Day 1 & 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park – Tanzania
Begin your budget-friendly Private Tanzania Safari with an early morning briefing at your Arusha hotel before driving southwest out of town. Head to the wildlife-rich Tarangire National Park, a hidden gem of Tanzania known for its iconic baobab trees and vast elephant herds.
Tarangire is especially vibrant during the dry season (June to September), when thousands of animals, including elephants, buffalo, giraffes, and the rarely seen oryx, migrate from the Maasai steppe to converge at the waters of the Tarangire River. Predators like lions and leopards follow, creating thrilling opportunities for wildlife viewing. This spectacle, combined with over 550 bird species and stunning landscapes dotted with majestic baobab trees promises a memorable day of game drives, stopping at a scenic spot for a picnic lunch along the way.
After an exciting day on safari in Tarangire, head to camp to relax and unwind. Your dedicated Tanzania safari crew travels ahead to set up the mobile-tented camp. You arrive to enjoy the comfort of spacious tents equipped with en-suite showers and toilets, and cosy beds with premium linens. Your chef will serve up a hearty dinner while the attentive camp staff cater to your every need.
Day 2 of your Private Tanzania Safari is another leisurely day exploring Tarangire National Park. Crisscross the landscape in search of the diverse wildlife that roams across your path. The southern and western areas of this African park are covered in swampy floodplains and seasonal wetlands, while the eastern regions feature rolling hills dotted with dense woodlands and rocky outcrops. As dusk settles, head back to the camp to enjoy a delicious dinner and evening spent by the warmth of the campfire.
- Included Activity: Tarangire Safari Game Drives
- Meals Included: Picnic Lunch & Dinner (Day 1), Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (Day 2)
- Accommodation: Tarangire Mobile Tented Camp
Day 3: Tarangire to Lake Manyara & Ngorongoro Highlands – Tanzania
We make an early start to visit the scenic Lake Manyara National Park with its breathtaking landscapes set against the dramatic backdrop of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. This 330 sq km park surrounds the shallow, alkaline Lake Manyara and boasts diverse habitats, including grassy floodplains, acacia woodlands, forests, and rocky escarpments. It is home to its renowned tree-climbing lions, and large mammals like elephants, buffalo, wildebeests, and giraffes, while bird enthusiasts can spot nearly 400 recorded species.
Journey onward towards the lush rolling hills of the Ngorongoro Highlands, covered in verdant coffee plantations and dense forests. Next our Private Tanzania Safari overnights on the outskirts of Karatu. This area is known for its stunning views and cool, temperate climate.
- Included Activity: Lake Manyara National Park Visit
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Bougainvillea Lodge (or similar)
About Bougainvillea Lodge, Karatu
Bougainvillea Lodge provides a peaceful retreat for safari travellers with spacious, mosquito-netted rooms featuring king or twin beds, fireplaces, and spacious ensuite bathrooms. Verandas overlook the lush tropical gardens with a pool and coffee garden. Guests can relax in the cosy lounge and bar and enjoy warm Tanzanian hospitality. Delicious, fresh country cuisine is prepared by the resident chef.
Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater to Serengeti National Park – Tanzania
Today, our Private Tanzania Safari heads to the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater, one of the world’s natural wonders. This vast caldera of an extinct volcano forms a natural amphitheatre often referred to as the “Garden of Eden” due to its exceptional biodiversity. Surrounded by the lush, forested crater walls, it is home to an astonishing density and variety of wildlife, including four of the Big Five of Africa.
Enjoy some of the best game viewing in Africa as we descend into the caldera for a safari drive in search of spectacular game sightings, all set against the stunning backdrop of the thickly forested crater walls. The crater’s diverse landscapes, from forests and grasslands to both freshwater and soda lakes, make it a truly awe-inspiring experience. Savour a picnic lunch amidst this breathtaking natural spectacle.
After ascending the crater walls once more, we head to the Serengeti National Park where the camp staff have set up your next mobile tented camp. En route, there is ample time for an optional visit to Olduvai Gorge, or a Masai Village. Olduvai Gorge offers a fascinating glimpse into human prehistory, as this world-renowned archaeological site is where some of the oldest hominid fossils and tools were discovered. Learn about the Gorge’s significance in understanding human evolution and the lives of early ancestors.
Alternatively, you may opt to visit a Maasai village to gain an insight into the traditions, lifestyle, and customs of one of Africa’s most iconic tribes. You’ll be welcomed by the Maasai people, who will share insights into their daily lives, including their distinctive clothing, ceremonies, and cattle-keeping practices.
