Tanzania's Midrange 6-Day Safari
Six unforgettable days through four of Tanzania's most iconic wildlife destinations. From Tarangire's ancient baobab forests and legendary elephant herds to the tree-climbing lions of Lake Manyara, the endless Serengeti plains and the wildlife-packed Ngorongoro Crater — this is Tanzania's complete Northern Circuit at its most accessible and affordable.
Six Days. Four Wilderness Icons. One Complete Journey.
Embark on a captivating 6-Day Midrange Tanzania Safari, offering an affordable yet immersive adventure through Tanzania's stunning national parks and wildlife reserves. This tour is perfect for travellers seeking a balance between cost and comfort — an incredible wildlife experience without compromise.
This 6-day midrange safari allows you to experience the highlights of Tanzania's Northern Circuit. You will witness wonderful wildlife in the heart of some of the most diverse landscapes: monkeys in the forest, lions in trees, elephants among acacias and a huge variety of animals inside a collapsed volcano. You will also visit the world-famous Serengeti National Park. The landscapes are breathtaking and the variety and volume of wildlife you will see are truly unforgettable.
This 6-Day Midrange Tanzania Safari is designed to provide an immersive experience that balances affordability with an incredible wildlife adventure. Immerse yourself in Tanzania's natural beauty while enjoying comfortable accommodations and expert guides. The safari opens in Arusha at Mount Meru Hotel, setting the tone for the days ahead. Day two takes you into Tarangire National Park — famous for its baobab trees and elephant herds — before continuing to Lake Manyara on day three, where tree-climbing lions and over 500 bird species await.
Days four and five bring you into the heart of the Serengeti and down into the Ngorongoro Crater — a UNESCO World Heritage Site that offers some of the best game viewing in all of Tanzania. Six complete days in the bush, four iconic destinations, and a journey through Tanzania's wilderness that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
Four Wild Ecosystems. Infinite Stories.
Tarangire National Park — The Land of Baobabs & Elephant Giants
A park of towering ancient baobab trees, Africa's largest elephant concentrations and remarkable year-round wildlife density — dramatic, visually unlike anywhere else in Tanzania, and deeply rewarding from your very first game drive.
Tarangire is best known for its elephant families, savannah, iconic baobab trees, seasonal swamps and the life-giving Tarangire River. Animals gather at the river and giraffe, bushbuck and hartebeest are often seen. The park is also home to buffalo, zebra and wildebeest. These animals are closely followed by a range of predators such as lions, leopards and rarely cheetahs. From the open roof of the safari vehicle, you will be able to absorb the landscape and watch the wildlife in its natural habitat.
Lake Manyara National Park — Tree-Climbing Lions & Flamingo Shores
A relatively small but extraordinarily diverse park, 120km west of Arusha, famous for its tree-climbing lions, groundwater forest, and the spectacular shallow salt lake that attracts thousands of flamingos and over 500 bird species.
Lake Manyara's namesake is a shallow salt lake that covers a large portion of the park, flooding and drying with the seasons. It is home to thousands of flamingos and over 500 other bird species. On your exploration of the park, you will see monkeys, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffalos, elephants and with some luck, lions lounging in the trees. The park is known for its diverse landscapes: not only open grassy plains but also primate-filled woodlands and baobab-dotted cliffs.
Serengeti National Park — The Endless Plains & Great Migration
Africa's most iconic wilderness. Where the world's greatest wildlife spectacle unfolds in real time and the Big Five roam across 14,763 square kilometres of infinite open savannah.
The Serengeti National Park is the largest park in Tanzania with diverse landscapes and habitats such as grassy plains, swamps, lakes, savannah and mountains. It is home to the Great Wildebeest Migration — the largest overland movement of mammals on Earth. Between 1.5 and 2 million wildebeest, 500,000 zebra and 250,000 Thomson's gazelle follow the rains in a continuous circuit. The central Serengeti's Seronera Valley draws lion prides, leopards high in sausage trees, cheetah families and hyena clans.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area — The Eighth Wonder of the World
A UNESCO World Heritage Site formed millions of years ago. The crater is 600 metres deep and covers roughly 260 sq km — offering the best concentrated game viewing of any destination in Tanzania, including the endangered black rhino.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site formed millions of years ago is 600m deep and covers roughly 260 sq km. Due to its dense animal population of approximately 25,000, the crater offers the best game viewing of all the parks in Tanzania. You will descend into the crater and in a matter of minutes, you will be able to see wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, elephants and some of more than 500 bird species in the area. With a little bit of luck, you might catch a glimpse of the endangered black rhino through the grass.
