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5 days - Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire

Serengeti, the crater and the baobabs

Five days on Tanzania's northern circuit, with two nights on the Serengeti, two in Ngorongoro and a final game drive in Tarangire, at an unhurried pace.

1 Country
2 Stops
4 Nights
Medium Service level
  • The storyThe headline tells the journey in a few lines, one after another.
  • At a glanceThe figures beneath it are the essential facts of the trip.

The journey

When to go

Serengeti game viewing
Ngorongoro Crater
Tarangire
Serengeti game viewing Ngorongoro Crater Tarangire Avoid
June Primary window

Dry and clear, with cool mornings. Seronera is drying out and resident cats are easy to find, with the herds heading north and west. The floor dries out and the resident game is easy to find.

Dry season Cool mornings

The route

Serengeti Ngorongoro
01

Tanzania

Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and a final day in Tarangire.

Flight ZNZ to SEU (Serengeti National Park, Seronara airstrip) 08:00 - 11:00 am. Once you are landed on the Sero airstrip, our safari driver-guide will meet you and with a game drive en route, you'll proceed to the lodge for check-in & lunch. After a bit of rest, Serengeti is waiting for you! Accommodation will be picked accordingly to your taste & budget.
After an early breakfast, get ready to explore the "Pearl of Africa" - Serengeti National Park! You'll chase the vast herds of zebras and wildebeest, look for lions sunning themselves on rocks, spy shy leopards in acacia trees, and marvel at the majesty of elephants and giraffes as they graze. As an option, you can choose to do a Hot-Air Balloon Safari - 1-hour flight over the savannah with sunrise, a trip you will long remember. You'll be able to spot animals from a bird's-eye view. After the flight - you'll be served champagne breakfast under the acacia trees. As well, all of you will get a certificate about today's flight!
Today we will make the final morning game drive before we bid farewell to Serengeti! After we are ready, we proceed to the Ngorongoro Conservation area. This journey will take us around 4 hours, but all these beautiful landscapes will hold your attention, and time will pass very fast. Once we reach our lodge, you'll be treated to hot fresh lunch, thereafter you can have a relaxing drink by the pool.
After breakfast, you'll depart for Ngorongoro Crater, considered by some to be the Eighth Wonder of the World. When you get your first glimpse of this vast, verdant caldera from the panoramic viewpoint, you'll soon understand why it has earned such a lofty reputation. From the comfort of your open-top vehicle, you'll be able to observe and photograph some of Africa's most recognisable faces. Your lunch will be served by the hippo pool.
After an early breakfast we'll proceed to Tarangire national park for the final game drive. Very famous for its large elephant population. Here is the Tarangire River, next to which the mighty baobabs are spread out. At the end of the safari, we will transfer you to Arusha airport for the flight to ZNZ 16:45 - 18:00.

Hot-air balloon over the Serengeti

Sunrise balloon flight · Optional, day 2An hour in the air over the savannah at sunrise, followed by a champagne breakfast under the acacias. It is an optional extra on day 2; ask us for current availability and cost.

The detail

About this trip

This programme will perfectly match for people who want to spend just enough time in savannah with no rush. During this trip you will have all the comfort - best choices for accommodations, best nationals parks, best driver guide and best lifetime memories... This programme will suite honeymooners especially, far- far away escape into the wild with your beloved better half. 

What is included

Serengeti Safari – intimate game drives and wildlife encounters.
Luxury Lodge Stay – private, romantic accommodations with stunning views.
Cultural Experiences – connect with local communities and traditions.
Sundowners & Sunsets – enjoy drinks over spectacular landscapes.
Gourmet Dining – delicious meals under the stars.
Relaxation – unwind with spa treatments or peaceful bush moments.

