7-Day Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Lake Manyara Safari
7 daysA classic northern circuit flow with strong Serengeti time, a crater descent, and Manyara’s forest-and-lakeshore contrasts.
Explore Journey →7 Days Tanzania Signature Safari
This Signature itinerary is built for travelers who want Tanzania’s Northern Circuit done properly—without rushing, without long “dead” driving days, and with enough time in the places that matter most. You begin in Arusha for a gentle arrival, then move into Tarangire for elephant-focused game viewing and classic baobab scenery. From there the route flows naturally through the highlands to Serengeti for two strong safari days, before shifting to the Ngorongoro rim for an early Crater descent and a wildlife-packed finale at Lake Manyara.
The pacing is designed around wildlife behavior: early mornings for predators and soft light, midday breaks when the heat rises, and late afternoons when movement increases again. Your guide adapts the plan to real-time sightings—whether you want more big cats, more elephants, migration tracking (seasonal), or a more photographic approach with longer stops and fewer kilometers.
Cultural connection is included with a respectful Maasai community visit (timed to avoid interrupting key safari hours). Optional upgrades—like a Serengeti balloon safari or a Zanzibar extension—can be added without changing the core structure.
Day 1: Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) – Transfer to Arusha
Land at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and meet our team for a private transfer to Arusha. The drive is smooth and scenic, with Mount Meru often visible, and gives you a calm first impression of northern Tanzania. After check-in, you’ll have time to settle in, refresh, and enjoy a relaxed first evening—ideal after long-haul travel.
If you arrive earlier in the day, we can help you add a gentle warm-up activity such as a coffee stop, a short craft market visit, or simply a slow afternoon to rest. Your guide (or our representative) will confirm your safari timing, explain park routines, and share simple tips for better sightings and photos—like how to position for light, how to watch animal behavior, and how to pace your day to avoid fatigue.
Overnight: Summit Safari Lodge – Arusha
Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park – Full Game Drive – Karatu Highlands
After breakfast, depart Arusha for Tarangire National Park—famous for its elephant populations, ancient baobabs, and wide seasonal wetlands. On the way, you’ll pass through Maasai grazing areas and farming communities, watching the scenery shift from town to open countryside. Enter the park and begin game viewing immediately, following wildlife tracks toward the Tarangire River corridor.
Tarangire rewards patience: elephants often move in family groups, using the river and shady groves during the warmest hours. Your guide will explore a mix of habitats—riverine forest, open savannah, and swamp areas—looking for giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, and predators that follow the herds. Birdlife is strong here too, with colorful species and raptors often seen along the river edges.
Enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park at a scenic spot, then continue the drive into late afternoon when animals become active again. Later, exit the park and travel toward the cooler Karatu highlands—positioned perfectly for tomorrow’s route toward Serengeti.
Overnight: Ngorongoro Coffee Lodge – Karatu
Day 3: Karatu to Serengeti – Scenic Drive + Game Viewing En Route – Central Serengeti
Start early and drive toward Serengeti National Park. The day is scenic and wildlife-rich: you climb into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where the landscape changes from cultivated slopes to open highlands. Along the route, there are viewpoints and wide panoramas that make it feel like you’re traveling through multiple worlds in one morning.
As you approach Serengeti, the plains open up dramatically—this is the famous “endless land.” After completing entry formalities, you begin game viewing immediately. The drive to your camp becomes a safari in itself: your guide will stop for strong sightings, track fresh predator movement, and explain the ecosystem as you transition deeper into the Seronera region (Central Serengeti), known for year-round water and reliable big-cat activity.
Arrive at your tented camp/lodge, settle in, then head back out for an afternoon drive if timing allows—often excellent for lions waking, cheetahs scanning the plains, and elephants moving between feeding areas. Return in the evening for dinner and a restful night in the bush.
Overnight: Serengeti Tortilis Camp (or Serengeti Signature Luxury Tented Camp) – Serengeti
Day 4: Serengeti Full Day Game Drive – Big Cats, Kopjes & River Lines
Today is a full Serengeti safari day—your best chance to go deep, stay out longer, and follow quality sightings rather than a fixed loop. Begin early when temperatures are cool and animal movement is at its peak. The Seronera ecosystem supports lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, and a rich variety of herbivores year-round, creating the classic predator-prey drama Serengeti is known for.
