12 Days Tanzania Safari Tour – Community, Wildlife Safari In Tanzania Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, And Lake Manyara National Parks

12 Days Tanzania Safari Tour – SAFARI OVERVIEW

12 days Tanzania safari tour is a well-paced, comprehensive 12 days safari in Tanzania tour that takes you on a memorable and affordable journey to four of northern Tanzania’s most scenic and iconic wildlife destinations: – the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro, Tarangire, and Lake Manyara National Parks. You’ll also enjoy cultural experiences and a historical tour of Olduvai Gorge – the cradle of mankind.

You begin your 12 days safari to Tanzania in Tarangire National Park, a wild game park dotted with giant ‘upside-down trees’ (baobabs) and home to Tanzania’s biggest elephant herds. Then travel through the Great Rift Valley to the beautiful Lake Manyara National Park, home to flamingos and famous tree-climbing lions.

Next go game viewing on the endless plains of the Serengeti, one of the best-known game parks in Africa and the world. It is best known for the annual Great Migration – the world’s largest animal migration!

End your 12 days Tanzania safari tour in the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater, a Natural Wonder, and one of the few places in Africa where it is possible to see all of the Big 5 in a single day.

If you’d like to book or customize this 12 days Tanzania safari tour to fit your exact safari interests and budget – please let us know!

12 Days Tanzania Safari Tour – PRIME SAFARI ACTIVITIES

• Morning, afternoon, and evening game drives with a knowledgeable guide
• Searching for the Big Five in Ngorongoro Crater
• A guided walk along the Ngorongoro Crater rim
• Fantastic Big Cats (Cheetahs, Leopards, & Lions) sightings in Serengeti
• Opportunity to witness the Great Wildebeest & Zebra Migration
• Viewing huge herds of elephants in Tarangire National Park
• Looking for Manyara’s flamingos and tree-climbing lions
• Staying in authentic tented safari camps/lodges
• Exploring Olduvai Gorge (the cradle of mankind)
• Driving through Tanzania’s traditional rural landscape & Maasai villages
• Beautiful scenery viewing & great photographic opportunities
• Cultural tour of Mto wa Mbu Village

12 Days Tanzania Safari Tour – FEATURED SAFARI DESTINATIONS

Day 1: Arusha

Day 2, 3, & 4: Tarangire National Park

Day 5 & 6: Lake Manyara National Park & Mto wa Mbu Village

Day 7, 8, & 9: Serengeti National Park & Olduvai Gorge

Day 10 & 11: Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Day 12: Arusha – Depart

12 Days Tanzania Safari Tour – SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS

Day 1: Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport & transfer to Arusha.

Day 2: Travel to Tarangire National Park & do a game drive

Day 3: Whole day game drive in Tarangire National Park

Day 4: Another full-day game drive in Tarangire National Park

Day 5: Transfer to Lake Manyara National Park. Take a cultural tour of Mto wa Mbu Village en route & enjoy a game drive on arrival.

Day 6: Full-day game drive in Lake Manyara National Park

Day 7: Transfer to Serengeti National Park via Olduvai Gorge & Maasai Villages.  Enjoy a game drive on arrival.

Day 8: Whole day game drive in Serengeti National Park

Day 9: Another full-day game drive in Serengeti National Park

Day 10: Transfer to Ngorongoro Conservation Area for the crater tour.

Day 11: Full-day game drive inside the Ngorongoro Crater Tour

Day 12: Drive back to Arusha

12 Days Tanzania Safari Tour – DETAILED SAFARI ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival At Kilimanjaro International Airport, Transfer To Your Hotel In Arusha

Your fantastic 12 days Tanzania safari tour begins as soon as you land at the Kilimanjaro International Airport. You’ll be met by our company representative, who will pack your bags in our comfortable 4×4 safari vehicle and transfer you to your comfortable hotel in the city of Arusha, less than an hour away.

Arusha is the safari capital of Tanzania, located on the southern slopes of Mount Meru, close to Mount Kilimanjaro. The city is close to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, Arusha, and Lake Manyara National Parks. Built by the Germans as a center of colonial administration because of the temperate climate, Arusha is a good spot to take a day off from your safari if you have extra time.

After your long travel today, you may want to relax, but if you’re interested in seeing more of this city that’s buzzing with excitement we can arrange a city tour for you.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Kibo Palace Hotel/Arusha Coffee Lodge/Impala Hotel

Midrange: – Outpost Lodge

Meal Plan: – Dinner

Activities & Services: –

• Pick up from the airport
• Transfer to your hotel in Arusha.

Day 2: Travel to Tarangire National Park & Do A Game Drive

After breakfast at the hotel, embark on a 2½ hours southwest to your first park of the 12 days Tanzania safari tour: Tarangire National Park. Enjoy some beautiful scenery viewing along the way, before arriving at your lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon, go on your first game drive of the safari!

