THE GREAT WILDERNESS; SERENGETI & NGORONGORO SAFARI

7 Days Safari; Serengeti & Ngorongoro

OVERVIEW

Experience Tanzania through a seamless combination of volcanic highlands, spectacular wildlife and the remote beauty of northern Serengeti. This carefully paced safari begins with your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and a private transfer to Arusha, before continuing to the breathtaking Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

From Ngorongoro, take a scenic flight directly to Lamai in the northern Serengeti, avoiding long road transfers and giving you more time in the wilderness. Spend two nights in the Lamai area, enjoying relaxed, low-pace game drives across one of Tanzania’s most exceptional wildlife landscapes, with opportunities to encounter lions, elephants, leopards and other iconic species.

The safari concludes with a scenic flight from Lamai back to Arusha, offering a final aerial perspective of Tanzania’s remarkable landscapes. Designed for travelers who value comfort, efficiency and meaningful time in nature, this itinerary combines iconic destinations with a more exclusive and unhurried safari experience.

 

ITINERARY

DAY 1: JRO – ARUSHA

Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), where you will be warmly welcomed by your private guide and transferred to Arusha. The drive offers a gentle introduction to northern Tanzania, passing through the countryside with views of Mount Meru and local communities along the way.

Settle into your accommodation and enjoy a relaxed night at leisure, allowing you to rest and recover from your journey before the safari begins in earnest. This first evening is intentionally unhurried, giving you time to settle into the rhythm of Tanzania and prepare for the days ahead.

Accommodation: Gran Melia

Why Gran Melia

Gran Melia Arusha makes an ideal first-night stop after a long international flight: it's close enough to the airport for an easy transfer, yet set across 18 acres of tranquil coffee and tea plantations on the slopes of Mount Meru, giving you a genuinely restful, green environment rather than a typical city hotel to recover in. With comfortable air-conditioned rooms, a spa, pool, and well-regarded dining options ranging from Indian cuisine to rooftop Peruvian-Spanish fusion, it delivers the five-star comfort needed to properly shake off jet lag — and since Day 2 involves a 3–4 hour drive up into the Ngorongoro Highlands, arriving there rested rather than travel-worn makes a real difference to how you experience the rest of the circuit.

Meal Plan Half Board – your meal plan include dinner at elegant fine-dining at Gran Meliá Arusha, where refined cuisine, impeccable service and a sophisticated setting create a memorable first evening in Tanzania. The experience is designed to be relaxed and unhurried after your journey, allowing you to savor beautifully prepared dishes and settle into the atmosphere of Arusha. The following morning, begin your day with a generous breakfast, featuring a selection of fresh local and international, freshly prepared dishes, fresh fruits and premium beverages setting you up comfortably for the journey to Ngorongoro.

 

DAY 2: ARUSHA – NGORONGORO CRATER

Depart Arusha for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, travelling through the changing landscapes of northern Tanzania toward one of Africa’s most extraordinary protected areas. Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a low pace sporting of the big five naturally, enjoy an exciting game drive across the crater floor, where there is incredible concentration of wildlife. Keep your camera ready for sightings of lions, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeests, hippos, hyenas, and an impressive variety of birdlife. The crater also offers one of the best opportunities in Tanzania to spot the endangered black rhino in its natural habitat. Pause at a scenic picnic site to enjoy lunch while surrounded by spectacular views of this ancient volcanic caldera.

The day also introduces the unique conservation model of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where wildlife conservation, tourism and traditional pastoralist livelihoods share the same landscape.

In the afternoon time, enjoy a beautifully arranged picnic lunch in a designated scenic setting within the conservation area. A private table and comfortable chairs are prepared for you, allowing you to relax and enjoy your meal while surrounded by the crater’s dramatic landscape and natural wilderness.

Later in the evening drive to your lodge for check-in and a peaceful evening at leisure. Unwind with a drink and freshen up while getting ready for dinner and enjoy the rest of the evening.

