Experience the wonders of a classic Tanzania safari with a twist! Enjoy a rare experience that very few travelers can claim — striding across the rolling plains of the legendary Serengeti National Park. Immerse yourself on a three-day walking adventure with your expert guide at your side. Combine this with outstanding wildlife viewing opportunities by vehicle and on foot in other renowned national parks and conservation areas. Begin your exploration within Tarangire's unique Baobab woodlands. Scan the shore of Lake Manyara for the famous flamingo flocks and tree-climbing lions. Marvel at the Eden-like splendor of the Ngorongoro Crater floor, and delve deeply into the richness of the vast Serengeti. You may encounter a wide array of wildlife including elephant, giraffe, lion, hyena, plains game, prolific birdlife and much more! Learn the ways and customs of the Maasai people and other tribes while relaxing in comfortable wilderness camps and lodges each evening.
Experience the wonders of a classic Tanzania safari with a twist! Enjoy a rare experience that very few travelers can claim — striding across the rolling plains of the legendary Serengeti National Park. Immerse yourself on a three-day walking adventure with your expert guide at your side. Combine this with outstanding wildlife viewing opportunities by vehicle and on foot in other renowned national parks and conservation areas. Begin your exploration within Tarangire's unique Baobab woodlands. Scan the shore of Lake Manyara for the famous flamingo flocks and tree-climbing lions. Marvel at the Eden-like splendor of the Ngorongoro Crater floor, and delve deeply into the richness of the vast Serengeti. You may encounter a wide array of wildlife including elephant, giraffe, lion, hyena, plains game, prolific birdlife and much more! Learn the ways and customs of the Maasai people and other tribes while relaxing in comfortable wilderness camps and lodges each evening.
Explore the crown jewels of Tanzania's wildlife areas: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, and Serengeti
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Discover off-the-radar parts of Serengeti on foot, where few have traveled
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Meet and learn about the culture of the indigenous Maasai people of the Crater Highlands
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha and meet with MT Sobek trip leaders outside the customs and immigration area. Transfer to Moivaro Lodge, set on a tree-shaded coffee plantation in Arusha.
Accommodation: Moivaro Lodge-Arusha, Tanzania
Drive to Tarangire National Park
Day 2
Rise this morning for your drive to Tarangire National Park in the Great Rift Valley. This scenic park has expansive baobab-studded grasslands stretching in every direction and amazing elephant viewing. In fact, the elephant of Tarangire will be one of your most lasting memories of the entire trip! Arrive at the lodge in time for lunch, then head out for the first game drive. Tarangire River attracts a number of thirsty inhabitants - watch a parade of wild animals make their way over for a drink: huge herds of buffalo and elephant, blue wildebeest, zebra, hartebeest, impala, reedbuck, lion, and leopard. In the late afternoon, return to the lodge for sundowners and a delicious dinner.
Accommodation: Tarangire Safari Lodge-Tarangire National Park, Tanzania
Activity: Game drives in pop-top roof 4X4 vehicle
Transportation: 3.5-hour private transfer
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Explore Tarangire National Park
Day 3
Ease into the rhythm of the bush: wake early to the chorus of birds and spend another full day discovering Tarangire's wildlife. With luck, observe safari oddities: the beautiful lesser kudu antelope and the hard-to-find African python. After sundown, thrill to the roar of lions in the night.
Accommodation: Tarangire Safari Lodge-Tarangire National Park, Tanzania
Activity: Two 4 - 5 hour game drives in pop-top roof 4X4 vehicle
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Visit Lake Manyara & Meet the Maasai People
Day 4
Drive 45-minutes through the Rift Valley to Lake Manyara National Park, home to stunning wildlife. Notice the colorful water birds - herons, storks, ibises, and fish eagles, and look out for impala, giraffe, zebra, blue wildebeest, and buffalo. Then drive into the highlands above the Ngorongoro Crater to meet the Maasai people, whose traditional welcome dance features athletic leaps and earth-shaking stomping. Enter typical homes made of cut branches, mud, and cow dung. Wrap up with a stay at the MT Sobek Deluxe Camp in the Crater Highlands.
