6-Day Tanzania Wildlife Safari
Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater in under a week, with your own guide
Overview
This is a great first safari when you want the big names, Tarangire, Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro, but you do not have ten or fourteen days.
This 6-Day Tanzania Wildlife Safari is a strong northern Tanzania safari for travellers who don't have a long holiday. It joins Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Central Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater: elephants and baobabs, Rift Valley scenery, big-cat country and the crater.
It starts in Tarangire, one of the best parks in the north for elephants, then moves to Lake Manyara, a compact park of groundwater forest, birdlife and lake views. From there it crosses to Central Serengeti, wider and wilder, for predators and the plains.
The last highlight is Ngorongoro Crater, whose wildlife is packed into a dramatic volcanic setting, before you return to Arusha for a final night on the airport side of town.
The price starts at $2,455 per person, based on the lodges below with a private vehicle and driver-guide. It isn't rushed like a very short safari, nor as long as a full migration trip: a balanced first taste of the northern circuit. We confirm rates, park fees and room categories before we quote.
Right for you if you are…
- First-time safari guests
- Tanzania's most famous northern parks in under a week.
- Couples
- Strong wildlife days and comfortable, characterful lodges.
- Families
- Six days with variety, without a long expedition.
- Wildlife lovers
- Elephants, big cats, plains game, birds and the crater.
- Comfort-minded budgets
- A full route without the cost of a luxury migration trip.
- Guests short on time
- Four key parks in six days.
Physical rating
Easy, level 1 of 3
Game drives in a private vehicle, with two long road days. Suitable for most travellers, including families.
- Early starts on the Serengeti and crater days.
- Days 3 and 5 are long drives, with game viewing along the way.
- Tracks in the parks are bumpy; a soft bag and a cushion help.
Where the trip goes
A road loop through the northern circuit in your own vehicle: west to Tarangire, up the Rift Valley to Lake Manyara and Karatu, across to the Serengeti, back to the Ngorongoro rim, and down to Arusha.
ArushaDay 1 · Days 5–6
Pick-up on Day 1, and your last night at Arusha Farm House before the airport.
TarangireDay 1
Elephants and baobabs, then a night on the escarpment at Foot on Africa.
Lake ManyaraDay 2
Forest, lake and birds, then a night at Marera Valley Lodge near Karatu.
Central SerengetiDays 3–4
Game drives and a night at Wildlux Serengeti Camp.
NgorongoroDays 4–5
A night on the rim at Ang’ata, then the crater game drive.
Driving times depend on the roads, the weather and wildlife stops; we keep the days flexible around them. Open Lake Manyara in Google Maps
Day by day
Day 1
Arusha to Tarangire National Park
Your safari begins with a morning pick-up in Arusha or at Kilimanjaro International Airport. You meet your Warriors of Africa Safari driver-guide and head west to Tarangire National Park, one of the most rewarding parks on the northern circuit.
Tarangire is ancient baobabs, open savannah, riverine woodland and big elephant herds. In the dry season the Tarangire River draws wildlife from far around; on your game drive you may see elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, impalas, warthogs, lions and a great many birds.
It is a beautiful first day: wild without being overwhelming, with time to settle into safari life.
In the late afternoon you drive up the Rift Valley escarpment to Foot on Africa Safari Lodge above Mto wa Mbu, with views over Lake Manyara, for dinner and the night.
Day 2
Lake Manyara National Park
After breakfast it is a short drive down to Lake Manyara National Park. Small as it is, Manyara has a completely different mood from Tarangire: groundwater forest, open glades, acacia woodland and the lake shore below the Rift Valley wall.
Depending on the season you may see elephants, blue monkeys, baboons, giraffes, buffalo, hippos and, on the lake, flamingos, pelicans and other waterbirds. Manyara is known for its tree-climbing lions, though they are never guaranteed.
It is a good park to slow down in, for the scenery, the birds and the forest, before the highlands.
After the game drive you continue up to Marera Valley Lodge near Karatu, where the cottages have fireplaces for the cool highland evening.
Day 3
Karatu to Central Serengeti
Today you leave the highlands for the Serengeti. It is one of the long travel days, and one of the most exciting, as the land opens out into the plains.
The route usually crosses the Ngorongoro Conservation Area before dropping towards the Serengeti. As the country opens, the safari feels bigger and more remote. Central Serengeti is one of the best year-round wildlife areas in the park, especially for predators and resident plains game.
You game-drive on the way in and reach the Seronera area later in the day.
You settle into Wildlux Serengeti Camp, an intimate camp of six tents, with the sounds of the Serengeti around you after dark.
Day 4
Central Serengeti to the Ngorongoro rim
The morning belongs to Central Serengeti. Your guide will probably suggest an early start, when predators are most active. The Seronera area is famous for reliable sightings of lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, elephants, hippos, giraffes and many herbivores.
The drive follows river valleys, open plains, kopjes and woodland, depending on recent sightings and the tracks. This is the best day of the trip for big-cat photography and classic Serengeti landscapes.
Later you drive back towards the Ngorongoro highlands.
You spend the night at Ang’ata Ngorongoro Camp, right on the crater rim, ready for an early descent tomorrow.
Day 5
Ngorongoro Crater and back to Arusha
After an early breakfast you descend into Ngorongoro Crater, a vast volcanic caldera of grassland, forest, swamp and lake enclosed by steep walls. Its beauty is immediate, and its wildlife makes it one of the great highlights of the northern circuit.
On the crater floor you may see lions, buffalo, zebras, wildebeest, elephants, hippos, hyenas, gazelles and many birds and, with luck, a black rhino.
After the game drive and a picnic lunch you drive back towards Arusha.
Your last night is at Arusha Farm House at Tengeru, a country house with a pool and views of Mount Meru, on the airport side of town.