Accommodation: The Highlands

The Highlands Ngorongoro is an ideal choice for a premium safari, offering more than accommodation it creates an immersive experience within the Ngorongoro landscape. Its distinctive private suites, nestled among the highland forests, provide privacy, comfort and spectacular surroundings, while the cool mountain air and peaceful atmosphere create the perfect setting to unwind after an unhurried crater tour. With time to relax by the fire, enjoy an intimate dinner and take in the wilderness around you, The Highlands seamlessly continues the safari experience from the crater floor into the dramatic volcanic highlands.

 

Meal Plan All inclusive; Your All-Inclusive stay at the highland includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a variety of dining experiences designed to make your time at Ngorongoro relaxed and enjoyable. Breakfast and lunch offer a selection of fresh and well-prepared dishes, while dinner can be enjoyed at the lodge’s different restaurants, featuring Swahili dishes, international cuisine and carefully prepared barbecue dishes. Your room also includes a well-stocked minibar with a selection of drinks, allowing you to refresh and relax in your room.

 

DAY 3: NGORONGORO CRATER – MANYARA AIRSTRIP – KOGATENDE/ LAMAI CIRCUIT

Enjoy a relaxed morning at The Highlands, taking in the cool highland atmosphere and beautiful surroundings before departing for Manyara Airstrip. The scenic transfer passes through the landscapes of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and surrounding countryside, offering glimpses of rural life and changing ecosystems along the way. From Manyara, board a scenic flight to Lamai in the Northern Serengeti, replacing a long road journey with a comfortable and time-efficient connection into one of Tanzania’s most remote safari regions.

Upon arrival at Lamai Airstrip, meet your private safari guide and enjoy a game drive en route to the lodge, allowing your Serengeti experience to begin naturally from the moment you land. Arrive at the lodge in time for a delicious hot lunch, followed by an unhurried afternoon of relaxation. Settle into your accommodation, enjoy the views, take a refreshing dip or simply unwind in the peaceful before a sundowner experience.

Accommodation: Lamai Serengeti by Nomad

Why Lamai Serengeti

Lamai Serengeti by Nomad is an exceptional choice for a premium safari because it combines Privacy, exclusivity and a deep connection with the Northern Serengeti. located among the dramatic Kogakuria Kopjes, the camp offers spectacular views across the surrounding plains and a wonderfully private setting for experiencing the wilderness.

Meal Plan All inclusive; Your All-Inclusive stay includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a variety of dining experiences designed to make your time at Ngorongoro relaxed and enjoyable. Breakfast and lunch offer a selection of fresh and well-prepared dishes, while dinner can be enjoyed at the lodge’s different restaurants, featuring international cuisine and Swahili dishes, soft drinks are also included in your meals including selected wines. You will have a min bar in your room that will keep your refreshed throughout your stay.

 

DAY 4: GAME DRIVE IN NORTHERN SERENGETI

Set out from Lamai Serengeti on a deliberately slow-paced game drive toward the areas where the herds are moving through the Northern Serengeti. This remote region is one of the most rewarding places to experience the migration because it remains comparatively uncrowded and unpopulated by safari vehicles, allowing you to observe wildlife with greater tranquility and without the feeling of a rushed encounter. your guide will read the landscape, follow the movement of the herds and allow the experience to unfold naturally.

Around midday, stop at a beautifully selected private picnic setting for a freshly prepared lunch, with a comfortable arrangement overlooking the surrounding wilderness. Take time to dine slowly, enjoy refreshments and absorb the vastness of the Serengeti before continuing the afternoon game drive.

Throughout the day, your guide will connect the wildlife experience with conservation, explaining how the seasonal movement of the herds links the Serengeti and Mara ecosystems and why protecting open landscapes, migration routes and wildlife corridors is essential to the survival of this extraordinary natural system. With fewer vehicles, a slower rhythm and meaningful time in the field, the day becomes more than a migration sighting it is an opportunity to understand, appreciate and support the ecosystem that makes this spectacle possible.

Accommodation: Lamai Serengeti by Nomad

Meal Plan: All Inclusive

 

DAY 5: NORTHERN SERENGETI

Enjoy another unhurried day in the Northern Serengeti, allowing the rhythm of the wilderness to shape the experience rather than following a fixed schedule. Set out with your private guide for a slow-paced game drive through the open plains, woodland and rocky landscapes around Lamai, taking time to observe wildlife behavior and the changing scenery. With the area’s low vehicle density, there is greater opportunity to enjoy quiet, intimate wildlife encounters and appreciate the Serengeti beyond the headline sightings.

