9 Days Tarangire, Serengeti, Lake Manyara & Ngorongoro Crater
A 9-day private safari allows you to experience northern Tanzania’s very best areas for wildlife, scenery and culture. The extra days allow a more relaxed pace (2 nights in each location) and the opportunity to visit the northern part of the Serengeti for the Great Migration.
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Lake Manyara National Park
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Tarangire National Park
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Serengeti National Park
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Ngorongoro Crater
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9 Day/8 Nights
Tour Overview
Lake Manyara is an excellent introduction to African wildlife and ideal for viewing birdlife with over 400 species. Tarangire is a beautiful park filled with Baobabs and Acacias with a spectacular variety of game including lions, buffalo, elephants, giraffes, and waterbuck. The Ngorongoro is the largest intact crater in the world abundant with wild game including zebra, hippos, antelopes of all stripes, huge elephants, black rhinos, leopards, and hyenas. The Serengeti is Tanzania’s most famous national park and one of the most spectacular parks in the world. These great plains cover some 14,763 square kilometers including expansive high grasslands, short grass plains, kopjes, forests and lakes. Here the big cats like lions, cheetahs, and leopards are endlessly exciting to see. This trip includes two regions in the Serengeti.
This safari is private, with a private safari guide and private custom Land Cruiser, with an itinerary you are welcome to customize to best suit your specific needs and interests. While we list a few of our recommended safari lodges under “accommodations,” we book all the lodges and you can request specific alternatives and we’ll re-quote the trip accordingly.
Itinerary Summary
Day 1: Arrival in Arusha – Tanzania
Day 2: Tarangire National Park, Mto wa Mbu
Day 3: Lake Manyara National Park – Karatu
Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater
Day 5: Central Serengeti
Day 6: Northern Serengeti
Day 8: Northern Serengeti
Day 9: Northern Serengeti to Central Serengeti
Day 10: Central Serengeti – Arusha
Day 11: Departure Day
Route and stop positions are indicative. The line connects itinerary stops directly and is not a turn-by-turn road route. The Northern Serengeti leg follows the seasonal Great Migration, so wildlife movements and river crossings vary by year.
Day 1: Arrival in Arusha - Tanzania
Embark on an enchanting wildlife safari adventure with your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). Esikar Tour and Safaris warmly welcomes you and ensures your smooth transfer to a cozy accommodation in Arusha. Take the afternoon to relax or explore the town. In the evening, enjoy a delightful dinner at the lodge, setting the tone for the exciting safari ahead.
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Kilimanjaro International Airport
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Hotel in Arusha
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Meals Plan: Lunch, Dinner
Day 2: Tarangire National Park – Mto wa Mbu
After breakfast, depart Arusha and drive towards Tarangire National Park, one of northern Tanzania’s most distinctive wildlife destinations.
Tarangire is famous for its enormous baobab trees, large elephant populations, and seasonal concentrations of wildlife around the Tarangire River and other water sources. During the game drive, keep watch for elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, impalas, warthogs, and a variety of bird species.
The landscape changes throughout the park, ranging from open grasslands to woodland and riverine areas. Your guide will choose suitable areas for wildlife viewing based on the season and current conditions.
After your game drive, continue towards the Mto wa Mbu area for your overnight stay.
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Budget Camping, Mid Range or Luxury
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Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Lake Manyara National Park – Karatu
After breakfast, drive to Lake Manyara National Park for a day of wildlife exploration. Lake Manyara is a compact but diverse park situated beneath the dramatic escarpment of the Great Rift Valley. Its habitats include groundwater forests, open grasslands, woodland, and the shallow alkaline lake itself.
During your game drive, you may encounter elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, baboons, monkeys, hippos, and numerous bird species. The park is also known for its tree-climbing lions, although sightings are never guaranteed.
Enjoy a picnic or lodge lunch before continuing your exploration of the park.
Later in the afternoon, leave Lake Manyara and travel towards Karatu, a town situated in the fertile highlands between Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
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Budget Camping, Mid Range or Luxury
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Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater
Rise early and head towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. After the necessary arrangements at the crater entrance, descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a spectacular day of wildlife viewing.
The crater is a vast volcanic caldera containing grasslands, wetlands, woodland, and a permanent water supply. This unique environment supports a remarkable concentration of wildlife.
During your crater game drive, look for lions, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest, hippos, hyenas, gazelles, and other species. With luck, you may also encounter the endangered black rhinoceros.
The crater floor is surrounded by steep walls, creating dramatic scenery throughout the game drive. Your guide will take you through different areas of the crater depending on wildlife activity and road conditions.
After the game drive, ascend from the crater and continue towards the Serengeti.
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Budget Camping, Mid Range or Luxury
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Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Central Serengeti
Today you begin exploring the Serengeti more extensively.
After breakfast, set out for a game drive through the Central Serengeti, an area known for its open plains and diverse wildlife. The central region provides excellent opportunities to search for lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, gazelles, buffaloes, and numerous other species.
The Serengeti is not simply one landscape. As you travel through the park, you will see grasslands, rocky kopjes, woodland, river systems, and seasonal water sources, each attracting different wildlife.
