Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro, and the Serengeti
Tanzania Private Safari
Overview
Prowling lions, hyenas calling in the night, massive herds of elephants, shimmering stars overhead—all the mystique and wonder of Tanzania await you on this Private Journey. To bring you wildlife encounters in its most legendary settings, we've combined three world-renowned sanctuaries—the migrating wildlife of Tarangire National Park, drawn by the permanent waters of the Tarangire River, spectacular Ngorongoro Crater, and the mythical Serengeti, where the earth's greatest gathering of terrestrial wildlife roams freely on golden savannas. Expert private naturalist guides, fascinating bush walks, exciting game drives, Maasai culture, and fantastic private camps in prime locations make this the quintessential safari. Post-trip, enjoy a visit to the paradisaical island of Zanzibar or gorilla tracking in Rwanda.
Arrive: Arusha, Tanzania
Depart: Arusha, Tanzania
Highlights
- Track the "big five" along the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater floor, see the massive elephant herds of Tarangire
- Explore the legendary Serengeti, home to the greatest collection of terrestrial wildlife on earth, with your private guide at our luxury mobile camp
- Unique activities: walking safaris, night game drives, authentic Maasai interactions
- Exclusive camps and lodges offer the most uncrowded gameviewing in Tanzania and opportunities to follow the migratory herds
- Travel in WT style, including our Arusha-Tarangire and Serengeti-Arusha charter flights
- Optional cultural activities such as Maasai storytelling, cooking traditional dishes, or Swahili lessons
Itinerary
This Private Journey uses a combination of hotels, exclusive lodges, and private camps. These properties are often reserved well in advance. We urge you to make your reservation as early as possible to ensure availability on your preferred dates.
After an overnight in Arusha, head to Tarangire, a haven for wildlife. Herds up to 300 elephants scratch the dry river bed for underground streams, while migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest, and eland crowd the shrinking lagoons. It has the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem, and the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as the oryx and the gerenuk are regularly observed. In addition to gameviewing by private 4WD vehicle, activities include bush walks and night drives.
Ngorongoro's beauty and vastness must be seen to be believed: on the crater's 105-square-mile grassy floor lives Africa's largest permanent concentration of wildlife, a sort of mini-Serengeti in a phenomenally scenic setting. During your explorations, you're likely to see elephant, zebra, wildebeest, and buffalo, and there's hardly a better place on earth for observing lions than on the crater floor, where the lion prides are large. This is also one of the best places to see the endangered black rhino—about a dozen have been introduced into the crater environment and they are carefully monitored by biologists.
During these three unforgettable days, enjoy the privilege of exploring the Serengeti by 4WD vehicle in a secluded section of the park, far from the lodges and other park facilities. Dawn and late-afternoon game drives bring you into varied regions, from the open plains and rock kopjes to river habitats, as game conditions dictate. You should see vast numbers of migrating wildebeest and zebra, along with Serengeti's resident wildlife, including giraffe, buffalo, topi, hartebeest, waterbuck, impala, reedbuck, bushbuck, dikdik, hippopotamus, crocodile, warthog and diverse birdlife. Large prides of lion reside here, as well as clans of spotted hyena. Our exclusive and remote mobile camp features roomy, custom-designed walk-in tents with attached bathrooms and open-air hot showers, and comfortable beds (queen or twin-bedded) made up with linen and a duvet. Depart on Day 10 via Arusha.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is Level 2, Easy to Moderate, according to the Wilderness Travel trip rating system. It is a camping and lodge safari with game viewing by 4WD vehicle. It can be enjoyed by anyone in reasonably good health. On safari, there are long driving days over rugged dirt tracks.
Review Trip Level Details
Tanzania lies close to the equator, so seasonal variations in temperature are not extreme. June, July, and August are the coolest months in East Africa, with lows around 40° and highs of 70-80°F. In Ngorongoro and the Serengeti in these months, you may want to bring a set of long underwear, down vest, or extra sweater for chilly mornings and evenings. September, October, and November are warmer, with lows around 65° and highs of 75°-85°F. Scattered rains occur in November and early December, which helps to lay the dust. December to March are the East Africa's warmest season, with daytime temperatures from 80-90°F and evenings from 50-60°F. Avoid April and May, the rainy season. Zanzibar has ideal vacation weather, warm and sunny year-round except April and May (the rainy season). Daytime temperatures are in the 75-85°F zone, cooled by sea breezes.
