Short Itinerary

Day 1 (Dec 20, 2024) - Arusha to Lake Manyara (Game drives - full day)
Day 2 (Dec 21, 2024) - Transfer to Lake Natron for Bird Watching/Flamingo Walk
Day 3 (Dec 22, 2024) - Lake Natron (Ngare Sero waterfalls visit) and transfer to Northern Serengeti
Day 4 (Dec 23, 2024) - North Serengeti - Full day game drives
Day 5 (Dec 24, 2024) - Mornning game drives in North Serengeti and transfer to Central Serengeti
Day 6 (Dec 25, 2024) - Central Serengeti - full day game drives
Day 7 (Dec 26, 2024) - Morning game drives in Serengeti and afternoon transfer to Ngorongoro/Karatu
Day 8 (Dec 27, 2024) - Ngorongoro crater tour (5 hours) in the morning and afternoon 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 Lake Manyara (Game drives - full day)

We start at around 7:00 AM from Arusha and drive to Manyara National park with packed lunch boxes. Manyara gate will be about 2.5 hours drive away. Once we reach the park, we start game drives here. As you enter the national park, lush forests of Acacia and Mahogany trees begin to set the mood for what is waiting ahead. The game drive will go on till around 5:00 PM or so with a small break for picnic lunch. During the game drive watch out for buffaloes, giraffes, impalas, baboons and the blue monkeys. Another spectacle of Lake Manyara National park is the tree climbing lions, however spotting them is a game of luck. In the right season, you can see the shoreline turning pink with millions of flamingos flocking there. Post the game drive, you will head back to your lodge to reach before 6:00 PM where a delicious dinner awaits you.

Optional add-on tours this day: Canoeing at Lake Manyara for about 2.5 hours ($74 per person ), Night game drives ($114 per person)


Day 2 - Transfer to Lake Natron for Bird Watching/Flamingo Walk

Your day will begin after breakfast by about 8:00 AM. We depart with packed lunch boxes towards Lake Natron. Located about 3.5 hours drive away from Mto Wa Mbu/Manyara, Lake Natron is a surreal destination and unique natural spectacle. Its waters are highly alkaline and are unusually shallow, averaging just one meter in depth. After checking into your lodge and a short break, put your walking shoes on as a Maasai tribesman takes you on a walk around the shores of Lake Natron on the lookout for birds, especially the lesser flamingos. Lake Natron is the most important and regular breeding site for lesser flamingos in East Africa hosting up to 2 million of them during the breeding season. The majority of egg-laying and hatching takes place from September to January. After the hike, you will head back to your camp/lodge for a well deserved dinner and rest.

Day 3 - Lake Natron (Ngare Sero waterfalls visit) and transfer to Northern Serengeti

Your day starts early. Around 6:00 AM, accompanied by a Maasai guide, enjoy some light hiking to the nearby Ngare Sero waterfalls and relax in the cool spray of water cascading down the rocks of this scenic ravine. Make sure to bring your shoes! We return to accommodation by 8:30 AM and finishing up a good breakfast, will head out towards the Serengeti National Park. This road trip takes through variety of sites: towns and villages, savannah and forest, and you’ll be able to spot animals like antelope, wildebeest and zebra. We enter Serengeti in the afternoon and drive towards North Serengeti. You will have an afternoon game drive in the endless plains of the Serengeti for a chance to see the great herds of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles or a pride of lions lounging in the shade. A picnic lunch will be done during the day long game drive itself. The eventful day comes to an end with dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation.

Day 4 - North Serengeti - Full day game drives

We depart for full day game drives around 8:00 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. In the months between mid june to september the migration can be found in this region. From mid June to September, the Mara River in this region offers the most dramatic river crossing of the great migration. Fierce,deep and heavily rain fed the river takes an enormous toll on the migrating wildebeest. Watching the wildebeest surging through the torrential flow, some drowning and a few falling prey to lurking crocodiles is an unforgettable sight. If it’s your lucky day you will be able to witness this natural wonder and watch nature take its course. Tracing the great migration you might even move towards the Lobo valley. The pristine lobo valley is scattered with woodlands, plains, hills and famous granite Kopjes.It offers an enormous amount of bigcat game with lions, leopards and cheetah in plenty. During the dry season the permanent water sources in the valley attract plenty of resident and migratory animals, resulting in excellent game viewing. During the full day game drive, you will have a stop where you can have your picnic lunch. The day comes to an end with a tasty dinner and a good rest in your choice of accommodation.