Learn more about this wonderful park as you drive along looking to start your trip list of mammals, birds, and more.

Tarangire is a lovely quiet park, off the beaten safari track, most famous for its elephants that congregate in herds of up to 600 animals! The 2,850km² park is named after the Tarangire River and its landscape is primarily open savanna dotted with acacia woodland and giant baobab trees.

It is a dry season refuge, where large numbers of migratory wildlife; Elephants, Zebras, Wildebeests, Elands, Buffalos, and other animals concentrate around permanent water sources. The large numbers of game animals attract numerous predators, especially Lions. In fact, after the Serengeti, Tarangire has the greatest concentration of wildlife in Tanzania!

After your first game drive, return to the lodge for dinner, and overnight.

The highlight of the Day: – Spotting huge herds of elephant

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Tarangire Sopa Lodge

Midrange: – Tarangire Kirurumu Camp

Budget: – Roika Tented Lodge

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 150km/2½ hours

Activities & Services: –

• Transfer to Tarangire
• Afternoon game drive

Optional Activity: –

• Night game drive
• Walking safari

Day 3: Full Day Game Drive In Tarangire National Park

Have your first full-day safari in beautiful Tarangire. Enjoy morning and afternoon game drives, and return to camp for lunch and a short rest in the heat of the day.

Tarangire is an incredibly beautiful park, comprising granite ridges, river valleys, mixed vegetative landscapes, and swamps.

The park is also one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelopes such as Beisa Oryx and Gerenuk are regularly seen. It is also home to Giraffe, Impala, Waterbuck, Olive Baboon, Cheetah, Caracal, Honey Badger, and African Wild Dog.

Another attraction of Tarangire is the numerous termite mounds that dot the beautiful landscape. The ones that have been abandoned by termites are often inhabited by families of Common Dwarf Mongoose. After the game drive, return to your lodge in the early evening for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

The highlight of the Day: – A serene wildlife-viewing experience in Tarangire

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Tarangire Sopa Lodge

Midrange: – Tarangire Kirurumu Camp

Budget: – Roika Tented Lodge

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

• Full-day game drive

Day 4: Another Full Day Game Drive in Tarangire National Park

Day four of your 12 days Tanzania safari tour starts with an early breakfast.

Then go for another game drive, looking for animals and birds you may have missed out on during your earlier excursions. You once again return to your lodge for lunch and some relaxation time before you head out again on an afternoon game drive.

Over 550 species of birds have also been recorded in Tarangire and specials include Yellow-collared Lovebird, Rufous-tailed Weaver, Ashy Starling, Red-necked Spurfowl, Lazy Cisticola, Black Bishop, Pangani Longclaw, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, along with a host of vultures, eagles, and other raptors.

After another fantastic day in Tarangire, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

The highlight of The Day: – Game drives in Tarangire

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Tarangire Sopa Lodge

Midrange: – Tarangire Kirurumu Camp

Budget: – Roika Tented Lodge

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

• Full-day game drive

Day 5: Transfer to Lake Manyara NP. Take a Cultural Tour of Mto wa Mbu Village en route & enjoy a Game Drive on Arrival

After breakfast, embark on a 2-hour drive northwest to Lake Manyara, a scenic park at the base of the Rift Valley escarpment. Along the way, take a village walk in Mto wa Mbu village to discover a side of Tanzania that many visitors miss.

The village is one of the only places in Tanzania where there are representatives from all 120 tribes living happily side by side, making it a real melting pot of cultures. You’ll get a good feel for the social side of the village – the farms and the milling machines, the schools, markets, artisans in their workshops, and churches.

Continue to your lodge located at the edge of the park for lunch and relaxation. In the late afternoon, go for a game drive. 70% of Manyara’s 648km² area is covered by the shallow, alkaline lake itself, but, the park is not all about the lake, there is much more to it!  It has a variety of other diverse habitats; acacia woodlands, wet forests, algae-streaked hot springs, and swamps.

Still, the park has the highest concentration of Baboons (Olive baboons) anywhere in the world, and it’s home to the rare Tree-climbing lions!

Other mammals to look for today include Buffalo, Elephant, Hippos, Giraffe, Zebra, Wildebeest, Gazelles, Impala, Waterbuck, Bushbuck, Dik-dik, Warthog, Leopard, Hyena, Jackals, Honey Badger, Otters, and Egyptian Mongoose.

