2-Day Tanzania Safari: Tarangire & Crater
Tarangire elephants plus a crater descent - the fastest real safari in Tanzania.
From $850
Tanzania | 14 days | classic, private
14-day Tanzania safari
Northern icons plus a Ruaha fly-in finale - lions, dogs and solitude.
Duration14 days
Styleclassic, private
StartsArusha
EndsArusha
Green season from$6,450 pp
Peak season from$7,850 pp
Mainland northern-circuit itinerary from Arusha: Tarangire, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti in cooker-cutter-free order - camp zone set by your month, not a template. The ultimate unhurried format: everything, slowly, with contingency days built in. Route: Tarangire - Ngorongoro Crater - Central Serengeti - Northern Serengeti - Ruaha over 14 days. Season logic: June-October dry season and January-March calving; camp zone follows the herds.
Highlights
- Private throughout - own vehicle and guide, departing on your dates, with no group to join.
- Parks covered - Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Central Serengeti, Northern Serengeti, Ruaha.
- Season-smart routing - camp zone set by your month, not by a fixed template.
- Honest pricing - park and concession fees line-itemed on every quote.
- North plus south - the complete northern circuit and wild Ruaha in one trip.
- Ruaha's predators - huge lion prides, African wild-dog packs and 570 bird species.
- The unhurried format - two weeks with contingency, not two weeks of driving.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Arusha
Morning: Land at Arusha; meet your private guide for a full safari briefing.
Midday: Lunch and gear check; rest after the flight.
Afternoon: Introductory game drive in Tarangire where routing allows, else lodge pool and early rest.
Evening: Dinner and overnight near Arusha. (Add a pre-night after long-haul arrivals.)
Meals: Dinner.
Accommodation: Lodge near Arusha.
Day 2 - Tarangire
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive in Tarangire: Elephant herds along the Tarangire River, ancient baobabs and 500-plus bird species.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp on the Tarangire boundary.
Day 3 - Ngorongoro Crater
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive in Ngorongoro Crater: Gate-open descent for lions, black rhino, hyena clans and flamingo lakes on the crater floor. Transfer from Tarangire (3-hr drive via Karatu).
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Crater-rim lodge or permanent camp in the Ngorongoro highlands.
Day 4 - Central Serengeti
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive in Central Serengeti: Resident big cats around Seronera - lions, leopards and cheetahs at close range. Transfer from Ngorongoro Crater (4-5 hr game drive via Olduvai).
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Permanent tented camp in the Central Serengeti.
Day 5 - Northern Serengeti
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive in Northern Serengeti: Mara River crossing points; picnic lunches and patient waiting July to October. Transfer from Central Serengeti (4-5 hr northbound game drive).
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Seasonal camp in the Northern Serengeti.
Day 6 - Ruaha
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive in Ruaha: Wild southern circuit: huge lion prides, wild dogs and 570 bird species, almost no crowds. Transfer from Northern Serengeti (a scenic road transfer).
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Fly-in tented camp on the Great Ruaha River.
Day 7 - Ruaha
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Wild southern circuit: huge lion prides, wild dogs and 570 bird species, almost no crowds.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Fly-in tented camp on the Great Ruaha River.
Day 8 - Ruaha
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Wild southern circuit: huge lion prides, wild dogs and 570 bird species, almost no crowds.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Fly-in tented camp on the Great Ruaha River.
Day 9 - Ruaha
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Wild southern circuit: huge lion prides, wild dogs and 570 bird species, almost no crowds.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Fly-in tented camp on the Great Ruaha River.
Day 10 - Ruaha
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Wild southern circuit: huge lion prides, wild dogs and 570 bird species, almost no crowds.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Fly-in tented camp on the Great Ruaha River.
Day 11 - Ruaha
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Wild southern circuit: huge lion prides, wild dogs and 570 bird species, almost no crowds.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Fly-in tented camp on the Great Ruaha River.
Day 12 - Ruaha
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Wild southern circuit: huge lion prides, wild dogs and 570 bird species, almost no crowds.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Fly-in tented camp on the Great Ruaha River.
