9 DAYS / 8 NIGHTS · SAMPLE ITINERARY

9-Day Luxury Serengeti & Ngorongoro

Unhurried time in the Serengeti, framed by the crater and a quiet day in the highlands.

Overview

Unhurried time in the Serengeti, framed by the crater and a quiet day in the highlands. 9-day route through Arusha, Tarangire, Karatu, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, with your own guide and vehicle and accommodation chosen for location and atmosphere.

This is an inspirational sample itinerary. Every journey is tailor-made — route, pace and accommodation can all be adjusted to suit you.

Duration: 9 days / 8 nights
Destinations: Arusha, Tarangire, Karatu, Ngorongoro, Serengeti
Ideal for: Travelers who value space and slower days in Tanzania’s most celebrated landscapes.
When to travel: Good year-round. June to October is the classic dry season with easier wildlife viewing; November to May brings green landscapes, fewer vehicles and, from January to March, calving in the south. The long rains of April and May can affect some roads and camps.

Customize This Journey Plan Your Safari WhatsApp +255 793 861 060

DAY BY DAY

The journey.

Wildlife sightings, migration movements and river crossings depend on nature and are never guaranteed.

Day1
Arusha
Arrival in Tanzania
You are met at Kilimanjaro International Airport by a Bush Guides Safaris representative and transferred to your accommodation on the outskirts of Arusha, set among gardens with views toward Mount Meru on a clear day.
The afternoon is yours to rest. In the evening your guide meets you for a short briefing on the journey ahead.
Stay: Boutique lodge or coffee-estate retreat near ArushaMeals: Dinner
Day2
Tarangire
Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, drive west to Tarangire, a landscape of ancient baobabs and the seasonal Tarangire River. The park is known for large elephant herds, especially in the drier months, along with giraffe, zebra and a rich variety of birdlife.
Your private guide keeps the day unhurried, with time to linger wherever the moment deserves it. Picnic lunch is taken in the park, and you continue exploring until late afternoon before reaching your accommodation.
Stay: Upscale tented camp or lodge with refined serviceMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day3
Karatu
Karatu Highlands & Local Life
A slower day in the green farmland of the Ngorongoro highlands. Depending on your interests, visit a coffee farm to see the journey from cherry to cup, or walk through local villages with a community guide.
The afternoon is free to rest, read or enjoy the gardens of your lodge.
Stay: Upscale tented camp or lodge with refined serviceMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day4
Ngorongoro
Ngorongoro Crater
Descend early into Ngorongoro Crater, a vast caldera with grassland, swamp and a seasonal soda lake. Its permanent water supports buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, hippo and lion, and black rhino are occasionally seen, though no sighting is ever guaranteed.
Your private guide keeps the day unhurried, with time to linger wherever the moment deserves it. A picnic lunch is enjoyed in the crater before you ascend in the afternoon.
Stay: Upscale tented camp or lodge with refined serviceMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day5
Serengeti
Into the Serengeti
Cross the Ngorongoro highlands and descend to the plains, with an optional stop at Olduvai Gorge, one of the world’s most significant paleoanthropological sites. The landscape opens out as you enter the Serengeti.
Game drive on the way to your camp, arriving in time for sundowners.
Stay: Upscale tented camp or lodge with refined serviceMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day6
Central Serengeti
Serengeti Plains
Spend the day exploring the central Serengeti around the Seronera River, an area with resident wildlife year-round. Rocky kopjes, river woodland and open grassland support lion, leopard, cheetah and great herds of plains game.
Your private guide keeps the day unhurried, with time to linger wherever the moment deserves it. Choose between a full day out with a picnic lunch or returning to camp for a midday rest.
Stay: Upscale tented camp or lodge with refined serviceMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day7
Serengeti
Balloon Flight & Serengeti
An optional pre-dawn hot-air balloon flight lifts you over the plains as the sun rises, subject to weather and availability, followed by a traditional bush breakfast.
The rest of the day continues by vehicle. Your private guide keeps the day unhurried, with time to linger wherever the moment deserves it.
Stay: Upscale tented camp or lodge with refined serviceMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day8
Serengeti
Serengeti Kopjes & Rivers
Head out early to explore further afield: granite kopjes such as the Moru or Gol areas, and the river valleys where predators often rest in the heat of the day.
Your private guide keeps the day unhurried, with time to linger wherever the moment deserves it. An afternoon drive brings you back as the light softens across the plains.
Stay: Upscale tented camp or lodge with refined serviceMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day9
Serengeti – Arusha
Departure from the Serengeti
Enjoy a final early game drive before a scenic light-aircraft flight back to Arusha, watching the plains give way to the highlands below.
You are transferred to a day room or straight to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your onward flight.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Included

