6 Days – Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Serengeti Adventure Safari

Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport, where your guide will meet you for a briefing and transfer (approximately 2 hours) to Tarangire National Park. Known for its life-giving Tarangire River, massive baobab trees, and the largest elephant herds in Tanzania (up to 300 in a group), the park also hosts lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, buffalos, and over 550 bird species, including ostriches and hornbills. Enjoy an afternoon game drive through savannahs and swamps, with a chance for an optional walking safari with an armed ranger. Picnic lunch provided. Relax at a lodge with views of the park’s iconic landscape.

After breakfast, drive to Serengeti National Park (4-5 hours) via the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with game viewing en route through scenic landscapes. Enter via Naabi Hill Gate into the Serengeti, spanning 14,763 square kilometers of endless plains, famous for the Great Migration of over 2 million wildebeests and zebras (peak in July-October for northern river crossings). Afternoon game drive in the central Seronera area, spotting resident lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, and hyenas. The park’s kopje rock formations and riverine areas teem with life.

Accommodation: Lodge/Guesthouse near Kitulo

A full day in the Serengeti with morning and afternoon game drives to maximize wildlife sightings. Explore the central and possibly western or northern sectors (depending on migration patterns), tracking the Big Five, vast herds, and predators like cheetahs on hunts or leopards in acacia trees. Optional hot-air balloon safari (extra cost) for aerial views of the plains. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the bush and visit the Seronera River for hippos and crocodiles. Over 500 bird species, including ostriches and secretary birds, enhance the experience. Return for sundowners at camp.

After breakfast, depart for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (3-4 hours) with game viewing en route. Stop at Olduvai Gorge (optional, extra cost), a significant archaeological site known as the "Cradle of Mankind." Arrive at the Ngorongoro rim for a scenic overview of the crater. Spend the afternoon on a short game drive or a visit to a Maasai village (optional, extra cost) to learn about their pastoralist lifestyle, traditional bomas, and crafts. The conservation area balances wildlife and Maasai communities, offering sightings of grazing animals and predators.

Descend 600 meters into the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera (260 square kilometers). This natural amphitheater boasts one of Africa’s highest wildlife densities, including black rhinos, lions, leopards, hyenas, elephants, buffalos, zebras, wildebeests, and flamingos on the soda lake. Enjoy a full-day crater tour with a picnic lunch at a hippo pool, exploring forests, grasslands, and swamps. Spot rare species like wild dogs and over 350 bird varieties. Ascend in the late afternoon for rim views.

After breakfast, drive to Mto wa Mbu village (1-2 hours), a multicultural hub home to over 120 tribes. Engage in a guided cultural tour by bicycle or tuk-tuk, visiting banana and rice plantations (featuring 18 banana varieties), tasting Chagga banana beer, and observing Makonde wood-carving. Interact with artisans, farmers, and locals at markets, schools, or traditional homes built for temperature regulation. Enjoy a traditional lunch prepared by local women, showcasing tribal dishes. Optional coffee tour or waterfall visit. In the afternoon, transfer to Arusha (2 hours) for airport drop-off or hotel check-in.