Tanzania Safari Itineraries
On this page: Where To Go & When | Typical Itineraries | General Itineraries | Safari Options
Where to Go & When
- Ngorongoro Crater: Good all year
- Lake Manyara: Good all year, but best Nov-May
- Tarangire: Good all year, but best Jun-Oct
- Serengeti:
- South/Ndutu: Best during Migration in Dec-Mar
- Central/Seronera: Good all year (no Migration Sep-Oct)
- Ikoma/Grumeti: Best during Migration in Jun-Jul
- North/Kogatende/Mara: Best during Migration in Aug-Nov — It’s a long way to drive so most people fly in and out.
- Northeast/Lobo: Best during Migration in Nov
Here are our preferred safari lodges and camps at different times of the year based on your budget. Everything is a “lodge” unless specified as a “camp”.
DECEMBER-MARCH
| LOCATION | BUDGET | MID-RANGE | LUXURY | ELITE |
| Lake Manyara | ||||
| Serengeti/Ndutu | ||||
| Ngorongoro |
APRIL-MAY
| LOCATION | BUDGET | MID-RANGE | LUXURY | ELITE |
| Lake Manyara | ||||
| Serengeti/Ndutu/ Seronera |
|
|||
| Ngorongoro |
JUNE-JULY
| LOCATION | BUDGET | MID-RANGE | LUXURY | ELITE |
| Tarangire (1 Night) | ||||
| Tarangire (2 Nights) | ||||
| Serengeti/Seronera/ Ikoma | ||||
| Ngorongoro |
AUGUST-OCTOBER
| LOCATION | BUDGET | MID-RANGE | LUXURY | ELITE |
| Tarangire (1 Night) | ||||
| Tarangire (2 Nights) | ||||
| Serengeti/Seronera | ||||
| Ngorongoro |
NOVEMBER
| LOCATION | BUDGET | MID-RANGE | LUXURY | ELITE |
| Lake Manyara | ||||
| Serengeti/Lobo | ||||
| Ngorongoro |
Typical Itineraries
Choose one of these itineraries or customize the itinerary to meet your interests and travel dates!
| Ngorongoro Crater |
Serengeti | Lake Manyara |
Tarangire | Lake Eyasi |
Lake Natron |
Arusha | |
| 2 Days / 1 Night | x | Nov-May | Jun-Oct | ||||
| 3 Days / 2 Nights | x | Nov-May | Jun-Oct | ||||
| 4 Days / 3 Nights | x | x | x | ||||
| 5 Days / 4 Nights | x | x | Nov-May | Jun-Oct | |||
| 6 Days / 5 Nights | x | x | x | x | |||
| 7 Days / 6 Nights | x | x | x | x | o | o | o |
| 8 Days / 7 Nights | x | x | x | x | o | o | o |
| 9 Days / 8 Nights | x | x | x | x | x | x | o |
| 10 Days / 9 Nights | x | x | x | x | x | x | o |
| 1 Day Arusha National Park | x |
x = typically on itinerary
o = optional
General Itinerary
Your day will start after breakfast. Breakfast and dinner are provided at the lodge or camp. A box lunch is also provided daily to be eaten at a designated lunch spot in the parks. You will drive to the park for the day and spend as much time as possible on game drive. You can coordinate the day’s activities with your safari guide. The national parks close at 18:00pm, so all game drives are completed by that time.
Safari Options
Culture:
- Visit a Maasai village near Lake Manyara or between Ngorongoro and Serengeti ($20/person).
- Walking tour or biking near Mto Wa Mbu in the Rift Valley with a local guide.
- Make the most of your cultural tour >>
Hiking:
- Walking safari in Ngorongoro Conservation Area with ranger ($50/group + tips for ranger)
- Drive to Olmoti Crater (Munge Waterfalls) for afternoon hiking (2 hour drive one-way)
- Drive to Empakai Crater for afternoon hiking (3-hour drive one-way)
Between the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater:
- Olduvai Gorge ($20/person)
Between Arusha and Lake Manyara:
- Snake Park and Maasai Cultural Center (extra charge)
Options in the Serengeti:
- Hot air balloon safari
- Fly from the Serengeti to the Kilimanjaro, Arusha, or Zanzibar Airport are available.
Canoeing:
- Momella Lake at Arusha National Park ($65/person + $20/person park fees)
- Lake Manyara ($70/person)
- Lake Duluti near Arusha