Day 5 - Mornning game drives in North Serengeti and transfer to Central Serengeti

We start after the breakfast and depart for game drives around 9:00 AM with packed lunch or depart at 6:00 AM on an early morning game drive. Later return to accommodation for breakfast and relax for a bit and depart to Central Serengeti with packed lunch. The four hour drive to the centre will offer mild enroute game.The drive south from the Mara river valley takes you through hill country, the Lobo area, woodlands and then back into Seronera terrain.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 Serengetis' species. As you make your way into the Seronera region, you will begin to notice the hilly and broken terrain altering into plain grasslands. In Seronera one must really look out for the many lion prides that thrive in this region.The interactions and survival of these lion prides provide an excellent game viewing experience all year round. A picnic lunch will be done during the day long drive itself. The eventful day comes to an end with a dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation.

Day 6 - Central Serengeti - full day game drives

We depart around 8:00 AM after breakfast, with packed lunch boxes for full day game drives that last for about 8-9 hours in Central Serengeti. We return to camp around 5:30 PM. The long day comes to an end with a heavy dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation.

Optional add-on tours this day: Balloon Safari in the morning ($540 per person) or Walking safari for 3-4 hours ($45 per person sharing or $60 for solo client) in Central Serengeti

Day 7 - Morning game drives in Serengeti and afternoon transfer to Ngorongoro/Karatu

After early breakfast, we depart at around 6:30 AM and will have game drives till around noon in Central Serengeti. Later depart for accommodation in Karatu, crossing Ngorongoro conservation area. The eventful day comes to an end with a heavy dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation.

Day 8 - Ngorongoro crater tour (5 hours) in the morning and afternoon transfer to Arusha. End of Tour

After an early breakfast, descend to the crater floor for game drive(5 hours). You can expect to see lions, elephants, zebras, hippos, hyenas, Jackals, rhinos and many birds. The birds seen here include eagle, vulture, flamingos in the Crater Lake, storks, giant vulture,and many more. Post the picnic lunch at the beautiful Hippo pool, you will begin a steep ascend to the top exit of the crater. With a 3.5 hr drive left, you will be dropped off at Arusha to end this beautiful safari before 06:00 PM

Stay Locations

Day 1 (Dec 20, 2024) - Lake Manyara (Within the Park) or Lake Manyara (Outside the Park)
Day 2 (Dec 21, 2024) - Lake Natron
Day 3 (Dec 22, 2024) - North Serengeti
Day 4 (Dec 23, 2024) - North Serengeti
Day 5 (Dec 24, 2024) - Central Serengeti
Day 6 (Dec 25, 2024) - Central Serengeti
Day 7 (Dec 26, 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. North Serengeti is the farthest location you will be visiting and it is 11 hours from Arusha, each way. You can check about driving and flying to Serengeti here. To save drive time, you can directly fly into North 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 reach North Serengeti. We end the safari tour at North 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 North Serengeti: From USD 320 per person
From Zanzibar to North Serengeti: From USD 380 per person
From Dar es Salaam to North Serengeti: From USD 380 per person

Fly out of Serengeti
From North Serengeti to Arusha: From USD 300 per person
From North Serengeti to Zanzibar: From USD 500 per person
From North Serengeti to Dar es salaam: From USD 500 per person

Note 1: Rates mentioned above are indicative and subject to change based on exact dates, 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 (Dec 20, 2024) - Lunch & Dinner

Day 2 (Dec 21, 2024) - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3 (Dec 22, 2024) - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4 (Dec 23, 2024) - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5 (Dec 24, 2024) - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6 (Dec 25, 2024) - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7 (Dec 26, 2024) - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 8 (Dec 27, 2024) - Breakfast & Lunch

Transfer Times

Day 1 (Dec 20, 2024) - Arusha to Lake Manyara takes about 2.5 to 3 hours (114 km)
Day 2 (Dec 21, 2024) - Lake Manyara to Lake Natron takes about 3 to 3.5 hours (120 km)
Day 3 (Dec 22, 2024) - Lake Natron to North Serengeti takes about 6.5 to 7 hours (270 km)
Day 4 (Dec 23, 2024) - No transfers
Day 5 (Dec 24, 2024) - North Serebgeti to Central Serengeti takes about 4.5 to 5 hours (103 km)
Day 6 (Dec 25, 2024) - Central Serengeti to NCA takes about 3 to 3.5 hours (151 km)
Day 7 (Dec 26, 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

Add-on tours in Lake Manyara
Canoeing in Lake Manyara: USD 74 per person
Night Game drives in Lake Manyara NP: USD 114 per person
Treetop Walkway: USD 54 per person
Information on Lake Manyara Add-on tours

Add-on tours in Karatu
Coffee Plantation Tour: USD 20 per person
Iraqw Village Tour: USD 25 per person
Endoro Falls & Elephant Caves visit: USD 35 per person
Information on Karatu Add-on tours