Legendary Plains: 6-Day Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival – Into the Elephant Kingdom of Tarangire

Karibuni Tanzania! Whether you arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport or are already relaxing in Arusha, our Serengeti Lion Safaris team will be there to greet you with a warm smile and chilled water just before you depart in the late morning—heading southwest into Tarangire National Park, where giant elephants dominate the landscape and baobab trees watch from above.

You shall arrive by lunch time and right the way, embark on your stunning game drive. As the sun begins to drop, you might see giraffes picking their way through the trees or lions stretched out near the riverbed. It’s a soft entry into the wild—but the magic has already begun.

Overnight Options (Tarangire):

• Budget: Panorama Campsite
• Standard: Tarangire Simba Lodge
• Luxury: Lemala Mpingo Ridge

Day 2: Tarangire Sunrise – Journey to the Serengeti

After a crisp early morning game drive in the Tarangire, we set off through the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation area en route to the Serengeti. The journey is long, but breathtaking. Think rolling green hills, Maasai herders with bright red shúkàs, and mist dancing over the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, yes, you shall see them all before you arrive in Serengeti.

By afternoon, you’re in the Serengeti—and even the name feels mythical. Your first game drive begins the moment you enter the gate. Wildebeest scatter, hyenas skulk, lions, the Serengeti silence and don’t forget, your guide knows just where to take you.

Overnight Options (Serengeti):

• Budget: Nyani Public Campsite
• Standard: Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp
• Luxury: Ole Serai Luxury Camp or Melia Serengeti

Day 3: Full Day in the Serengeti – Heart of the Wild

Rise with the sun. Coffee in hand, camera ready, you head out across endless golden plains. You’ll follow lion prides, track cheetahs, and marvel at the sheer number of animals moving through this vast land. Whether it’s the quiet of a leopard in a tree or the chaos of a wildebeest stampede, the Serengeti always delivers, it has never failed to and it won’t start now.

Overnight:

• Budget: Nyani Public Campsite
• Standard: Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp
• Luxury: Ole Serai Luxury Camp or Melia Serengeti

Day 4: Another Day, Another Wild Chapter

Want to focus on big cats? Looking to capture that perfect elephant silhouette at golden hour? Prefer to sit quietly at a waterhole and let the animals come to you? Your Serengeti Lion Safaris guide adapts the day to your rhythm. We believe safaris should feel personal—not rushed.

If you want to experience Serengeti from the air, through a well-arranged balloons safari experience, engage us in advance and it shall be arranged.

In the evening, unwind by the campfire, swapping stories with your guide under stars so bright you’ll forget city lights ever existed.

Overnight:

• Budget: Nyani Public Campsite
• Standard: Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp
• Luxury: Ole Serai Luxury Camp or Melia Serengeti

Day 5: Farewell Serengeti – Crater Views & Karatu

One last sunrise game drive gives you time to say goodbye to the Serengeti’s magic. Then, it’s on to Ngorongoro. We’ll stop at the crater rim for a sweeping view—you’ll feel like you’re looking into the Earth’s soul. Upon arrival here, you have the magnificent opportunity to descend the scenic and fully-diversified Ngorongoro crater for lions, rhino, hippo, warthogs encounter and more.

Down the outer slopes, you reach Karatu, a peaceful farming town with rolling hills and warm hospitality. Time to rest, reflect, and breathe it all in.

Overnight Options (Karatu):

• Budget: Kudu Lodge
• Standard: Eileen’s Trees Inn
• Luxury: The Manor at Ngorongoro

Day 6: Back to Arusha – But You’re Not the Same

After a relaxed breakfast, you hop for a road back to Arusha which is quiet, and maybe you are too. That’s what Africa does—it fills you up while humbling you. We can stop for crafts, a fresh fruit market, or simply drive as you watch the scenery shift.

We’ll get you to the airport or your lodge with magnificent memories of the wild.

With Serengeti Lion Safaris, it’s not about checking off animals. It’s about connection—to the land, to the moment, and to something wilder inside you.