8-Day Tanzania Safari

Tarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro & Serengeti

The ultimate 8-day Tanzania safari itinerary. Experience Tarangire’s elephants, Lake Manyara’s lions, the Ngorongoro Crater, and 3 nights in the Serengeti.

Are you dreaming of the perfect African getaway? This 8-Day Tanzania Safari is more than just a trip; it is a life-changing journey through the most iconic landscapes on the planet. From the towering baobabs of Tarangire to the endless golden horizons of the Serengeti, this carefully crafted itinerary ensures you witness the raw power of nature in its purest form.

PEAK SEASON

JULY – OCT

IDEAL TRIP LENGTH

8 DAYS

Trip Highlights

Colossal Elephant Herds: Marvel at the massive families of elephants in Tarangire National Park, often seen congregating around the life-giving Tarangire River.
The Rare Tree-Climbing Lions: Keep your binoculars ready in Lake Manyara for the unique sight of lions lounging high in the branches of acacia trees.
The Big Five in a Single Day: Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest intact caldera, for your best chance at spotting the elusive Black Rhino.
The Great Migration Spectacle: Spend three glorious nights in the Serengeti, where millions of wildebeest and zebras paint the landscape in a rhythmic cycle of life.
Iconic Baobab Landscapes: Experience the “Garden of Giants” in Tarangire, where ancient, prehistoric-looking baobab trees dominate the horizon.

Pink Flamingo Seas: Witness thousands of lesser flamingos tinting the shores of Lake Manyara a vibrant, shimmering pink.
Predator Paradise: With three nights in the Serengeti, you have ample time to track leopards in the Seronera Valley and prides of lions on the kopjes.
Unrivaled Birdwatching: Discover over 400 species of birds in Lake Manyara alone, ranging from giant pelicans to the dazzling lilac-breasted roller.
A Natural World Wonder: Stand on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater and soak in a view that has remained virtually unchanged for two million years.
Authentic Cultural Encounters: Pass through vibrant Maasai villages and learn about the “People of the Cattle” who have coexisted with these wild animals for centuries.

8-Day Tanzania Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Arusha to Tarangire

Your 8-Day Tanzania Safari begins with a scenic drive to Tarangire National Park. Often overshadowed by its neighbors, Tarangire is a hidden gem that boasts the highest concentration of elephants in the country. During the dry season, the park becomes a magnet for wildlife.

As you enter, you’ll be struck by the massive baobab trees—some over a thousand years old. Your first game drive will likely yield sightings of majestic bulls and playful calves splashing in the river. After a sunset that turns the dust golden, you’ll retreat to your lodge for a night under the stars, listening to the distant trumpeting of the giants.
Day 2: Lake Manyara — The Emerald Gem

After an early breakfast, we head to Lake Manyara National Park. This park is a stunning contrast to the dry plains of Tarangire. Nestled at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, Manyara is famous for its lush groundwater forest and its legendary tree-climbing lions.

The park is a birdwatcher’s paradise. As you drive toward the lake, the forest canopy opens up to reveal vast floodplains dotted with hippos and buffalo. The soda lake itself is often a sea of pink, thanks to the massive flocks of flamingos. Spending one night here allows you to soak in the tranquility before the landscape shifts again.
Day 3–4: Ngorongoro Crater — Africa’s Eden
The next two nights of your 8-Day Tanzania Safari are dedicated to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The Crater is a microcosm of East African wildlife. Because the walls of the caldera act as a natural enclosure, the animals here are resident year-round, making for spectacular, high-density game viewing.

Day 3: We arrive at the crater rim in time for “sundowners.” The view from the top is nothing short of breathtaking—a 100-square-mile floor teeming with life.

Day 4: We descend 2,000 feet to the crater floor. This is your “Big Five” day. It is one of the few places on earth where you can see lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino in a single afternoon. The alkaline Lake Magadi in the center of the crater is also a hotspot for jackals, hyenas, and thousands of waterbirds.
Day 5–7: The Serengeti - Endless Plains and Eternal Echoes

No 8-Day Tanzania Safari would be complete without a deep dive into the Serengeti National Park. We have allocated three full nights here to ensure you aren’t just “passing through.”

The Serengeti is vast. By spending three nights, your guide can track the Great Migration depending on the time of year. Whether you are in the Central Seronera region (famous for leopards) or the Southern plains during calving season, the sheer scale of the herds is overwhelming.

You’ll spend your days traversing the “kopjes”—large granite outcrops that serve as lookout points for cheetahs and lions. In the evenings, the Serengeti offers a sense of solitude and connection to the earth that is hard to find anywhere else. The sound of a lion’s roar vibrating through your tent is a memory that stays with you forever.
Day 8: Final Sunrise and Farewell

On the final morning of your 8 Day Tanzania Safari, enjoy one last “golden hour” game drive. The early morning light in the Serengeti is a photographer’s dream. After a hearty bush breakfast, we begin our journey back toward Arusha.

As you drive back through the highlands, you’ll have time to reflect on the incredible diversity of life you’ve witnessed. From the smallest dung beetle to the mightiest elephant, the Northern Circuit of Tanzania is a testament to the beauty of our natural world.

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Trip Highlights

Each journey is tailored to your specific needs and desires, and so our prices vary depending on the number of people
traveling, level of accommodations desired, and activities included, among other factors.

Our travel designers will curate a journey specifically for you. If you have a budget you want us to work with, please let
us know, and we will do our best to achieve it.