5-Day Tanzania Safari Tour Package

25-10-2025 | Tanzania safari tour packages

This comprehensive 5-day Tanzania safari package combines one day in Tarangire, famous for its elephants, one day in Lake Manyara, known for its unique lions, two full days in the iconic Serengeti, and a final day exploring the Ngorongoro Crater, a true natural wonder. You can expect to search for the Big Five and, depending on the season, witness the Great Migration. Your package includes a private 4x4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof, a professional English-speaking guide, all park entry fees, your chosen accommodation, and all meals on safari. We can easily customize this trip by changing your lodging style, from budget camping to luxury lodges, or by adding special activities to your adventure.

Package Details

Tour Name: The Northern Circuit Explorer
Duration: 5 Days / 4 Nights
Destinations: Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater
Adventure Type: Private 4x4 Wildlife Safari
Starting & Ending Point: Arusha, Tanzania
Best Time to Go: June to October for the dry season and great general viewing. Or, choose December to March to see the wildebeest calving season in the Southern Serengeti.
Accommodation Level: Fully Customizable (Budget Camping, Mid-range Tented Camps, Luxury Lodges)
Price: Starting from $1,650 per person (based on a group of 4, mid-range lodging)
Group Size: This is a private tour, so it's just you and your group (from 1 to 7 people per vehicle).
Main Focus: Big Five wildlife viewing, the Great Wildebeest Migration (seasonal), exceptional birdwatching, and breathtaking landscapes.

The 5-Day Tanzania Safari Tour Overview

This isn't just a trip; it's five straight days of pure discovery across Tanzania's most famous northern parks. Think of it as a greatest hits collection of East African wildlife and scenery. You’re getting four completely different environments in one journey, which is what makes this specific 5-day Tanzania safari tour so popular. It’s paced perfectly so you don't feel rushed, but you also see an incredible amount without spending too much time just driving between locations.

We start with two of the smaller, but no less amazing, parks. Tarangire is a land of giants, both the elephants and the ancient baobab trees. It has a wild, almost prehistoric feel to it that captivates you from the start. Then it's on to Lake Manyara, a little gem of a park tucked at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. It’s lush, green, and home to some very special residents that you won't find just anywhere.

Then, the adventure gets bigger. We head into the heart of it all, the legendary Serengeti. The name itself just sounds like safari, doesn't it? You'll have two days here because, honestly, you need it. The Serengeti is huge, its horizons are endless, and the wildlife opportunities are simply off the charts. This is where you feel the sheer scale of Africa.

We save one of the most spectacular sights for last: the Ngorongoro Crater. Descending onto the crater floor is like entering a lost world. It’s a self-contained ecosystem teeming with animals, all living inside the walls of an ancient, collapsed volcano. It’s the perfect, dramatic finish to an unforgettable five days. Throughout the journey, you'll be with your own private guide and in your own vehicle. This means you call the shots. Want to spend an hour watching a leopard in a tree? You can. Need to stop for the perfect photo? No problem. It's your safari, your way.

Highlights of Your 5-Day of Safari in Tanzania

Tarangire's Elephant Paradise: You won't just see an elephant; you'll see families of them. Watch them drink from the Tarangire River, dust themselves under the shade of massive baobab trees, and interact with their young. A key experience during your 5-day of safari in Tanzania is witnessing this park's large elephant concentration, one of the biggest in the world. Their presence is powerful.

Lake Manyara’s Surprising Diversity: This park is a surprise package. One moment you're in a dense groundwater forest hearing baboons, the next you're on the shores of a soda lake seeing pink flamingos. And of course, there are the famous tree-climbing lions. It's not a guarantee you'll see them in a tree, but your guide will know their favorite spots to look.

Two Days in the Endless Serengeti: This is the Africa you've dreamed of. We dedicate two days here so you can fully immerse yourself. You’ll explore the central Seronera region, known as "big cat country" for its high density of lions, leopards, and cheetahs. Depending on the month, we'll also position you to witness the Great Migration, whether it’s the dramatic river crossings up north or the calving season in the south.

The Lost World of Ngorongoro Crater: Driving down the steep crater walls in the early morning mist is an experience you'll never forget. The crater floor is a natural enclosure that supports an incredible density of wildlife. It's one of the best places in Tanzania to spot the critically endangered black rhino, which for many, completes their Big Five checklist.

Your Personal Safari Experience: Forget being crammed into a bus with strangers. This 5-day Tanzania safari package is private. Your vehicle, a sturdy 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof for 360-degree views, is for you and your group alone. Your guide is your personal wildlife expert, driver, and friend for the journey, focused entirely on making your trip perfect.

