7 Day Tanzania Small Group Safari (Option A)
Countries: Tanzania
Destinations: Arusha , Lake Manyara National Park , Serengeti National Park , Ngorongoro Crater
Group Size: 6
Duration (days): 7
Number of Adults: 6
Number of Children: 0
A small group safari, with a maximum of 6 and a minimum of 2 guests, taking in the highlights of Lake Manyara, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater, this itinerary is the ideal introduction to Tanzania's wildlife, cultures and landscapes.
Travelling in a small group allows for an excellently priced experience, and you will be guaranteed good game viewing at all times of the year.
Starting days (Day 01) on Saturdays
Please contact us to discuss your travel plans in more detail.
Itinerary Outline
| Day | Location | Accommodation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arusha | Arusha Serena Hotel |
| 2 | Lake Manyara National Park | Lake Manyara Serena Lodge |
| 3 | Serengeti National Park | Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge |
| 4 | Serengeti National Park | Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge |
| 5 | Ngorongoro Crater | Ngorongoro Serena Lodge |
| 6 | Ngorongoro Crater | Ngorongoro Serena Lodge |
| 7 | Day of Departure |
Day 1 : Arusha
You will be met at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to Arusha Serena Hotel to spend 2 nights on a bed and breakfast basis. If time allows, you will be able to enjoy a broad range of attractions (for your own account), which include walking, mountain biking, canoeing on the lake, and trips to the nearby Arusha and Mount Meru national parks.
Tanzania
A land full of icons, with the names Serengeti, Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro and Zanzibar immediately evoking images of exotic locations and abundant wildlife. A Tanzanian safari is an experience for all of the senses, and caters for every kind of traveller.
Tanzania is a country which was seemingly designed with the word "safari" in mind. There are enough national parks and different safari activities to keep travellers coming back year on year, with the added benefit of easily combining beautiful tropical beaches with the wildlife rich plains.
A Tanzanian safari is a journey in the true sense of the word, with each itinerary feeling like an exploration out into the wilderness. Moving from park to park, either by road or air, the countryside offers something new at each stop.
The plains of the Serengeti have become synonomous with an African safari, and by visiting the right areas and camps, you will be able to see the legendary wildebeest migration as it moves across the grasslands in constant search of fresh grazing and water.
To the south of the country are the remote reserves of Selous and Ruaha, while in the west you can trek into the mountains to witness chimpanzees along the shores of the mystical Lake Tanganyika.
Arusha
Situated below Mount Meru on the eastern edge of the eastern branch of the Great Rift Valley, the city is the country’s safari capital located close to some of Africa's most famous landscapes and national parks, which are Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, Olduvai Gorge, Tarangire, Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) as well as Mt Kilimanjaro - Africa’s highest mountain.
Arusha Serena Hotel
Arusha Serena Hotel, Resort & Spa is unlike any other hotel in Tanzania with authentic, bespoke experiences that stir the traveller’s soul while showcasing the breathtaking tranquillity of our surroundings. Set among the woodland slopes of Mount Meru at the edge of Lake Duluti, there’s no better destination for soaking in the beauty and magnificence of the Tanzanian “Northern Safari Circuit.”
The ambience of our Arusha hotel is warmly reminiscent of our origins as a colonial era coffee farm, beginning with the welcoming stone-built reception area and extending to cottage-style rooms neatly arranged among landscaped lawns and the colourful banks of Bougainvillea. Traces of our heritage present themselves in elegant, country-manor interiors featuring unique artefacts, leaded windows and French doors opening to extensive lake view gardens. Social areas within our Arusha hotel include a library, a lounge and a restaurant offering an enchanting wood fireplace and lake and garden views.
Share in tailor-made experiences thoughtfully designed to enrich your visit. Allow your hosts to arrange an English breakfast on the Lake Duluti shoreline. Hike to the summit of Mount Meru, Africa’s fifth highest mountain or explore the crater lakes of Arusha National Park. In the evening, relax in a safari chair and sip delicious sundowner cocktails by the lake as the sun sinks into the horizon.
Discover Arusha Serena Hotel, Resort & Spa - a place you must experience at least once in your lifetime.