Day 6
Departure from Arusha or Kilimanjaro
After breakfast, the day follows your flight. Depending on the time, there may be a relaxed morning at the farmhouse before your transfer to Arusha Airport or Kilimanjaro International Airport.
That is the end of your 6-Day Tanzania Wildlife Safari with Warriors of Africa Safari, through four of northern Tanzania's great parks: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.
With more time, you can add Zanzibar, a coffee tour near Arusha, a cultural visit in Mto wa Mbu, or extra nights in the Serengeti.
Where you’ll sleep
Foot on Africa Safari Lodge
On the Rift Valley escarpment above Mto wa Mbu, looking over Lake Manyara: suites with private plunge pools, indoor and outdoor showers and balconies for the sunset.
Read about Foot on Africa Safari LodgeMarera Valley Lodge
Garden cottages near Karatu with a fireplace in every room, a pool and valley views; family suites with connecting rooms are available.
Read about Marera Valley LodgeWildlux Serengeti Camp
Six tents near Seronera, each with a private deck over the plains, plus a safari lounge, a fire deck and dinners under the stars.
Read about Wildlux Serengeti CampAng’ata Ngorongoro Camp
Eight en-suite tents on the crater's south-eastern rim, just inside the park, for an early descent the next morning. Nights up here are cold, so keep a fleece close.
Read about Ang’ata Ngorongoro CampArusha Farm House
A country house with a pool in green gardens at Tengeru, looking towards Mount Meru, on the Kilimanjaro side of Arusha for an easy departure.
All lodges are confirmed against availability and dates before the final quote; similar-standard alternatives are used where needed.
Read about Arusha Farm House
Prefer different lodges?
The route stays the same; the lodges, the price and the feel change. Each night can move up a level, for example to Kubu Kubu in the Serengeti or Ngorongoro Serena on the crater rim.
What’s included
Usually included
- Private safari vehicle with a professional English-speaking driver-guide
- Accommodation as listed in the itinerary
- Meals as specified day by day
- Park and conservation fees for the listed parks
- Game drives in Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater
- Ngorongoro Crater descent fee
- Transfers to or from Arusha Airport or Kilimanjaro International Airport
- Drinking water during game drives
- Government taxes and tourism levies
Not included
- International flights
- Tanzania visa
- Travel insurance
- Tips for your driver-guide, hotel staff and porters
- Drinks unless included by the lodges
- Laundry unless stated by the property
- Optional cultural visits or activities not listed as included
- Any item not specifically listed as included
Final inclusions are confirmed on your quote.
Before you go
Visa and entry
Choose your passport to see the visa you need.
- Passport valid for at least six months, with at least one unused visa page.
- Show your return or onward ticket on arrival.
- One visa covers both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. Choose your first stop on the form.
- Every passport holder, including children, needs their own application.
- Online applications are processed in about 10 days. Apply only through the official portal.
- Yellow fever vaccination may be required if you arrive from or transit certain countries.
Useful tips
- Pack layers
- Tarangire and the Serengeti are warm by day, but Karatu and the crater rim are cold at night and early morning. A fleece and a warm hat are worth packing.
- Bring binoculars
- Manyara's birds and the Serengeti's distant cats are far better through binoculars. One pair per person is ideal.
- Plan your flight home
- Day 6 starts at Tengeru, about 40 minutes from Kilimanjaro International Airport. Morning or later flights both work.
- Avoid dark blue and black
- Tsetse flies in Tarangire are drawn to dark colours. Neutral clothing and insect repellent help.
- Tips aren't included
- Gratuities for your driver-guide and lodge staff aren't part of the price, so set a little aside for them.
- Ask your doctor about malaria
- Discuss malaria prevention with your doctor before you travel, and bring insect repellent for the evenings.
Packing list
Tick things off as you pack; your list is kept on this device. 0 of 27 packed
When to go
This safari works year-round. Tarangire is at its best in the dry season, when wildlife gathers on the river, and Central Serengeti has resident wildlife in most months.
June to October is the classic dry season, with easier game viewing. November to May is greener, with fewer vehicles in places, excellent birding and dramatic skies.
If the calving season or the migration is your goal, we add nights in Ndutu or the northern Serengeti depending on the month.
Questions guests ask
Is this a private safari?
Yes. You have your own vehicle and driver-guide for the whole trip, so the pace and the stops are yours.
Where does it start and end?
It starts with a pick-up in Arusha or at Kilimanjaro International Airport, and ends with a drop-off at Arusha Airport or Kilimanjaro International Airport on Day 6.
How much driving is there?
Days 3 and 5 are the long ones, to the Serengeti and back from the crater to Arusha. Every drive inside the parks is also a game drive.
Will I see the Great Migration?
This route focuses on Central Serengeti, which has wildlife all year. If the migration or the calving season is your goal, we add nights in Ndutu or the northern Serengeti depending on the month.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. Six days suits many families better than a long expedition, and Marera Valley has connecting family rooms. We confirm room set-ups for your family on the quote.
Can the lodges be changed?
Yes. Each lodge can be swapped for a similar or higher standard to suit your budget, dates and availability.
Can I add Zanzibar afterwards?
Yes. Many guests fly from Arusha or Kilimanjaro to Zanzibar on Day 6 for a few nights on the beach.
Request this safari
Ready to see Tanzania's northern highlights in six days? Tell us your dates and we will confirm the best route, lodge availability and airport logistics, then send a line-item quote.
From $2,455 per person
- You send the request. As shown, or with your changes.
- We check it for your dates. Lodge availability and park logistics, then a line-item quote.
- You confirm. A deposit holds the lodge and vehicle. How booking works
Prefer to talk? WhatsApp +255 758 328 750 or info@warriorsofafricasafaris.com
