at Lake Natron Camp, Lake Natron
- Stay at Lemala Nanyukie, Central Serengeti
- Stay at Melia Ngorongoro Lodge, NCA - Premier Room with Forest Views, NCA
Option E6 : $7,850 per adult for safari with Land Cruiser
- Stay at Sanctuary Swala Camp, Tarangire (Within the Park)
- Stay at Lake Natron Camp, Lake Natron
- Stay at Four Seasons Safari Lodge - Terrace Suite Water Hole View, Central Serengeti
- Stay at Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, NCA - Suite, NCA
TRIP ITINERARY
Day
1
Arusha to Tarangire
Pick up at 7:30 AM from your hotel in Arusha and depart for Tarangire National Park with a picnic lunch for a full day game drive. Tanzania’s third largest National park is known for its majestic baobab trees that dot the landscape, dwarfing the animals that feed beneath them. The Tarangire River is the centerpiece of this park which is famous for some of the largest herds of elephants in Africa. Here you may see lion, leopard, cheetah, lesser kudu, buffalo, Oryx, eland, giraffe and zebra. Post the game drive, you will head back to your camp/lodge where a delicious dinner awaits you
Day
2
Lake Natron
Your day will begin after breakfast by about 8:00 AM. We depart with packed lunch boxes towards Lake Natron. Located about 3.5 hours drive away from Mto Wa Mbu/Manyara, Lake Natron is a surreal destination and unique natural spectacle. Its waters are highly alkaline and are unusually shallow, averaging just one meter in depth. After checking into your lodge and a short break, put your walking shoes on as a Maasai tribesman takes you on a walk around the shores of Lake Natron on the lookout for birds, especially the lesser flamingos. Lake Natron is the most important and regular breeding site for lesser flamingos in East Africa hosting up to 2 million of them during the breeding season. The majority of egg-laying and hatching takes place from September to January. After the hike, you will head back to your camp/lodge for a well deserved dinner and rest.
Day
3
Lake Natron to Central Serengeti
Your day starts early. Around 6:00 AM, accompanied by a Maasai guide, enjoy some light hiking to the nearby Ngare Sero waterfalls and relax in the cool spray of water cascading down the rocks of this scenic ravine. Make sure to bring your shoes! We return to accommodation by 8:30 AM and finishing up a good breakfast, will head out towards the Serengeti National Park. This road trip takes through variety of sites: towns and villages, savannah and forest, and you’ll be able to spot animals like antelope, wildebeest and zebra. We enter Serengeti in the afternoon. The Serengeti is arguably the most impressive wildlife sanctuary in the world. You will have an afternoon game drive in the endless plains of the Serengeti for a chance to see the great herds of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles or a pride of lions lounging in the shade. A picnic lunch will be done during the day long game drive itself. The eventful day comes to an end with dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation.
Day
4
Central Serengeti
You can either have a relaxed breakfast and depart for full day game drives around 9:00 AM with packed lunch and return back to lodge late afternoon around 6:00 PM. Or you can depart at 6:00 AM on an early morning game drive. Later return to accommodation for breakfast and relax for a bit and depart on an afternoon game drive with packed lunch. You will explore the central portion of the Serengeti National Park today. The legendary Serengeti National Park is the most renowned safari destination for its incredible population of lions and leopards. The central portion of the Serengeti - known as Seronera area is one of the richest wildlife habitats in the park. It features the Seronera River, which provides a valuable water source to this area and therefore attracts wildlife well representative of most of the Serengeti’s species. During the off season of the migration, one must really look out for the many lion pride that thrive in this region. The interactions and survival of these lion pride provide an excellent game viewing experience all year round. Along with a picnic lunch during the full day game drive, the day will come to a close by around 5PM. The long day comes to an end with a good dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation.
Day
5
Central Serengeti to Ngorongoro
After breakfast around 6:30 AM, you will depart with a packed lunch from the camp and have a morning game drive in Serengeti National Park till lunch time. There are several game drive circuits in Central Serengeti and depending on what you have already seen on your safari and your interests, your guide will take you to game drives at one or more of these circuits. You are very likely to see a good number of big cats, especially lions, along with a diverse array of other wildlife. In the afternoon depart for Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Depending on your choice of accommodation, you will be either staying inside Ngorongoro conservation area or exiting from Ngorongoro and staying at a lodge in Karatu. The day comes to an end with a good dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation.