Day 2 : Lake Manyara National Park
You will have the morning at leisure, before your safari briefing, followed by lunch. This afternoon your group departs Arusha, passing through the Masai Steppe filled with many picturesque African villages as well as maize, coffee, and banana plantations. The journey continues up through a scenic escarpment road that brings you to your lodge, perched on the edge of the Rift with stunning distant views. You will spend 1 night at Lake Manyara Serena lodge on a full board basis.
Lake Manyara National Park
Being a relatively small park, and with Lake Manyara taking up the majority of the area, Lake Manyara National Park can be covered easily on half-day game drives, but these drives are usually very rewarding despite their brevity.
The scenery and birdlife are Lake Manyara's major attractions, with the lake being perfectly located to offer spectacular views along the Great Rift Valley.
Lake Manyara is not necessarily worth a diversion to visit, however, as it is so well located close to Arusha and on the road to the Ngorongoro Crater, it is ideal to use as a stop-off point on a road safari, and acts as a great introduction to a Tanzanian safari.
Lake Manyara Serena Lodge
Tanzania’s towering Mto wa Mbu escarpment provides a remarkable backdrop for a one-of-a-kind visit. Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge welcomes you with a peaceful location amidst the rich wildlife and unsurpassed tranquility of Lake Manyara National Park. The lake is home to over 300 migratory birds including flamingoes, long-crested eagles and grey-headed kingfisher; our lodge is designed to mimic this extraordinary birdlife, with an architectural motif featuring swooping avian curves and vibrantly coloured wall frescoes depicting the intricacy of bird migratory patterns.
Here, at our Lake Manyara lodge, you’ll find everything you need to relax, rejuvenate and discover the singular beauty of the region. Housed in circular two-storey “rondavels”, our accommodation pays homage to tradition, while also offering contemporary perks. Flamingo Restaurant, our central dining room, serves delicious cuisine and includes a veranda with picturesque views; we would be pleased to arrange a meal in the bush for you as well. Take part in an enchanting game drive or outdoor excursion, tour one of the neighbouring villages or simply lounge by the lodge’s “vanishing horizon” pool. Those hosting their wedding or group event with us can benefit from our modern facilities and gorgeous location, not to mention the careful attention of our planning staff. And with a range of family-friendly activities, our lodge is a delightful destination for visitors of all ages. The holiday of a lifetime awaits you at Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge.
Day 3 : Serengeti National Park
After breakfast there is a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park that returns to the lodge for lunch. Then, leaving Lake Manyara behind, the safari continues into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. From here lie the vast plains of the Serengeti, where you’ll hopefully start spotting game well before you get into the park. You will spend the next 2 nights at the Serengeti Serena Lodge on a full board basis.
Serengeti National Park
The word "Siringit" means "endless plains," and this is understandably from where the Serengeti National Park takes its name. The iconic, endless, golden plains of Africa are nowhere more evident than within this national park, as they stretch off into eternity, dotted throughout with thousands of animals.
Located in the north-west corner of Tanzania, alongside Lake Victoria, the Serengeti has earned its place as one of the world's most famous wildlife areas. While best known for the enormous herds of the wildebeest migration, there is far more to the Serengeti than this, and the national park can be enjoyed even when you are not in the vicinity of this spectacle.
The national park itself is roughly 14 500 square kilometres, but it forms part of the greater Serengeti eco-system, which comprises the neighbouring Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and the bordering Masai Mara, in Kenya, with the country boundary between Kenya and Tanzania seperating the two.
The Serengeti can be accessed on a road safari, usually in combination with the Ngorongoro Crater, or there are regular daily flights into the park from Arusha.
Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge
Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge is an award-winning gem of a hotel in one of the most beautiful settings in Tanzania. Seamlessly blended high into an acacia-lined ridge, our African-style lodge and infinity pool offer panoramic views across the Serengeti’s vast, endless grasslands, where lions and cheetahs stalk their prey and massive migrating wildebeest herds darken the landscape in a relentless search for fresh grazing grounds.
