5 Days Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater Safari

Destinations: Tarangire National Park, Central Serengeti National Park & Ngorongoro Crater
Conservation status: UNESCO World Heritage Sites & premier protected reserves
Activities: Game drives, predator tracking, bird watching, photographic safari
Starting / ending point: Arusha or Kilimanjaro
Safari vehicle: 4x4 custom safari Land Cruiser with pop-up roof
Suited for: Private travel, families, couples, groups — budget & luxury options
Meals: Full board — breakfast, picnic lunch box, hot dinner

Route itinerary

01Day One

Arusha to Tarangire National Park

Depart from Arusha in the morning and drive south across the Maasai steppe to Tarangire National Park, famous for its iconic giant baobab trees and massive elephant herds.

Enjoy an exciting game drive along the Tarangire River, the park's lifeblood where zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, and impalas gather to drink, while predators like lions and leopards lurk nearby.

Enjoy a picnic lunch amidst the wild, continue with an afternoon game drive, and head to your lodge or tented camp for dinner and overnight.

02Day Two

Tarangire/Karatu to Central Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, journey northwest through the beautiful agricultural highlands of Karatu and ascend over the mist-shrouded crater rim of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

As you descend the far side, the endless golden savannah plains of the legendary Serengeti National Park open up before you. Embark on an afternoon game drive through the Seronera Valley.

Watch for roaming prides of lions, cheetahs on the hunt, and leopards resting in acacia trees before checking into your Central Serengeti lodge or tented camp for dinner and overnight.

03Day Three

Full-Day Central Serengeti Game Drive

Spend a full immersive day exploring the wildlife-rich heart of the Serengeti around the Seronera River valley, known for its permanent water sources and high concentration of resident predators.

Rise early for a morning game drive when big cats are most active. After breakfast, continue tracking lion prides, cheetah coalitions, and vast herds of herbivores across rolling acacia-dotted grasslands.

Return to your camp or lodge in the evening for relaxation, a hot dinner, and a peaceful night under the African stars.

04Day Four

Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Enjoy a final morning game drive as you journey across the open plains of the Serengeti, keeping an eye out for any wildlife missed in previous days.

Gradually drive back toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, stopping at scenic viewpoints along the way to admire the vastness of the East African rift valley ecosystem.

Arrive at your crater-rim lodge or nearby Karatu accommodation in the late afternoon for dinner and overnight.

05Day Five

Ngorongoro Crater Floor & Return to Arusha

Check out after an early breakfast and descend 600 meters down into the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater floor for an incredible final morning of wildlife viewing.

Experience unsurpassed wildlife concentration in this natural amphitheater, home to the Big Five—including rare black rhinos—alongside pink flamingos clustering around Lake Magadi. Enjoy your picnic lunch near the hippo pool.

In the afternoon, ascend the crater wall and begin your comfortable drive back to Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport for your evening departure.