Highlights
- Baobabs and large elephant herds in Tarangire
- Three nights and two full days in the Serengeti, the classic African plains
- A morning descent into Ngorongoro Crater, one of the densest wildlife areas in Africa
- Lions, cheetahs and, in season, the migration
Day by day
Day 1: Arrive in Arusha
Fly into Kilimanjaro International, about 50 km from Arusha, and transfer to a lodge in Usa River or Arusha. It’s a good place to sleep off jet lag and meet your guide for a briefing. Our Arusha guide explains where to stay and how to choose an operator.
Day 2: Tarangire
Drive southwest for about two to three hours to Tarangire National Park. The park is known for enormous baobab trees and elephant herds that gather along the river in the dry season. You’ll spend the day on game drives, with a picnic lunch, and overnight in or near the park. Lake Manyara sits nearby if you’d like to swap in a different first stop.
Day 3: Tarangire to the Serengeti
A long day. Drive via the Ngorongoro highlands and Olduvai Gorge, stopping at Olduvai’s small museum, and enter the Serengeti in the afternoon, roughly seven to eight hours in total. Game drives start as soon as you cross the gate. Many travellers choose to fly this leg instead.
Days 4 and 5: Serengeti
Two full days of game drives. The central Serengeti, around Seronera, is good for big cats year-round, while other areas are better at different times of year for the migration. Your guide chooses the route based on recent sightings. Expect lions, leopards on riverside trees, cheetahs on the plains, elephants and hippos.
A dawn balloon safari is an optional add-on and needs to be booked ahead.
Day 6: Serengeti to Ngorongoro
Drive out of the Serengeti in the morning, with game viewing on the way, and reach the Ngorongoro Conservation Area by mid-afternoon. Your lodge on the crater rim has views over the crater floor. It’s cool up here, so bring a warm layer.
Day 7: Ngorongoro Crater and Arusha
Descend into the crater at first light, when the animals are most active. The floor is home to lions, hyenas, elephants, buffalo, hippos and black rhinos, along with huge numbers of grazers. After about five hours, climb out for lunch and drive to Arusha, about four hours, stopping if you like at Lake Manyara on the way.
Day 8: Depart
Transfer to Kilimanjaro International, or continue to the coast. If you want a beach afterwards, see the 10-day Serengeti and Zanzibar itinerary.
What’s included and what isn’t
Included: accommodation, meals, park and conservation fees, a 4x4 with a driver-guide and bottled water. Excluded: international flights, visas, tips, travel insurance and optional activities. As of September 2026, Serengeti fees for non-resident adults are about US$82.60 per 24 hours including VAT, and the Ngorongoro crater descent costs about US$295 per vehicle. Read our cost guide for how these add up.
Making it yours
For a quieter safari, consider the southern circuit, which has fewer vehicles. To compare countries, see Kenya vs Tanzania.
Parks on this route
Tarangire National Park
Baobab-dotted hills and some of Tanzania's biggest elephant herds, best from June to October.
Serengeti National Park
Tanzania's flagship park and the heart of the Great Migration, with big cats and open plains as far as you can see.
Ngorongoro Crater and Conservation Area
The world's largest intact volcanic caldera, with a resident wildlife population and a very good chance of seeing a rhino.
Lake Manyara National Park
A compact park between the Rift Valley escarpment and a soda lake, good for birds, monkeys and the odd lion in a tree.
Request this trip
Pricing: Quoted per group. Using the range of about US$350 to US$700 per person per night for mid-range Tanzania trips, expect roughly US$2,500 to US$5,000 per person on the ground. Serengeti and Ngorongoro fees make up a large share, and international flights are extra.
Questions about this trip
Should I fly or drive to the Serengeti?
The drive from Arusha via Ngorongoro is long, about eight hours, and the dirt sections are bumpy. Flying takes about an hour and a half and saves a day, but costs more and limits luggage to soft bags. If your budget allows, fly one way and drive the other.
Where is the migration in the Serengeti?
It moves through the year. Very broadly, herds are in the southern plains around Ndutu from about January to March for calving, move to the central and western Serengeti in the middle of the year, and are in the north around the Mara River from roughly July to October. Timing varies from year to year. Read our migration calendar.
Is Ngorongoro Crater crowded?
It can be, especially between 8 and 11 am when many vehicles descend at once. Entering at sunrise, choosing a rim lodge to save time and picnic on the crater floor all help. Even with other vehicles, the concentration of wildlife is remarkable.
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Last updated 20 September 2026. Itineraries are starting points. Routes, lodges and prices are adjusted to your dates, group size and budget. Rift & Reef quotes are valid for the dates stated on the quote.