5 Days – Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater Safari
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Overview
This five day safari focuses on Tanzania’s two most spectacular and world renowned wildlife destinations – the endless plains of the Serengeti National Park and the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater. You will spend two full days exploring the Serengeti, home to the Great Migration and an abundance of predators including lions, leopards, and cheetahs. You will then descend into the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site often called “Africa’s Garden of Eden” for its incredible concentration of wildlife, including the rare black rhino and all of the Big Five. With Vanta Tour and Safaris, this compact but immersive Tanzanian safari delivers maximum wildlife viewing in minimum time.
Safari Highlights
Detailed Itinerary
Arrival – Kilimanjaro International Airport to Arusha
You will be picked up from Kilimanjaro International Airport by a Vanta Tour and Safaris representative. After a warm welcome and a brief briefing about your upcoming safari adventure, you will be transferred to your hotel in Arusha, the bustling gateway city to Tanzania's Northern Safari Circuit. Arusha is nestled at the base of Mount Meru and offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape. The rest of the day is yours to relax after your journey, recover from any jet lag, and prepare for the exciting days ahead. You may choose to explore the vibrant local markets or simply rest at your hotel. You will stay overnight at your Arusha hotel on a bed and breakfast.
Arusha to Serengeti National Park
After an early breakfast, you will depart for the world famous Serengeti National Park. The drive takes you through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, offering stunning views of the crater rim along the way. You will arrive at the Serengeti in time for lunch at your lodge or tented camp. In the afternoon, you will head out for your first game drive on the endless plains of the Serengeti. The Serengeti spans over fifteen thousand square kilometers and is home to one of the largest and most concentrated animal populations on earth. You will search for lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, and wildebeests. If you are traveling during the migration season from July to October, you may witness the dramatic river crossings of millions of wildebeest and zebra as they brave crocodile infested waters. You will return to your camp for dinner and overnight.
Full Day in Serengeti National Park
You will wake up early for a sunrise game drive, which is the best time to see predators returning from their night hunts and the savannah coming to life. You will return to your camp for breakfast. After breakfast, you will depart with a packed lunch for a full day of game driving across the vast plains of the Serengeti. Your driver guide will take you to different areas of the park depending on the season and animal movements. You may visit the Seronera River valley, known for its high concentration of leopards, or the southeastern plains where cheetahs roam freely. You will enjoy a picnic lunch in the bush, surrounded by the incredible landscape. In the late afternoon, you will return to your camp for dinner and overnight. An optional hot air balloon safari can be arranged for an additional fee, offering a breathtaking sunrise view of the Serengeti from above followed by a champagne breakfast in the bush.
Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast, you will depart from the Serengeti and drive back to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. You will arrive in time for lunch at your lodge located on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. In the afternoon, you will descend over six hundred meters down the steep walls of the crater to the floor below. The Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest intact volcanic caldera and is often called "Africa's Garden of Eden." The crater floor is home to approximately twenty five thousand animals, including lions, elephants, buffalo, hippos, zebras, wildebeests, and the rare black rhino. You have an excellent chance to spot all of the Big Five in a single afternoon. You will enjoy a picnic lunch on the crater floor near the hippo pool. In the late afternoon, you will ascend back up the crater walls and return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha
After breakfast at your lodge, you have the option to visit the Olduvai Gorge museum for an additional fee, where you can learn about the early human fossils discovered by Dr. Louis and Mary Leakey, often called the "Cradle of Mankind." Alternatively, you may choose to visit a traditional Maasai village to learn about their culture and way of life. You will then depart for Arusha, arriving in the early afternoon. You will be dropped off at your Arusha hotel or at Kilimanjaro International Airport for your onward journey. Dinner and overnight in Arusha are not included.
What's Included & Excluded
Included
- Four nights accommodation in selected lodges, tented camps, or hotels as per the itinerary
- Round trip transport from Arusha in a custom four by four safari vehicle with a pop up roof for game viewing
- Services of a professional English speaking driver guide
- All game drives and activities as per the itinerary
- All park entrance fees for Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area
- Ngorongoro Crater vehicle fee
- All government taxes
- Bottled water provided during game drives
Excluded
- International flights to and from Kilimanjaro International Airport or Julius Nyerere International Airport
- Tanzania visa fees (available on arrival for most nationalities or online via e-visa portal)
- Travel and personal insurance (mandatory for all travelers)
- Tips and gratuities for your driver guide and lodge staff
- Alcoholic and soft drinks
- Hot air balloon safari in the Serengeti (can be arranged at extra cost, approximately five hundred fifty US dollars per person)
- Maasai village visit or Olduvai Gorge museum stop (optional add ons)
- Personal expenses such as souvenirs, laundry, and phone calls
- Dinner and overnight stay in Arusha on the last day
