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Sekei, Arusha, Tanzania +255 (714) 764 471 info@serengetiplainsexpeditions.com
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5-Day Big Five Safari, Experiencing Ngorongoro Crater & Serengeti Np

Overview

Explore Tanzania with your family! This safari combines luxurious hotels, comfortable lodges and exciting tented camps. Witness the drama of the Ngorongoro Crater, then marvel at the Serengeti big cats and big five as well. Expert guides will show you the wonders of the Tanzania northern circuit parks, alongside Africa's legendary predators. This adventure maximizes game viewing for an unforgettable family safari.

Itinerary

Day 1: Pick Up from Airport to Tarangire National Park

After landing at the Airport you will find your safari-guide waiting for you ready to start a game drive to an amazing park Tarangire National Park. Witness herds of elephants, the park's signature residents, alongside zebras, giraffes, and predators. Birdwatchers will rejoice at the park's over 550 species, especially near the water sources. Towering baobab trees add an ancient charm to the scenery. Explore the park on game drives, guided walks to hidden gems, or take in panoramic views from scenic overlooks. Tarangire offers a diverse wildlife experience and stunning beauty for an unforgettable safari.

Accommodation: Marera Valley Lodge
Day 2: Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive Night Serengeti.

Descending into Africa's Eden
After a hearty breakfast of tropical fruits and fresh local fare, we'll journey to the Ngorongoro Crater - the world's largest intact volcanic caldera and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This 260-square-kilometer natural amphitheater boasts diverse ecosystems from lush forests to golden grasslands, all nourished by permanent water sources that sustain over 30,000 resident mammals. Over five thrilling hours, your expert guide will track the crater's famous inhabitants: lion prides lounging near buffalo herds, endangered black rhinos grazing undisturbed, and hippos wallowing in soda lakes turned pink by flocks of flamingos.

From Crater to Serengeti
Enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch on the crater floor surrounded by wildlife before ascending to the rim. The adventure continues with an en-route game drive toward Serengeti National Park, where you might spot cheetahs scanning the plains or elephants crossing the road. Arrive at your comfortable lodge in time for sundowner cocktails and a delicious dinner, where you can recount the day's sightings - from hyenas on the hunt to warthogs darting through the grass - before resting up for tomorrow's full day of Serengeti exploration.

Accommodation: Land of Nature
Day 3: Full day Central Serengeti Game Drive.

Dawn to Midday in the Serengeti
As the first golden light spills across the endless plains, set out on a morning game drive through the Serengeti's wildlife-rich heartland. Witness the Great Migration's living tapestry unfold - thousands of wildebeest flowing like a river across the savannah, zebras forming striped patterns against golden grass, and elephant herds casting long shadows as they move toward watering holes. With expert guides tracking animal movements, you might spot lion prides awakening on rocky kopjes or cheetahs scanning the horizon from termite mound lookouts. Pause for a gourmet picnic lunch at a scenic viewpoint, where you can savor local flavors while watching giraffes browse acacia canopies and vervet monkeys play in the distance.

Afternoon Magic to Starlit Serenity
As afternoon light transforms the landscape into a painter's palette of gold and amber, continue your search for the Serengeti's wonders - perhaps a leopard draped over a sausage tree branch or hyenas returning to their dens. The day's adventure culminates at your luxury camp, where sundowner cocktails await as the sun dips below the horizon. Drift asleep to the Serengeti's nocturnal symphony - distant lion roars blending with chirping crickets - under a breathtaking canopy of African stars, your mind replaying the day's extraordinary sightings.

Accommodation: Moyo Tented Camp.
Day 4: Central Serengeti Game then Drive to Arusha.

Morning Magic in the Wild
As dawn paints the savannah in gold and crimson, witness Africa's grand awakening - elephants lumbering across the plains, cheetahs stretching on termite mounds, and leopards slinking back to their daytime hideouts. Celebrate this daily miracle with a champagne breakfast under an acacia canopy before embarking on a game drive where your expert guide reveals nature's micro-wonders: industrious dung beetles, camouflaged chameleons, and jewel-toned bee-eaters darting through the grass. The morning culminates with a chef-prepared lunch in the shade, featuring authentic Tanzanian flavors as you listen to the bush's midday symphony.

Afternoon Adventures to Evening Bliss
The afternoon brings a serene canoe safari, gliding past pods of snorting hippos and malachite kingfishers that flash like emeralds across the water's surface. As the fiery sun dips below the horizon, painting the landscape in orange and purple hues, journey back to your Arusha lodge where a bush dinner under the stars awaits. The crackling firelight and distant hyena calls create the perfect ambiance, setting the stage for tomorrow's walking safari in Arusha National Park - another day of wilderness wonders to come.

Accommodation: Mt. Meru Hotel
Day 5: Arusha National Park Game Drive & Walking Safari

A Day in Arusha National Park
As dawn breaks over Mount Meru's misty slopes, embark on a thrilling game drive through Arusha's diverse ecosystems - from emerald montane forests where colobus monkeys leap through canopies to open savannahs where elephant herds graze against the backdrop of Tanzania's second-highest peak. After lunch at a scenic viewpoint, experience the park's intimate wonders on a guided walking safari, tracking animal prints through moss-carpeted forests alive with chameleons and iridescent butterflies, before returning to the lodge at sunset with your senses full of Africa's magic - from the musky scent of wild sage to the echoing calls of hornbills - and transferring to the airport with unforgettable memories of nature's symphony.

Accommodation: No Accommodation.

What's Included & Excluded

Included

  • Full board accommodation as specified on safari.
  • 4wd Land cruiser vehicle with pop-up roof.
  • Well-trained driver-guide.
  • Full board meals whilst on safari
  • All the national park fees as per itinerary
  • All meals whilst on safari
  • Mineral water.

Excluded

  • Airfares airport taxes and fees.
  • Laundry
  • Entry visas and vaccinations.
  • Personal items.
  • Tips and gratuities.
  • Travel Insurance.
  • Optional tour.
  • Guide tips and any items of personal nature

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