10 Day Lodge Safari
A private ten-day lodge safari through Lake Manyara, Lake Natron, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire, staying in tented and permanent wilderness lodges.
- Duration
- 10 days
- Route
- Arusha – Lake Manyara – Lake Natron – Serengeti – Ngorongoro Crater – Tarangire – Arusha
- Start / end
- Starts and ends in Arusha/Moshi, with arrival and departure via Kilimanjaro International Airport.
- Best time
- This safari runs year-round; wildebeest herds may cross the Loliondo area around November and December, but migration sightings always depend on the season and the movement of the herds.
- Trip style
- A fully private lodge safari in an extended Toyota Land Cruiser with roof hatches and a personal Tanzanian guide, staying in luxury tented lodges and permanent wilderness lodges.
Tour overview
This 10 day lodge safari takes you into the truly remote and wild places of northern Tanzania on a fully private itinerary. You travel from Arusha to Lake Manyara and the flamingo shores of Lake Natron before crossing the Loliondo area into the vast Serengeti, where, depending on the season, you may witness the Great Wildebeest Migration.
From the Serengeti you continue to the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater, with the option of stopping at Olduvai Gorge and a Maasai boma in the Ngorongoro highlands along the way. The safari finishes with game drives in Tarangire National Park, famous for its giant baobab trees and large elephant herds.
The itinerary combines luxury tented lodges with permanent wilderness lodges. All our safaris use well-maintained, extended Toyota Land Cruisers with roof hatches for unobstructed, up-close game viewing, driven by your own personal Tanzanian safari guide.
Highlights
- Search for the tree-climbing lions, giraffes and elephants of Lake Manyara National Park
- Walk along Lake Natron and upstream on the Ngaresero River to the waterfalls
- Sunrise and full-day game drives on the Serengeti plains, with a chance to see the Great Migration
- A full day on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater with a picnic lunch
- Optional stops at Olduvai Gorge and a Maasai boma in the Ngorongoro highlands
- Baobab trees, big elephant herds and the rare oryx in Tarangire National Park
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport
On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport you will meet your safari driver-guide, who will welcome you and transfer you to Outpost Lodge in Arusha, where your room is booked on a bed and breakfast basis. The rest of the day is free to rest after your flight. The next morning, after a good breakfast, you set off on safari with your professional guide.
Day 2Arusha to Lake Manyara
Your Tanzanian safari starts at 8:30 am as you drive from Arusha to Lake Manyara, with a picnic lunch on the way. You enter Lake Manyara National Park for the first game drive of the trip. This small park is sandwiched between the Rift Valley escarpment and the large soda lake of Lake Manyara. It is a beautiful setting with a good range of game, including giraffe, elephant, baboon and the rarely seen tree-climbing lions.
Day 3Lake Manyara to Lake Natron
After breakfast at the lodge you head to Lake Natron, the breeding ground for lesser and greater flamingos that migrate here every year from as far as Lake Nakuru and Lake Baringo in Kenya. The drive offers views of Maasai villages and wildlife, and you arrive at your lodge in time for lunch. After lunch and a short rest you walk to the lake, where, depending on water levels, you can take a dip or go for a boat ride. You can also walk upstream along the Ngaresero River to the waterfalls, often meeting monkeys and baboons along the way. In the late afternoon, enjoy a sundowner at Lake Natron.
Day 4Lake Natron to Serengeti
After breakfast you can take another walk by the lake if you wish, then leave for Serengeti National Park. You cross the Loliondo Game Controlled Area, where wildebeest herds cross around November and December as they come down from the Masai Mara in Kenya. After the registration formalities at Klein's Gate, you game drive across the vast Serengeti plains on your way to the lodge. Animals seen here include zebra, buffalo, baboon, topi, impala, cheetah, leopard and the recently reintroduced rhino, once the only member of the Big Five missing from the park.
Day 5Full day in Serengeti National Park
A safari in Tanzania is not complete without a visit to the Serengeti. At daybreak you head out for a sunrise game drive, often the only chance to see nocturnal species retiring and diurnal species waking to a new day, before returning for breakfast. You then set out for a full day of game drives. Depending on the season, this is where you may witness the Great Migration, when more than one and a half million wildebeest, along with many thousands of gazelles and zebras, brave crocodile-infested rivers in search of fresh pasture and water. The resident animals and birds that stay year-round make the Serengeti a must-visit at any time. In the late afternoon you return to camp for dinner.
Day 6Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast, set off with a packed lunch and game drive en route to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Along the way you have the option of visiting Olduvai Gorge, a famous historical site linked to early humans, and a Maasai boma if you are curious about traditional Maasai life and culture. After lunch on the road you continue up to the crater rim for dinner and overnight.
Day 7Full day in Ngorongoro Crater
The day starts early, at 7:00 am, with a game drive and picnic lunch inside the Ngorongoro Crater. Because very few animals migrate in and out of the crater, with its 2,000 ft high walls, you can expect to see lions, elephants, zebras, hippos, flamingos, jackals, rhinos, antelopes, many birds and other species. Your driver-guide stays in contact with other safari drivers and will amaze you with his skill at locating hidden animals. After a full day of exploring the crater, you drive back up to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8Ngorongoro Crater to Tarangire National Park
After breakfast you check out of the lodge and set off for Tarangire National Park, the third-largest park in Tanzania. After the registration formalities, you enjoy a full day of game drives in this fabulous park, known for its giant baobab trees and unusually large herds of elephants. Here you may see the rare oryx along with zebras, giraffes, warthogs, leopards and cheetahs. The Tarangire River is the lifeblood of the park, supplying water all year round, and its riverbeds take center stage as animals gather to drink and predators try to take advantage of the moment. In the evening you drive to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 9Second day in Tarangire National Park
After breakfast you head back into Tarangire National Park for another day of game drives. With more time in the park, you can explore further along the Tarangire River, where elephants, giraffes, zebras and other animals gather to drink, and look again for the rare oryx and the big cats among the baobab-studded landscape. Later in the evening you leave the park and drive back to your accommodation.
Day 10Departure
After a good breakfast you will have some time to explore Arusha town before your guide takes you to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight back home, bringing your 10 day lodge safari through northern Tanzania to an end. If your flight leaves later in the day, your guide can help you plan the time in town.
What is included
- All airport transfers in a private car
- Transport and game drives in a modified 4WD Land Cruiser or Land Rover with photographic roof hatch
- Services of a professional, English-speaking safari guide
- Meals and accommodation as per the itinerary
- All wildlife reserve and park entry fees
Not included
- International airfare and flights
- Travel insurance
- Visa and passport fees
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and beverages at the lodges
- Gratuities for the safari guide and camp staff
- All items of a personal nature
Good to know
- Serengeti Joy Tours can help you choose international flights, but you will need to book them yourself; fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport near Arusha/Moshi.
- Additional accommodation before or after the safari can be arranged at extra cost.
- Activities at Lake Natron, such as a swim or boat ride, depend on water levels at the time of your visit.
- Tips for your guide and camp staff are not included, so plan to budget for gratuities.
Frequently asked questions
Is this safari private?
Yes. This is a fully private safari with your own Tanzanian guide and an extended Toyota Land Cruiser with roof hatches for game viewing. You share the vehicle only with your own travel group.
Will I see the Great Migration on this trip?
You spend two days in the Serengeti, where the Great Migration may be seen depending on the season. Wildebeest herds cross the Loliondo area around November and December, but sightings always depend on where the herds are at the time.
Are drinks included?
Meals are included as per the itinerary, but alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and beverages at the lodges are not. Personal items, tips and travel insurance are also excluded.
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