- Included Activity: Ngorongoro Crater Safari
- Optional Activities: Olduvai Gorge Visit, Masai Village Tour
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Mobile Tented Camp
Day 5 & 6: Serengeti National Park – Tanzania
The next two days of your Private Tanzania Safari are devoted to exploring the stunning Serengeti National Park, a world-renowned park that is home to over three million large mammals spread across its vast plains. Go in search of the wildlife of this incredible place, then retreat to the comfort of our tented camp with your attentive camp staff before the next game drive.
All year round, the park hosts large herds of wildebeest and zebra, along with buffalo, giraffes, and warthogs. While elephants are more common in the northern and western areas, the Serengeti National Park is best known for its abundance of big cats, including lions, cheetahs, leopards, and various other predators such as hyenas, jackals, and servals.
At certain times of the year, you may witness the awe-inspiring wildebeest migration, with up to 1.25 million wildebeest travelling in columns up to 40 kilometres long in search of grazing, and attracting predators and other game. This migration is seasonal and takes place over a huge area of Tanzania and neighbouring Kenya. The wildebeest are spotted in different places, depending on the time of the year and the stage of the migration.
You may choose to embark on an optional Hot Air Balloon Safari over this iconic landscape. The excursion promises an experience like no other. Float above the vast plains, taking in the sweeping views of the wildlife-filled wilderness below. The adventure starts at dawn and culminates in a delightful champagne breakfast in the bush, making it a truly unforgettable African experience.
- Included Activity: Serengeti Safari Game Drives
- Optional Activity: Hot Air Balloon Excursion
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner x2
- Accommodation: Serengeti Mobile Tented Camp
Day 7: Serengeti to Arusha – Tanzania
After breakfast, bid farewell to the mobile camp staff and the stunning Serengeti wilderness as you embark on the journey back to Arusha by road. This is a long day’s drive, with the travel time varying based on your camp’s location and game viewing along the route.
We highly recommend a scenic flight from the Serengeti back to Arusha or Kilimanjaro today. This breathtaking flight offers stunning views of the Ngorongoro Highlands, the vast Great Rift Valley escarpments, and the lush coffee plantations surrounding Arusha airport. On a clear day, you’ll be treated to magnificent views of Mount Meru towering over the town, with Kilimanjaro sometimes visible in the distance.
- Optional Activity: Scenic Flight
- Meals Included: Breakfast
Tanzania Private Safari Tour Notes
The lodge accommodation listed on Day 3 of this itinerary is subject to availability. Should the listed establishment not be available, a similar lodge of the same standard will be booked. This will be conveyed to you at the time of booking.
Fully Serviced Private Tanzania Safari
This excellent value Private Tanzania Safari is a fully-serviced private departure safari with daily departures for a minimum of 2 clients.
Enjoy an exclusive and customised Tanzania safari, where every detail is tailored to your preferences. You’ll travel in the comfort of a specially customised land cruiser with plenty of room to stretch your legs. It has enlarged windows and raised roof height for ease of photography and game-viewing through the 360-degree view hatches. They come with a selection of reference books on Tanzania’s parks, flora and fauna, a cooler box for drinks and inverters for charging cameras/phones.
In the parks, your dedicated Tanzania safari crew sets up a mobile camp. Spacious 3.5 x 6.5m dome tents with en-suite facilities and comfortable beds with quality linens are set up ahead of your arrival, while a safari chef prepares gourmet meals. Meals are either served in the mess tent or if you prefer, alfresco “under the stars”. These tented camps offer a serene and immersive African bush experience, allowing for personalised routes to explore the best wildlife areas, and free from the noise of lodges or crowded safari camps.
Serengeti Safari Accommodation Upgrade
Upgrade your Serengeti safari experience: If you would like to stay in one of our intimate Serengeti Safari Camps instead, this is easily organised. Choose Central Camp (permanent), North Camp (seasonal), or Ndutu Camp (seasonal). These camps are all located within the national park and conservation areas and are designed in the classic safari style, offering simplicity and comfort with a focus on quality.
Each camp features a maximum of 12 tents furnished with attention to detail, including quality linens, solar lighting, and eco-friendly en-suite facilities. Central Camp offers exceptional year-round game viewing, while the seasonal camps are designed to make the most of the great migration, moving from Ndutu Camp in the south during the calving season to North Camp in the northern Serengeti for the dramatic river crossings.
About Serengeti Central Camp
Serengeti Central Camp is a luxurious yet intimate safari camp in the heart of the Serengeti, east of the famous Seronera region. The Seronera region is considered the “big cat capital” of the Serengeti, known for some of the highest predator concentrations in the Serengeti. It features a mix of open savannahs, acacia woodlands, and the Seronera River, providing an excellent year-round water source. The camp offers exceptional year-round game viewing, including sightings of lions, leopards, cheetahs, and the resident herds of grazers.