Accommodation: MT Sobek Deluxe Camp-Misigiyo Camp
Activity: 4 - 5 hour game drive by pop-top roof 4X4 vehicle
Transportation: 1.5-hour vehicle transfer
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Journey to Ngorongoro Crater
Day 5
The Ngorongoro Crater, almost entirely open country, presents spectacular views of wildlife within a 100-square-mile steep green wall frame. Close in on a group of zebra, buffalo or black rhino gazing across the plains. Watch herds of white-bearded wildebeest and gazelle mingle. Find elephants, hyenas, and lion prides. Top the six-hour crater safari with brilliant birds: clusters of flamingos, the auger buzzard, bateleur, jacana, little bee-eater, and the red bishop. Head out for a sunset ridge walk for an Ol Pul (meat feast) with new Maasai friends.
Accommodation: MT Sobek Deluxe Camp-Misigiyo Camp
Activity: Full day game drive by pop-top roof 4X4 vehicle & 10-minute sunset walk
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Discover the Stunning Serengeti
Day 6
Descend from the Ngorongoro highlands onto the vast plains of the Serengeti, with their classic granite kopjes - rounded boulders shaped by wind over the eons. Deeper into the Serengeti, notice the vegetation change into riverine woodland and acacia tree valleys as you continue on to the next tented camp.
Activity: Full day game drives in pop-top roof 4X4 vehicle
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Classic Serengeti Safari
Day 7
All aboard for a day of classic game viewing! The savannah woodlands are a mosaic of habitats: small grassy plains mix with tree savannas and areas of dense bush, making for a greater diversity of animals. See buffalo, giraffe, dik-dik, reedbuck, impala, waterbuck, baboons, and vervet monkeys - all common residents, as are lion, cheetah, leopard, and hyena. Hippos and crocodiles occupy several rivers in the woodlands of the north; the Seronera River area is one of Africa's best for encounters with the elusive leopard.
Activity: Two 4-5 hour game drives in pop-top roof 4X4 vehicle
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Experience the Serengeti on Foot
Day 8
After breakfast, grab water bottles, binoculars, and snacks, and head out for a Serengeti walking safari. Hiking in the Serengeti isn't about covering a lot of ground; it's about really experiencing Africa up close and personal, reveling in the smaller sights, smells, and feelings that are missed from a car. Stop for lunch under a shady tree or a cool overhang, perhaps overlooking a waterhole or small plain, and continue hiking in the afternoon.
Accommodation: MT Sobek Mobile Serengeti Camp-Serengeti, Tanzania
Activity: Morning & afternoon walking safari
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Walk the Serengeti's Wild Side
Day 9
On the second day, become a true pioneer. Discover places unvisited by man for over half a century, with no roads. Look out for secret spots that animals use to survive - the natural salt lick, the pool in the steam that never dries. Find the best place to cross the river, the ridge with the best views, the meadow with the sweetest grass, and the kopje with the coolest breeze. In the afternoon, go for a short orientation walk to learn about walking in the bush.
Accommodation: MT Sobek Mobile Serengeti Camp-Serengeti, Tanzania
Activity: Morning & afternoon walking safari
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Trace Wildlife Trails in the Serengeti
Day 10
Make the most of your final day in the Serengeti. Move slowly with MT Sobek guides interpreting Serengeti's enticing sights and smells. Find a lion's paw print in the damp ground, watch a dung beetle roll a ball of dung uphill, smell a herd of elephants before you spot them in the valley below. Follow a stream in hope of seeing game come down for a drink, or climb up a kopje boulder to get better views of the striking landscape. Come evening, relax at the camp's bug-proof mess tent.