What is not included

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

How do we travel between Zanzibar, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro?
On day 1 you fly from Zanzibar to the Seronera airstrip in the Serengeti, 08:00 to 11:00, where your driver-guide meets you and you game drive on the way to the lodge. Day 3 is a drive of around four hours to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. On day 5, after Tarangire, you transfer to Arusha airport for the 16:45 to 18:00 flight to Zanzibar.
When is the best time for this Tanzania trip?
June to October score highest at all three parks, with dry, clear days, cool mornings and resident cats easy to find in the Serengeti. January and February are alternatives, warm and green. March to May bring the long rains, with slow roads and a wetter Tarangire, and April is the wettest month. November and December are green, with short bursts of rain.
What does a typical day look like on this 5-day itinerary?
Day 1 starts with the flight, a game drive on the way to the lodge, lunch and some rest before the Serengeti. Day 2 is a full day of exploring after an early breakfast. Day 3 begins with a final morning game drive before the drive to Ngorongoro, and day 4 is spent in the crater by open-top vehicle with lunch by the hippo pool.
What can be added or changed on the Tanzania itinerary?
On day 2 you can swap the game drive for an optional one-hour hot-air balloon flight at sunrise, followed by a champagne breakfast under the acacia trees, with a certificate for each guest. The accommodation is picked according to your taste and budget, and flight times follow availability. Dates and lodges are confirmed in your proposal.
Can you combine more than one country in a single trip?
Yes. Many of our journeys cross borders, for example Botswana with Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, or Cape Town with a safari and the Falls. Tell us the places you have in mind through the enquiry form and we will plan the route and transfers as one itinerary.
What meals are included on safari?
Meals depend on the camp or lodge and are set out in your itinerary. On safari they are usually taken at camp, with a picnic or packed meal on some days. Tell us about any dietary needs when you enquire.
Do I need vaccinations or medication before an African safari?
Health requirements depend on where you are travelling from and where you are going, and they change. Check your country's official travel health advice or TravelHealthPro (travelhealthpro.org.uk), and see a travel clinic well before you depart. Ask about malaria prevention early.
What should I pack for an African safari?
Lightweight, breathable clothing that covers your arms and legs helps against sun and insects, in neutral colours. Bring comfortable closed shoes (boots if you will walk), a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, binoculars and a camera with spare batteries and memory cards. Your itinerary lists any luggage limits for charter flights.
How do I stay safe on safari?
Your guides brief you on how to behave around wildlife. Follow their instructions, stay in the vehicle or camp area as told, and never approach or disturb animals. Conditions differ by country and change over time, so check your government's current travel advice before you book and again before you travel.

On this trip

Photographs from the route, not stock library scenery.

5-Day Tanzania: Romantic Escape
5-Day Tanzania: Romantic Escape
5-Day Tanzania: Romantic Escape
5-Day Tanzania: Romantic Escape
5-Day Tanzania
Dinner table set with lanterns hanging from an acacia tree on grassland at sunset

Book it in this order

Work down the list. Each step depends on the one above it.

Field notes

The practical detail that decides whether a trip runs smoothly.

Slow mornings, long sundowners

The pace leaves room for a late breakfast, time by the pool and a sundowner on the plains. Ask about dinners under the stars at your lodge.

Seronera and resident cats

The central Serengeti is known for lions and leopards all year. The wildebeest herds move through the park by season, so we match expectations to your month.

A morning balloon

If you choose the balloon, you rise before dawn for about an hour over the savannah, then breakfast under the acacias. It is an optional extra.

The crater in the morning

The Ngorongoro rim is high, so mornings are cold and often misty, even when the day turns warm. Bring a fleece and a windproof layer. Lunch is by the hippo pool.

A four-hour transfer

Day 3 is a transfer of about four hours from the Serengeti to Ngorongoro, with a game drive first. Your lodge lunch and the pool are waiting at the end.

Tipping

Tipping is customary for guides, drivers and lodge staff. We brief you on typical amounts at booking, and small notes are useful at the lodge.

Plan this journey

Make this trip your own

Every journey is planned around your dates and your party. Tell us who is travelling and when, and a specialist will come back with a tailored itinerary and a quote. Payment is by invoice.

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