Your Tanzania safari adventure begins with a morning departure from Arusha at around 8:00 AM. After meeting your guide and fellow travelers, you’ll head southwest to Tarangire National Park, approximately a 2-hour drive through Maasai plains and rural landscapes.

Tarangire is one of Tanzania’s lesser-known gems but offers exceptional wildlife viewing, especially in the dry season. Famous for its huge elephant herds, iconic baobab trees, and the Tarangire River that draws animals year-round, this park is a paradise for nature lovers.

Expect to see:

• Elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests
• Predators like lions and leopards (if lucky)
• A wide variety of birds – over 500 species

After a full-day game drive, you'll exit the park in the late afternoon and drive to a budget lodge or public campsite near Mto wa Mbu or Karatu for dinner and overnight.

Driving Time: ~2 hours (Arusha to Tarangire), ~1.5 hours (Tarangire to campsite)
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Budget lodge or campsite (shared facilities)

After breakfast, you'll pack up and drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area on your way to Serengeti National Park. This is a full travel day with game drives en route and incredible scenery.

You’ll pass through the Ngorongoro highlands, offering stunning views of the crater below, and descend onto the vast Serengeti plains—home to the Great Wildebeest Migration, big cats, and endless photographic opportunities.

Along the way:

• Stop at Ngorongoro Viewpoint for panoramic crater views
• Optional Maasai village visit (additional cost)
• Game drive en route into central Serengeti (Seronera region)

In the afternoon, enjoy your first Serengeti game drive, where you’ll likely spot:

• Lions, cheetahs, hyenas, and leopards
• Wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles
• Vultures, eagles, and other raptors

Arrive at your budget campsite inside Serengeti in time for dinner under the stars.

Driving Time: ~6–7 hours including game drives
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Public campsite in Serengeti (basic tents, shared toilets)

Rise early for a sunrise game drive in Serengeti National Park—this is one of the best times to catch predators in action, especially lions and leopards hunting as the day begins.

After the morning game drive:

• Return to camp for a hearty brunch
• Pack up and begin your journey back east toward Ngorongoro Conservation Area
• Drive through the plains with more game viewing along the way

You’ll exit Serengeti by mid-afternoon and reach the crater rim by early evening, where the temperatures are cooler and the landscape lush and green.

Optional stop:

• Visit a traditional Maasai boma to learn about local culture (extra cost)

Dinner and overnight will be at a budget campsite on the crater rim or nearby, offering beautiful views and cooler mountain air.

Driving Time: ~4–5 hours with stops and game drives
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Budget campsite near Ngorongoro Crater

Wake up early and descend 600 meters into the Ngorongoro Crater, one of the best places in Africa to see the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo) in a single day.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a natural wonder, with its lush green floor and permanent water sources supporting an incredible concentration of wildlife.

Expect to see:

• Rare black rhinos grazing in the open
• Hippos wallowing in freshwater pools
• Lions lounging in the early sun
• Flamingos, warthogs, and massive buffalo herds

Enjoy a half-day crater tour with a picnic lunch at the hippo pool before ascending the crater wall and returning to Arusha by late afternoon (around 4–5 PM).

Driving Time: ~3–4 hours to Arusha
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Not included (drop-off in Arusha town)