Five Full Days: Focus on the amazing Serengeti

Even with a short trip to Northern Tanzania, you will be amazed at how much can be packed into five days.  This safari is five full days, where you arrive in the afternoon or evening beforehand.  (You may discover that many ‘five-day’ itineraries are actually four full days plus your evening arrival…)

With limited time, most guests want to focus on the most famous park of them all:  the Serengeti!  If that describes you, then this is your itinerary.  We have found, though, that many guests are surprised by how much they also enjoy Tarangire National Park (famous for elephants and baobab trees).  If you’re interested in Tarangire, check out our other five full day itineraries:  the Northern Tanzania Circuit itinerary and the Ultimate Luxury itinerary.

We have put together a few options for a short safari to get you thinking about what appeals to you, but we are also more than happy to custom design a safari to fit exactly what you want to see.  So read on to get those creative juices flowing now, but don’t hesitate to reach out if you have other ideas.

With no further ado:  Focus on the Serengeti itinerary:

  • Arrival

     

    Welcome and overnight in Arusha

    On arrival, your friendly guide will welcome you and take you to your accommodation, and help you get settled in.  He or she will make sure you are all set for supper and will go over your planned itinerary with you to answer any questions you have.  He or she will also want to hear about any special dreams you may not yet have mentioned, as all our guides want your entire experience to be superb.  Once you are settled and comfortable, your guide will leave you to enjoy the evening and the sounds and smells of the Tanzanian night.

  • Full Day One

    Arusha to the Serengeti with a stop at Mto Wa Mbo

    Have a wonderful breakfast at your hotel in Arusha and let the adventure begin on the road to the Serengeti.  If this is your first trip to Africa, you’ll learn that getting there is half the fun!  Watch for donkeys, cattle and all sorts of new flora and fauna on your drive, and see what interesting birds you can spot.  Dive into Tanzanian culture with a stop to stretch your legs and a walking tour of Mto Wa Mbo where you will get to see many elements of daily life in a Tanzanian village.  Maybe taste the banana beer, and then continue on your way refreshed.  Excitement will be building as you drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and see your first giraffe along the way.  Towards evening you will arrive at the Naabi Gate, and then enter the Serengeti itself.  Onwards to your lodging!

     

    Full Day One

  • Full Day Two

     

    The Serengeti welcomes you

    Wake up excited to find yourself in the great Serengeti National Park, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.   Today will be a full day of game drives; sunrise to sunset if that suits you.  If you want the full day out, take a breakfast box and a breakfast lunch and head out just as the sun is coming up for as much adventure as you can handle.  If you would like to take the day more slowly, enjoy a delicious breakfast at your camp, and then head out with your lunchbox to see what the Serengeti has prepared to welcome you.  Look for the big cats (lions, leopards, cheetah), for giraffe, zebra, Cape buffalo, wildebeest, impala, and so many amazing birds!  Your guide will take you to the best areas in the Serengeti to spot wildlife, depending on the time of year, then at sunset you can settle into your camp and enjoy bush T.V. and a marvellous dinner in the wild.

  • Full Day Three

    Serengeti exploration

    Your second full day of game drives inside the Serengeti gives you memories that will last a lifetime.  Explore the natural ecosystem and learn about the animals and nature with your experienced guide.  Enjoy the sunrise and sunset in this great wilderness.  Decide if you want a hot breakfast or to pack your breakfast and get out on the trail first thing in the morning then later have a hot coffee and your packed breakfast while exploring the plains.  By taking a generous boxed lunch, you can spend the whole day discovering the wonders of the plains and kopjes and watering holes that run throughout the Serengeti.  Enjoy a second night at your camp, which will already be feeling like home.

     

    Full Day Three

  • Full Day Four

     

    Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater

    Enjoy another sunrise and full morning drive in the Serengeti before heading out through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.  What animals will bid you farewell and see you on your way?  Leaving the Serengeti, visit Maasai bomas to learn about the traditional culture of the Maasai society, then continue on to your lodge for dinner and a good rest.  Enjoy the view, meal and luxuries while you look down into the world-famous Ngorongoro crater.

  • Full Day Five

    Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha

    This morning will be spectacular.  After breakfast, descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive and see the large numbers of animals living in this (relatively) small space, a World Heritage Site.  The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest inactive, intact volcanic caldera formed when the Ngorongoro volcano exploded some 2 million years ago.  Some 25,000 animals live in the Crater, including Cape buffalo, hippopotamus, wildebeest, zebra, eland and many other species.  You may even have a chance to see the endangered black rhinoceros.  After lunch, head back to Arusha airport for your departure from Tanzania.

     

    Full Day Five

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