17 Days Tanzania Safari Tour – (Mountain Climbing, Culture & Wildlife Viewing) Mount Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Tarangire, Serengeti, & Ngorongoro
17 Days Tanzania Safari Tour – SAFARI OVERVIEW
17 days Tanzania safari tour is an incredible 16 nights / 17 days safari in Tanzania tour that combines Mount Kilimanjaro, Arusha National Park, Tarangire National Park, the Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater in one adventurous and welcoming package.
This 17 days Tanzania safari trip is the ideal trip to book if you want a physical challenge and wildlife encounters that will leave you breathless.
Your adventure begins with a six-day trek up and down Mount Kilimanjaro via Machame Route, the most challenging and scenic way to the highest peak in Africa (5,895m). After having conquered Mt Kilimanjaro, have some time to relax, visit Arusha National Park, and enjoy a fascinating community walk.
Then take a classic safari to the most beautiful national park in Tanzania – the Tarangire National Park before moving to the iconic Serengeti. And finally, finish your safari at Ngorongoro Crater, a natural wonder that others refer to as a natural zoo due to its large number of animals which hence attracts an array of predators such as cheetahs, leopards, lions, hyenas, etc.
You can book or customize this 17 days Tanzania safari tour to suit your special interests and budget – at an affordable price!
17 Days Tanzania Safari Tour – PRIME SAFARI ACTIVITIES
- Climb Mount Kilimanjaro via Machame Route
- Trek past verdant forests and silent glaciers
- Traverse the Shira Plateau, one of the highest plateaus on earth
- Watch the sunrise from Uhuru Peak – 5,895m
- Enjoy daily game drives in the best National Parks in Tanzania
- Spot the Big Five (Lion, Elephant, Leopard, Buffalo, Rhino)
- Witness the Great Migration of over two million animals, if the time right
- Watch huge herds of Elephants up close in Tarangire National park
- Spot Big Cats (Lions, Leopards, and Cheetahs) on thrilling hunts
- Explore the breath-taking Ngorongoro Crater
- Take a community walking tour of Arusha
17 Days Tanzania Safari Tour – FEATURED SAFARI DESTINATIONS
Day 1: Arusha
Day 2, 3, 4, 5, 6: Mount Kilimanjaro
Day 7, 8 & 9: Rest day in Arusha
Day 10 & 11: Tarangire National Park
Day 12, 13, & 14: Serengeti National Park
Day 15 & 16: Ngorongoro Crater.
Day 17: Arusha
17 Days Tanzania Safari Tour – SAFARI HIGHLIGHTS
Day 1: Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport & transfer to your hotel Arusha.
Day 2: Climb Kilimanjaro: Machame Gate (1,800m) – Machame Camp (3010m)
Day 3: Machame Camp – Shira Camp (3750m)
Day 4: Shira Camp – Lava Tower – Barranco Camp (3,960m).
Day 5: Barranco Camp – Barafu Camp (4,640m)
Day 6: Ascent to Uhuru Peak (5,895m) & Descent to Millennium Camp (3,820m).
Day 7: Descent from Millennium Camp to Mweka Gate (1,640m).
Day 8: Rest day in Arusha
Day 9: Game drive in Arusha National Park & community walk or cycling tour.
Day 10: Transfer to Tarangire national park for a game drive
Day 11: Full-day game drive in Tarangire national park
Day 12: Transfer to Serengeti National Park & do an evening game drive
Day 13: Full-day game drive in Serengeti National Park
Day 14: Another full-day game drive in Serengeti National Park
Day 15: Game Drives in Serengeti & the Ngorongoro Crater
Day 16: Full-day game drive in Ngongoro Crater
Day 17: Transfer back to Arusha
17 Days Tanzania Safari Tour – DETAILED SAFARI ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrive At Kilimanjaro International Airport & Transfer To Your Hotel Arusha
Your thrilling 17 days Tanzania safari tour adventure begins on arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). Our company representative will meet you and transfer you to a comfortable hotel in Arusha. The remainder of the day is free for you to relax at the lodge. You will have a briefing in the evening at the lodge in preparation for your epic Mount Kilimanjaro climbing adventure tomorrow.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Legendary Lodge/Arusha Coffee Lodge/Kibo Palace Hotel
Midrange: – Outpost Lodge
Meal Plan: – Dinner
Activities & Services: –
- Pick up from the airport
- Transfer to your hotel in Arusha.
Day 2: Climb Mount Kilimanjaro: Machame Gate (1,800m) – Machame Camp (3010m)
On day two of your 17 days safari in Tanzania tour, you begin your week-long trek to the top of Africa’s highest mountain!
