Itinerary
Planning your dream African safari? Our frequently asked questions about Tanzania safari tours cover everything you need to know before your adventure, including the best time to visit, wildlife experiences, accommodation, safari costs, and travel arrangements. Whether you’re visiting Tanzania for the first time or planning a special getaway, our Tanzania Holiday Safaris offer unforgettable experiences across Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro.
Day 1: Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport – Transfer to Arusha
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK), you will be warmly welcomed by your safari representative, who will assist you with your luggage and transfer you to your hotel in Arusha.
The drive offers your first introduction to Tanzania, with views of local communities, beautiful landscapes, and, on clear days, the impressive Mount Meru. Depending on your arrival time, you may have an opportunity to explore parts of Arusha or simply relax at your hotel.
Arusha is the gateway to Tanzania’s famous Northern Safari Circuit and serves as the starting point for your wildlife adventure. The city is surrounded by beautiful landscapes and offers a peaceful atmosphere before heading into the wilderness.
Upon arrival at Kibo Palace Hotel, check in and spend the rest of the day relaxing. Enjoy the hotel’s comfortable facilities before dinner and an overnight stay as you prepare for the exciting safari ahead.
Accommodation: Kibo Palace Hotel, Arusha
Meal Plan: Dinner
Activities:
Accommodations:
- Platinum Kibo Palace Hotel
Day 2: Arusha – Tarangire National Park – Karatu
After an early breakfast at your hotel, meet your professional safari driver-guide and depart for Tarangire National Park, one of Tanzania’s most rewarding wildlife destinations. The journey takes you through beautiful countryside, traditional villages, and scenic landscapes before arriving at the park entrance.
Tarangire National Park is famous for its large elephant populations, ancient baobab trees, and the Tarangire River, which attracts numerous animals, especially during the dry season. The park is home to lions, leopards, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeests, impalas, and many other wildlife species.
Upon entering the park, begin your game drive in a private 4×4 safari Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof, offering excellent wildlife viewing and photography opportunities. Your guide will take you through different habitats, including open savannah, acacia woodland, and areas surrounding the Tarangire River.
During the game drive, you may encounter large elephant families moving through the grasslands, giraffes feeding on acacia trees, and predators resting in the shade. Tarangire is also a wonderful destination for birdwatching, with hundreds of bird species recorded throughout the park.
Enjoy a picnic lunch at a designated picnic site surrounded by the beautiful wilderness before continuing with an afternoon game drive.
Later in the afternoon, leave Tarangire National Park and drive towards Karatu, a charming highland town located near the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Arrive at Mawe Mawe Lodge, check in, and relax before dinner.
Accommodation: Mawe Mawe Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Activities:
Accommodations:
- Platinum Mawe Mawe Lodge
Day 3: Lake Manyara National Park – Full-Day Game Drive
After breakfast at your lodge, depart for Lake Manyara National Park, a beautiful wildlife destination located at the base of the dramatic Great Rift Valley escarpment.
Although relatively small compared to other parks in Tanzania, Lake Manyara offers remarkable ecological diversity, with habitats ranging from lush groundwater forests and open grasslands to acacia woodlands and the shallow alkaline lake.
Upon arrival, begin your game drive through the park’s beautiful forest, where you may encounter troops of baboons, blue monkeys, and other wildlife. As you continue towards the open plains, look out for elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeests, and various antelope species.
Lake Manyara is particularly famous for its tree-climbing lions, although sightings are not guaranteed. Your guide will explore suitable areas where these remarkable predators are sometimes spotted resting on tree branches.
The park is also an excellent birdwatching destination, with more than 400 bird species recorded. Depending on seasonal water conditions, you may see flamingos, pelicans, storks, herons, and other waterbirds along the lakeshore.
Enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park before continuing your wildlife exploration in the afternoon. The scenery offers beautiful photography opportunities, with the Rift Valley escarpment providing a spectacular backdrop.
After your game drive, return to Mawe Mawe Lodge for relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.
Accommodation: Mawe Mawe Lodge
Activities:
Accommodations:
- Platinum Mawe Mawe Lodge
Day 4: Karatu to Serengeti National Park – Journey Through the Ngorongoro Highlands
After an early breakfast at Mawe Mawe Lodge, prepare for one of the most scenic and exciting journeys of your 7-day Tanzania safari tour as you travel towards the world-famous Serengeti National Park.
Your adventure begins with a drive through the beautiful Ngorongoro Highlands, an area known for its fertile farmland, rolling green hills, traditional communities, and spectacular natural scenery.
As you travel through the highlands, you will pass agricultural areas where local communities grow coffee, maize, wheat, and other crops. The region is home to several communities, including the Iraqw people, whose traditional farming practices have shaped the landscape over generations.
The road gradually climbs towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where cooler temperatures and beautiful mountain scenery create a refreshing change from the warmer savannah landscapes.
