5-Day Serengeti & Ngorongoro Explorer
Overview
Focus on Tanzania's two crown jewels — the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater — on this perfectly paced 5-day explorer. Begin your journey at the Ngorongoro Crater, a natural amphitheater teeming with wildlife, before heading to the legendary Serengeti for two full days of game driving across its vast golden plains. This itinerary is ideal for those who want to concentrate their safari on the most wildlife-rich areas without visiting every park.
Highlights
Gallery
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 — Arrival in Arusha
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport where you will be greeted by our representative and transferred to Arusha Planet Lodge. Settle into your comfortable room and enjoy the tranquil gardens. Your driver-guide will provide a comprehensive safari briefing over a welcome dinner, setting the stage for your Tanzanian adventure.
Accommodation
Four Points by Sheraton Arusha
Dinner
Day 2 — Arusha to Ngorongoro Crater
After an early breakfast, depart Arusha and drive through the scenic highlands and Maasai villages to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Descend the steep crater wall into the world's largest intact volcanic caldera. Spend the full day on an exhilarating game drive — the crater floor hosts an incredible density of lions, elephants, buffaloes, hippos, and if fortune smiles, the endangered black rhino. A picnic lunch is served at a hippo pool before you ascend to Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, perched on the rim with jaw-dropping views.
Accommodation
Rhino Lodge
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 — Ngorongoro to Serengeti National Park
Depart Ngorongoro after breakfast and drive through the conservation area toward the Serengeti. Optionally stop at Olduvai Gorge, the cradle of humankind. Enter the Serengeti at Naabi Hill Gate and begin your first game drive through the iconic landscape — grasslands dotted with acacia trees and granite kopjes. Track lions, cheetah, elephant, and giraffe as you make your way to Serengeti Sopa Lodge, arriving in time to watch the sun set over the endless plains.
Accommodation
Into Wild Africa
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 — Full Day Serengeti Game Drive
Rise before dawn for an early morning game drive — the golden hour when predators hunt and the bush comes alive. Spend the full day exploring the Serengeti's diverse ecosystems, from the Seronera River valley with its resident leopards to the sweeping open plains where cheetah stalk their prey. Picnic lunch in the bush, then continue your game drive through the afternoon, returning to Serengeti Sopa Lodge for a final evening under the African stars.
Accommodation
Into Wild Africa
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 — Serengeti to Arusha
Enjoy one last morning game drive as the sun rises over the Serengeti — a fitting finale to your safari. Return to the lodge for brunch before beginning the journey back to Arusha through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with game viewing along the way. Arrive in Arusha by late afternoon, where you will be transferred to the airport for your onward journey or an optional Zanzibar beach extension.
Included
- Four nights accommodation in high-quality mid-range lodges
- All meals as indicated in the itinerary
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
- Dedicated English-speaking driver-guide
- Park entry fees for Serengeti National Park
- Ngorongoro Crater conservation and descent fees
- Bottled water during all game drives
- Airport pick-up and drop-off in Arusha
Excluded
- Return international and domestic flights
- Tanzania tourist visa
- Travel, medical, and cancellation insurance
- Tips for driver-guide and lodge staff
- Drinks and beverages outside of water
- Any items of a personal nature
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