After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be driven to Machame gate (1,800m) to get your climbing permit and register with the search and rescue service. You’ll be fully briefed, meet your dedicated crew that consists of guides, cooks, and porters, and have all the necessary health checks done.
Your health will be monitored every step of the way to ensure you’re acclimatizing correctly to the thinning air. Your porters will carry everything required to set up a comfortable camp, including all you carry in your daypack.
Today’s trek takes you through the gorgeous and fascinating, rainforest zone of Kilimanjaro to Machame camp (3,010m). Keep a look out for colobus monkeys and exotic birds. Your accommodation will be a spacious 3-person pup tent for every two guests with a 3-inch mattress, pillow, and extra-thermal sleeping bag.
Accommodation: – Machame Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Altitude: – Climb 1210 meters
Hiking Time: – 5-6 hours
Difficulty: – Medium
Habitat: – Rainforest
Day 3: Machame Camp – Shira Camp (3750m)
After an early breakfast today, continue climbing up to the second high-altitude camp, Shira Camp (3,750 m). You emerge from the Afromontane forest and make your way to the heather zone, keeping an eye out for massive lobelia plants en route.
The Shira Plateau is an attractive place with beautiful geographical features like glacial valleys and lava tubes. Physically speaking, hiking is not very hard, but you may feel the altitude changes, so pay attention to your body and keep in mind that choosing the right pace is crucial for successful hiking.
Once you reach the camp, have lunch and some relaxation. After lunch, go on an acclimatization hike towards Lava Tower Camp with a 300-meter gain in altitude. Back down at Shira Camp, a hot dinner will be served.
Accommodation: – Shira Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Altitude: – Climb 740m
Hiking Time: – 4-5 hours
Difficulty: – Low
Habitat: – Alpine moorland
Day 4: Shira Camp – Lava Tower – Barranco Camp (3,960m)
One of the most proven ways to acclimatize to increasing altitude is to ‘climb high, sleep low, which entails trekking to a point above your camp and then returning to camp to rest.
Today, after breakfast, climb slowly through the barren alpine desert, head up to Lava Tower (4,630 m), and then descend to Barranco Camp (3,960 m).
Although is it a long day of trekking, you’ll enjoy the advantages of hiking high and sleeping low throughout the following days. Barranco is famous for its giant groundsel plants (Dendrosenecio). In addition, you’ll see the famous Barranco Glacial Wall, impressive in both its massive size and steepness!
The next day you will climb it, but don’t worry: it features an easy hiking trail.
Accommodation: – Barranco Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Altitude: – Climb 880m, Descend 670m
Hiking Time: – 6-8 hours
Difficulty: – Medium
Habitat: – Moorland
Day 5: Barranco Camp – Barafu Camp (4,640m)
After an early breakfast, start climbing the Barranco Glacial Wall (we recommend you depart the camp as early as possible to avoid crowds of the other groups).
Hiking up the gorge wall is not difficult and only takes around an hour. After the climb, you can relax and take photos in front of the Kibo volcano.
After that, start a more difficult trek to Karanga Camp, which features numerous ascents and descents over the way, but don’t worry: your expert guide will choose an optimal pace for the group. After reaching the camp enjoy a warm lunch. After a couple of hours, complete your ascent to Barafu Camp (4,640 m).
Tonight, enjoy an early hot dinner so that you can rest as much as possible before you tackle the summit. You might feel nervous and excited at the same time, but it is worth trying to sleep as you have a long night ahead of you in very cold conditions.
Accommodation: – Barafu Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Altitude: – 680m
Hiking Time: – 8-10 hours
Difficulty: – High
Habitat: – Alpine desert
Day 6: Ascent to Uhuru Peak (5,895m) & Descent to Millennium Camp (3,820m)
Most efforts to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro begin at around midnight.
There are several reasons for this, including the loose shale is more stable and easier to walk on when it’s colder; there is a psychological benefit to not seeing how far you have to go, allowing you to focus totally on putting one foot in front of another; and summiting at sunrise allows you to greet a new day at Africa’s highest point.
Your guides will have taught you to hike slowly (‘pole, pole’) and to drink as much as possible because dehydration exacerbates altitude sickness.
Patience and persistence will get you to Stella Point, from where it is a relatively short trek to the world-famous Uhuru Peak, where all those iconic photos are taken. Here you get to bask in the glory of this magnificent setting and the empowering experience of reaching the “Roof of Africa” on your own two feet.
After taking the photos, descend to Barafu Camp, and after a 2-hour rest continue your descent to Millennium Camp. The higher oxygen levels will make you feel more energetic and exhilarated that you have conquered Kili.