Your guide will monitor wildlife activity and choose areas offering the best opportunities for sightings. Keep your camera ready, as predators can sometimes be found resting near kopjes or following herds across the plains.
Continue exploring throughout the day before returning to your accommodation.
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Budget Camping, Mid Range or Luxury
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Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Central Serengeti – Northern Serengeti
After breakfast, begin your journey towards Northern Serengeti.
Rather than treating the drive simply as a transfer, the journey itself becomes part of the safari. You will travel through different areas of the Serengeti, stopping for wildlife sightings whenever appropriate.
Northern Serengeti is characterised by rolling hills, open grasslands, rocky areas, and the Mara River ecosystem. Wildlife movements in this region vary throughout the year, but the area is particularly well known for seasonal wildebeest movements and the dramatic river crossings that can occur during migration periods.
Along the way, look for elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffaloes, antelopes, lions, and other wildlife.
Arrive in Northern Serengeti later in the day and settle into your accommodation.
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Budget Camping, Mid Range or Luxury
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Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Northern Serengeti
Note: You did not provide a Day 7 in the original itinerary. Since this itinerary moves from Day 6 to Day 8, this day needs to be confirmed before publishing the final itinerary.
A logical structure would be another full day in Northern Serengeti, allowing more time for game drives and wildlife exploration rather than adding another long transfer.
If that is what you intended, the day can be written as:
After breakfast, spend the entire day exploring Northern Serengeti on game drives. The additional day allows you to explore the region at a relaxed pace and increases your opportunities to encounter wildlife.
Depending on the season, your guide may focus on areas where wildebeest and other grazing animals are concentrated, while also searching for predators such as lions, cheetahs, and leopards.
The Mara River and surrounding northern Serengeti landscape can offer particularly dramatic wildlife experiences during periods of migration activity, although river crossings are natural events and cannot be guaranteed.
Return to your accommodation in the evening.
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Budget Camping, Mid Range or Luxury
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Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Northern Serengeti
Continue your exploration of Northern Serengeti with another full day of game drives.
Having several consecutive nights in the region means you do not have to spend every day driving between destinations. Instead, you can concentrate on wildlife viewing and allow your guide to respond to what is happening in the park.
The day’s route will depend on recent wildlife sightings, seasonal conditions, and the location of your accommodation. You may explore open plains, woodland areas, rocky outcrops, and areas surrounding seasonal water sources.
Keep an eye out for large herbivore herds as well as predators following them. Northern Serengeti is home to a wide range of wildlife, and each game drive can offer a different experience.
Return to camp or lodge in the evening for dinner and relaxation.
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Budget Camping, Mid Range or Luxury
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Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Northern Serengeti – Central Serengeti
After breakfast, begin your journey back towards Central Serengeti.
The route provides another opportunity for wildlife viewing as you travel through the Serengeti. Depending on conditions and wildlife activity, your guide may stop for sightings along the way.
As you move south, the landscape gradually changes, offering different scenery and wildlife habitats. The Central Serengeti area is particularly well known for its resident predator populations and year-round wildlife.
Enjoy game viewing along the route before arriving at your Central Serengeti accommodation later in the day.
Spend the evening relaxing at your lodge or tented camp and preparing for the final full safari journey towards Arusha.
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Budget Camping, Mid Range or Luxury
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Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: Central Serengeti – Arusha
After breakfast, begin your journey out of the Serengeti and back towards Arusha.
Depending on your departure time and the agreed itinerary, you may enjoy a final short game drive before leaving the park. Your guide will then begin the journey towards Arusha.
This is a longer travel day, taking you from the Serengeti through the surrounding landscapes and communities before reaching Arusha.
On arrival in Arusha, check into your accommodation and enjoy a final evening in Tanzania. This also gives you an opportunity to rest before your international departure the following day.
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Arusha city
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Hotel in Arusha
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Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11: Departure Day
On your departure day, Esikar Tour and Safaris organizes a timely transfer from your lodge to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). Reflect on your unforgettable safari as you bid farewell to the enchanting landscapes and wildlife of Tanzania.
Depart with cherished memories and a heart full of the African spirit, marking the conclusion of your safari adventure.
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Kilimanjaro International Airport
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Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
Plan My Trip
Have questions about this tour or want to customise your itinerary? Chat with Esikar Tour & Safaris on WhatsApp.
INCLUDED
- Pick up and drop off from Kilimanjaro International airport.
- 2 nights of hotel Accommodation before and after safari (breakfast included)
- Transportation in a 4×4 Toyota Land cruiser with pop-up roof
- Professional and Experienced English-speaking safari guide
- All national park fees;
- All accommodation in safari lodges under your program
- Three meals per day on safari;
- Bottled drinking water throughout the tour
- Medical kit;
- Binocular
- All mentioned activist as per itinerary
EXCLUDED
- International Flights
- Personal spending money for souvenirs etc
- Alcoholic and soft drinks
- Travel insurance
- Visa fees
- Optional activities
- Tips and gratuities to driver/Safari guide (20usd/day – recommended)