Client Testimonials
"You couldn’t have picked two better guides than the two we had. They were so knowledgeable about the animals, birds and plants we were looking at as well as the behaviors we should expect from the animals. The inclusion of the local tribes, the Maasi and others, was a great treat. We gained a true appreciation for the rigors the nomadic tribes have experienced for more than 1,800 years. Experiencing the culture of the local people was very important for us, in addition to the wildlife. I am amazed at the fact that Niamen and Henry speak 3 languages fluently. And as a bonus, we all learned a bit of Swahili while in Tanzania. Everyone, including the local people, were friendly and a happy folk!"
Anne M.
Anaheim, CA
"We were all very impressed with the accommodations, food, friendliness of the guides and staff, and trip! Kudos!"
April M.
Anaheim, CA
"The trip far exceeded our greatest expectations. The camps could not have been better, and the staff was terrific: warm, understanding, and happy to meet all of our needs. All of our gides were outstanding—our kids absolutely loved them and they embraced the kids in the most positive ways. My youngest could not be separated from Victor; my son actually cried when we parted ways at the end of the trip!"
Bruce F.
Scarsdale, NY
"The trip planning and organization and implementation were flawless."
Bruce M.
Alamo, CA
"One of our best experiences ever! The quality of the accommodations and food was amazing and exceeded expectations."
Debbie W.
Greely, Ontario
"The camps were just amazing. Great service, great food, great staff. The juxtaposition of the natural beauty of the wilderness and the casual elegance of the beautiful meals was breathtaking."
Drew R.
Norwich, VT
"Wilderness does a first-rate job. You never disappoint. From the awesome food, accommodations, guides, transport...the works! We have used your services before and will again! Thank you for making our trip magical!!"
GIna C.
Palo Alto, CA
"This was a simply awesome trip. Staff, arrangements and all else could not have been better."
John I.
Fremont, CA
"We loved every bit of our trip. The guides were amazing with our kids—extremely informative and pro-active in addressing our needs."
Joseph V.
Larchmont, NY
"I found the operation and execution of the trip excellent. We always knew the times and schedule and were well prepared. The days were full and entertaining. The food was varied and excellently prepared. I loved the tent camping. Enough to feel pampered, but yet out in the wilderness. The hot water bottles were an excellent touch."
Kathryn H.
Allendale, NJ
"We loved the parks and animals, but our favorite part of the trip was getting to know the staff in the camps. They were, without exception, personable, informative, and fun to be around."
Kenneth J.
Redlands, CA
"This was the most amazing experience and opportunity I've ever encountered. I have never felt more welcomed than I did in Tanzania and with all of the WT staff. The animals were incredible, the service extraordinary. But the people and the culture stood above it all!"
Kim C.
Friday Harbor, WA
"We really had the best of the best provided. A picnic in the middle of the Serengeti migration on the grass—wow, and we so enjoyed the champagne on the beach at Mnemba in Zanzibar!"
Laurie M.
Huntington Beach
"All the guides—Henry and Arnold in Tarangire/Ngorongoro, and Victor and Mzee at Serengeti— could not have been better. Like other Wilderness Travel trips I have been on this was the best superlative I can give: the quality of the trip leaders and guides. I'm not sure how you get such good people. All were experienced, knowledgible about plants and animals plus ecology, as well as being kind, considerate and personable."
Mark W.
Lafayette, CA
"There isn't much I can think of that would make this trip better. We were taken care of by outstanding people, saw incredible sights, stayed in gorgeous places, and ate gourmet food. We were safe, well fed, slept well and had amazing experiences."
Pam S.
Bishop, CA
"The trip far exceed my expectations. I had a wonderful time and felt safe the whole time. I especially enjoyed the time in the camps. Victor and the staff made us felt so welcome."
Patty V.
Portland, OR
"All the guides were wonderful; they made the trip for our family. Their depth of knowledge was amazing and their spirit kept us all positive and feeling safe."
Vanessa R.
Sonoma, CA
"Words can't express what a trip this was. Our Tanzanian guide Naiman was simply amazing, he was like family by the time we left him after 10 days. Every day was an adventure and delivered a new thrill we didn't expect."
Will C.
Seattle, WA
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Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.