Your 5-Day Tanzania Safari Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Arusha to Tarangire National Park

Your adventure begins the moment we pick you up from your hotel in Arusha. After a quick briefing about the days ahead, we’ll hit the road, heading south towards Tarangire National Park. The drive takes about two hours, but it’s an interesting journey as you watch the bustling city of Arusha give way to small rural towns and wide-open landscapes.

You’ll know you’ve arrived at Tarangire when you start seeing the baobab trees. They are enormous, ancient trees that look like they've been planted upside down, and they give the park its unique, almost mystical character. We’ll handle the check-in process at the park gate while you stretch your legs. Then, the pop-up roof of your vehicle goes up, and your first game drive starts immediately. You’ll want to have your camera ready from the very first minute.

Tarangire is all about scale. The elephant herds here are huge, and it’s common to see dozens, sometimes hundreds, in a single day, especially during the dry season. The Tarangire River is the park's lifeline, and we’ll spend a lot of time driving along its banks, where animals of all kinds gather to drink. Besides elephants, look out for herds of zebra, wildebeest, giraffes, and various species of antelope like impala and eland. The park is also home to lions, leopards, and cheetahs, though they can be a bit more elusive. We'll stop for a picnic lunch at a designated spot with a great view, where you can listen to the sounds of the bush. The afternoon is for more exploration, tracking animals, and enjoying the scenery before we head to your chosen lodge or campsite for dinner and your first night under the African stars.

Day 2: Tarangire to Serengeti National Park

We start the day with an early breakfast, followed by a morning game drive in Tarangire to catch the animals when they are most active. The light is beautiful in the early morning, and this is a great time to spot predators before the day gets too warm. After a few more hours of exploring this wonderful park, we’ll exit Tarangire and begin the journey towards the main event: the Serengeti.

The drive itself is part of the experience. You’ll pass through the vibrant market town of Mto wa Mbu, where people from many different tribes live together. Then, we climb the Great Rift Valley escarpment, where you'll get stunning views of Lake Manyara below. We'll continue our drive up into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a beautiful highland region inhabited by the Maasai people. You’ll see Maasai herders in their bright red shukas tending to their cattle, often right next to herds of zebra, in a scene that has remained unchanged for centuries.

We’ll stop for lunch along the way, likely at the Naabi Hill Gate, the official entrance to the Serengeti. This is a great place to get out, climb the small hill for a panoramic view of the plains you’re about to enter, and feel the excitement build. As soon as we enter, the landscape changes dramatically. The hills and forests give way to the famous "endless plains," which is what "Serengeti" means in the Maasai language. We'll game drive our way towards the central Seronera area, which is where you’ll be staying. This first taste of the Serengeti is often magical, with your first sightings of the vast herds and open skies. We’ll arrive at your camp or lodge in the late afternoon, just in time to settle in before dinner and listen to the incredible sounds of the Serengeti at night.

Day 3: A Full Day Exploring the Serengeti

Today is all about the Serengeti. You have a full day to explore this incredible park, and we can be flexible with how you want to spend it. Most people choose a full-day game drive to maximize their wildlife viewing time, and it's a fantastic part of any 5-day of safari in Tanzania. After an early breakfast, we'll head out with a packed lunch, which allows us to go further into the park and not be tied to returning to the lodge for the midday meal.

The Seronera Valley in the Central Serengeti is a fantastic place to explore year-round. The Seronera River provides a permanent water source, which means it supports a huge number of resident animals. This is why it’s often called the "predator capital" of the Serengeti. Lions are commonly seen lounging on the rocky outcrops, known as kopjes, which they use as vantage points to survey their territory. Cheetahs are often spotted scanning the plains for their next meal from the top of a termite mound. Leopards are here too, though they are masters of camouflage, so we'll need a sharp eye to find them resting in the branches of sausage trees.

If the Great Migration is in the area (it often passes through central Serengeti), your guide will focus on finding the massive herds of wildebeest and zebra. This is a true spectacle of nature, a sea of animals stretching as far as the eye can see, with all the sounds and dust that come with it. We’ll look for the drama that follows the herds: the predators that trail them and the sheer energy of it all. We will find a nice, shady spot under an acacia tree for our picnic lunch and continue our search in the afternoon. As the sun begins to set, casting a golden glow over the plains, we’ll make our way back to your accommodation, full of amazing memories from the day.

Day 4: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater Rim

We have another morning in the Serengeti, and we’ll use it wisely. An early morning game drive often provides the best light for photography and a chance to see predators on the move after their night of hunting. We can revisit a favorite area from yesterday or explore a new part of Seronera, perhaps tracking a lion pride we heard roaring during the night.

Around mid-morning, we’ll start our drive out of the Serengeti plains and head east towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The drive is another game drive in itself, as you’re still likely to see plenty of wildlife along the way. We’ll ascend from the vast, flat plains up to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater.