Day
6
Ngorongoro Crater Tour (5 hours) to Arusha
On the last day of your safari, you will have an early start. Finishing up with a quick breakfast you will make an early descent at around 6:30 AM into the crater floor. The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera. It has a massive floor of about 260 sq kms with a depth of over 2000 feet. The 5-hour game drive on the crater floor will show you a lot of animal action. Keeping the camera ready is definitely recommended. The African elephant, buffalo, Black rhino, Hippos, Hyenas, Cheetahs and Lions are found in plenty. Post the picnic lunch at the beautiful Hippo pool, you will begin a steep ascend to the top exit of the crater. This is the last leg of your safari, with a 4hr drive left to Arusha. You will be dropped off to your preferred location in Arusha by 6:00 PM in the evening. With an incredible experience and loads of memories to cherish, this is the time you bid goodbye to your team
Stay Locations
- Day 1 - Tarangire (Within the Park) or Tarangire (Outside the Park) or Lake Manyara (Outside the Park)
- Day 2 - Lake Natron
- Day 3 - Central Serenget
- Day 4 - Central Serengeti
- Day 5 -Karatu or NCA
Pre & Post Tour Hotels
Arusha is the base for safari tours in North Tanzania. If you need accommodation in Arusha before/after your safari tour you can check some popular hotel prices on bed and breakfast basis below.
Single Room
- - Crest Safari Lodge - USD 47
- - Kutoka Lodge - USD 64
- - Karama lodge - USD 113
- - The African Tulip - USD 149
- - Four Points by Sheraton, Arusha - Traditional queen room - USD 205
- - Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge - Plantation room - USD 375
Double Sharing room
- - Crest Safari Lodge - USD 29
- - Kutoka Lodge - USD 49
- - Karama lodge - USD 76
- - The African Tulip - USD 112
- - Four Points by Sheraton, Arusha - Traditional queen room - USD 120
- - Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge - Plantation room - USD 240
Triple Sharing Room
- - Crest Safari Lodge - USD 29
- - Kutoka Lodge - USD 40
- - Karama lodge - USD 73
- - The African Tulip - USD 93
- - Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge - Plantation room - USD 180
Add-on tours in Serengeti
- Hot Air Balloon Ride: USD 540 per person
- Rhino Tracking: USD 110 per person
- Short Walking Tour (upto 4 hours): USD 45 per person
- Long Walking Tour (upto 6 hours): USD 60 per person
Add-on tours in Ndutu
- Hot Air Balloon Ride: USD 540 per person
- Short Walking Tour (upto 4 hours): USD 45 per person
- Long Walking Tour (upto 6 hours): USD 60 per person
Add-on tours in Ngorongoro
- Masai Village Tour: USD 25 per person
- Olduvai Gorge museum visit: USD 35 per person
- Ngorongoro Crater Rim Hike: USD 35 per person
Add-on tours in Tarangire
- Hot Air Balloon Ride: USD 540 per person
- Short Walking Tour (upto 4 hours): USD 45 per person
- Long Walking Tour (upto 6 hours): USD 60 per person
- Night Game Drives (for clients staying inside): USD 100-200 per person depending on lodge
Add-on tours in Karatu
- Coffee Plantation Tour: USD 20 per person
- Iraq Village Tour: USD 25 per person
- Endoro Falls & Elephant Caves visit: USD 35 per person
Transfers
This tour starts from Arusha. Kilimanjaro airport is the nearest international airport and Arusha airport is the nearest domestic airport.
