7 Day Tanzania Classic Lodge Safari – Lake Manyara, Serengeti Ngorongoro Crater & Tarangire 

Day 2 – Lake Manyara to Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, enjoy a morning game drive in Lake Manyara National Park, exploring its diverse habitats—from groundwater forests and acacia woodlands to the lakeshore often visited by flamingos, hippos, and large baboon troops. Return to the lodge for lunch before beginning the journey toward the Serengeti.

Leaving Lake Manyara behind, travel through the rolling highlands and into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with sweeping views across volcanic terrain and Maasai pastoral lands. From here, the landscape opens into the vast plains of the Serengeti, where wildlife sightings often begin long before reaching the park gate. At approximately 15,000 square kilometres, the Serengeti hosts over three million animals, many of which participate in the famous seasonal Great Migration—one of nature’s most extraordinary spectacles.

Arrive in the Serengeti in time for an afternoon game drive en route to the lodge.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Seronera Wildlife Lodge (Comfort) | Serengeti Serena Lodge (Comfort Plus) | Melia Serengeti Lodge (Luxury)
Travel Time: Lake Manyara to Serengeti: Approx. 4–5 hours depending on wildlife sightings and stops

Day 3 – Serengeti National Park

Enjoy morning and afternoon game drives in the world-famous Serengeti National Park, a vast ecosystem that supports one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife on Earth. The Serengeti is home to an astonishing diversity of large mammals, including elephants, hippos, rhinos, giraffes, buffalo, warthogs, and 19 species of antelope, along with several primate species. Lesser-known but fascinating carnivores such as serval, jackals, bat-eared foxes, honey badgers, genets, and mongooses add to the park’s rich biodiversity. Over 200 bird species can also be spotted throughout the plains and river areas.

Today’s focus is on searching for quality encounters with the Serengeti’s three big cat species—lion, cheetah, and leopard. The early morning and late afternoon offer the best chances for predator sightings, as these cooler hours are prime periods for hunting activity. Nocturnal hunters may also be seen returning from, or preparing for, their nightly forays across the plains.

Throughout the day, expect excellent sightings of giraffe, impala, topi, reedbuck, buffalo, hippo, vervet monkey, waterbuck, and large herds of plains game.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Seronera Wildlife Lodge (Comfort) | Serengeti Serena Lodge (Comfort Plus) |  Melia Serengeti Lodge (Luxury)
Travel Time: Game drives within Serengeti National Park

Day 4 – Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater Rim

After breakfast, depart for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, enjoying a final morning game drive across the vast Serengeti plains. Wildlife sightings are common along this route, with opportunities to spot predators, grazing herds, and a wide variety of birdlife before leaving the park.

A picnic lunch is enjoyed en route, often at a scenic viewpoint overlooking the sweeping grasslands. In the afternoon, continue toward the Ngorongoro Crater Rim, ascending to the lodge positioned high on the edge of the caldera.

The views from the crater rim are spectacular—stretching across the entire floor of one of the largest intact calderas in the world. A major advantage of staying at this location is its close proximity to the park gate, allowing exceptionally early access into the crater the following morning.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Bougainvillea Lodge (Comfort) | Ngorongoro Serena Lodge (Comfort Plus) | Lions Paw Ngorongoro (Luxury)
Travel Time: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater Rim: Approx. 4–5 hours depending on wildlife and stops

Day 5 – Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive & Maasai Boma Visit

After breakfast, descend approximately 2,000 feet into the world-renowned Ngorongoro Crater, carrying a picnic lunch for a full morning of exploration. The crater is the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera and is home to an estimated 25,000 animals. Its fertile floor supports a remarkable array of wildlife, with large populations of zebra, wildebeest, gazelle, buffalo, eland, hartebeest, warthog, and the critically endangered Black Rhino.

Predators are abundant, and the crater is particularly famous for its resident lion population, offering excellent chances for sightings. The varied landscapes—grasslands, swamps, forests, and lakes—create one of the most concentrated wildlife viewing areas in all of Africa.

After a picnic lunch at a designated area, ascend the crater walls and continue to a Maasai Boma for a cultural visit. This is an opportunity to spend time with Maasai families, learn about their traditions, observe daily life, and gain insight into one of East Africa’s most iconic pastoral cultures.

Return to the lodge on the crater rim for a relaxing evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Bougainvillea Lodge (Comfort) | Ngorongoro Serena Lodge (Comfort Plus) | Lions Paw Ngorongoro (Luxury)
Travel Time: Game drives within Ngorongoro Crater; Crater ascent to rim: Approx. 30 minutes

Day 6 – Ngorongoro to Tarangire National Park

Today the journey continues eastward toward Tarangire National Park. After entering the park, wildlife sightings often begin immediately, with game frequently spotted en route to the lodge. Arrival is in time for lunch, followed by an opportunity to relax or take a swim.

The afternoon is dedicated to game viewing within Tarangire. The park is famous for its large elephant herds, dramatic baobab trees, and sweeping savannahs. During the dry season, animals gather in impressive numbers along the Tarangire River, offering excellent wildlife encounters and diverse photographic opportunities.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Lake Burunge Tented Lodge (Comfort) | Tarangire Sopa Lodge (Comfort Plus) | Tarangire Kuro Treetops Lodge (Luxury)
Travel Time: Ngorongoro Area to Tarangire: Approx. 3–4 hours

Day 7 – Tarangire to Arusha Coffee Lodge → Kilimanjaro International Airport

Depart after breakfast and travel northeast toward Arusha, passing through the scenic Masai Steppe, an area dotted with traditional villages and expansive fields of maize, coffee, and banana plantations. Arrival in Arusha is around midday, just in time for a relaxing lunch at the Arusha Coffee Lodge, set within one of the region’s oldest coffee estates.

After lunch, transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport, where the safari itinerary concludes.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: End of tour
Travel Time: Tarangire to Arusha: Approx. 2–2.5 hours; Arusha to Kilimanjaro Airport: Approx. 1 hour