Accommodation: – Millennium Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Altitude: – Climb 1255m, Descend 2,075m
Hiking Time: – 8-12 hours
Difficulty: – High
Habitat: – Arctic
Day 7: Descent from Millennium Camp to Mweka Gate (1,640m)
Hike downhill to the Mweka Gate: Mweka Gate (1,640 m). Enjoy the lower altitude and the view of the forested slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro.
The route can be muddy underfoot so take care. After your descent the whole group will gather to congratulate you, followed by offering you a chance to share your opinions on the climb in the guestbook.
You receive your trekking certificates: green for reaching Stella Point and gold for reaching Uhuru Peak. Last you’re driven to your hotel in Arusha for a soft bed, electrical lighting, and – often best of all – a hot shower!
Accommodation: –
Luxury: – Kibo Palace Hotel/Arusha Coffee Lodge/Impala Hotel
Midrange: – Outpost Lodge
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Altitude: – Descend 2,180m
Hiking Time: – 4-5 hours
Difficulty: – Low
Habitat: – Rainforest
Day 8: Rest Day in Arusha
Day 8 of your 17 days safari Tanzania tour is your well-earned rest and recovery day in Arusha. Use the day to relax by the pool, soak your aching muscles, restore your energy with good food and reflect on your incredible accomplishment.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Kibo Palace Hotel/Arusha Coffee Lodge/Impala Hotel
Midrange: – Outpost Lodge
Meal Plan: – Dinner
Day 9: Morning Game Drive in Arusha National Park & Afternoon Community Walk or Cycling Tour
On day 9 of your 17 days Tanzania safari, start with a delicious breakfast before embarking on a 45-minute drive to Arusha National Park.
Participate in a leisurely game drive here. Explore the park’s landmarks such as the Momella Lakes and Ngurdoto Crater, sometimes known as ‘Little Ngorongoro’.
You cannot see all of the Big 5 animals (elephant, leopard, lion, buffalo, and rhino) here, but the park is home to the world’s largest population of giraffes! There are also zebras, buffalos, elephants, flamingos, hippos, primates, and other animals.
Return to your lodge for lunch and some time to relax. In the afternoon, go on a community walk and explore the colorful local markets to get a feel for local life in Africa. You’ll find everything from Maasai handicrafts and jewelry to fresh fruit, spices, carvings, and local textiles. If you have more energy, you can take a 2 hours cycling tour of villages on Arusha’s outskirts.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Kibo Palace Hotel/Arusha Coffee Lodge/Impala Hotel
Midrange: – Outpost Lodge
Meal Plan: – Dinner
Activities & Services: –
- Game drive
- Arusha community walk
Optional Activities:-
- Canoe ride on Momella Lake
- Cycling through villages
Day 10: Transfer to Tarangire National Park for A Game Drive
On day 10 of your 17 days Tanzania safari tour, you enjoy a good breakfast at 8.00 am and then leave for Tarangire National Park. It’s a scenic drive of about 2½ hours in a southwesterly direction. On arrival, check in to your lodge and have lunch.
Take some time to relax after lunch, and then go on an afternoon game drive.
Tarangire offers a serene and intimate wildlife-viewing experience due to its low volume of visitors. The park runs along the line of the Tarangire River and is mainly made up of low-lying hills on the Great Rift Valley floor.
Its natural vegetation mainly consists of Acacia woodland and giant African Baobab trees, with huge swamp areas in the south. Both the river and the swamps act like a magnet for wild animals, during Tanzania’s dry season. Tarangire is reputed to contain some of the largest elephant herds in Africa – up to 300 animals!
The highlight of the Day: – Spotting huge herds of African 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
Day 11: Full-Day Game Drive in Tarangire National Park
On day eleven of your 17 days Tanzania safari, enjoy a 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. And, the park is one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelopes such as Beisa Oryx and Gerenuk are regularly seen.
Dwarf Mongoose, Giraffe, Impala, Waterbuck, Olive Baboon, Cheetah, Caracal, Honey Badger, African Wild Dog Buffalo, Eland, Wildebeest, Hartebeest, Kudu, Lion, Leopard, Hyenas, and Cheetahs also reside here.
And over 550 species of birds have been recorded, including the dazzlingly colorful Yellow-collared Lovebird, the Common Ostrich (the world’s largest bird), and the Kori Bustard (the heaviest flying bird in the world).
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 12: Transfer To Serengeti NP & Do an Evening Game Drive
After breakfast, head towards the Serengeti National Park, via the beautiful high-lying farmland of Karatu, Maasai Villages, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Leaving the highlands behind, descend into the heart of wild Africa – the Serengeti – with its endless plains, rolling into the distance as far as the eye can see.
