5-Day Safari Expedition: Manyara, Serengeti 🐘 Ngorongoro Crater 🐆

🌟 Embark on a 5-Day Safari Adventure in Tanzania

🐾 Explore Lake Manyara National Park, the Vast Serengeti, & the Diverse Ngorongoro Crater 🏞️

✨ Discover:
🌅 Breathtaking Landscapes 🏞️
🌿 Vibrant Ecosystems 🦜🐘
🦁 Thrilling Wildlife Encounters 🐆🐒

💛 This journey promises unforgettable memories and moments you’ll cherish forever.

📍Day 1: Arusha Town – Lake Manyara

Non-game-viewing travel time: 2½ hours – Distance: 130 km

You will meet our professional driver and tour guide at your hotel, who will provide a brief overview of the safari. After breakfast, we will drive to Lake Manyara National Park. This impressive national park is one of Tanzania’s most dramatically located wildlife areas, featuring a massive but shallow soda lake that covers two-thirds of the park, situated at the foot of the Great Rift Valley’s western escarpment. The park’s varied habitats attract a wide variety of animals, including one of Africa’s largest concentrations of elephants. Manyara is also famous for its tree-climbing lions and large flocks of flamingos attracted by the algae in the lake. Dinner and overnight accommodations will be provided at a lodge, tented camp, hotel, or a luxury, basic campsite.

📍Day 2: Lake Manyara – Serengeti National Park

Non-game-viewing travel time: 6 hours
Distance: 205 km

After breakfast, we will depart from the camp and drive to the Serengeti via the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, arriving later on the magnificent Serengeti plains for a spectacular wildlife viewing experience. Along the way, you will pass one of the world’s greatest prehistoric archaeological sites, Olduvai Gorge, before continuing through the scrublands. The wooded knolls around Naabi Hill Gate mark the official entrance to the Serengeti, which then descends into the park’s signature wide-open plains. This stretch embodies the meaning of the word “Serengeti,” which derives from the Maasai term “Siringet,” meaning “the land that flows on forever.” Serengeti National Park covers 6,000 square miles of pristine land and offers not only expansive vistas but also the largest migration of mammals on earth, including 1.5 million wildebeest. Dinner and overnight accommodations will be provided at a lodge, luxury tented camp, or basic campsite.

📍Day 3: Full Day – Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, you will enjoy a full day of game viewing in Serengeti National Park. The Serengeti, Tanzania’s second-largest national park, covers nearly 6,000 square miles of grassland plains, savannah, kopjes, hills, woodlands, and riverine forests. The Grumeti, Mbalageti, and Mara River systems serve as critical water sources and are often excellent sites for wildlife viewing.

In addition to the renowned migration of wildebeest and zebras, the Serengeti is famous for its big predators, including cheetahs and leopards, as well as large pride of lions and clans of hyenas. Other commonly seen animals include gazelles, buffalo, giraffes, topis, hartebeests, ostriches, and jackals. However, it is the full diversity of wildlife and habitats that will truly amaze you. 🦁🐘🐆

The greater Serengeti ecosystem includes the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the Masai Mara in Kenya, and numerous surrounding wildlife-protected lands, combining for a total of almost 17,000 square miles—larger than the states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island combined. Dinner and overnight accommodations will be at a lodge luxury tented camps or basic campsite.

📍Day 4: Serengeti – Ngorongoro Crater

Non-game-viewing travel time: 4 hours – Distance: 145 km

Our day starts with a morning game drive in central Serengeti. This is an active time for wildlife, as it is not yet hot, providing excellent opportunities for viewing animals until around 11:30 AM. We will then return to the lodge or camp for brunch. On our way back, we will stop at Olduvai Gorge, a fascinating archaeological site that is of great interest to those curious about history and the Maasai tribes. Dinner and overnight accommodations will be at a lodge, tented camp, hotel, or campsite set on the crater rim. The lodge or campsite offers stunning views of Ngorongoro and the surrounding highlands. 🦁🐘🦓

📍Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater Tour – Arusha

Non-game-viewing travel time: 4 hours – Distance: 190 km

On our final day, we start early to make the most of our time in the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater. After breakfast, we’ll pack a picnic lunch and descend 2,000 feet into what is often called Africa’s “Garden of Eden.” This UNESCO World Heritage Site, the world’s largest unbroken volcanic caldera, features lush grasslands, forests, and swamps, supporting a thriving ecosystem of up to 25,000 large animals.