Accommodation: MT Sobek Mobile Serengeti Camp-Serengeti, Tanzania
Activity: Morning & afternoon walking safari
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Depart Tanzania
Day 11
After a pleasant morning game drive and lunch, fly back to Arusha Airport, where dayrooms at the Moivaro Lodge await. Bid farewell to fellow travelers at dinner before transferring to the Kilimanjaro International Airport for homeward-bound flights. Schedule your departure flight from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) no earlier than 7pm.
Activity: Morning game drive in pop-top roof 4X4 vehicle
Transportation: 1.75-hour flight & 1-hour private vehicle transfer
Dreaming of an adventure designed exclusively for you? With insider access and decades of experience, our travel experts create custom tailored adventures that are perfect for families, couples, and large groups. MT Sobek's custom adventures are designed to our exacting standards and led by our award-winning adventure guides.
When to start planning? Earlier is always better when designing a custom trip. More time allows for better availability of preferred accommodations, guides and your desired activities. Ideally, start the conversation with us at least 6 months before you want to travel. If you are looking for a custom trip that departs within three months, chances are greatly diminished in securing requested accommodations and the best guides.
*Custom trips require a 25% non-refundable deposit once an itinerary is agreed upon.
The best people to immerse you in a destination are the ones who live there, which is why we feature local Adventure Guides on our trips. Here are a few that you might meet on this adventure.
James K.
James Adiel Kivuyo was born in Arusha, Tanzania, and has been guiding since 2000. He is passionate about the conservation of biodiversity in African wildlife and has led hundreds of walking safaris through the Serengeti. James speaks many languages, from English and Masaai to the local dialect of Chagga and Kiswahili—the national language of Tanzania. His language skills help him to communicate with people from a broad cultural spectrum and he loves sharing experiences with travelers from around the globe. James is also a qualified Kilimanjaro guide and has assisted summit bids for over a decade.
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha and meet with MT Sobek trip leaders outside the customs and immigration area. Transfer to Moivaro Lodge, set on a tree-shaded coffee plantation in Arusha.
Rise this morning for your drive to Tarangire National Park in the Great Rift Valley. This scenic park has expansive baobab-studded grasslands stretching in every direction and amazing elephant viewing. In fact, the elephant of Tarangire will be one of your most lasting memories of the entire trip! Arrive at the lodge in time for lunch, then head out for the first game drive. Tarangire River attracts a number of thirsty inhabitants - watch a parade of wild animals make their way over for a drink: huge herds of buffalo and elephant, blue wildebeest, zebra, hartebeest, impala, reedbuck, lion, and leopard. In the late afternoon, return to the lodge for sundowners and a delicious dinner.
Ease into the rhythm of the bush: wake early to the chorus of birds and spend another full day discovering Tarangire\'s wildlife. With luck, observe safari oddities: the beautiful lesser kudu antelope and the hard-to-find African python. After sundown, thrill to the roar of lions in the night.
Drive 45-minutes through the Rift Valley to Lake Manyara National Park, home to stunning wildlife. Notice the colorful water birds - herons, storks, ibises, and fish eagles, and look out for impala, giraffe, zebra, blue wildebeest, and buffalo. Then drive into the highlands above the Ngorongoro Crater to meet the Maasai people, whose traditional welcome dance features athletic leaps and earth-shaking stomping. Enter typical homes made of cut branches, mud, and cow dung. Wrap up with a stay at the MT Sobek Deluxe Camp in the Crater Highlands.
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The Ngorongoro Crater, almost entirely open country, presents spectacular views of wildlife within a 100-square-mile steep green wall frame. Close in on a group of zebra, buffalo or black rhino gazing across the plains. Watch herds of white-bearded wildebeest and gazelle mingle. Find elephants, hyenas, and lion prides. Top the six-hour crater safari with brilliant birds: clusters of flamingos, the auger buzzard, bateleur, jacana, little bee-eater, and the red bishop. Head out for a sunset ridge walk for an Ol Pul (meat feast) with new Maasai friends.
