6 Days Tanzania Big Five Safari
Experience the remarkable wildlife and landscapes of Tanzania on a six-day safari through the famous Northern Safari Circuit. Explore Tarangire National Park, travel across the endless plains of Serengeti National Park, discover the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Lake Manyara National Park.
This safari is designed for travellers hoping to see Africa's Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros — while discovering Tanzania's diverse ecosystems with an experienced safari guide. Wildlife sightings depend on natural conditions, season and animal movements.
Safari Highlights
- Search for elephants and other wildlife among Tarangire's iconic baobab trees.
- Explore the vast plains of Serengeti National Park, famous for big cats and the Great Wildebeest Migration.
- Enjoy game drives across the wildlife-rich Ngorongoro Crater floor.
- Discover Lake Manyara's varied habitats, birdlife and forest scenery.
- Travel through Tanzania's beautiful landscapes with a professional safari guide.
Tour Overview
Arusha → Tarangire National Park → Serengeti National Park → Ngorongoro Conservation Area → Lake Manyara National Park → Arusha
The journey combines game drives in some of Tanzania's best-known wildlife destinations. The exact order of activities, accommodation locations and driving times may vary depending on the confirmed booking arrangements, park conditions and season.
Day-by-Day Safari Itinerary
Arusha to Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, meet your safari guide and depart from Arusha for Tarangire National Park. The drive takes you through rural landscapes before reaching a park known for its large elephant herds, ancient baobab trees and wildlife concentrated around the Tarangire River.
Enjoy a game drive in search of elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffaloes, antelopes and predators. Your guide will help you explore different parts of the park and identify the animals you encounter. Enjoy a picnic lunch during the day's activities before continuing your wildlife exploration.
Later, leave the park and proceed to your lodge or tented camp for dinner and an overnight stay.
Tarangire to Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, depart for Serengeti National Park, travelling through the scenic landscapes of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Along the way, enjoy views of the highlands and the wide-open terrain that leads to the Serengeti plains.
Upon entering the Serengeti, begin your game drive as you make your way through the park. The Serengeti is famous for its lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes and large herds of grazing animals. Depending on the season, you may also encounter parts of the Great Wildebeest Migration.
Continue to your lodge or tented camp, where you will have dinner and spend the night surrounded by the atmosphere of the African wilderness.
Full-Day Game Drive in Serengeti National Park
Spend a full day exploring the extraordinary wildlife and landscapes of Serengeti National Park. After breakfast, set out with your guide to explore areas selected according to recent wildlife activity and the season.
Look for lions resting in the grass, cheetahs scanning the plains, elephants moving through the landscape, and herds of zebras, wildebeest and gazelles. Leopards, hyenas and many bird species may also be seen. If the migration is passing through the area during your visit, you may have an opportunity to observe the moving herds.
Enjoy a picnic lunch during the game drive or return to your accommodation if that arrangement has been confirmed. Continue exploring the park in the afternoon before returning to your lodge or tented camp for dinner and overnight.
Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Enjoy breakfast before setting out for a morning game drive in the Serengeti. This is another opportunity to observe wildlife in the cooler hours, when some animals are active and predators may still be on the move.
After the game drive, begin the journey towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Enjoy the changing scenery as the open Serengeti plains give way to the greener highlands and elevated landscapes surrounding the crater.
Arrive at your accommodation in the Ngorongoro or Karatu area, depending on the confirmed arrangements. Enjoy dinner and prepare for the following day's exploration of the crater.
Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive
After an early breakfast, travel to Ngorongoro Crater and descend into its spectacular caldera for a memorable wildlife safari. The crater's varied habitats support a remarkable concentration of animals within a relatively compact area.
During the game drive, look for lions, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest, hippos and numerous bird species. With luck, you may also spot the endangered black rhinoceros. Your guide will help you understand the area's wildlife and the importance of its protected ecosystem.
Enjoy a picnic lunch during the day's activities, then continue exploring the crater before ascending and returning to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Lake Manyara National Park to Arusha
After breakfast, depart for Lake Manyara National Park for your final wildlife experience, subject to the confirmed route and park schedule. The park features groundwater forests, open grasslands, acacia woodland and a lake that attracts a variety of birdlife.
During your game drive, look for elephants, giraffes, baboons, monkeys, buffaloes, hippos and different bird species. Lake Manyara is also known for occasional sightings of tree-climbing lions, although wildlife encounters cannot be guaranteed.
After the park visit, begin the drive back to Arusha. Your six-day safari concludes upon arrival at your agreed drop-off point or hotel.
What's Included and Excluded
What's Included
- Pick-up and drop-off in Arusha as specified in the booking.
- Transport in a safari vehicle during the itinerary.
- Services of a professional safari driver-guide.
- Park entrance and conservation fees for the listed itinerary, as confirmed in the quotation.
- Accommodation for the safari nights as specified in the booking.
- Meals listed in the confirmed day-by-day programme.
- Game drives in the listed national parks.
- Applicable taxes and government levies included in the confirmed price.
What's Excluded
- International flights to and from Tanzania.
- Visa fees and personal travel insurance.
- Tips and gratuities for the guide and lodge staff.
- Personal expenses, souvenirs and other items not specified in the quotation.
- Alcoholic and other drinks unless expressly included.
- Optional activities not listed in the confirmed itinerary.
- Accommodation before or after the safari unless arranged.
- Any additional costs not expressly listed as included in the final quotation.
The final inclusions and exclusions should be checked against the actual package quotation before publishing or confirming a booking.
Why Choose This Tanzania Big Five Safari?
This six-day adventure combines several of Tanzania's best-known wildlife destinations in one journey. From Tarangire's elephant-filled landscapes to Serengeti's expansive plains and Ngorongoro's remarkable crater ecosystem, each destination offers a different perspective on the country's natural heritage.
- Multiple wildlife destinations: Explore four celebrated Northern Circuit safari areas.
- Big Five opportunities: Search for lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and rhinoceros in their natural habitats.
- Experienced guiding: Learn about animal behaviour, local ecosystems and wildlife conservation.
- Diverse landscapes: Discover open savannah, woodland, crater scenery and lakeside habitats.
- Memorable photography: Capture wildlife and scenery throughout the journey, while respecting park rules.
Important Safari Information
Wildlife sightings vary according to season, weather and animal movements. The Great Wildebeest Migration follows a changing annual pattern, so sightings at a particular location cannot be guaranteed. Accommodation, meal arrangements, park visits and the final route should be confirmed with the tour operator before travel.