7-Day Northern Tanzania | Drive & Fly Ngorongoro Crater & Serengeti National Park

After arriving at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your accommodation, a journey of an hour and a half, depending on traffic. Settle in and relax in the pretty gardens and recover from your international flights before your safari begins tomorrow.

After breakfast, you will depart with your safari guide in a private 4×4 safari vehicle for the small market town of Karatu. The journey will take four to five hours and will provide plenty of opportunities to see local life as you pass small villages and towns. As you get closer to the Great Rift Valley the scenery will change; more and more small farms and coffee plantations will appear until you arrive at your lodge, located on the outer slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater.

Today, depart on your game drive to experience Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This dormant volcano provides a natural sanctuary for a wonderful diversity of wildlife, including black rhino, lion, buffalo, elephant, leopard and more. Typically, you will spend the morning exploring with your guide, have a picnic lunch and then depart in the mid-afternoon to your lodge to relax for the remainder of the day.

Today, you will be driven to Manyara Airstrip to catch your light-aircraft flight to the Kogatende region in the very north of the Serengeti. The flight will take approximately one hour (depending on how many stops are made to pick up/drop off other passengers). On arrival, you will be greeted by your guide and be driven to camp in time for lunch and a rest before going out on a shared afternoon safari activity. Private vehicles are available at an additional cost.

Enjoy game drives with your driver-guide, exploring the open savannah of the Serengeti in the early morning and late afternoon, returning to camp for lunch. You can also pack a picnic and go out for a full day if you wish. The density and diversity of wildlife in the Serengeti is second to none, with plentiful big cats, elephant, buffalo, giraffe and so much more.

Today, you could start your day in an unforgettable way in a hot-air balloon (at an additional cost and pre-booking is recommended) soaring high above the park at sunrise and enjoying a Champagne breakfast afterwards. Otherwise spend another day game driving through the plains of the Serengeti.

After breakfast in camp, you will be driven to the airstrip for your light-aircraft flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha, a flight of approximately three hours. Here you can check in for your flight home.