In this tour we will cover the 2 most popular destinations in Tanzania - Central Serengeti (3 nights) and Ngorongoro Crater (1 night). Tour starts and ends at Arusha. With our experienced driver guides, it will be a trip of a lifetime!
Short Itinerary
Day 1 (May 24, 2024) - Arusha to Central Serengeti. Afternoon game drives in Central Serengeti
Day 2 (May 25, 2024) - Central Serengeti full day game drives
Day 3 (May 26, 2024) - Central Serengeti full day game drives
Day 4 (May 27, 2024) - Morning game drives in Central Serengeti and transfer to Ngorongoro/Karatu
Day 5 (May 28, 2024) - Ngorongoro Crater Tour (5 hours) and transfer to Arusha
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Safari tour prices vary depending on the starting date, your group size, and the choice of stay.
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Itinerary
Day 1 - Arusha to Central Serengeti
Your safari will begin by 8AM in the morning with a pick up from your hotel at Arusha. With everyone aboard, you will head towards Serengeti National Park. The 240 Km drive will be covered in about 6hrs. The Serengeti, means endless plains in the local African language and watching the grassland stretch out as far as the eye can see and eventually merging with the sky at the horizon is an absolutely breathtaking view. With an overall land area of 14,763 Sq Kms, It puts our notion about distance to shame. The Serengeti also houses the glorious “Big 5” (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard). Along with the “Big 5”, a very pleasant sighting would be one of Africa’s most beautiful animals – The Impala. The Serengeti ecosystem supports the greatest remaining concentration of plains game in Africa. The legendary Serengeti National Park is the most renowned safari destination for its incredible population of lions and leopards. The central portion of the Serengeti - known as Seronera area is one of the richest wildlife habitats in the park. It features the Seronera River, which provides a valuable water source to this area and therefore attracts wildlife well representative of most of the Serengeti’s species. In seronera, one must really look out for the many lion prides that thrive in this region. You must also look out for the Serengeti “Kopjes” which are massive boulders of granite standing in a sea of grass. They provide ample shelter to a large variety of flora and fauna. A picnic lunch will be done during the day long game drive itself. The eventful day comes to an end with a heavy dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation.
Day 2 & Day 3 - Central Serengeti
You can either have a relaxed breakfast and depart for full day game drives around 9:00 AM with packed lunch and return back to lodge late afternoon around 6:00 PM. Or you can depart at 6:00 AM on an early morning game drive. Later return to accommodation for breakfast and relax for a bit and depart on an afternoon game drive with packed lunch. You will explore the central portion of the Serengeti National Park today. The legendary Serengeti National Park is the most renowned safari destination for its incredible population of lions and leopards. The central portion of the Serengeti - known as Seronera area is one of the richest wildlife habitats in the park. It features the Seronera River, which provides a valuable water source to this area and therefore attracts wildlife well representative of most of the Serengeti’s species. During the off season of the migration, one must really look out for the many lion pride that thrive in this region. The interactions and survival of these lion pride provide an excellent game viewing experience all year round. Along with a picnic lunch during the full day game drive, the day will come to a close by around 5PM. The long day comes to an end with a heavy dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation.
Day 4 - Central Serengeti to Ngorongoro
After breakfast, you will have a morning game drive in Serengeti National Park. Later depart for Ngorongoro Conservation Area with picnic lunch. Ngorongoro Crater is the largest collapsed volcanic crater in the world and fourteen kilometers of isolated natural beauty. Ngorongoro Crater is surrounded by a ring of extinct volcanoes and the floor, dotted with watering holes, shelters some 30,000 animals. The eventful day comes to an end with a heavy dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation.
Day 5 - Ngorongoro Crater Tour (5 hours) to Arusha
On the last day of your safari, you will have an early start. Finishing up with a quick breakfast you will make an early descent at around 6:30 AM into the crater floor. The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera. It has a massive floor of about 260 sq kms with a depth of over 2000 feet. The 5-hour game drive on the crater floor will show you a lot of animal action. Keeping the camera ready is definitely recommended. The African elephant, buffalo, Black rhino, Hippos, Hyenas, Cheetahs and Lions are found in plenty. Post the picnic lunch at the beautiful Hippo pool, you will begin a steep ascend to the top exit of the crater. This is the last leg of your safari, with a 4hr drive left to Arusha. You will be dropped off to your preferred location in Arusha by 6:00 PM in the evening. With an incredible experience and loads of memories to cherish, this is the time you bid goodbye to your team.