The highlight of the Day: – Spotting rare Tree-climbing lions

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge

Midrange: – Manyara Kirurumu Camp

Budget: – Manyara Wildlife Safari Camp

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 110km/2 hours

Activities & Services: –

• Transfer to Lake Manyara
• Mto wa Mbu Village walk
• Afternoon game drive

Optional Activity: –

• Night game drive

Day 6: Full Day Game Drive In Lake Manyara National Park

After an early breakfast today, go for a full-day game drive. You either have a packed lunch or stay in the park the whole day or return to the lodge for lunch and some time for relaxation before going for another game drive in the afternoon.

Manyara is home to a variety of animals, but one of the main reasons why travelers visit the park is the birds. In fact, some experts say that if a birder only had to choose one park to visit in Tanzania, then this is it!  It hosts over 400 species and is especially known for the flocks of thousands of flamingoes that feed along the edge of the lake in the wet season.

In 1991 there were an estimated 2 million Greater and Lesser Flamingoes here, along with 200,000 Great White Pelicans! Although you won’t get to see that, there are still some excellent species you can look for including Herons, Ducks, Herons, Storks, Egrets, Cormorants, Kingfishers, Jacanas, Plovers, Lapwings, Vultures, etc.

The highlight of the Day: – Game drive

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge

Midrange: – Manyara Kirurumu Camp

Budget: – Manyara Wildlife Safari Camp

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

• Full-day game drive

Day 7: Transfer To Serengeti National Park Via Olduvai Gorge & Do an Evening Game Drive On Arrival

After breakfast, set off on a 5-6 hour drive north to your next great destination of this wonderful 12 days Tanzania safari tour: Serengeti, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Travel through the breathtaking Rift Valley and Maasai villages.

Pass by the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater which you’ll visit properly on the way back. Stop to visit the Olduvai Gorge Museum – located near the site where archaeologists Louis and Mary Leakey discovered the remains of Homo habilis, one of the earliest members of the human genus in the 1960s.

At about noon, arrive in Serengeti. Enter through the southern region and enjoy a game drive as you continue to your lodge in central Serengeti, home to the world-famous Seronera Valley. The valley is known for its prime big game. It forms part of “the Great Migration” and is hailed as the best place to see predators – particularly lions, leopards, and cheetahs– on thrilling hunts.

After settling in your lodge, have lunch and relax. In the evening, go on your first “official” game drive in the Serengeti. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

The highlight of the Day: – Big game viewing in Central Serengeti

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Serengeti Sopa Lodge/Serengeti Serena Lodge

Midrange: – Serengeti Kati Kati Camp

Budget: – Kijereshi Tented Camp (Bungalow)

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive Distance & Time: – Approx. 250km/5-6 hours

Activities & Services: –

• Transfer to Serengeti
• Evening game drive
• Tour of Olduvai Gorge

Day 8: Whole Day Game Drive in Serengeti National Park

Enjoy an early breakfast at the lodge and then set off on a morning game drive. You’ll return to your lodge for lunch. After lunch, have some time to relax and then you go out in search of more animals and birds on an afternoon game drive.

Serengeti National Park ecosystem is one of the 7 natural wonders of Africa, as well as one of the 10 natural travel wonders of the world. It’s also one of the oldest and most scientifically significant ecosystems on the planet.

Serengeti has become world-famous for its annual Great Wildebeest Migration, an iconic scene in wildlife documentaries for decades, and a true bucket list experience. The park also has a prolific array of other wildlife; and big game at that.

Around 70 large mammals and 500 bird species are found here. Packs of African Wild Dog prides of Lion, Cheetah, Leopard, and Spotted Hyena are often seen tailing the herds of Wildebeest, Zebra, and Gazelle. Serengeti is also home to a diversity of grazers, including Buffalo, Elephant, Warthog, Eland, Waterbuck, and Topi.

After the game drive, return to your lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Serengeti Sopa Lodge/Serengeti Serena Lodge

Midrange: – Serengeti Kati Kati Camp

Budget: – Kijereshi Tented Camp (Bungalow)

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

• Full-day game drive

Optional Activity: – Hot air balloon safari

Day 9: Another Full Day Game Drive in Serengeti National Park

On day nine of your 12 days Tanzania safari tour, have another full day in central Serengeti National Park. Enjoy breakfast and lunch at the lodge, with morning and afternoon game drives included.

Maasai people have a name for the Serengeti; ‘Siringet’ or ‘the land that goes on forever. Great stretches of grassland dotted with flat-topped Acacia trees give the Serengeti that classic “Out of Africa” feel. Many people claim that the sunsets in the Serengeti are the most spectacular on earth.

During the game drive, you can even tick off some of the Serengeti’s star birds such as Fischer’s Lovebird, Kori Bustard, Saddle-billed Stork, Coqui Francolin, Temminck’s Courser, Secretary bird, D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Steel-blue Whydah, Red-fronted Parrot, Southern Ground Hornbill, Karamoja Apalis, Martial Eagle, etc.