One of the highlights of today’s journey is the opportunity to stop at a viewpoint overlooking the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater. From the crater rim, you can admire the enormous volcanic caldera stretching across the landscape below.
The Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa’s most remarkable natural attractions and forms part of the UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Its floor supports a rich variety of wildlife, including lions, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeests, hippos, and the endangered black rhinoceros.
After enjoying the spectacular views and taking photographs, continue your journey towards Serengeti National Park.
As you travel west, the highland scenery gradually gives way to open grasslands and expansive savannah. This dramatic landscape change is one of the reasons why Tanzania Holiday Safaris are so rewarding, as every destination offers a completely different natural environment.
The Serengeti is famous for its seemingly endless plains, extraordinary wildlife populations, and the annual Great Wildebeest Migration.
The park covers approximately 14,763 square kilometres and forms part of the greater Serengeti ecosystem, one of the most important wildlife conservation landscapes in Africa.
Upon entering Serengeti National Park, begin an exciting en-route game drive towards the central Serengeti, also known as the Seronera region.
The central Serengeti is famous for its excellent year-round wildlife viewing, particularly its resident populations of lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, and various antelope species.
As your safari vehicle moves across the plains, keep your camera ready. You may encounter lions resting on rocky kopjes, giraffes walking gracefully across the grasslands, or large herds of zebras grazing beneath the African sky.
Enjoy a picnic lunch during the journey before continuing your game drive towards your accommodation.
In the late afternoon, arrive at Dove Serengeti Camp, a comfortable tented safari camp located within the central Serengeti.
After checking in, relax and enjoy the peaceful wilderness atmosphere. The sounds of birds, distant wildlife calls, and the gentle evening breeze create a memorable African safari experience.
Enjoy dinner at the camp before settling in for the night. Sleeping in the heart of the Serengeti is one of the most special experiences offered by our Tanzania safari tours, allowing you to feel connected to nature even after the day’s game drive has ended.
Main Destination: Serengeti National Park
Accommodation: Dove Serengeti Camp
Activities:
Accommodations:
- Platinum Dove Serengeti Camp.
Day 5: Full-Day Serengeti National Park Safari – Big Five Wildlife Encounters and Endless Plains
oday is dedicated entirely to exploring the magnificent Serengeti National Park, one of the world’s most famous wildlife destinations and a major highlight of Tanzania Holiday Safaris.
Wake up early to the sounds of the African wilderness and enjoy breakfast at Dove Serengeti Camp before departing for a full-day game drive.
The early morning hours are particularly rewarding for wildlife viewing because many animals are active before the heat of the day. Predators such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs may still be hunting or returning from their overnight activities.
As you travel across the golden savannah, your safari guide will search for wildlife and explain the fascinating relationships between predators, herbivores, and the surrounding environment.
The Serengeti is home to an extraordinary diversity of wildlife, including Africa’s famous Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros. While the central Serengeti offers excellent opportunities to see several of these species, black rhinoceros sightings are particularly rare.
One of the most exciting experiences during a Serengeti game drive is watching lions in their natural habitat. The park supports a significant lion population, and visitors may encounter prides resting beneath acacia trees, walking across the plains, or gathering around rocky kopjes.
Leopards are another major attraction, particularly in areas with riverine woodland and acacia trees. These elusive cats are skilled climbers and often spend time resting on branches, making sightings especially memorable.
The open grasslands also provide suitable hunting habitats for cheetahs, the fastest land animals in the world. Watching a cheetah scanning the plains for prey is an unforgettable experience for wildlife enthusiasts.
Your guide will also search for elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, gazelles, hyenas, jackals, and many other species that make the Serengeti one of Africa’s richest wildlife ecosystems.
Another major attraction is the Great Wildebeest Migration, during which enormous herds of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles move through the Serengeti ecosystem in search of fresh grazing and water.
The location of the migration changes throughout the year depending on rainfall and grazing conditions. During certain seasons, large herds may be found in the southern Serengeti and Ndutu region, while other periods bring migration activity to the western corridor and northern Serengeti.
Although migration sightings cannot be guaranteed during a stay in the central Serengeti, the park offers exceptional resident wildlife viewing throughout the year.
Continue exploring the Seronera Valley, one of the most productive wildlife areas in the central Serengeti. Permanent water sources attract animals throughout the year, while surrounding grasslands and rocky formations provide excellent habitats for predators.
At midday, stop at a designated picnic area and enjoy your packed lunch while taking in the beautiful surroundings.
After lunch, continue your afternoon game drive, travelling through different wildlife habitats and searching for species you may not have encountered earlier.
The late afternoon brings beautiful golden light across the Serengeti plains, creating wonderful opportunities for wildlife photography. Watching giraffes moving through the grasslands or elephants silhouetted against the evening sky is a moment that captures the true magic of an African safari.
Return to Dove Serengeti Camp before sunset, where you can relax after an exciting day of wildlife exploration.
