Highlights
- See exotic wildlife and ancient archaeological sites at Ngorongoro
- Spot lions, elephants, rhinos, and more on safaris at Ngorongoro and Serengeti
- Soar high over the Serengeti savanna in the basket of a hot-air balloon
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Ngorongoro, Olduvai Gorge & Maasai Culture Tour | Ngorongoro |
| Day 2 | Full-Day Ngorongoro Safari | Ngorongoro |
| Day 3 | Transfer to Serengeti National Park, Afternoon Game Drive | Serengeti National Park |
| Day 4 | Dawn Balloon Safari, Afternoon Game Drive | Serengeti National Park |
| Day 5 | Early Morning Game Drive, Depart Serengeti National Park |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Ngorongoro, Olduvai Gorge & Maasai Culture Tour
Welcome to Tanzania! This East African nation is famous for its natural beauty and exotic wildlife, which you'll discover upon arrival at Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This UNESCO-listed site encompasses a vast expanse of diverse landscapes, including grasslands, woodlands, forests, and the most famous landmark of all: the Ngorongoro Crater, one of the largest intact volcano calderas in the world. It's the perfect wildlife habitat, with steep walls enclosing an ecosystem teeming with animals, earning it the nickname "Africa's Eden."
Your destination is the Escarpment Luxury Lodge Manyara, a sprawling luxury lodge perched at the edge of the Great Rift Valley with spectacular views over Lake Manyara below. After settling in, you'll head right back out to visit one of the area's most famous wonders: Olduvai Gorge. This vast ravine—about 30 miles long (48 km) and 300 feet (91 m) deep—is home to paleoanthropological sites that reveal some of the earliest signs of human development.
Speaking of human settlement, Ngorongoro is the ancestral homeland of the Maasai people, seminomadic pastoralists who have coexisted with wildlife for centuries. After Olduvai, a guide will take you to a traditional Maasai village for a cultural tour. Upon arrival, you'll receive a warm welcome expressed through spirited songs and dances. For the rest of the day, you'll meet villagers, chat with elders, share a traditional meal, and even witness warrior training. At the end of the afternoon, you'll return to the lodge.
Day 2: Full-Day Ngorongoro Safari
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
It's time for a full-day safari in Ngorongoro! One of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, this region teems with bull elephants, buffalo, rhinos, wildebeests, and the highest concentration of lions on the continent. You'll find plenty of rhinos in the park, as anti-poaching protocols mean they abound in this area. Ngorongoro is also unique in that over 40,000 Masaai tribespeople live in the area, and their livestock grazes right alongside the endemic wildlife.
You'll spend the entire day here, racing across the plains in a 4WD vehicle in search of the most exotic specimens. Lunch will be a picnic affair under the azure African sky. After some more game viewing, you'll return to your safari lodge at the end of the afternoon.
Day 3: Transfer to Serengeti National Park, Afternoon Game Drive
The adventure continues this morning on a two-hour drive farther north to Serengeti National Park. Upon arrival, you'll check into your luxury tent at Kati Kati Tented Camp, which sits amid the savanna in the heart of the park. You'll have a few hours to relax before exploring the park's 5,700 square mile (14,763 sq km) protected area on an afternoon game drive.
This legendary safari destination is one of the oldest ecosystems in the world. Here, you can see Big Five game animals (lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffalo), with lions and cheetahs being particularly common. In your open-topped 4WD vehicle, you'll travel to the Serengeti's central savanna plains on a half-day adventure to spot as many of these specimens as possible. At the end of the afternoon, you'll return to camp.
Day 4: Dawn Balloon Safari, Afternoon Game Drive
Rise and shine! This morning's crew will pick you up at 5 am for the ride to a takeoff site where you'll embark on a truly once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Upon arrival, you'll hop in the basket and ascend over the Serengeti plains to see great herds of elephants, giraffes, and antelope grazing below. Upon touching back down on land, you'll toast the experience with a sumptuous champagne breakfast on the savanna—a ballooning tradition!
Day 5: Early Morning Game Drive, Depart Serengeti National Park
More Great Tanzania Itineraries
Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Tanzania? Check out these other Tanzania itineraries, explore different ways to spend five days in Tanzania on safari, or discover the best time to visit Tanzania.
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