7-Day Tanzania Safari: Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Olduvai Gorge & Serengeti Expedition

Day 1 – Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park

Depart Arusha in the morning and travel to Lake Manyara, arriving in time for lunch. Stretching for 50 km along the base of the golden, 600-metre-high Rift Valley escarpment, Lake Manyara is a true scenic gem—described by Ernest Hemingway as “the loveliest I had seen in Africa.”
The compact game-viewing circuit offers an excellent introduction to Tanzania’s wildlife, with a rich mix of habitats including groundwater forests, hot springs and open lakeshore.
Enjoy an afternoon game drive to explore the park.
Meals and overnight at a lodge.

Day 2 – Lake Manyara to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

After a morning game drive in Lake Manyara and breakfast at the lodge, depart for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area—one of the world’s most celebrated natural wonders.
The crater’s dramatic setting and abundant wildlife leave a lasting impression on visitors. To the north and west, the area borders the Serengeti National Park, forming part of Tanzania’s vast northern safari circuit.
Dinner and overnight at a lodge on or near the crater rim.

Day 3 – Full-Day Ngorongoro Crater Tour

After breakfast, descend 2,000 feet into the Ngorongoro Crater in a 4×4 vehicle for a full-day exploration, with a picnic lunch inside the crater.
Often called “the eighth wonder of the world”, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area spans some 8,300 sq km and combines breathtaking landscapes, abundant wildlife, Maasai culture and ancient archaeological sites.
The crater’s grasslands, forests and wetlands support a huge variety of animals, including lions, elephants, buffalo, hyenas and the endangered black rhino.
In the evening, ascend to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 4 – Ngorongoro to Serengeti via Olduvai Gorge

After breakfast, depart for the Serengeti, passing through the famous Olduvai Gorge—site of the Leakey family’s discoveries of early human and animal fossils dating back nearly two million years.
The Serengeti ecosystem is one of the world’s oldest, with its climate, vegetation and wildlife remaining largely unchanged for over a million years.
Meals and overnight at a lodge in the Serengeti.

Day 5 – Full Day in the Serengeti

Spend a full day exploring the Serengeti, with morning and afternoon game drives.
The park is especially renowned for the Great Migration, where over a million wildebeest and around 200,000 zebras move across the plains in search of fresh grazing. Their ancient instinct to migrate remains one of nature’s most incredible spectacles.
Meals and overnight at a lodge.

Day 6 – Serengeti Game Viewing

Enjoy another full day in the Serengeti, continuing your search for wildlife you may have missed earlier.
The wildebeest remain a central part of the Serengeti ecosystem. Their migration, shaped by millennia of adaptation, forms the heart of the region’s ecological balance. According to African legend, the wildebeest was assembled from leftover parts—yet this quirky-looking animal is perfectly suited to its long-distance journey across the plains.
Dinner and overnight at a lodge.

Day 7 – Serengeti to Arusha

After breakfast, depart the Serengeti and return to Arusha, arriving in time for lunch. Arusha is the gateway to Tanzania’s northern safari circuit and a natural starting or finishing point for further travel.