Africa Merit Safaris
6-Day Group Serengeti Expedition

6-Day Group Serengeti Expedition

Overview

This 6-day group expedition is designed for travellers who want to immerse themselves in the Serengeti with three full nights inside the park. In a shared vehicle of no more than six, your small group will track the Great Migration, search for the Big Five, and experience the raw drama of predator-prey interactions across the Serengeti's central and southern plains. The journey is bookended by the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater, making this the ultimate small-group Serengeti deep dive.

Highlights

Three nights at Serengeti Sopa Lodge — deep immersion in the park
Small group of 6 — shared vehicle means shared excitement and shared costs
Full-day game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater with your group
Extended Serengeti game drives covering central Seronera and beyond
Option to visit Olduvai Gorge en route, exploring together
Fixed departures, solo-traveller-friendly, no single supplement on request

Gallery

6-Day Group Serengeti Expedition — image 1
6-Day Group Serengeti Expedition — image 2
6-Day Group Serengeti Expedition — image 3

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival in Arusha

Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport and join the group transfer to Arusha Planet Lodge. After settling in, attend the evening safari briefing where you will meet your driver-guide and the fellow travellers who will share this Serengeti expedition. Dinner is served at the lodge as the group gets acquainted and the excitement builds for the journey ahead.

Accommodation

Luxury: Gran Meliá Arusha
Luxury

Gran Meliá Arusha

Mid-Range: Four Points by Sheraton Arusha
Mid-Range

Four Points by Sheraton Arusha

Budget: Tulia Boutique Hotel & Spa
Budget

Tulia Boutique Hotel & Spa

Dinner

Day 2 — Arusha to Ngorongoro Crater

After an early group breakfast, depart Arusha for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The shared vehicle climbs through lush highlands and skirts the crater rim before descending 600 metres to the floor for a full-day game drive. The group explores this natural wonder together — rhino wallowing in mud, lionesses stalking zebra, and hippos crowding the pools. A picnic lunch is shared in this incredible setting before the group ascends to Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge for an evening on the crater rim.

Accommodation

Luxury: Ngorongoro Crater Lodge
Luxury

Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

Mid-Range: Rhino Lodge
Mid-Range

Rhino Lodge

Budget: Simba Public Campsite
Budget

Simba Public Campsite

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3 — Ngorongoro to Central Serengeti

The group enjoys breakfast with breathtaking crater views, then departs for the Serengeti. The drive crosses the Ngorongoro Conservation Area with an optional stop at Olduvai Gorge, the archaeological site where early hominid fossils were unearthed. Enter the Serengeti at Naabi Hill Gate and spend the afternoon on the group's first Serengeti game drive, working through the Seronera Valley — known for its exceptional year-round predator density. Arrive at Serengeti Sopa Lodge, your home for the next three nights.

Accommodation

Luxury: Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti
Luxury

Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti

Mid-Range: Into Wild Africa
Mid-Range

Into Wild Africa

Budget: Nyani Campsite
Budget

Nyani Campsite

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4 — Full Day Central Serengeti

Dedicate the entire day to exploring the Serengeti's central plains as a group. The Seronera River Valley offers some of Africa's finest game viewing — large lion prides, cheetah on the hunt, leopard draped in acacia trees, and enormous herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle. The group shares a bush picnic lunch under a shady acacia before continuing the afternoon drive. As the sun sets, the group returns to Serengeti Sopa Lodge for dinner and shared stories of the day's highlights.

Accommodation

Luxury: Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti
Luxury

Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti

Mid-Range: Into Wild Africa
Mid-Range

Into Wild Africa

Budget: Nyani Campsite
Budget

Nyani Campsite

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5 — Southern Serengeti Plains

Today the group ventures further afield, heading towards the Southern Serengeti plains where the short-grass savannah stretches to the horizon. Depending on the season, this is where the Great Migration calves are born and predator action is at its most intense. The group tracks wildlife across the open plains, sharing binoculars and swapping camera tips as the adventure unfolds. A picnic lunch is taken in the bush before the afternoon drive back north toward the lodge. The final evening in the Serengeti is celebrated with a group dinner under the African sky.

Accommodation

Luxury: Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti
Luxury

Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti

Mid-Range: Into Wild Africa
Mid-Range

Into Wild Africa

Budget: Nyani Campsite
Budget

Nyani Campsite

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6 — Serengeti to Arusha

Enjoy a final group breakfast at Serengeti Sopa Lodge before beginning the journey back to Arusha. Game viewing continues as the vehicle crosses the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, offering last glimpses of wildlife along the way. The group arrives in Arusha by late afternoon, where transfers to the airport or hotels are arranged. Farewells are exchanged and travel details swapped — the Serengeti expedition may be over, but the friendships often endure.

Included

  • All accommodation as per itinerary (3 nights Serengeti, 1 crater rim, 1 Arusha)
  • Meals as indicated (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
  • Shared 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof (max 6 travellers)
  • Services of a professional English-speaking driver-guide
  • Park entry fees for Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park
  • Ngorongoro Crater service and descent fees
  • Bottled drinking water during all game drives
  • Return airport transfers in Arusha

Excluded

  • International flights
  • Tanzania visa fees
  • Travel and medical insurance
  • Tips and gratuities for driver-guide and lodge staff
  • Alcoholic and soft drinks at lodges
  • Olduvai Gorge museum entry (optional)

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