Seven days is the sweet spot for a Tanzania safari. It gives you enough time to experience the three most important parks on the Northern Circuit without rushing, with two full days in the Serengeti (the minimum we recommend) and a complete day inside Ngorongoro Crater. You see the Big Five. You see landscapes that do not look like they belong on Earth. And you do it at a pace that actually lets you absorb what is happening around you.
This itinerary is fully customisable. We adjust the lodge tier, the parks, the pace, and the optional extras (balloon safari, walking safari, cultural visits) to match what you actually want. What follows is our most-booked version.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arusha to Tarangire National Park
Drive: 2.5 hours from Arusha
Activity: Afternoon game drive
Stay: Tented camp or lodge near Tarangire
Your guide picks you up from your Arusha hotel after breakfast. The drive to Tarangire takes you through Maasai farmland and open savanna before the park gate. Enter for an afternoon game drive. Tarangire is anchored by the Tarangire River, and during the dry season (June-October) every elephant in northern Tanzania migrates here. Herds of 50, 80, sometimes 100+ move through ancient baobab forests. You will also see giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, and often lion and leopard. Dinner and overnight at your camp.
Day 2: Tarangire Full Day
Activity: Full day game drive with picnic lunch
Stay: Same camp
A full day in Tarangire with a packed lunch so you do not need to leave the park. Your guide will take you to areas most day-visitors never reach: the Silale Swamp in the south, the Lemiyon area where large python are sometimes spotted in baobab hollows, and the riverine stretches where predators hunt. Tarangire is underrated and we give it the time it deserves. Return to camp for sunset, dinner, and the sounds of the bush at night.
Day 3: Tarangire to Serengeti National Park
Drive: 6-7 hours (game viewing en route)
Activity: Game drive through Ngorongoro Highlands and into the Serengeti
Stay: Tented camp in the Serengeti (positioned for seasonal wildlife)
The drive from Tarangire to the Serengeti is long but far from boring. You cross the Ngorongoro Highlands, pass through Maasai villages, and descend into the Serengeti through its eastern gate. The moment the plains open up and you see the grass stretching to the horizon in every direction, you understand why this place is famous. Afternoon game drive en route to your camp. Depending on the season, we position you in the Central, Northern, or Southern Serengeti for the best wildlife viewing.
Day 4: Serengeti Full Day
Activity: Full day game drive, optional sunrise balloon safari
Stay: Same camp
This is the day. Up before dawn for an early morning game drive when the light is golden and the predators are active. Lion prides on the hunt. Cheetah scanning the plains. Leopard in the kopjes. If the migration herds are present, you may witness thousands of wildebeest and zebra moving across the landscape. Your guide knows the Serengeti deeply and will position you for the best sightings based on current wildlife intelligence from other guides. Optional: a hot air balloon safari at dawn ($550-600 per person) followed by a champagne breakfast on the plains.
Day 5: Serengeti to Ngorongoro
Activity: Morning game drive in the Serengeti, afternoon drive to Ngorongoro
Drive: 3-4 hours
Stay: Lodge on the Ngorongoro Crater rim
A final morning game drive in the Serengeti. Every drive here produces something different. Then head east toward Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The landscape shifts from open plains to highland forest as you climb to the crater rim at 2,300 metres. Your lodge sits on the edge of the caldera with views down to the crater floor 600 metres below. The sunset from the rim is one of the most spectacular in East Africa. Early night: tomorrow starts early.
Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater
Activity: Full day game drive on the crater floor
Stay: Same lodge or Karatu area
Descend into the crater early morning. The Ngorongoro Crater is a 260 square kilometre caldera with roughly 25,000 animals living on its floor. It is one of the most wildlife-dense areas on Earth. You will see black rhino (critically endangered and rare elsewhere), large lion prides, hyena clans, enormous buffalo herds, and lakes that turn pink with flamingos. The crater feels like a separate world, enclosed and self-contained. Picnic lunch on the floor. Ascend in the afternoon. Dinner and final night in the Ngorongoro area.
Day 7: Ngorongoro to Arusha, Departure
Drive: 3.5 hours to Arusha
Activity: Optional Lake Manyara visit en route
Drive back to Arusha with an optional stop at Lake Manyara National Park (famous for tree-climbing lions and flamingos) or a Maasai cultural visit. Arrive Arusha by early afternoon. Transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport for your departure flight, or continue to Zanzibar for a beach extension.
Pricing
| Accommodation Level | Per Person (2 travellers) | Per Person (4 travellers) | What You Get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-Range | $2,800 - $3,500 | $2,200 - $2,800 | Comfortable lodges/tented camps, full board, private vehicle |
| High-End | $3,500 - $5,500 | $3,000 - $4,500 | Premium lodges, superior service, best locations |
| Luxury | $5,500 - $9,000+ | $5,000 - $8,000 | Top-tier properties (Singita, &Beyond level), fly-in options |
All prices include: airport transfers, private 4x4 vehicle, dedicated English-speaking guide, all meals (halal available), all national park and crater fees, all accommodation. Not included: international flights, visa ($50), travel insurance, tips, personal extras, optional balloon safari.
Customise This Itinerary
This is our starting point, not a fixed product. We regularly adjust this itinerary to add a day in the Serengeti (strongly recommended during migration season), include Lake Manyara as a full-day stop, add a Zanzibar extension (3-5 days), combine with a Kilimanjaro trek, or shift to luxury fly-in camps. Tell us what matters to you and we will rebuild it around your priorities.
Get a Custom Quote for This Itinerary
Tell us your dates and group size. We will send a detailed quote with specific lodge recommendations within 24 hours.
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