Stay Locations
Day 1 (May 24, 2024) - Central Serengeti
Day 2 (May 25, 2024) - Central Serengeti
Day 3 (May 26, 2024) - Central Serengeti
Day 4 (May 27, 2024) - Karatu or NCA
Maps
Pre & Post Tour Hotels
Arusha is the base for safari tours in North Tanzania. If you need accommodation in Arusha before/after your safari tour you can check some popular hotel prices on bed and breakfast basis below (Prices are per person).
Single room:
- Kutoka Lodge - USD 64
- Gold Crest Hotel - USD 100
- The African Tulip - USD 149
- Four Points by Sheraton, Arusha - Traditional queen room - USD 205
- Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge - Plantation room - USD 375
Double sharing room:
- Kutoka Lodge - USD 42
- Gold Crest Hotel - USD 60
- The African Tulip - USD 112
- Four Points by Sheraton, Arusha - Traditional queen room - USD 120
- Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge - Plantation room - USD 250
Triple sharing room:
- Kutoka Lodge - USD 39
- Gold Crest Hotel - USD 50
- The African Tulip - USD 93
- Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge - Plantation room - USD 188
All of the above prices are on per person per night on bed and breakfast basis. More hotel options can be shared upon request
Transfers
This tour starts from Arusha. Kilimanjaro airport is the nearest international airport and Arusha airport is the nearest domestic airport. Please check our page on how to get to Arusha
Airport Pickup/Drop
Pickup or drop off at Arusha airport on the day of safari: No extra charge
Pickup or drop off at Kilimanjaro airport on the day of safari: USD 30 per vehicle
Airport to Hotel transfers
Transfer from Arusha airport to Arusha hotel or vice versa: USD 25 per vehicle
Transfer from Kilimanjaro airport to Arusha hotel or vice versa: USD 50 per vehicle
InterCity transfers
Transfer from Moshi to Arusha or vice versa: USD 100 per vehicle
Transfer from Nairobi to Arusha or vice versa: USD 275 per vehicle
Flights
We do not book International Flights.
We can book local flights based on availability. Below are indicative additional costs for local flights.
Intercity Flights
From Zanzibar to Arusha: From USD 100 per person (Morning flight)
From Dar es salaam to Arusha: From USD 90 per person (Morning flight)
From Arusha to Zanzibar: From USD 170 per person (Late Afternoon flight)
From Arusha to Dar es salaam: From USD 110 per person (Late Afternoon flight)
**
This tour starts & ends at Arusha with road transfers between all locations. Central Serengeti is the farthest location you will be visiting in this tour and it is 7 hours from Arusha, each way. You can check about driving and flying to Serengeti here. To save drive time, you can directly fly into Central Serengeti where your safari vehicle with guide will be waiting to directly start the safari and cover other parks over the next few days making your way to Arusha by road on the last day. We will reroute the itinerary such that you cover all the parks included in the original itinerary with the same choice of accommodations & same number of nights as included in the original itinerary. This is called a Fly-in Safari
We can also reroute the itinerary such that you start with driving from Arusha on day 1 and cover other parks before you drive to Serengeti. We end the safari tour at Central Serengeti on the last day from where you can fly out to Ausha (or other cities). We will reroute the itinerary such that you cover all the parks included in the original itinerary with the same choice of accommodations & same number of nights as included in the original itinerary. This is called a Fly-out Safari.
Fly Into Serengeti
From Arusha to Central Serengeti: From USD 310 per person
From Zanzibar to Central Serengeti: From USD 370 per person
From Dar es Salaam to Central Serengeti: From USD 370 per person
Fly out of Serengeti
From Central Serengeti to Arusha: From USD 200 per person
From Central Serengeti to Zanzibar: From USD 420 per person
From Central Serengeti to Dar es salaam: From USD 420 per person
Note 1: Rates mentioned above are indicative and subject to change based on airlines and party(group) size
Note 2: In the Fly into Serengeti rates mentioned above, in addition to airfare, above rates also include cost to send the safari landcruiser with guide a day in advance to Serengeti, in time for your arrival & additional park fees that results due to rerouting of itinerary.
Note 3: Flights into Serengeti land at around 10:30 AM and game drives can start soon after landing while flights out of Serengeti depart around 11:00 AM and game drives can be done till about 45 min before flight departure.
Meals
Day 1 (May 24, 2024) - Lunch & Dinner
Day 2 (May 25, 2024) - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3 (May 26, 2024) - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4 (May 27, 2024) - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5 (May 28, 2024) - Breakfast & Lunch
Transfer Times
Day 1 (May 24, 2024) - Arusha to Central Serengeti takes about 7 to 7.5 hours (305 km)
Day 2 (May 25, 2024) - No transfers
Day 3 (May 26, 2024) - No transfers
Day 4 (May 27, 2024) - Central Serengeti to NCA takes about 3 to 3.5 hours (151 km)
Day 5 (May 28, 2024) - NCA to Arusha takes about 4 to 4.5 hours (154 km)
Note: These are estimated drive times. Because of the traffic, location of the accommodations, and several other factors, actual drive times may vary. Driving distances are approximate and do not account for exact places.