When to Go
Tanzania's Midrange 6-Day Safari is rewarding in every season. Each period offers a distinct experience across Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Below is a guide to what each season delivers.
Moments That Will Stay With You Forever
Your Day 2 game drive delivers an Africa that feels ancient and raw. Tarangire's enormous elephant herds — some of the largest in Tanzania — move between baobab trees that dwarf the Land Cruiser. The park is also home to buffalo, zebra and wildebeest, closely followed by predators such as lions and leopards. The baobab silhouettes at golden hour are among the most iconic photographs East Africa produces.
Lake Manyara National Park is celebrated for its extraordinary lions — the only population in Africa regularly observed lounging in the branches of acacia and fig trees. Your Day 3 game drive explores the park's diverse landscapes: not only open grassy plains but primate-filled woodlands, baobab-dotted cliffs and the shores of the soda lake where thousands of flamingos gather in a pink haze.
The world's largest overland migration of mammals. 1.5 to 2 million wildebeest in continuous seasonal movement across the Serengeti ecosystem. Your Day 4 afternoon game drive enters the park through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and continues into the central Serengeti — one of the most spectacular wildlife landscapes on Earth, where predator sightings are almost guaranteed.
The Ngorongoro Crater descent on Day 5 is one of the most dramatic moments in any Tanzania safari. In a matter of minutes after descending the steep crater wall, you are surrounded by wildebeest, zebras, gazelles and elephants — all contained within a 260-square-kilometre collapsed volcano. With some luck, the endangered black rhino moving through the tall grass. This is game viewing that no open-country safari can replicate.
The drive from the Serengeti through the fertile Ngorongoro highlands on Day 5 rewards you with some of the most spectacular scenic views in East Africa. The Iraqw people's wheat, coffee and corn fields give way to the crater rim — 600 metres above the wildlife-packed floor below. This panoramic perspective of the crater before you descend into it is an experience that no photograph fully captures.
On game drive days, your Haven Trails guide picks a shaded picnic site inside the park itself — a tradition that transforms the lunch break into its own wildlife experience. Vervet monkeys in the trees above, a distant herd of zebra, the rustle of a hornbill in the branches. Your packed lunch is prepared fresh each morning and enjoyed in the kind of setting most people only encounter in wildlife documentaries.
The transit through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area on Day 4 — from the fertile highlands down toward the Serengeti — is far more than a connecting drive. Giraffe, elephant and buffalo are visible from the vehicle throughout, and the opportunity to visit a Maasai Village in the NCA highlands offers a profound cultural dimension to the wilderness experience, with elders, warriors and children sharing their pastoral traditions.
Six days across four parks creates one of the strongest Big Five itineraries available in a midrange safari format. Lions are regularly encountered across all four destinations. The Ngorongoro Crater offers Tanzania's best chance of sighting the endangered black rhino. Elephants are prolific in Tarangire and the Ngorongoro. Leopards are seen in the Serengeti's Seronera Valley. Your expert Haven Trails guide brings knowledge of terrain, behaviour and seasonal patterns to every game drive.
The Itinerary
1
Arrival Day — Welcome to Tanzania · Arusha
You will be picked up from the airport at either Kilimanjaro International Airport, Arusha Airport or Namanga border by our company representative. They will drive you to your accommodation in Arusha — about a 1-hour drive. Here you will stay and overnight at Mount Meru Hotel.
Tanzania is not just its wildlife. It is a country of extraordinary people, ancient culture and remarkable scenery — and the journey from the airport offers your first sense of that extraordinary fabric. Rest, recharge and prepare for the adventurous days ahead. Your Haven Trails guide will be on hand for a briefing over tea or coffee if you wish to discuss the safari itinerary and what to expect across the coming five days in the bush.
2
Arusha to Tarangire National Park — Full-Day Game Drive · Overnight Eileen's Trees Inn
After breakfast, your safari guide will collect you from your accommodation and drive you to Tarangire National Park (approximately 2 hours away). Tarangire is best known for its elephant families, savannah, iconic baobab trees, seasonal swamps and the life-giving Tarangire River. Animals gather at the river and giraffe, bushbuck and hartebeest are often seen.