Enjoy dinner at the camp and spend another night surrounded by the natural beauty of the Serengeti.
For many travellers, this full-day Serengeti experience becomes the highlight of their Tanzania safari tour because of the incredible wildlife encounters, breathtaking scenery, and sense of freedom that comes from exploring one of Africa’s last great wilderness areas.
Main Destination: Serengeti National Park
Accommodation: Dove Serengeti Camp
Activities:
Accommodations:
- Platinum Dove Serengeti Camp
Day 6: Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Scenic Crater Views and Karatu
Wake up early for your final morning in Serengeti National Park. After breakfast at Dove Serengeti Camp, begin your journey towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, enjoying wildlife viewing opportunities along the way.
The early morning is an excellent time to explore the Serengeti because many animals are still active before the temperatures rise.
As you travel through the park, keep your eyes open for lions resting on rocky outcrops, elephants feeding in the grasslands, giraffes moving between acacia trees, and zebras grazing across the open plains.
Your safari guide will make suitable stops for wildlife viewing and photography, allowing you to enjoy your final moments in this remarkable national park.
The Serengeti offers something special at every time of day, and even the journey towards the park exit can provide unexpected wildlife encounters.
After leaving the Serengeti, continue towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, passing through beautiful landscapes that gradually change from open savannah to rolling highlands.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of Tanzania’s most important natural and cultural destinations. Unlike a conventional national park, it is a multiple-use conservation landscape where wildlife conservation and traditional pastoral activities coexist in designated areas.
The region is particularly associated with Maasai communities, whose livestock and traditional settlements form part of the cultural landscape.
As you approach the Ngorongoro Highlands, enjoy spectacular views of green valleys, volcanic hills, and open grasslands.
One of today’s highlights is a scenic stop at the Ngorongoro Crater rim, where you will have an opportunity to admire one of Africa’s most extraordinary natural wonders.
The Ngorongoro Crater was formed millions of years ago following the collapse of a massive volcano. Today, it is one of the world’s largest intact, unfilled volcanic calderas, measuring approximately 19 kilometres across and descending around 600 metres from the rim to the crater floor.
From the viewpoint, you can see the vast crater floor, with its mixture of grasslands, woodland, wetlands, and the shallow alkaline Lake Magadi.
The crater supports a remarkable concentration of wildlife, including lions, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeests, hippos, spotted hyenas, and black rhinoceroses.
Although today’s itinerary focuses on scenic crater views rather than a descent to the crater floor, the panoramic landscape provides a memorable introduction to this extraordinary conservation area.
Travellers who wish to experience a full Ngorongoro Crater game drive can request an itinerary adjustment, allowing time to descend into the crater and explore its diverse wildlife habitats.
After enjoying the crater views, continue your journey towards Karatu, passing through beautiful highland scenery and traditional villages.
Arrive at Ngorongoro Marera Mountain View Lodge in the late afternoon, where you will check in and enjoy the peaceful surroundings.
The lodge provides a comfortable retreat after several exciting days exploring Tanzania’s national parks. Spend the evening relaxing, enjoying dinner, and reflecting on the remarkable wildlife experiences of your Tanzania Holiday Safari.
Main Destination: Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Crater Rim
Accommodation: Ngorongoro Marera Mountain View Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Activities:
Accommodations:
- Platinum Ngorongoro Marera Mountain View Lodge
Day 7: Karatu to Arusha – Airport Transfer and Departure
After breakfast at Ngorongoro Marera Mountain View Lodge, enjoy a relaxed morning as your wonderful 7-day Tanzania safari tour comes to an end.
Take some time to appreciate the beautiful highland surroundings before checking out and meeting your safari driver-guide for the return journey to Arusha.
The drive takes you through scenic countryside, traditional villages, agricultural landscapes, and small towns, offering another opportunity to observe everyday life in northern Tanzania.
As you travel, reflect on the remarkable experiences of the past week, from watching elephants beneath giant baobab trees in Tarangire to exploring the lush forests of Lake Manyara and discovering the endless wildlife-filled plains of the Serengeti.
Your journey has introduced you to some of Tanzania’s most beautiful landscapes and memorable wildlife destinations, creating experiences that will remain with you long after your holiday ends.
Depending on your departure flight schedule, you may have time for a short stop in Arusha to purchase souvenirs or enjoy lunch at your own expense.
Your safari guide will then transfer you to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK) in time for your onward flight. Transfer arrangements will be planned around your flight departure time.
As you say goodbye to Tanzania, you leave with wonderful memories of breathtaking landscapes, remarkable wildlife encounters, and the warm hospitality that makes Tanzania Holiday Safaris so special.
This marks the end of your 7-day Tanzania safari adventure, but the memories of Africa’s beautiful wilderness will stay with you for years to come.
Main Destination: Arusha / Kilimanjaro International Airport
Accommodation: None – End of Tour
