3-Days Tarangire, Lake Manyara, & Ngorongoro Crater

Arusha → Tarangire National Park

Your safari begins in Arusha after breakfast. From the city, you travel south towards Tarangire National Park, a journey of roughly two hours depending on your starting point and road conditions.

As you approach the park, the landscape begins to change. The town gives way to open countryside, woodland and the characteristic baobab trees that make Tarangire one of the most distinctive landscapes in northern Tanzania.

After entering the park, your first game drive begins.

The afternoon is spent exploring the park's plains and following the Tarangire River and surrounding wildlife areas. During the dry months, animals concentrate around available water, making the river an important area for wildlife viewing. Tarangire is particularly known for its elephants, but sightings can also include giraffes, zebras, buffalo, antelope and a wide variety of birdlife.

Rather than rushing between sightings, your private vehicle gives your guide flexibility to spend time where wildlife activity is strongest.

As the afternoon comes to an end, continue to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Tarangire Safari Lodge / equivalent
Meals: Lunch & Dinner
Main activity: Afternoon game drive
Destination: Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park → Lake Manyara National Park → Karatu

Start the morning with a game drive in Tarangire before leaving the park.

The morning is a good opportunity to continue exploring areas that may not have been covered during the previous afternoon, while wildlife is still active.

After the game drive, continue towards Lake Manyara National Park.

Lake Manyara is very different from Tarangire. The park sits beneath the Rift Valley escarpment and contains a combination of groundwater forest, open floodplain and the soda lake itself.

The compact nature of the park makes it possible to experience several different habitats within a relatively short visit.

During the game drive, keep an eye out for elephants moving through the forest, giraffes in the open areas and large numbers of birds around the lake when conditions are suitable. Lake Manyara is also associated with tree-climbing lions, although wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.

After exploring the park, continue towards Karatu for the evening.

Karatu sits outside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and provides a convenient base before the following day's early crater descent.

Overnight: Lodge in Karatu
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Main activity: Morning Tarangire game drive and Lake Manyara game drive
Destination: Lake Manyara / Karatu

Karatu → Ngorongoro Crater → Arusha

Today begins early.

After breakfast, travel towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and descend into the crater around opening time. Starting early helps you make the most of the morning and get onto the crater floor before the day becomes busier.

The Ngorongoro Crater is a collapsed volcanic caldera containing a remarkable concentration of wildlife within its enclosed landscape.

Spend approximately six hours exploring the crater floor, moving between open grassland, woodland and the areas surrounding the lake and hippo pool.

Depending on the day and wildlife movements, possible sightings include lion, buffalo, elephant and other large mammals. Black rhino are also present in the crater, although sightings are never guaranteed.

Your guide will determine the best route based on current conditions and wildlife activity rather than following a rigid sightseeing schedule.

After the crater experience, ascend from the crater and stop for lunch.

You then begin the journey back towards Arusha.

Arrive in Arusha in the late afternoon or early evening, marking the end of your safari.

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Main activity: Ngorongoro Crater game drive
End point: Arusha