The park is also home to buffalo, zebra and wildebeest. These animals are closely followed by a range of predators such as lions, leopards and rarely cheetahs. From the open roof of the safari vehicle, you will be able to absorb the landscape and watch the wildlife. You will enjoy a picnic lunch in the park which includes a delicious lunch and soft drinks. After a full day in the park, you will drive to your accommodation where you will be able to relax, enjoy dinner and your overnight stay.
You will have your lunch in the park — your driver guide will pick a beautiful, shaded picnic site — and thereafter continue with the afternoon game drive. Parks normally open from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm and you will be at your next lodge in time for dinner at Eileen's Trees Inn in Karatu.
3
Karatu to Lake Manyara National Park — Tree-Climbing Lions & Flamingos
After breakfast, you will pick a lunch box from your accommodation and continue to this epic safari destination: Lake Manyara National Park. This is a relatively small but diverse park, 120km west of Arusha. The park's namesake is a shallow salt lake that covers a large area of the park, flooding and drying with the seasons. It is home to thousands of flamingos and over 500 other bird species.
On your exploration of the park, you will see monkeys, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffalos, elephants and with some luck, lions lounging in the trees. The park is known for its diverse landscapes: not only open grassy plains but also primate-filled woodlands and baobab-dotted cliffs. After a further game drive, you will drive straight to your accommodation in Karatu for dinner and your overnight stay at Eileen's Trees Inn.
4
Karatu to Central Serengeti National Park — NCA Transit & Afternoon Game Drive
After breakfast, you will continue towards the fertile highlands where wheat, coffee and corn are grown by the Iraqw people. Passing through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, you will be able to see the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater before travelling onwards to the Serengeti National Park with a picnic lunch taken on the way.
You will reach Serengeti by afternoon. The Serengeti National Park is the largest park in Tanzania with diverse landscapes and habitats such as grassy plains, swamps, lakes, savannah and mountains. After an extensive afternoon game drive, you will drive to your accommodation where you will enjoy dinner and your overnight stay at Central Serengeti Luxury Camp (Serengeti Heritage Tented Camp or similar).
5
Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater — En-Route Game Drive & Full Crater Descent
After an early breakfast, you will head out for an en-route game drive through the Serengeti. You might be able to spot animals before embarking on your journey to Ngorongoro Crater. This UNESCO World Heritage Site formed millions of years ago is 600m deep and covers roughly 260 sq km. Due to its dense animal population of approximately 25,000, the crater offers the best game viewing of all the parks in Tanzania.
You will arrive at the crater rim before lunch. You will descend into the crater and in a matter of minutes, you will be able to see wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, elephants and some of more than 500 bird species in the area. With a little bit of luck, you might catch a glimpse of the endangered black rhino through the grass. After having a picnic lunch carried from your accommodation in Serengeti, you will have a full afternoon inside the crater. After that, you will head to your accommodation in Karatu for dinner and your overnight stay out of the crater at Eileen's Trees Inn.
END
Departure Day — Karatu to Arusha · Onward to Zanzibar or Home
After breakfast, you will drive back to Arusha for your onward destination at either Zanzibar or back home. We will work with your plan according to your schedule as you share it with us. If you fly back home on a KLM or other evening flight, we will offer you a hot lunch and drop you off at the airport. You will also have enough time for shopping for souvenirs and gratuities.
End of safari. The landscapes of Tarangire, Manyara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater travel home with you. Every returning traveller from Tanzania knows the same truth: the question is never if you'll come back, but when.
Safari Pricing
From USD 1,497 per person. Final pricing depends on travel dates, group size and any optional add-ons. Contact Haven Trails Adventures for a personalised quote.
Midrange Accommodation Inside & Near the Parks
Mount Meru Hotel is a comfortable and well-located hotel in Arusha, providing the ideal arrival experience for your Tanzania safari. Conveniently positioned for early morning departures, it offers comfortable rooms, a pool, good dining and all the facilities needed to rest and prepare for the exciting days ahead.
Mount Meru Hotel's rooms are comfortable and well-appointed, designed to offer good rest after a long journey. The hotel's convenient location in Arusha city means easy access to restaurants, shops and Arusha town, while its early morning service ensures a smooth start to your safari the following day.