It is here that wildebeest and zebra migrate in millions, following the ancient rhythms of Africa’s seasonal changes – an iconic and dramatic scene that has featured in wildlife documentaries for decades, and a true bucket-list Africa safari experience!
You head to the Central Park area, known as the Seronera area, one of the richest wildlife habitats in the Park, featuring the Seronera River, which provides a valuable water source to this area and therefore attracts wildlife well representative of most of the Serengeti’s species.
Enjoy a packed lunch en route, so as to not cut into your game viewing time in this part of the Serengeti. The area forms part of “the Great Migration” and is hailed as one of the best places in Africa to see predators, particularly lions, leopards, and cheetahs – on thrilling hunts. You’ll reach your camp in the central Serengeti in the evening to freshen up and enjoy dinner.
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
Day 13: Full Day Safari in Serengeti National Park
Your day 13 of the 17 days Tanzania safari begins with an early breakfast. Then set off on a full safari in Serengeti.
You will return to your camp for lunch and some time to relax and then you go out in search of more animals and birds on an afternoon game drive. You’ll head out just before daybreak to experience a safari at sunrise.
Few predators hunt during the heat of the day, so the early morning is the best time to observe the thrill of the chase. It is also a magical time in the Serengeti, with soft light dappling the landscape, birds awakening, and the sense of adventure begins to unfold. On your safari today, explore the heart of the Serengeti, Seronera Valley.
The area is known for its high concentration of big cats like lions, leopards, and cheetahs, but you will also see a whole range of wild animals roaming these grassy plains; from the skittish zebra to the naughty mongoose.
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: –
- Game drives in Serengeti
Optional Activity: –
- Hot air balloon safari
Day 14: Another Full Day Game Drive in Serengeti National Park
Enjoy another full-day safari in Central Serengeti. You’ll enjoy breakfast and lunch at the camp, with morning and afternoon game drives included.
Maasai people have a name for the Serengeti; ‘Siringet’ or a ‘place where the land runs forever. Great stretches of grassland dotted with flat-topped Acacia trees give the Serengeti that classic “Out of Africa” feel.
The park is also home to over 500 bird species.
Reptiles in Serengeti include the massive Nile crocodile, East African Serrated Mud Turtle, Nile Monitor, and many others.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Serengeti Sopa Lodge/Serengeti Serena Lodge
Midrange: – Serengeti Kati Kati Camp
Budget: – Kijereshi Tented Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services: –
- Full-day Game drive
Day 15: Game Drives in Serengeti & the Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast on the day of the 17 days Tanzania safari tour, enjoy an en-route game drive as you depart from the flat grassy plains of the Serengeti to the rugged forested hills of the Ngorongoro Highlands. Pass picturesque Masai villages along the way.
Your destination today is the Ngorongoro Crater. You arrive at your lodge in time for lunch. After lunch, descend 2,000 feet to the crater floor.
On the way into the crater, learn some cool facts about this incredible natural wonder. The Ngorongoro Crater has formed around 2.5 million years ago when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed on itself.
Now an enclosed ecosystem, a World Heritage Site, and the largest unbroken volcanic caldera on Earth, the crater is one of the most densely crowded African wildlife areas in the world and is home to an estimated 25,000 large animals, including some of Tanzania’s last remaining black rhino. After the game drive, return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
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
- Game drives
Day 16: Full Day Game Drive In Ngorongoro Crater
On day 16 of your 17 days Tanzania safari tour, have a full-day game drive inside Ngorongoro crater, enjoy a picnic lunch on the 264km2 crater floor and return 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 extraordinary natural beauty and biodiversity. Although animals can move in and out of the crater, climbing the steep caldera walls requires some effort, so much of the wildlife is resident inside. This includes herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog, hippo, and giant African elephants.
Another big draw card to this picturesque crater is its huge population of predators such as lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs, and the ever-elusive leopard. Ngorongoro is also home to more than 500 species including Ostriches and flamingos.
Accommodation:-
Luxury: – Ngorongoro Serena Lodge/Ngorongoro Crater Lodge
Midrange: – Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge
Budget: – Karatu Simba Lodge
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services: –
- Full Game drive
Day 17: Transfer Back To Arusha
Enjoy your last African sunrise in this spectacular country before you return home. Depending on the time of your departure flight you may take a short walk on the Ngorongoro Crater rim (fantastic for dramatic crater photographs), before making your way back to Kilimanjaro Airport for your departure.
Meal Plan: – Breakfast
Activities & Services: –
- Transfer back to Arusha
- Drop off at Kilimanjaro Airport
End of the 17 Days Tanzania Safari Tour
17 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
- Airport Transfers
17 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
- Domestic Flights (Arranged on request)
- Visas
- Optional Activity fees
- Other extras not mentioned in the Itinerary