Day 13 - Ruaha
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Wild southern circuit: huge lion prides, wild dogs and 570 bird species, almost no crowds.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Fly-in tented camp on the Great Ruaha River.
Day 14 - Depart
Morning: Final sunrise activity around Ruaha with bush breakfast.
Midday: Brunch, then transfer to Arusha for onward connections.
Afternoon: Day rooms available on late flights; souvenir stop if time allows.
Evening: End of safari services at Arusha airport.
Meals: Breakfast and brunch.
Accommodation: Departure day - no overnight stay.
Why this 14-day Tanzania safari itinerary
Fourteen days is the long-format Tanzania trip: the complete northern circuit first, then Ruaha in the south, which is Tanzania's biggest park and its wildest. Splitting the country into two halves keeps every long transfer inside one region.
North first, then south
The northern circuit runs as one loop out of Arusha, and Ruaha is a separate fly-in extension, so the two halves never share a long overland transfer.
Ruaha is reached by air
Road transfers to Ruaha are full-day expeditions, so the trip flies there from Arusha in about ninety minutes and keeps the daylight for game viewing.
Ruaha needs real nights
Fly-in tented camps along the Great Ruaha River justify themselves from three nights up, and this itinerary gives the park the block of time it asks for.
Predators at both ends
The north delivers lion, leopard and cheetah around Seronera and the crater floor; Ruaha answers with huge prides, wild-dog packs and 570 bird species along the river.
Accommodation
Hand-picked lodges and tented camps matched to your tier - mid-range comfort or luxury suites, always positioned for short game-drive starts. Family rooms, honeymoon suites and triple options on request.
Safari vehicle and guide
Extended 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, fridge, charging ports and window seats for all. Your English-speaking driver-guide averages a decade in these parks and is assigned by specialty - Migration positioning, photography, birding or family pacing.
Who this safari is best for
First-time safari travelers and anyone wanting the essential parks done properly.
Pricing
| Season | Per person (2 travelers) |
|---|---|
| Green season | from $6,450 |
| Peak season | from $7,850 |
| Tier | What you get |
|---|---|
| Budget | Camping and simple camps, with departures in the green season to hold the rate down. The private vehicle, your guide and the park fees stay exactly the same - the cut is beds and season, never guiding or positioning. |
| Mid-range | Comfortable lodges and tented camps with full board, positioned for short game-drive starts. This is the standard the from-price on this page assumes. |
| Luxury | Top-end suites and private villas in the best position in camp, private guiding throughout and flexible meal times. The highest season surcharge applies. |
Best time to book
The northern circuit runs on two seasons. The one you pick changes what you see, what the camps cost and how far ahead you need to commit.
Dry season: June to October
Tanzania's cooler, drier high season is the easiest window for wildlife. Water shrinks to the Tarangire River and the remaining pools, vegetation thins and animals gather where they can still drink, so sightings come faster and the crater floor is at its most open. It is also peak price and peak crowd: July and August are the busiest weeks in the parks, and the better camps go first.
Green season: November to May
Short rains begin in November and the landscape greens within weeks, with rates down and the parks nearly empty. January to March is calving season on the southern Serengeti, where predators concentrate around the newborn herds and the photography is at its sharpest. March and April bring the long rains, when lodges cut hardest, visitor numbers fall to their lowest and the light is superb for photography. Outside the Christmas and New Year window, this is where the value sits.
What actually drives the timing
The migration moves all year and it does not follow a fixed map: the southern Ndutu plains for calving from January, the central Seronera through the green months, and the northern Mara from July to October. Camp zone follows the herds, which is why your month matters more than your itinerary length.
How far ahead to book
June to August and the peak migration months want six to twelve months of notice for the camps worth choosing. Green-season departures usually go through on two to four months. Christmas, New Year and Easter compress early whatever the season. Ruaha is a separate decision: it is fly-in only, so the camp bed and the light-aircraft seat are booked together.
What is included and excluded
Every price on this page is a full-cost quote. Park and concession fees are line-itemed, so the total you compare against another operator is the total you pay.