You again return to the lodge after your game drive for dinner, and overnight. Tomorrow you go to the most famous crater on Earth!

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Serengeti Sopa Lodge/Serengeti Serena Lodge

Midrange: – Serengeti Kati Kati Camp

Budget: – Kijereshi Tented Camp (Bungalow)

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: –

• Full-day Game drive

Optional Activity: – Hot air balloon safari

Day 10: Drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area for the Crater Tour

After a leisurely breakfast, make your way out of Serengeti.

Enjoy one last game drive, admiring Africa’s wildlife as you drive to the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater. The name Ngorongoro comes from the Maasai pastoralists who named the area after the sound produced by the cowbell (ngoro ngoro)!

You reach your lodge for lunch and relaxation.

Then descend 2,000 feet to the crater floor and look for the mammals and birds that call the inside of Ngorongoro their home. On the way into the crater, learn some cool facts about this incredible natural geological wonderland.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers over 8,500km² adjacent to the plains of Serengeti and it’s a World Heritage Site. Its main feature is the Ngorongoro Crater, the largest unbroken volcanic caldera on Earth.

The grasslands within the crater host 25,000 large mammals including Wildebeest, Hartebeest, Buffalo, Zebra, Gazelles, Elands, Hippos, Elephants, Rhinos, Waterbucks, Bushbuck, Baboons, Reedbuck, Lion, Cheetah, Leopard, Hyena, Bat-eared Fox and Serval. Mysteriously there are no Giraffe or Impala inside the crater.

After the game drive, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

The highlight of the Day: – Game drive on Ngorongoro Crater floor

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge/Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

Midrange: – Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge

Budget: – Karatu Simba Lodge

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive Distance & Time: – Approx.140km/3 hours

Activities & Services: –

• Transfer to Ngorongoro
• Ngorongoro Crater game drive

Day 11: Full Day Game Drive In the Ngorongoro Crater

Today, have a full day inside the crater, enjoying a picnic lunch on the 260km² crater floor and returning late afternoon to your lodge on the rim of the crater for dinner.

Ngorongoro Crater sometimes referred to as “the eighth wonder of the world”, is best known for its natural beauty and abundance of diverse wildlife.

It is also a photographer’s dream… Most of the animals are very relaxed and habituated to the presence of humans and vehicles, and the cloud-draped crater walls make for dramatic pictures and memories. While a major attraction is of course the mammals, birding within the crater and on the crater rim is very good.

You can spend some time ticking special species such as Common Ostrich, Secretary bird, Kori Bustard, Crowned Crane, Bateleur, Long-crested Eagle, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Black-bellied Bustard, Jackson’s Widowbird, Golden-winged Sunbird, etc.

Again return to the lodge for your dinner and a good night’s sleep.

The highlight of The Day: – Spot spectacular wildlife in the Ngorongoro Crater.

Accommodation:-

Luxury: – Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge/Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

Midrange: – Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge

Budget: – Karatu Simba Lodge

Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Activities & Services: – Full-day Ngorongoro crater Game drive

Day 12: Short Crater Rim Walk & Transfer Back To Arusha

And so an amazing 12 days Tanzanian safari tour, unfortunately, comes to an end. After an early breakfast, take a short crater rim walk for dramatic crater photographs. Then embark on a 5-6 hour drive back to Arusha. You can stop for some last-minute shopping before making your way to Kilimanjaro Airport for your departure flight.

Please note: Extensions to Zanzibar, Uganda (for gorilla trekking), or parks in Kenya can easily be arranged. Don’t hesitate to contact us.

Activities & Services: –

• Ngorongoro crater rim walk
• Transfer back to Arusha
• Drop off at Kilimanjaro Airport

End of the 12 Days Tanzania Safari Tour

12 Days Tanzania Safari Tour − SAFARI INCLUSIONS

• Full Board Accommodation on Safari
• Transportation in either 4X4 Safari Van or 4X4 Safari Land Cruiser all with Pop up roof &AC
• Fuel
• Professional English Speaking driver guide. Any other foreign language speaking guide can be arranged on request.
• Entrance fees to the tourist sites including Protected areas mentioned
• Activity fees of the tourist activities mentioned
• Bottled water while on safari

12 Days Tanzania Safari Tour − SAFARI EXCLUSIONS

• General tips for the driver guide, site guides, and service staff at the lodges
• Laundry Services
• Other Beverages/drinks of personal nature like Alcohol
• International Flights (Arranged on request)
• Domestic Flights (Arranged on request)
• Visas
• Optional Activity fees
• Other extras not mentioned in the Itinerary
• Airport Transfer (Arranged on request)
• Accommodation in Arusha (Arranged on request)