As we explore, look out for the rare black rhino, black-maned lions, and large herds of zebras, wildebeest, buffalos, and elephants. The crater also boasts a rich birdlife, including flamingos, which add vibrant pink hues to the soda lakes.

After a leisurely day of wildlife viewing and enjoying a picnic lunch amid the breathtaking scenery, we’ll ascend the crater walls and begin our journey back to Arusha. You will be dropped off at your lodge or hotel (accommodation at your own expense).

This concludes our tour, leaving you with unforgettable memories of Ngorongoro’s extraordinary beauty and wildlife.

Select the experience that suits your style and comfort:

🏡 Choose Your Accommodation Style:

🏕️ Camping Safari

Experience the authentic outdoors and connect with nature on an unforgettable camping safari. This adventure is perfect for travelers seeking an immersive and raw encounter with Tanzania’s breathtaking landscapes and diverse wildlife.

Ideal for adventure seekers, a camping safari offers the chance to wake up to the sounds of nature, witness stunning sunrises over the savannah, and enjoy evenings by the campfire under a vast, starlit sky. With the simplicity of tented accommodations, you’ll feel truly connected to the wilderness while still enjoying the essentials for a comfortable and safe journey.

Whether you’re tracking the Great Migration, exploring iconic national parks, or venturing into remote wilderness areas, a camping safari guarantees an up-close and personal experience with Africa’s untamed beauty.

🏡 Lodge Safari

After an exhilarating day of wildlife encounters and breathtaking landscapes, unwind in the comfort and style of a lodge safari. This experience is designed for travelers who appreciate a blend of adventure and relaxation, offering cozy accommodations, luxury amenities, and exceptional hospitality in the heart of nature.

Stay in beautifully designed lodges that provide spacious rooms, en-suite bathrooms, and private verandas overlooking stunning scenery. Enjoy fine dining with expertly crafted meals, often featuring fresh, locally sourced ingredients, while taking in panoramic views of the savannah, rivers, or lush forests.

A lodge safari allows you to explore Tanzania’s iconic national parks during the day and return to a tranquil, well-appointed retreat in the evening. Whether you prefer an intimate boutique lodge or a high-end safari resort, this experience ensures a seamless balance of excitement and indulgence, making it perfect for those who want to discover the wild without sacrificing comfort.

🏕️✨Luxury Tented Lodge Safari

Immerse yourself in the beauty of the African wilderness while enjoying the perfect blend of adventure and modern luxury on a Luxury Tented Lodge Safari. Designed for travelers seeking both authenticity and comfort, this experience offers the thrill of a traditional safari with the added indulgence of spacious, well-appointed en-suite tents.

Each luxury tented lodge is thoughtfully positioned to provide breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes, whether it’s a sweeping savannah, a tranquil riverbank, or a secluded forest. With plush bedding, private verandas, and elegant furnishings, these lodges ensure an intimate and exclusive safari retreat.

Guests can unwind in beautifully designed lounges, savor gourmet cuisine in open-air dining areas, and enjoy a glass of wine by the campfire under a starlit African sky. This experience seamlessly blends the raw beauty of nature with premium hospitality, making it ideal for those who desire an authentic yet sophisticated safari adventure.

Price Includes

✅ All park entry fees
✅ Concession fees
✅ Flying Doctor Service
✅ All park camping fees
✅ Airport pickup
✅ Ngorongoro Crater service fees
✅ Accommodation at hotels, lodges, tented camps, or campsites as per the safari program
✅ Chef services
✅ Meals as per the itinerary
✅ English-speaking driver/guide
✅ Transport in a 4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof
✅ Bottled drinking water (1.5 liters per person per day during the safari)
✅ One-night complimentary hotel accommodation in Arusha upon arrival, including breakfast
✅ Camping equipment, including tents, sleeping mats, sleeping bags, pillows, chairs, and tables