Eileen's Trees Inn is a well-regarded midrange lodge situated in Karatu — ideally positioned as the base for game drives in Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The lodge offers comfortable accommodation in a peaceful garden setting, with excellent cuisine and a welcoming atmosphere that makes returning after long days of game driving a true pleasure.
Eileen's Trees Inn serves as home base across three different nights of this safari — after Tarangire (Day 2), after Lake Manyara (Day 3), and after the Ngorongoro Crater descent (Day 5). Its central Karatu location and reliable service make it the ideal midrange choice for the northern Tanzania circuit. The evening dinners after long days in the parks are particularly welcome.
Central Serengeti Luxury Camp (Serengeti Heritage Tented Camp or similar) is positioned inside Central Serengeti National Park for immediate access to prime wildlife areas. Spending the night inside the actual Serengeti — hearing the sounds of the bush after dark, waking to birdsong and the dawn light over the plains — is one of the defining experiences of any Tanzania safari, whatever the accommodation tier.
One night at Central Serengeti Luxury Camp means one morning waking inside the actual Serengeti — not adjacent to it, but inside it. Your game drive vehicle departs directly from camp into prime Seronera Valley territory. This single night in the heart of the world's most celebrated wildlife wilderness is one of the highlights of the entire 6-day itinerary and something you will remember long after you return home.
Haven Trails also offers luxury lodge safaris, camping safaris and extended Northern Circuit itineraries. Explore our full safari catalogue or contact us at info@haventrails.com or WhatsApp +255 713 334154.
Why Haven Trails Adventures
Every Haven Trails guide holds a Professional Tourist Guide Certification and has completed a minimum of 1,000 guided field hours before leading any client. Our guides don't simply drive you to animals — they read the land, interpret behaviour, share ecology, track seasonal patterns and make every sighting a story worth telling. Many guests describe their guide as the single highlight of the entire trip.
Every safari departs in a custom-fitted 4x4 Land Cruiser with a 360-degree pop-up roof for unobstructed photography, forward-facing window seats, individual USB charging ports, a stocked cooler with drinks, binoculars, a first aid kit and a radio linked to the park-wide guide network. A maximum of 6 guests per vehicle. Never a crowded bus safari.
We are based in Moshi, Tanzania — not a booking platform in London or New York. Our team is in Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro every week, tracking seasonal wildlife movements in real time, building direct relationships with park rangers and TANAPA wardens, and repositioning game drives based on live conditions. You benefit from intelligence that no international operator can match.
All Haven Trails guides carry satellite communication devices and emergency first aid supplies. We maintain evacuation protocols for every park on the circuit in partnership with Flying Doctors Tanzania. All clients receive emergency contact cards, and our 24/7 Moshi operations centre monitors every active safari throughout the trip.
This 6-day midrange itinerary is a framework, not a formula. Every detail is adjusted for your group: travel dates for optimal seasonal wildlife positioning, group size, pace, dietary requirements, special interests such as photography, birding or cultural experiences, and any additional combinations such as a Zanzibar beach extension or extra days in the crater.
Haven Trails prioritises Tanzanian-owned suppliers, community-run support services and conservation-conscious partnerships. A portion of every booking supports local ranger training through the Kilimanjaro Conservation Fund. Travelling responsibly is not a feature — it is our operating principle.
Inclusions & Exclusions
- Airport arrival and departure transfers
- All national park and conservation area fees (Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, NCA/Ngorongoro Crater)
- Full-time expert English-speaking professional guide
- Custom 4x4 Land Cruiser with 360° pop-up roof
- Midrange accommodation: Mount Meru Hotel (1 night), Eileen's Trees Inn (3 nights), Central Serengeti Luxury Camp (1 night)
- All meals as per itinerary (B, L, D from Day 2 onwards; B & L on departure day)
- All drinks except spirits & liquor (included at lodge)
- Bottled water & soft drinks in vehicle during game drives
- Picnic lunches inside the parks
- Emergency evacuation support and 24/7 operations contact
- Safari certificate of completion
- International flights to/from Tanzania
- Tanzania tourist visa (USD 50 most nationalities)
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Arrival night (Day 1) meals at Mount Meru Hotel (own expense)
- Spirits and liquor
- Guide and lodge crew gratuities (discretionary)
- Optional hot air balloon safari (~USD 600/person)
- Optional Maasai Village visit (extra cost)
- Personal items and souvenirs
- Medical and dental expenses
- Prescription antimalarials (consult your doctor)