Included
- Transport and guiding - private extended 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, fridge and charging ports, plus a dedicated driver-guide for your group only.
- Park and conservation fees - entry to Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, the Central and Northern Serengeti, and Ruaha, paid on your behalf and shown as line items on the quote.
- Accommodation - 13 nights in lodges, tented camps or seasonal camps matched to your tier.
- Meals - most meals as listed day by day: breakfast at camp, a picnic or lodge lunch, and dinner, with bottled water in the vehicle throughout.
- Transfers - every road transfer in the day-by-day, including airport pick-up and drop-off.
- Game drives - morning and afternoon drives in your own vehicle, on no schedule but yours.
- Taxes - government taxes and VAT on everything quoted.
Not included
- International flights - into Kilimanjaro International (JRO); we route the connections but do not issue tickets.
- Visas - Tanzania sells visas on arrival for most passports, US$50 and US$100 for United States citizens, or by eVisa in advance.
- Travel insurance - required, and it must include medical evacuation.
- Premium drinks - premium wines, spirits and cocktails at lodges and camps.
- Tips - driver-guide and camp staff gratuities.
- Optional extras - balloon flight, extra nights, luxury camp tier, beach or trekking extensions.
Parks and guides
Tarangire | Ngorongoro Crater | Central Serengeti | Northern Serengeti | Ruaha
Back to hub | Style hub | Customize any itinerary
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FAQs
What insurance do we need?
Comprehensive travel insurance is required, including medical evacuation (AMREF/Flying Doctors cover, about 30 dollars, is recommended for remote circuits). Bring policy details - camps and operators ask for them.
Can we customise the route?
Freely - add nights, upgrade camps, swap parks or append beach and trekking. Request a proposal and we re-quote line by line.
Do we need a visa?
Most visitors need one: Tanzania offers visas on arrival for many nationalities, Kenya uses an eTA applied for online before travel, Uganda an e-visa. We confirm the current rule for your passport before you fly.
One decision per country, and they differ. Tanzania sells visas on arrival for most passports - US$50, US$100 for United States citizens - or by eVisa in advance. Kenya has issued only the eTA since 2024, at US$32.50 online at least three days before departure. Uganda runs an e-visa printed before you fly, and the US$100 East African Tourist Visa folds Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda into a single stamp. Six months of passport validity covers all three. Send us passport details at proposal stage and we confirm every rule for your nationality before you commit to flights.
Traveling solo - how do single supplements work?
All itineraries run solo. Expect a 20 to 50 percent supplement where lodges charge per room; vehicles cost the same whether one or six ride. Ask for the honest supplement math per trip.
Is a balloon flight worth adding?
Once, yes: a dawn flight over the Serengeti or Mara with a bush breakfast runs 550 to 600 dollars and minimum ages apply. Book at proposal stage - seats sell out months ahead in season.
How far ahead should we book?
Peak Migration and gorilla-permit months need 6 to 12 months. Green season often works with 2 to 4 months notice.
Is this trip suitable for children?
With a private vehicle and pools at stops, yes for most routes. Gorilla trekking has a strict minimum age of 15.
How much should we tip?
As a guideline: 15 to 25 dollars per day for your driver-guide (per group, not per person), 10 to 15 dollars per day into camp communal tip boxes, and 20 to 30 dollars for a gorilla porter. Restaurants 10 percent where service is not included.
Can dietary needs be handled in bush camps?
Yes - vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and most allergies are routinely catered with advance notice. Remote camps need 30 days notice for specialist supplies; tell us at proposal stage.
Camps cook from scratch, so most requests are a kitchen question rather than a supply one. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free are routine; halal and kosher products have to be imported in the remotest valleys, which is where the 30-day notice applies - Skeleton Coast, northern Uganda, the deeper Okavango camps. Menus are planned per group before the first grocery run, so tell us at proposal stage rather than on arrival. Guides carry your dietary notes on every drive, and camps refill filtered water wherever possible instead of trucking in bottles.
Request this safari
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