+256 705979003 info@gorillapagesafaris.com
+256 705979003 info@gorillapagesafaris.com

10 Days Tanzania Safari: Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro

0
Price
The tour is not available yet.

Proceed Booking

Save To Wish List

Adding item to wishlist requires an account

27

Explore Tanzania’s varied landscapes and wildlife on a 10-day adventure featuring game drives and walking safaris across four national parks. Start in Arusha with a bush walk in search of bushbabies and chameleons. Next, head to Tarangire National Park for a game drive along the river. Experience the Big Five in Serengeti National Park and observe nocturnal creatures before seeking out the endangered black rhino in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and tree-climbing lions in Lake Manyara National Park.
Brief Itinerary 
Day 1: Arrive in Arusha and visit the Cultural Heritage Centre — Arusha
Day 2: Bush walk and game drive in Arusha National Park — Arusha
Day 3: Transfer to Tarangire National Park, afternoon game drive — Tarangire National Park
Day 4: Transfer to Serengeti National Park, evening game drive — Serengeti National Park
Day 5: Game drive and bird-watching in Serengeti National Park — Serengeti National Park
Day 6: Morning game drive in Serengeti, transfer to Ngorongoro Crater — Ngorongoro
Day 7: Game drive in Ngorongoro, transfer to Lake Manyara National Park — Lake Manyara National Park
Day 8: Game drive in Lake Manyara National Park, transfer to Arusha — Arusha
Day 9: Day trip to Kikuletwa Hot Springs — Arusha
Day 10: Depart from Arusha

Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Arusha and visit the Cultural Heritage Centre
Welcome to Tanzania! After landing at Kilimanjaro Airport, meet your driver for a one-hour transfer to your hotel in Arusha. Nestled at the base of Mount Meru, this culturally diverse city is renowned as the gateway to the country’s northern safari circuit. Relax by the pool or explore the city at your leisure. Consider visiting the Cultural Heritage Centre to delve deeper into Tanzanian culture and artistry. As you stroll through the galleries, you’ll uncover exhibits that narrate the stories of various tribes and their customs, enriching your understanding of the local culture.
The center also boasts a lively marketplace where local artisans showcase their handicrafts, making it an ideal spot to pick up souvenirs. After your exploration, sit down at the on-site restaurant and enjoy traditional dishes, such as nyama choma (grilled meat), served with sides like ugali (thick porridge made from white maize meal) or kachumbari (a fresh tomato and onion salad). If you have a sweet tooth, try a tropical fruit salad or mandazi (sweet, fried pastry) before returning to your hotel.

Day 2: Bush Walk & Game Drive in Arusha National Park
Start your day with a game drive in Arusha National Park, just 40 minutes from the city. You’ll meet an armed ranger at Momella Gate and set foot to Ngurdo Crater upon arrival. A walking safari allows you to experience the park’s diverse flora and fauna up close as you creep through open grasslands and dense forests. Keep an eye out for giraffes, zebras, buffalo, and various antelope, along with smaller creatures often overlooked during a game drive, such as bushbabies, chameleons, and dung beetles. The thrill of spotting these creatures in their natural habitat is an experience like no other.
As you approach the crater, you’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of the lush interior teeming with wildlife, including buffalo, waterbucks, giraffes, warthogs, zebras, and baboons. After enjoying the view, head to a picnic spot for lunch. Then, hop into a safari vehicle to continue your search for more animals in the national park. Be sure to look up, as the park is home to over 400 bird species, including African fish eagles, augur buzzards, and turacos. After a full day on safari, return to your Arusha hotel to unwind.

Day 3: Transfer to Tarangire National Park, Afternoon Game Drive
Leave the bustling streets of Arusha behind this morning as you embark on a two-hour transfer to Tarangire National Park, renowned for its towering baobab trees and large herds of elephants. Upon arrival, check-in at your safari lodge before setting off on a game drive through the national park. Follow the banks of the baobab and acacia-lined Tarangire River, a vital and permanent water source where wildlife gathers to drink. Here, you may spot large herds of elephants, African buffalo, giraffes, and zebras.
Be sure to glance in the water for hippos lounging around to stay calm. In addition to these iconic creatures, you’ll encounter endangered species unique to the national park, such as the greater kudu, the fringe-eared oryx, and the ashy starling. Along the way, pause for a picnic lunch overlooking the river, but keep an eye on your food, as the local monkey population might try to snatch it. Then, return to the lodge for a delicious dinner made with produce from the on-site farm.

Day 4: Transfer to Serengeti National Park, Evening Game Drive 
Exchange one iconic national park for another this morning as you travel four hours to Serengeti National Park, covering more than 5,695 square miles (14,750 sq km) of expansive savannas, acacia-dotted plains, and riverine forests. Along the way, stop at the Olduvai Gorge, an archaeological site where some of the earliest hominid fossils were found. Tour the Olduvai Gorge Museum to view replicas of fossilized remains and tools used by early humans. Enjoy a packed lunch, then hop back in the car to complete the drive to your safari lodge, ideally in the heart of the Serengeti.
Settle into your luxurious canvas tent and prepare for an evening game drive through Central Serengeti. As the sun sets and temperatures drop, you’ll have a better chance of spotting nocturnal creatures and predators beginning their night hunt. Watch for lions and leopards prowling the grasslands while you listen for the unique laugh of hyenas. You might also spot smaller animals like genets, bushbabies, porcupines, and civets. Though birds can be trickier to see, some nocturnal species exist in the park, including the African nightjar and the spotted-eagle owl. After your thrilling game drive, return to your comfortable tent for a restful night’s sleep.

