5 Day Northern Tanzania Fly-in Safari
Fly into the Serengeti, hop to Lake Manyara by light aircraft, then explore the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire with your own private guide.
- Duration
- 5 days
- Route
- Arusha – Serengeti – Lake Manyara – Ngorongoro Crater – Tarangire – Arusha
- Start / end
- Starts and ends in Arusha (pick-up from your Arusha hotel; drop-off at Arusha Airport or your hotel)
- Best time
- June to October is ideal, with dry conditions and wildlife gathered around water, especially in Tarangire; December to February is also excellent.
- Trip style
- Private game drives with your own guide in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof (the vehicle and guide meet you after the Serengeti), scheduled shared flights and mid-range lodges and tented camps.
Tour overview
This safari uses light aircraft to cut out the longest drives, so you spend more of your five days watching wildlife. You fly from Arusha straight into the Serengeti for two nights, then hop across to Lake Manyara, where your guide is waiting to take you up to the Ngorongoro Crater.
After a morning on the crater floor, you finish in Tarangire National Park, known for its large elephant herds and baobab trees, before a short flight back to Arusha. It is a well-rounded northern circuit for travelers who want variety, comfort and less time on the road.
Highlights
- Fly directly into the central Serengeti
- Two nights and a full day of Serengeti game drives
- Light-aircraft hop from the Serengeti to Lake Manyara
- Game drive on the Ngorongoro Crater floor
- Big elephant herds and baobabs in Tarangire
- Three very different ecosystems in five days
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Fly Arusha to the Serengeti
In the morning we transfer you from your hotel to Arusha Airport for the flight of about an hour to the Seronera airstrip. A Serengeti guide meets you on arrival with the vehicle, and you begin with a game drive through the central plains and along the Seronera River, an area famous for lions and leopards. After a picnic lunch, continue exploring in the afternoon before checking in to your tented camp. Dinner is served as the sounds of the night begin.
Day 2Full Day in the Serengeti
A full day lets you get to know the Serengeti properly. Leave early to find big cats on the hunt, then follow your guide's knowledge of where the herds are grazing, which kopjes the lions favor and where cheetahs have been seen. With a picnic lunch on board you can range far across the plains, or return to camp in the heat of the day and head out again in the afternoon. Optional balloon flights can be arranged for dawn.
Day 3Fly to Lake Manyara, Drive to Ngorongoro
After an early game drive and breakfast, return to the Seronera airstrip for the short flight to the Lake Manyara airstrip. Your private driver-guide meets you here for the rest of the safari. Drive up the escarpment and through the farming town of Karatu to the Ngorongoro highlands, about 1 to 1.5 hours away. Stop at the crater rim viewpoint for your first look over the vast caldera, then check in to your lodge and enjoy a relaxed afternoon in the cool highland air.
Day 4Ngorongoro Crater to Tarangire
Descend into the crater early in the morning for a game drive on the crater floor, limited to about six hours. Look for lions, buffalo, elephants, hyenas, jackals, flamingos on the soda lake and, with luck, the elusive black rhino. After a picnic lunch, climb out of the crater and drive about 2.5 to 3 hours to Tarangire, arriving in time for sundowners at your lodge overlooking the Tarangire River valley, where elephants often come down to drink.
Day 5Tarangire Game Drive, Fly to Arusha
Spend the morning game driving in Tarangire, known for large elephant herds, ancient baobabs, lions, giraffes and over 500 bird species. The river is a magnet for wildlife in the dry season, making for excellent viewing. Around midday your guide takes you to the Kuro airstrip in the park for a short flight to Arusha, where you are met and transferred to your hotel, or to Kilimanjaro Airport for your onward flight. If you prefer, the return can also be made by road in about 2.5 hours.
What is included
- Scheduled flights Arusha – Seronera, Seronera – Lake Manyara and Tarangire (Kuro) – Arusha
- 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof and professional guide throughout
- All park and conservation fees, including the Ngorongoro Crater service fee
- 4 nights' accommodation as listed
- Meals as listed in the itinerary
- Bottled drinking water during game drives
- Transfers between your Arusha hotel and Arusha Airport
Not included
- International flights
- Tanzania visa
- Travel insurance (mandatory for this trip)
- Tips for guides, pilots and camp staff
- Alcoholic and premium drinks unless stated
- Optional activities such as hot air balloon safaris
- Personal items, laundry and souvenirs
Good to know
- Light aircraft typically allow around 15 kg of luggage per person in soft-sided bags; extra luggage can be stored in Arusha.
- Some airstrip connections vary by season; if a flight is not operating, we may replace it with a road transfer.
- Pack warm layers for the Ngorongoro highlands, which are much cooler than the Serengeti and Tarangire.
Frequently asked questions
Do we keep the same guide throughout?
Guides in the Serengeti are based there, so a local guide meets you for the first part. From Lake Manyara onward your private Arusha-based driver-guide accompanies you to the end.
Can we do the safari in reverse?
Yes. Starting with Tarangire and Ngorongoro by road and ending with a flight out of the Serengeti works just as well and can suit some flight schedules better.
Is a balloon safari possible?
Yes, a hot air balloon flight can be added on Day 2 in the Serengeti. It starts before dawn and ends with a bush breakfast.
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