Descend from the Ngorongoro highlands onto the vast plains of the Serengeti, with their classic granite kopjes - rounded boulders shaped by wind over the eons. Deeper into the Serengeti, notice the vegetation change into riverine woodland and acacia tree valleys as you continue on to the next tented camp.
All aboard for a day of classic game viewing! The savannah woodlands are a mosaic of habitats: small grassy plains mix with tree savannas and areas of dense bush, making for a greater diversity of animals. See buffalo, giraffe, dik-dik, reedbuck, impala, waterbuck, baboons, and vervet monkeys - all common residents, as are lion, cheetah, leopard, and hyena. Hippos and crocodiles occupy several rivers in the woodlands of the north; the Seronera River area is one of Africa\'s best for encounters with the elusive leopard.
After breakfast, grab water bottles, binoculars, and snacks, and head out for a Serengeti walking safari. Hiking in the Serengeti isn\'t about covering a lot of ground; it\'s about really experiencing Africa up close and personal, reveling in the smaller sights, smells, and feelings that are missed from a car. Stop for lunch under a shady tree or a cool overhang, perhaps overlooking a waterhole or small plain, and continue hiking in the afternoon.
On the second day, become a true pioneer. Discover places unvisited by man for over half a century, with no roads. Look out for secret spots that animals use to survive - the natural salt lick, the pool in the steam that never dries. Find the best place to cross the river, the ridge with the best views, the meadow with the sweetest grass, and the kopje with the coolest breeze. In the afternoon, go for a short orientation walk to learn about walking in the bush.
Make the most of your final day in the Serengeti. Move slowly with MT Sobek guides interpreting Serengeti\'s enticing sights and smells. Find a lion\'s paw print in the damp ground, watch a dung beetle roll a ball of dung uphill, smell a herd of elephants before you spot them in the valley below. Follow a stream in hope of seeing game come down for a drink, or climb up a kopje boulder to get better views of the striking landscape. Come evening, relax at the camp\'s bug-proof mess tent.
After a pleasant morning game drive and lunch, fly back to Arusha Airport, where dayrooms at the Moivaro Lodge await. Bid farewell to fellow travelers at dinner before transferring to the Kilimanjaro International Airport for homeward-bound flights. Schedule your departure flight from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) no earlier than 7pm.
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[ActivityHighlight] => This safari trip includes early morning and evening game drives in 4X4 vehicles on roads that can be bumpy and rugged. The walking distance is flexible but you should be prepared to walk on uneven and occasionally muddy terrain. No previous experience is required.
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Activity Level
This trip is rated activity level 2. This safari trip includes early morning and evening game drives in 4X4 vehicles on roads that can be bumpy and rugged. The walking distance is flexible but you should be prepared to walk on uneven and occasionally muddy terrain. No previous experience is required. Learn more about activity levels here.
Activity Snapshot
Day 2
Game drives in pop-top roof 4X4 vehicle
Day 3
Two 4 - 5 hour game drives in pop-top roof 4X4 vehicle
Day 4
4 - 5 hour game drive by pop-top roof 4X4 vehicle
Day 5
Full day game drive by pop-top roof 4X4 vehicle & 10-minute sunset walk
Day 6
Full day game drives in pop-top roof 4X4 vehicle
Day 7
Two 4-5 hour game drives in pop-top roof 4X4 vehicle
Day 8
Morning & afternoon walking safari
Day 9
Morning & afternoon walking safari
Day 10
Morning & afternoon walking safari
Day 11
Morning game drive in pop-top roof 4X4 vehicle
Accommodations
A mix of deluxe camps and lodges with all the creature comforts, paired with stays at well-equipped mobile camps with luxury touches.
Surrounded by an impressive array of flora and fauna, the charming Moivaro Lodge is a perfect African retreat. Set in thatched brick cottages surrounded by pretty tropical gardens, spacious rooms showcase private verandas, fireplaces, and en-suite bathrooms. Enjoy panoramic views of Mount Meru from the porch, or laze by the pool in the midst of coffee plants.