Pause during the day for a beautifully arranged picnic lunch in a secluded wilderness setting, giving you time to dine, relax and absorb the landscape before continuing your exploration. Your guide will continue to weave in the conservation story of the Northern Serengeti, highlighting the importance of protecting habitats, water sources and wildlife corridors that sustain this ecosystem throughout the year.

Return to Lamai Serengeti in the late afternoon for time to relax, enjoy the camp and watch the changing colors over the landscape. It is a day designed around space, silence, wildlife and genuine connection with the Serengeti rather than the number of sightings.

Accommodation: Lamai Serengeti by Nomad

Meal Plan: All Inclusive

 

DAY 6: NORTHERN SERENGETI HALF DAY GAME DRIVE

Begin the morning with a slow-paced half-day game drive through the Northern Serengeti, taking advantage of the cooler hours when wildlife is often most active. With your private guide, explore the surrounding plains and rocky landscapes at an unhurried pace, allowing time for meaningful wildlife encounters and photography without rushing between sightings. The morning also provides another opportunity to appreciate the conservation importance of this remote ecosystem, where protecting habitats and natural wildlife corridors supports the movement and survival of countless species.

Return to the lodge for a delicious hot lunch, followed by a completely relaxed afternoon at the lodge. Enjoy the peaceful surroundings, take time to rest in your private space, or simply sit back and absorb the spectacular Northern Serengeti landscape. As the afternoon cools, enjoy the serenity of camp and prepare for a final memorable evening in the wilderness. 

Accommodation: Lamai Serengeti by Nomad

Meal Plan: All Inclusive

 

DAY 7: SERENGETI LAMAI – ARUSHA – JRO

Enjoy a final relaxed morning at Lamai Serengeti before transferring to the airstrip for your scenic flight to Arusha. As the aircraft lifts over the Northern Serengeti, take in a final aerial perspective of the landscapes you have explored—the vast golden plains, winding river channels, rocky kopjes and expansive wilderness stretching toward the horizon. The flight offers a beautiful opportunity to reflect on the journey and appreciate the scale and interconnectedness of the Serengeti ecosystem from above.

Upon arrival in Arusha, you will be met by your private transfer driver and comfortably transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) for your onward flight, bringing this carefully paced Northern Tanzania safari to a smooth and memorable conclusion.

 

SEASONS	COST PER PERSON	COST PER GROUP (6 PAX)
PEAK SEASONS (JUNE-SEPT +LATE DEC)	$ 8,990	$ 38,466

 

 

Price includes	Price Excludes
All accommodation as specified (6 nights)	International flights
All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)	Travel insurance
Domestic flight from Kogatende to Arusha
All park entrance fees	Visa fees
Professional English-speaking safari guide	Alcoholic beverages
Game drives in a 4x4 safari vehicle	Tips and gratuities
Bottled water during game drives	Personal expenses & purchases
Pick up and drop off at the airport	Laundry services

 

Safari Highlights

• Ngorongoro Crater — An unrushed crater game drive with exceptional wildlife viewing and a private scenic picnic lunch.
• Northern Serengeti Migration — Slow-paced game drives into remote migration areas, experiencing the herds in a quieter, less crowded setting.
• Conservation Experience — Discover how protected landscapes and wildlife corridors sustain the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem and its seasonal migrations.
• Private Wilderness Dining — Enjoy beautifully arranged picnic lunches in secluded scenic locations within the national parks.
• Scenic Flights — Fly between Manyara, Lamai and Arusha, replacing long road transfers with spectacular aerial views of Tanzania’s landscapes.
• Slow Safari Philosophy — Fewer rushed sightings, more time observing wildlife behavior, photography and the landscape at your own pace.

 

BEST TIME TO VISIT

June to October (Dry Season): Ideal for wildlife viewing as animals gather around water sources; excellent road conditions and sunny skies make for a perfect safari.

Interested in This Safari?

Would you like to learn more about this safari package or check availability? Contact me, and I’ll be happy to provide further information.

Email: ivan.chamurliev@gmail.com

WhatsApp: +39 328 071 7320