Airport Pickup/Drop
Pickup or drop off at Arusha airport on the day of safari: No extra charge Pickup or drop off at Kilimanjaro airport on the day of safari: USD 30 per vehicle
Airport to Hotel transfers
Transfer from Arusha airport to Arusha hotel or vice versa: USD 25 per vehicle Transfer from Kilimanjaro airport to Arusha hotel or vice versa: USD 50 per vehicle
InterCity transfers
Transfer from Moshi to Arusha or vice versa: USD 100 per vehicle Transfer from Nairobi to Arusha or vice versa: USD 275 per vehicle
Flights
We do not book International Flights.
We can book local flights based on availability. Below are indicative additional costs for local flights.
Intercity Flights
- From Zanzibar to Arusha: From USD 100 per person (Morning flight)
- From Dar es salaam to Arusha: From USD 90 per person (Morning flight)
- From Arusha to Zanzibar: From USD 170 per person (Late Afternoon flight)
- From Arusha to Dar es salaam: From USD 110 per person (Late Afternoon flight)
This tour starts & ends at Arusha with road transfers between all locations. Central Serengeti is the farthest location you will be visiting in this tour and it is 7 hours from Arusha, each way. You can check about driving and flying to Serengeti here. To save drive time, you can directly fly into Central Serengeti where your safari vehicle with guide will be waiting to directly start the safari and cover other parks over the next few days making your way to Arusha by road on the last day. We will reroute the itinerary such that you cover all the parks included in the original itinerary with the same choice of accommodations & same number of nights as included in the original itinerary. This is called a Fly-in Safari
We can also reroute the itinerary such that you start with driving from Arusha on day 1 and cover other parks before you drive to Serengeti. We end the safari tour at Central Serengeti on the last day from where you can fly out to Ausha (or other cities). We will reroute the itinerary such that you cover all the parks included in the original itinerary with the same choice of accommodations & same number of nights as included in the original itinerary. This is called a Fly-out Safari.
Fly into Serengeti
- From Arusha to Central Serengeti: From USD 310 per person
- From Zanzibar to Central Serengeti: From USD 370 per person
- From Dar es Salaam to Central Serengeti: From USD 370 per person
Fly out of Serengeti
- From Central Serengeti to Arusha: From USD 200 per person
- From Central Serengeti to Zanzibar: From USD 420 per person
- From Central Serengeti to Dar es salaam: From USD 420 per person
Note 1: Rates mentioned above are indicative and subject to change based on airlines and party(group) size
Note 2: In the Fly into Serengeti rates mentioned above, in addition to airfare, above rates also include cost to send the safari landcruiser with guide a day in advance to Serengeti, in time for your arrival & additional park fees that results due to rerouting of itinerary.
Note 3: Flights into Serengeti land at around 10:30 AM and game drives can start soon after landing while flights out of Serengeti depart around 11:00 AM and game drives can be done till about 45 min before flight departure.
Meals
- Day 1 - Lunch & Dinner
- Day 2 - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Day 3 - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Day 4 - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Day 5 - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Day 6 - Breakfast & Lunch
Drive Times
- Day 1 - Arusha to Tarangire takes about 2.5 to 3 hours (106 km)
- Day 2 - Tarangire to Lake Natron takes about 3.5 to 4 hours (162 km)
- Day 3 - Lake Natron to Central Serengeti takes about 5.5 to 6 hours
- Day 5 - Central Serengeti to NCA takes about 3 to 3.5 hours (151 km)
- Day 6 - NCA to Arusha takes about 4 to 4.5 hours (154 km)
Note: These are estimated drive times. Because of the traffic, location of the accommodations, and several other factors, actual drive times may vary. Driving distances are approximate and do not account for exact places.
Inclusions
- Park Fees (for Non-Residents).
- Concession/ Camping Fees.
- Daily game drives while on Safari.
- A professional driver/guide.
- 4x4 Land Cruiser or Safari Van.
- All Taxes and VAT.
- Meals as per itinerary.
- Drinking water while on safari (2 litres per person per day).
Exclusions
- International flights.
- Optional activites in Lake Natron.
- Airport Transfers (Unless mentioned otherwise).
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour (Unless mentioned otherwise).
- Personal Items (Souvenirs, Travel Insurance, Visa Fees, etc.).
- Tips
- Government imposed increase of Taxes and or Park Fees.
- Any activities not mentioned in the itinerary.