Here, you will savour the ancient stillness and serenity of one of the most magnificent destinations on earth. Discover the warmth and cosiness of stone-built, traditionally thatched “rondavel” lodging. Dine under an indigo blanket of stars and enjoy unforgettable adventures and experiences ranging from private safaris and day trips to the prehistoric Ngorongoro Crater to Swahili lessons, guided nature walks and massage treatments.
Take pleasure in a Serengeti safari destination where time seemingly stands still and your room remains at the threshold of undisturbed, untamed Africa.
Day 4 : Serengeti National Park
Morning and afternoon game drives with meals and overnight at the lodge.
OPTIONAL Shared Hot Air Balloon Safari
Early morning shared transfer in the balloon company vehicle to the balloon staging site. You meet the pilot who provides a safety briefing while the crew inflate the hot air balloon. At sunrise, your shared hot air balloon lifts off over the African plains. At times, your pilot will ascend to a higher altitude to give you an overview of the ecosystem. Then you descend to treetop level to silently observe the wildlife from above. After about 50 minutes, you land and are met by the balloon staff to transport you to your shared bush breakfast. You then return to your camp or lodge.
Please note that the cost is NOT included in the main quotation and is shown separately.
Day 5 : Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast you depart for Ngorongoro, viewing game across the vast Serengeti plains, with a picnic lunch en-route. You will continue to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater where you will spend the next 2 nights at the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge on a full board basis.
Ngorongoro Crater
A unique and fascinating game viewing destination in Africa, the Ngorongoro Crater is a must-see on any Tanzania safari.
Being the world's largest intact caldera, and the result of a collapsed volcano thousands of years ago, the 260 square kilometres of crater floor hosts up to 25 000 animals at all times of year. This makes it one of the most dense wildlife areas in Africa, and allows for many memorable sightings.
Driving down the steep walls of the Crater early in the morning is an experience in itself, and you can always sense the excitement of heading deep into one of the world's natural wonders.
With lodges perched directly on the rim, hundreds of metres above the Crater floor, Ngorongoro accommodation provides you with some of the most incredible views, and the location will surely be a highlight of your holiday.
While being criticised at times for the number of vehicles on drives along the Crater floor, it is necessary to expect that tourist numbers here will be quite high, and be prepared to share this phenomenon with other travellers. Once your mind is not concerned with other vehicles, you can enjoy the Ngorongoro Crater for what it is; one of the world's truly remarkable wildlife areas.
Ngorongoro Serena Lodge
Tanzania’s prehistoric Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Eighth Wonder of the World, has yawned heavenward for millennia. Deep within its immense walls is a breath-taking blue-green landscape dotted with plains, lakes and forests; an eerie, otherworldly “land that time forgot” thick with massive bull elephants, rhinos, wildebeests and the highest concentration of lions in Africa.
Nestled high above the plains into the Crater’s jagged rim, cloaked in river stone and indigenous vines, Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge is barely visible to the naked eye. Framed by arched stone passages and timbered decks, its torch-lit walls are adorned with stylized cave paintings. At the stone heart of the lodge burns a glowing fire, which is kept constantly alight. Rooms are looped around the Crater rim. Each has its own rock-enclosed balcony, and all enjoy completely uninterrupted views of the volcanic amphitheatre far below. Our Ngorongoro hotel lodge is a place that feels as ancient as the Crater itself, yet no modern comfort has been spared in an effort to bring you the best safari adventure in Africa and one of the most unique travel experiences in the world.
Explore the Cradle of Mankind at Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge.
Day 6 : Ngorongoro Crater
A highlight awaits you this morning as you head descend through the early morning mists to the crater floor. An amazingly diverse and abundant wildlife populates the ancient caldera, and you will spend six hours touring this varied habitat, with a picnic lunch at a hippo pool. This afternoon you head back out of the crater to enjoy the views from the crater rim.
Day 7 - Day of Departure
Those awake early enough will be able to enjoy the sunrise across the eastern rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. Following breakfast, you depart the lodge and begin your journey back to Arusha arriving in the city for lunch (excludes drinks). Then transfer to Kilimanjaro International or Arusha Airport for your departure flight (flight booked on own arrangements).