Central Camp features just ten spacious safari tents, including a family tent. Each tent is en suite with flushing toilets and bush showers, complemented by a private verandah for relaxation. Enjoy gourmet meals in the central dining tent, unwind in the cosy lounge tent with a small library and games, and savour sundowners around the evening campfire. All meals and local drinks are included. Central Camp offers optional balloon safaris, bush breakfasts, and fly-in packages for those seeking a seamless safari adventure. The camp’s prime location allows easy access to the Seronera airstrip, just a 30-minute drive away.
About Ndutu Camp
Ndutu Camp is a charming seasonal tented camp situated in the southern Ndutu area of the Serengeti ecosystem It is open from December to March to align with the spectacular wildebeest calving season. Set under shady acacia trees on a private site, the camp offers an intimate safari experience with ten well-spaced tents, including a 4-bed family tent. Each tent features en-suite facilities and solar-powered lighting. The Ndutu area’s short-grass plains and seasonal lakes draw the Great Migration during this time, making it an unparalleled destination for witnessing the birth of thousands of wildebeest, along with an abundance of predators on the prowl and diverse birdlife. The area also features some unique ecosystems ranging from soda lakes to woodlands.
Ndutu Camp offers warm hospitality and delicious, homely meals—often served al fresco beneath the starlit African skies. Unwind in the central lounge and bar area, share stories around the campfire, or simply revel in the tranquil ambience. All meals and local drinks are included. Whether arriving by road from Arusha or flying into the nearby Ndutu airstrip, Ndutu Camp provides a perfect base for experiencing the magic of the Serengeti during its most dynamic season.
About Serengeti North Camp
Serengeti North Camp is a seasonal safari camp in the northern Kogatende area of the Serengeti, near the famed Mara River. This location is prime for witnessing the vast herds of wildebeest and zebras cross the crocodile-infested waters of the Mara River between July and October of the Great Migration. Set amidst beautiful rolling hills, open plains, and lush riverine woodlands, the camp provides an unparalleled wildlife experience.
North Camp offers ten spacious tents, including a 4-bed family tent, with comfortable beds, en suite facilities and a private verandah for relaxation. Powered by solar energy, the camp provides modern comforts like a central dining tent, a lounge with a small library, and a recharging station for electronic devices. All meals and local drinks are included. Its proximity to the Kogatende airstrip ensures convenience for fly-in safaris, making it an excellent choice for travellers seeking adventure and seclusion.
Talk to one of our travel experts to discuss accommodation options for your Tanzania Safari.
Zanzibar Trip Add-on
This budget-friendly Private Tanzania Safari combines well with our 4-Day Zanzibar Beach Resort Package.
Zanzibar Island, located off the coast of Tanzania, is renowned for its stunning white-sand beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters, rich cultural heritage, and historic Stone Town, making it a paradise for both relaxation and exploration. For this tour, you decide how much or how little you wish to do in this tropical paradise. The Zanzibar beach resort caters to all tastes with watersports, land-based activities, spa treatments, three beautiful restaurants, many bars, and a variety of facilities. It is surrounded by a white-sand beach and features one of Zanzibar’s largest swimming pools, complete with a pool bar.
To learn more about Zanzibar Island, arrange excursions at the beach resort, which include spice tours and a visit to Stone Town. Speak to your travel advisor to add this Zanzibar Tour to your Tanzania safari package.
Wildebeest Great Migration Explained
Please note that the Wildebeest Great Migration is seasonal. As a natural wildlife phenomenon, it is fluid and unpredictable. For this reason, seeing the Great Migration of East Africa cannot be guaranteed.
The wildebeest and other wild herbivores migrate between Masai Mara in Kenya and Serengeti in Tanzania. These herds move in a massive circular route covering some 1,200 miles (1,931km). It is a continuous movement of wildlife that can be seen in different areas at different times of the year.
From January to March, the herds are typically found in the southern Serengeti plains, where calving occurs, attracting predators. From June to August, the wildebeest begin their migration north and west toward the Mara River, with dramatic river crossings in the Grumeti and Mara regions. In September and October, many wildebeest have reached the Masai Mara in Kenya. By November and December, the herds begin their return to the southern plains, completing the migration cycle.
During certain phases of this annual trek, the animals disperse or slow down, whilst at other times the migration picks up speed, with the herds becoming larger and denser. Not only does the Wildebeest Great Migration vary from place to place and season to season but the movement of these large wildlife herds varies from year to year.
To learn more, please talk to a travel expert at African Budget Safaris about seeing the Great Migration on your safari. Also, check out our detailed article about the Great Migration in Serengeti and Masai Mara.