Private safari vehicle and professional English-speaking guide
Accommodation as described in upscale camps and lodges
Meals as indicated, with drinking water on safari
Park entrance, crater and conservation fees
Airport and in-country transfers
Domestic light-aircraft flights where shown in the itinerary
24/7 in-country support

Not included

International flights
Tanzania visa
Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
Optional activities such as balloon flights unless agreed
Gratuities for guides and lodge staff
Personal expenses and premium drinks

Customization note

Change the length, swap a park or upgrade a stay. We will shape this journey around you.

Customize This Journey Plan Your Safari WhatsApp +255 793 861 060

Explore the places on this route

Tarangire Ngorongoro Crater Serengeti Migration by Month

RELATED JOURNEYS

More Luxury Tanzania Safaris.

View category

7 days / 6 nights

Luxury · Sample itinerary

7-Day Luxury Northern Circuit

Arusha · Tarangire · Ngorongoro · Serengeti

Tarangire’s baobabs, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti plains, with a scenic flight home and exceptional stays throughout.

Best for: Travelers with limited time who want the northern highlights without compromising on comfort.

Elephant country in Tarangire
A morning in Ngorongoro Crater
Two full days in the Serengeti

View Day-by-Day Itinerary Plan This Safari

10-Day Luxury Great Migration Safari landscape

10 days / 9 nights

Luxury · Sample itinerary

10-Day Luxury Great Migration Safari

Arusha · Tarangire · Ngorongoro · Central Serengeti · Northern Serengeti

A seasonal journey that follows the herds north toward the Mara River, with exceptional guiding and remote camps.

Best for: Wildlife enthusiasts traveling between July and October who want time in the remote north.

Three nights in the northern Serengeti
Patient time near the Mara River (crossings never guaranteed)
Central Serengeti predators

View Day-by-Day Itinerary Plan This Safari

11-Day Luxury Southern Tanzania: Nyerere & Ruaha landscape

11 days / 10 nights

Luxury · Sample itinerary

11-Day Luxury Southern Tanzania: Nyerere & Ruaha

Dar es Salaam · Nyerere · Ruaha

Remote rivers, boat safaris and baobab hills in two of Tanzania’s wildest and least-visited parks.

Best for: Experienced safari travelers seeking solitude and something different from the north.

Boat safari on the Rufiji River
Walking safaris where permitted
Ruaha’s rugged river valleys

View Day-by-Day Itinerary Plan This Safari

12-Day Ultimate Luxury Tanzania Safari landscape

12 days / 11 nights

Luxury · Sample itinerary

12-Day Ultimate Luxury Tanzania Safari

Arusha National Park · Tarangire · Lake Manyara · Ngorongoro · Serengeti

The full northern circuit at a gracious pace, from Arusha’s forests to the remote north of the Serengeti.

Best for: Discerning travelers who want depth, variety and genuine time in each place.

Walking in Arusha National Park
Two days in Tarangire
Ngorongoro Crater

View Day-by-Day Itinerary Plan This Safari

LET'S MAKE IT YOURS

Every remarkable journey begins somewhere.

Tell us what you have in mind. We’ll take it from there.

Plan Your Safari

9-Day Luxury Serengeti & Ngorongoro

The journey.

Arrival in Tanzania

Tarangire National Park

Karatu Highlands & Local Life

Ngorongoro Crater

Into the Serengeti

Serengeti Plains

Balloon Flight & Serengeti

Serengeti Kopjes & Rivers

Departure from the Serengeti

Included

Not included

Customization note

More Luxury Tanzania Safaris.

7-Day Luxury Northern Circuit

10-Day Luxury Great Migration Safari

11-Day Luxury Southern Tanzania: Nyerere & Ruaha

12-Day Ultimate Luxury Tanzania Safari

Every remarkable journey begins somewhere.

Your Tanzania StoryStarts Here.

Your Tanzania Story
Starts Here.