Tarangire Safari Lodge-Tarangire National Park, Tanzania
Built high on a bluff overlooking the game-rich Tarangire River, six miles after the main gate of Tarangire National Park, the Tarangire Safari Lodge features deluxe tents with modern comforts and great views over baobab and acacia woodlands.
Surrounded by volcanic landscapes of the Crater Highlands, the deluxe Misigiyo Camp brings true meaning to the phrase "getting away from it all." Luxury-style tents feature en-suite bathrooms. Guests enjoy meals at the large mess dining tent and lounge with books and games at the library. Outdoor seating provides lovely vistas of the wilderness.
Like the Crater Highlands camp, the Serengeti camp includes luxury-style tents complete with en-suite bathrooms. Guests dine in the large and airy mess tent before curling up with a book in the library or a board game in the lounge. The outdoor seating area is a great spot to unwind while taking in the Serengeti scenery.
MT Sobek Mobile Serengeti Camp-Serengeti, Tanzania
MT Sobek's specially designed wilderness camping experience includes comfortable dome tents, all well-appointed with elevated cot beds, mattresses, sheets, duvet, and pillows. Come morning, warm water basins, soap, and towels await, as well as hot bucket-style showers. Meals are served alfresco or in the enclosed mess tent. Evenings include sundowners and pre-dinner snacks around the campfire. Your guiding team will move the mobile camp each day and you will arrive in a new part of the Serengeti with everything already set up!
Weather
The safari is between 3,000' - 8,000', so you will be blessed with temperate climate year-round with passing showers, drizzle, or no rain at all.
Mar
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Dec
Arusha
High
Low
High
Low
High
Low
High
Low
High
Low
High
Low
Arusha
82
62
71
57
71
56
73
56
77
57
80
60
Serengeti National Park
High
Low
High
Low
High
Low
High
Low
High
Low
High
Low
Serengeti National Park
81
61
77
57
75
55
77
55
79
57
79
59
Tarangire National Park
High
Low
High
Low
High
Low
High
Low
High
Low
High
Low
Tarangire National Park
84
63
77
57
75
55
77
55
81
57
84
63
FAQs
Do I need a visa to enter Tanzania?
Yes, if you are a U.S. citizen, you need a visa to enter Tanzania. You may obtain your Tanzania visa in advance OR upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Do I need vaccinations or malaria tablets?
We always recommend you speak to your doctor or a health professional about vaccinations and malaria tablets well in advance of your safari. At present, certain areas of Tanzania are affected by malaria.
What is a typical day like while on safari?
We suggest an early morning breakfast, followed by a morning game drive. You will spend the afternoon on a game drive, departing the park before sunset, returning to your camp for sundowners and a relaxing dinner.
Is Tanzania a safe country?
Tanzania is one of the safest countries to travel in. Tanzanians are kind and generous people and are eager to help visitors get the most out of their stay.
Will there be wildlife roaming at camps and lodges?
Many of the areas are not fenced and contain wildlife roaming freely while you are staying in your safari lodges and camps, so remaining cautious is important.
Are tour dates flexible?
Yes, please contact us if you are not able to travel on the set departure dates listed. Most safaris can be arranged on alternative departure dates for a minimum of one traveler as long as camps/lodges are available.
Does this trip contribute to any local conservation efforts?
Yes! We make a contribution to the Carbon Tanzania fund for every guest that travels on this trip. Carbon Tanzania helps protect forests to reduce carbon emissions and preserve wildlife by working with local communities and governments. Over a million acres of forest was protected in 2019 with the help of Carbon Tanzania, which has helped store over a million tons of carbon to date!
What is the minimum age for this trip?
The standard minimum age for this trip is 18, but check out our family friendly departures and private trip options for groups with younger guests.