Inclusions
4x4 Land Cruiser.
Daily game drives while on Safari.
All Taxes and VAT.
Park Fees (for Non-Residents).
Meals as per itinerary.
Drinking water while on safari (2 litres per person per day).
Concession/ Camping Fees.
A professional English speaking driver/ guide.
Exclusions
Personal Items (Souvenirs, Travel Insurance, Visa Fees, etc.).
Tips (Tipping guidelines).
Airport Transfers (Unless mentioned otherwise).
Government imposed increase of Taxes and or Park Fees.
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour (Unless mentioned otherwise).
International flights.
Any activities not mentioned in the itinerary.
Addons
Add-on tours in Serengeti
Hot Air Balloon Ride: USD 540 per person
Rhino Tracking: USD 130 per person
Short Walking Tour (upto 4 hours): USD 45 per person
Long Walking Tour (upto 6 hours): USD 60 per person
Information on Serengeti Add-on tours
Add-on tours in Ngorongoro
Masai Village Tour: USD 25 per person
Olduvai Gorge museum visit: USD 35 per person
Ngorongoro Crater Rim Hike: USD 35 per person
Information on Ngorongoro Add-on tours
In this tour we will cover the 2 most popular destinations in Tanzania - Central Serengeti (3 nights) and Ngorongoro Crater (1 night). Tour starts and ends at Arusha. With our experienced driver guides, it will be a trip of a lifetime!
We use equipment of international standards & our guides are trained in First aid & personal protection equipment
We reward our staff based on your feedback & that results in all of us working towards making your trip memorable
Our guides are trained to pay attention to each clients requirements & situation & customize the program accordingly
Once a tour is booked, its guaranteed to go, even if there is only single client for the entire trip
Book by paying advance by card on our website. Balance can be paid upon arrival, before the tour
Our minimum requirement for operation is only one client. So we can offer the tour any day of the year for you
Our Reviews
Great Safari experience
"We booked with Monkey a Safari around Arusha (Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire) and we are very happy with this choice......"
Luca M
Read Full ReviewTHE BEST SAFARI EVER!
"My boyfriend and I travel from Chile, we do the safari Serengeti and Ngorongoro tour! And it was the best experience! Monkey adventures help us with everything (hotels, tours, weather, transfer,......"
nicole f
Read Full ReviewAnimal Smorgasbord
"Monkey were professional from start to finish. Our guide Masai created an atmosphere that was friendly, relaxed and entertained us with his humour......"
lynstewtraveller
Read Full ReviewIncredible safari in Tanzania
"After a long and exhausting climb to the top of Kilimanjaro, it was time to relax and take a look at the beautiful national parks of Tanzania and its colorful inhabitants......"
vibo13
Read Full ReviewAwesome experience! Tanzanian safari
"We went with monkey adventures to Arusha national park, terangerie national park, Serengeti and ngorongoro and we loved it......"
georgias356
Read Full ReviewOnce in a lifetime Safari with Monkey Adventures!!!
"I want to begin by saying, this trip was an outstanding, unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience that I highly recommend......"
hfoxweldon
Read Full ReviewAbsolutely amazing safari experience
"We had the most amazing experience with Monkey, two adults and three children travelling together. They are professional, well coordinated and very, very friendly......"
jakoblinaa
Read Full ReviewAn Unbelievable 9 Day Safari. Could Not Be Better
"We booked a 9 day Tanzania safari thru a company called Mojhi (also excellent) who used Monkey Adventures as our tour guide......"
lilbob32
Read Full ReviewGreat customer service
"This company cannot do enough for you! We had a fantastic Safari from beginning to end. Good communication from when we made the booking until the tour began. We were welcomed the morning of our......"
gillianmccormick85
Read Full ReviewFantastic Safari Experience in Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro!
"I just returned from a fantastic 2 week family vacation in Tanzania that included a 5 day, 4 night safari with Monkey Adventures to Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro......"
Rhonda C
Read Full ReviewWOOOW, What an experience!!!!!
"We did a private 6 days safari tour around the north parks of Tanzania with Monkey Adventure & what an experience!! the guide David was amazing, very funny, i didn't feel for one second that he......"
Kamalzyani
Read Full ReviewTop notch safari company
"We just completed a 13 day , 3 camp safari in the Serengeti, with Monkey Adventures and had a blast. Our driver was a 15 yr veteran of the Serengeti and took us into places some didn't get to see......"