5 Days – Tarangire, Ngorongoro & Serengeti Highlights (Tanzania)

Perfect for: First-time safari travelers, couples, nature lovers
Style: Classic, high-impact, big wildlife, minimal drive time

Overview

This journey captures the very best of Northern Tanzania: the elephant herds of Tarangire, the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater, and the vast, wildlife-rich plains of the Serengeti. It is ideal for travelers who want the iconic safari experience in under a week — without feeling rushed.

Day 1 – Tarangire National Park

Depart Arusha and enter Tarangire, a park famous for its towering baobab trees and excellent elephant sightings. Enjoy a leisurely game drive through river valleys, acacia woodlands, and grasslands dotted with wildlife. Expect to see elephants, giraffes, buffalo, zebras, wildebeest, and a variety of predators.
Overnight: Tented camp or lodge overlooking the river.

Day 2 – Tarangire to Karatu

Begin your day with a sunrise game drive when predators are most active. After lunch, drive toward the Ngorongoro highlands. Along the route, you’ll pass Maasai settlements and rolling farmlands. Settle into your lodge in Karatu, surrounded by coffee plantations.
Overnight: Comfortable lodge on the crater rim or nearby hills.

Day 3 – Ngorongoro Crater Tour → Serengeti

Descend 600 meters into the Ngorongoro Crater, a natural amphitheater home to lions, black rhinos, flamingos, and thousands of grazing animals. Enjoy a full morning exploring the crater floor before driving toward the Serengeti, with wildlife becoming more abundant as you approach the central plains.
Overnight: Serengeti tented camp beneath endless skies.

Day 4 – Full-Day Serengeti Safari

Spend the day searching for big cats, elephants, cheetahs, hyenas, and vast herds on the open plains. Your guide will tailor the day to seasonal wildlife movements — whether it’s big-cat hotspots, river valleys, or migration herds.
Optional: Hot-air balloon safari at sunrise.
Overnight: Serengeti tented camp.

Day 5 – Morning Safari & Return to Arusha

Enjoy a final sunrise game drive before flying or driving back to Arusha. The Serengeti often surprises even in the last hour — a leopard lounging in a tree, a cheetah scanning the plains, a herd of elephants bathing in morning light.