Your guide will use real-time updates and bush knowledge to focus your day: you may visit kopjes where lions like to rest, scan open plains for cheetah, and work riverine areas for leopard activity. If migration herds are in the region (seasonal), your day will be shaped around the best herd concentrations and movement patterns, maximizing your chances for iconic scenes.
Enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park, then continue with afternoon game viewing—often excellent for hunting attempts and golden-light photography. Return to camp in the late afternoon, with time to freshen up and enjoy dinner under the stars.
Optional upgrade: Serengeti hot-air balloon safari (extra cost; book in advance).
Overnight: Serengeti Tortilis Camp (or Serengeti Signature Luxury Tented Camp) – Serengeti
Day 5: Serengeti Morning Safari – Transfer to Ngorongoro Highlands – Maasai Community Visit
Enjoy a final Serengeti morning drive—perfect for revisiting a hotspot, searching for a species you still want, or simply soaking in the early light. Morning is often productive for predators, and you may find lions returning from hunting or hyenas moving through open areas before the heat rises.
After the drive, begin your journey toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The route climbs steadily into cooler highlands, with big views back toward the plains. On the way (timing depending), visit a Maasai community for a cultural experience that focuses on respectful learning—daily life, traditional homes, and how pastoralist culture fits within the wider conservation landscape.
Continue to your camp on/near the crater highlands, arriving in time to relax, enjoy dinner, and prepare for an early start tomorrow. Staying here is strategic: you’ll be positioned for a strong Crater descent before crowds build.
Overnight: Ngorongoro Tortilis Camp (or Ngorongoro Ang’ata Camp) – Ngorongoro Highlands
Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater Full Day Game Drive – Transfer to Lake Manyara
Start early and descend into the Ngorongoro Crater—one of Africa’s most wildlife-dense environments. The crater floor combines grasslands, swamps, acacia woodland, and a soda lake, creating a compact ecosystem that supports a remarkable variety of animals. With a full day inside, you can explore multiple zones rather than rushing between sightings.
Expect excellent chances for lion, buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, hyena, and hippos. Your guide will also search the most promising areas for black rhino—Ngorongoro is one of Tanzania’s key locations for sightings. You’ll stop for a picnic lunch near a scenic spot (often close to hippo pools), then continue wildlife viewing through the afternoon.
Later, ascend from the crater and drive toward Lake Manyara. The landscape shifts again—Rift Valley views, greener vegetation, and a completely different feel after the crater. Arrive, settle in, and enjoy a relaxed evening.
Overnight: Lake Manyara Tortilis Camp – Lake Manyara
Day 7: Lake Manyara Morning Game Drive – Return to Arusha – Transfer to JRO
Begin with a morning game drive in Lake Manyara National Park. Manyara is compact but incredibly diverse: you may start in the groundwater forest with troops of baboons and blue monkeys, then move toward open areas and the lakeshore where birdlife can be spectacular (including flamingos in season). Elephants often move through the forest, and the scenery is a refreshing contrast to Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
After the drive, begin the return journey to Arusha (and onward to JRO). Timing is planned clearly around your flight schedule to keep the day stress-free. If you have a later departure, we can add a short stop for a final coffee/lunch break or souvenir shopping in Arusha.
End of Safari.
Rate Per Person (USD)
| Group Size | Price (pp) |
|---|---|
| Solo (1 pax) | $4,475 |
| 2 pax | $3,270 |
| 3 pax | $2,910 |
| 4 pax | $2,730 |
| 5 pax | $2,620 |
| 6 pax | $2,490 |
| 7+ pax | On request |
Private 4x4 • Great routing • Strong Serengeti time • Full Ngorongoro Crater day
Language Guides Available
- ✓English-speaking guide (included)
- ✓Dutch-speaking guide (on request)
- ✓French-speaking guide (on request)
- ✓Spanish-speaking guide (on request)
- ✓Other languages (on request)
Other languages are available on request. Most are $50–$100 per guide per day, depending on availability.
Included
- ✓All park fees & conservation charges (as per itinerary)
- ✓Private 4x4 safari vehicle with professional guide
- ✓Accommodation as listed (midrange lodge & tented camps)
- ✓Meals during safari (as provided by lodges/camps)
- ✓Drinking water during game drives
- ✓Game drives as described in the itinerary
- ✓Maasai community visit (as scheduled)
Excluded
- ✗International flights & visas
- ✗Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- ✗Tips for guide and camp staff
- ✗Optional activities (balloon safari, cultural add-ons beyond itinerary, etc.)
- ✗Personal items, alcohol, and anything not listed as included