When you reach the crater rim for the first time, it’s a genuine jaw-dropping moment. The view from the top, looking down into the vast, perfectly formed caldera 600 meters below, is breathtaking. It’s hard to believe what you’re looking at is real. We'll stop at the viewpoint to take it all in and get some photos. Your accommodation for the night will be a lodge or campsite located right on the crater rim. The air is cooler and fresher up here, and the views are simply unbelievable. You can relax and enjoy dinner while anticipating tomorrow's big adventure on the crater floor.

Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater Floor and Return to Arusha

This is the final day of your 5-day Tanzania safari package, and it’s an early start to make the most of it. After a quick breakfast, we’ll drive to the crater descent road. The journey down the steep, winding road into the crater is an adventure in its own right. As you descend, you'll pass through layers of cloud and mist, and then suddenly, the crater floor opens up before you.

The Ngorongoro Crater floor is a unique ecosystem, home to around 25,000 large animals. Because it’s a relatively small and enclosed area (about 260 square kilometers), the wildlife is incredibly concentrated. This is your best chance to see the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino) in a single game drive. We will be on a special lookout for the black rhino, which is very difficult to see elsewhere but thrives here in the crater's protected environment.

You’ll see large prides of lions, huge old "tuskers" (male elephants with massive tusks), herds of buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, and gazelles. The crater floor also has its own population of hyenas and hippos, which you'll find in the pools and wetlands. We'll enjoy a picnic lunch near a hippo pool, watching these huge animals and listening to their calls.

In the mid-afternoon, filled with incredible sightings, we’ll begin the drive back up the crater wall and start our journey back to Arusha. It’s about a three to four-hour drive, with plenty of beautiful scenery to look at along the way. We will drop you off at your hotel or at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) for your flight home, bringing your amazing safari to a close.

Cost Inclusions and Exclusions

What's Included in your 5-Day Tanzania Safari Package:

=> All park entry fees and government taxes.
=> Private use of a 4x4 safari Land Cruiser with a pop-up photographic roof.
=> The services of a professional, English-speaking safari driver-guide.
=> 4 nights of accommodation during the safari as per your choice (camping, tented camp, or lodge).
=> All meals during the safari (4 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners).
=> Unlimited bottled drinking water in the safari vehicle.
=> Pick-up and drop-off in Arusha.

What's Not Included in the Price:

=> International and domestic flights.
=> Tanzanian visa fees.
=> Travel and medical insurance (this is mandatory for all our guests).
=> Tips for your driver-guide (we can offer recommendations on amounts).
=> Alcoholic drinks, sodas, and other personal beverages.
=> Optional activities such as a hot air balloon safari, a visit to a Maasai village, or a stop at Olduvai Gorge.
=> Any personal expenses like souvenirs or laundry.

Will You Need to Customize this Package?

Yes, absolutely. We think of this itinerary as a perfect template, but your trip should be exactly that: your trip. While this is our most popular 5-day Tanzania safari tour, we encourage you to customize it to fit your interests, budget, and travel style. Here are a few common ways we can adjust this safari for you:

Accommodation Style: This is the biggest way to shape your trip. Are you on a tight budget and love the idea of being close to nature? We can arrange basic camping inside the parks. If you want comfort but still want that safari feel, a mid-range tented camp is a fantastic option. These have proper beds and private bathrooms but with canvas walls, so you can still hear the sounds of the bush at night. For those looking for more luxury, we can book you into stunning high-end lodges with pools, fine dining, and incredible views. You can even mix and match.
Add Extra Days: Feeling like five days isn't quite enough? Many people do. The most common addition is an extra day in the Serengeti. With three days there, you could explore a different region, like the Grumeti River in the west or the Mara River in the north (depending on the season), to increase your chances of seeing a dramatic river crossing.
Special Activities: Want to add a once-in-a-lifetime experience? We can arrange a hot air balloon safari over the Serengeti at sunrise. The views are incredible, and it ends with a champagne breakfast in the bush. We can also organize a cultural visit to a Maasai village to learn about their traditional way of life or a stop at the Olduvai Gorge, a famous archaeological site where important discoveries about early humans were made.
Traveler Type: Let us know who you're traveling with. If it's a family trip, we can choose lodges that are more kid-friendly. For a honeymoon, we can find romantic, more secluded camps and add special touches. If you're a serious photographer, we can pair you with one of our guides who specializes in photography and plan your days around the best light.

Get Ready For the Natural African Adventure

This itinerary is a fantastic starting point, a plan for an adventure that will stay with you forever. But the real journey begins when we start planning it together. If this 5-day Tanzania safari tour feels right for you, or if it has sparked new ideas, just get in touch. We're here to answer all your questions, offer advice, and help you build the perfect safari that fits you and your dreams. Let's start the conversation.