5 Days Ngorongoro & Serengeti Safari
Duration
5 Days
Destination
Tanzania
Style
Tailor-Made
Best For
Wildlife & Adventure
Women-Led · Custom-Made Luxury Safaris · Exclusive African Wilderness Escapes
Overview
A focused Tanzania safari combining two of the world's greatest wildlife areas: the Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest intact volcanic caldera and a natural Eden enclosed by 600-metre crater walls, and the vast Serengeti plains with their millions of migrating wildebeest. Three full days in the Serengeti, one extraordinary descent into the Ngorongoro Crater, and all connected by road through the northern Tanzania circuit.
Trip Highlights
Ngorongoro Crater: 25,000 animals in a self-contained world, including the densest lion population in Africa
Black rhinoceros: one of the last populations in Tanzania in the Ngorongoro Crater
Serengeti National Park: three nights in Africa's most iconic wildlife landscape
Olduvai Gorge en route: the cradle of mankind and one of the world's most important palaeontological sites
Great Migration: follow the herds depending on the season
Flight from Serengeti to Arusha: no final road drive
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1Arusha – Ngorongoro Conservation Area (approx. 2–3 hrs)
Your guide meets you at your Arusha hotel or Kilimanjaro Airport and drives west through the Great Rift Valley escarpment to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Descend to the crater floor for a game drive with a picnic lunch at a designated picnic spot inside the crater: hippos wallow in the soda lake, flamingos line the shore in pink waves, enormous lion prides rest in the open grasslands, and black rhinos graze on the open plains. Ascend the crater rim in the late afternoon and check in to your lodge for dinner.
Day 2Ngorongoro – Serengeti National Park (approx. 3 hrs)
After breakfast, depart the crater rim and drive west through the acacia woodlands to the Serengeti, stopping at the UNESCO-listed Olduvai Gorge Museum where some of the oldest human fossils ever discovered were unearthed by Louis and Mary Leakey. Continue into the Serengeti and enjoy a game drive en route to your camp. Arrive for lunch, then an afternoon drive at 3 pm across the central Serengeti plains.
Day 3Serengeti – Full Day
A full day in the Serengeti with full-day game drives. The Serengeti is the home of Africa's Big Five and the annual migration of 1.5 million wildebeest. Drive north to the Mara River area to watch the herds if in season, or south to the Ndutu plains during calving (January–March). Picnic lunch in the field under an acacia tree.
Day 4Serengeti – Full Day
Another full day in the Serengeti. Pre-breakfast game drive at first light when the predators are most active, followed by a return to camp for breakfast. Morning game drive through different sectors, lunch at camp, then an afternoon drive at 4 pm when the golden light transforms the plains. Optional hot-air balloon at dawn.
Day 5Serengeti – Morning Drive – Flight to Arusha / Kilimanjaro (Departure)
A final morning game drive across the Serengeti at sunrise before returning to camp for breakfast and check-out. Drive to the airstrip for your scheduled flight to Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport. Arrive, have lunch, and be transferred to the airport for your outbound flight. End of Saringi Tours services.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Included
- All accommodation on a Full Board basis (as specified)
- All game drives in a 4×4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
- Expert English-speaking guide and driver
- All national park and reserve entry fees
- Airport transfers (arrival and departure)
- Mineral water during all game drives
- Flying Doctors emergency evacuation cover
- Ngorongoro Crater descent permit and Crater rim fees
- Serengeti National Park concession fees
- Scheduled flight: Serengeti to Arusha / Kilimanjaro
- Visit to Olduvai Gorge Museum
Not Included
- International flights and any domestic or regional flights not expressly listed as included in your confirmed quote
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Tanzania visa or entry-permission fees, where required for your passport
- Tips and gratuities for guides and lodge staff
- Alcoholic and premium beverages
- Personal items (laundry, telephone calls, souvenirs)
- Optional balloon flight in the Serengeti, booked and priced separately; other activities not listed as included
- Any costs arising from flight delays or itinerary changes
- Meals outside the meal plan stated for each day of this itinerary
- Mainland Tanzania government inbound travel insurance, where required: US$44 per adult, US$22 per child aged 3–17, with ages 0–2 free. Purchase separately before travel; not included in the safari price.
Good to Know
Your route covers Ngorongoro Conservation Area & Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. The arrival arrangements on Day 1 and the final-day transfer form part of this itinerary; share your flight times with us before booking so we can check the connections.
Entry documents: check the passport, visa and entry-permission requirements for Tanzania before travel. Requirements depend on your passport and can change. We confirm the planned crossings and arrival points with your itinerary.
Flights listed as included: Scheduled flight: Serengeti to Arusha / Kilimanjaro. Schedules, aircraft baggage allowances and onward connections are confirmed before booking. Any additional air upgrade is quoted separately.
Allow time for the road journeys shown in the daily plan. Driving times are estimates, with stops, road conditions affecting the day. Tell us about mobility needs or a preference for shorter travel days while we plan the route.
Ask us to confirm the scope and validity of any operator-arranged emergency evacuation cover for this route. Keep your own comprehensive medical and travel insurance suitable for the countries and activities in your itinerary.
Last checked 9 October 2026: mainland Tanzania's mandatory inbound travel insurance began on 1 October 2026. Eligible travellers must arrange the applicable NIC policy before travel; your usual private travel insurance does not replace this entry requirement.
Your first Tanzanian arrival on this route is in mainland Tanzania. Use the official NIC portal to arrange the applicable policy before travel.
Standard insurance rates are US$44 per adult aged 18 or over, US$22 per child aged 3–17, and free for ages 0–2, subject to the insurer's eligibility rules and checkout. Insurance age bands may differ from lodge child rates. Cover is for up to 92 days, with the actual dates shown on your certificate. Keep the certificate and QR code accessible throughout the trip.
Residents of EAC and SADC member states qualify for the mainland exemption under NIC's published rules. This is residence-based, not simply a passport exemption. Confirm eligibility with NIC before departure.
The government policy is purchased separately and excluded from this safari price. Keep comprehensive personal travel insurance suitable for your activities, medical needs, cancellation risks and other countries visited. Government cover has limits and exclusions; any separately arranged evacuation service does not replace it. Rules and rates can change, so recheck the official portals before travel.
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What Our Clients Say
Rated 5 stars on TripAdvisor by travellers from across the world.
An excellent trip to parts of Kenya that are not on the main tourist routes, northern Kenya. Everything went smoothly Victor and Abdi, took care of everything. The choice of accommodation provided a great range of experiences. I would recommend Saringi to anyone.
read moreGot to see lots of animals and the experience was out of this world .
read moreI had an absolutely wonderful time in Kenya, all thanks to Millcent / Saringi Travel. From the incredibly friendly and reliable communication, to the flexible and thoughtful travel planning, all the way to the outstanding care on the ground, everything was simply perfect. I always felt well taken care of and in the best hands. What impressed me most was not only their professionalism, but also the sheer beauty of the entire experience. I'm still completely in awe! Thank you Millcent and thank you Letaloi!!!
read moreI booked my birthday trip to Diani with Saringi Tours, and it was an unforgettable experience for my friends and me. From start to finish, Saringi Tours impressed us with their professionalism and warmth.
read more8 days of fun and fantastic experiences. The whole trip was amazing. Mike was an excellent driver and guide with great knowledge of the area. Highly recommend Saringi Tours.
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