Day 5: Serengeti Game Drive & Bird-Watching 
Get ready for an early wake-up call as you set off on a game drive through the national park, where wildlife is most active. Watch the sunrise over the vast plains, casting a golden glow as nocturnal creatures return from their hunts and the park’s wildlife stirs to start the day. Look for predators like lions, cheetahs, and leopards, and watch herds of wildebeest, zebras, and antelopes grazing peacefully. Afterward, return to the lodge for a delicious breakfast and some leisure time to unwind after your early start.
In the afternoon, join your guide for a bird-watching tour in the Serengeti, home to over 500 species. Watch the skies for African fish eagles and lilac-breasted rollers soaring above the rivers and lakes. You’ll also encounter many ground-dwelling birds, including ostriches, secretary birds, and flamingoes. Creep behind your guide and listen to locate the birds before you spot them. After the tour, return to the lodge for dinner beneath a star-filled sky, free from city lights.

Day 6: Morning Game Drive in Serengeti, Transfer to Ngorongoro Crater 
Embark on one final game drive in the Serengeti to look for any wildlife you may have missed, such as hippos lounging in the calm waters of the park’s rivers and lakes alongside crocodiles or a pride of lions resting in the shade of a tree. Then, meet your driver in the afternoon for a two-hour transfer to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, known for its expansive crater formed by a volcanic eruption millions of years ago. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is now home to an astonishing variety of wildlife, including the critically endangered black rhino.
You’ll travel through the Ngorongoro Highlands, providing your first glimpse of the region’s green hills and valleys. Upon arrival, check-in at your safari lodge at the southern end of the conservation area and settle into your luxurious tent. Then, head to the bar for a cocktail before enjoying dinner at the multi-cuisine restaurant.

Day 7: Ngorongoro Game Drive, Transfer to Lake Manyara National Park 
After breakfast at the lodge, please transfer to the Ngorongoro Crater for a full-day tour of its diverse ecosystem of over 100 square miles (260 sq km). Explore the crater, open grasslands, acacia forests, and shimmering lakes. This compact area’s abundant wildlife makes every drive a potential highlight. In addition to the Big Five (lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, and rhinos), you may also see wildebeest, zebras, hyenas, and, if you’re fortunate, even cheetahs.
Please walk toward Lake Magadi, a shallow alkaline lake known for its turquoise waters and the stunning sight of thousands of flamingoes that flock to its shores. The vast expanse of shimmering water contrasts beautifully with the surrounding arid land, creating a picturesque setting perfect for wildlife photography. After capturing a few images, continue to a nearby hippo pond for lunch and enjoy watching hippos wallow in the water or bask in the sun. When ready, bid farewell to the crater and transfer 2.5 hours to Lake Manyara National Park, between the lake and the Great Rift Valley.

Day 8: Game Drive in Lake Manyara National Park, Transfer to Arusha 
Today, you will embark on your final game drive to explore Lake Manyara National Park. Discover a variety of habitats, including dense woodlands, acacia trees, swamps, and the open waters of Lake Manyara, an alkaline lake that attracts large flocks of flamingos and other waterbirds. The park’s diversity supports a wide range of flora and fauna, including the tree-climbing lions that lounge in the branches of acacia trees. While attempting to spot these big cats, you will see large herds of elephants foraging for food in the lush vegetation alongside African buffalo, hippos, warthogs, and giraffes.
The park’s groundwater forest, fed by underground springs, supports numerous primate species, including blue monkeys, baboons, and vervet monkeys. Stop for a picnic lunch before continuing your game drive in search of wildlife. This includes some of the park’s 400 bird species, such as African spoonbills, southern ground hornbills, and lesser flamingos. After a full day in the park, transfer two hours back to Arusha and check into your hotel for the night.

Day 9: Day Trip to Kikuletwa Hot Springs 
Spend your penultimate day in Tanzania at the geothermal Kikuletwa Hot Springs, renowned for its vibrant turquoise color. Pack your bathing suit and towel, and meet your driver in the hotel lobby at 9:00 am for a two-hour transfer to this hidden gem, surrounded by lush vegetation in an otherwise semi-arid landscape. Upon arrival at the natural oasis, you can swim in the warm, crystal-clear waters filtered through underground limestone rocks. As naturally heated water bubbles up through the earth, enjoy a gentle massage while you float in the springs.
After your refreshing swim, you can swing on a rope hanging from the trees and splash into the water, relax in the shade of ancient fig trees, or choose activities like snorkeling and guided nature walks to discover the area’s flora and fauna. Transfer back to your hotel in Arusha for your final night in Tanzania.

Day 10: Depart Arusha 
While your 10-day tour of Arusha and some of Tanzania’s best national parks concludes today, you may have time to explore more of the city before your flight home. Consider visiting the National Natural History Museum to learn about the country’s rich natural heritage or the Maasai Market to shop for souvenirs among various handmade goods. When it’s time, return to your hotel to grab your bags, meet your driver, and transfer to the airport. Safe travels!