5-Days Fly for Mid-Range Safari in Serengeti & Crater
5-Days Fly for Mid-Range Safari in Serengeti & Crater
Serengeti National Park is in Tanzania and covers about 5,700 square miles. It stretches into Kenya, forming the Maasai Mara National Reserve. It’s Tanzania’s oldest park and a major attraction for tourists. It’s part of the Northern safari circuit, along with Arusha National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and Tarangire National Park.
The name “Serengeti” comes from the Maasai word “Siringet,” meaning “a place where land stretches forever.” The Maasai lived here for centuries before European explorer Oscar Baumann visited in 1892. The Serengeti was home to lots of big game, drawing sport hunters from Europe and the US. To protect the wildlife, the British colonial administration turned it into a game reserve in 1921 and a full reserve by 1929. Serengeti National Park was established in 1951, including the Ngorongoro Conservation area until 1959 when it became a separate reserve.
The park has three main parts: the Serengeti plains, Western Corridor, and Northern Serengeti. The plains are famous for endless grasslands interrupted by rocky hills called kopjes, home to many hoofed animals and predators. The Western Corridor has rivers and forests where you find eagles, crocodiles, hippos, and monkeys. The Northern Serengeti has hills and woodlands, known for giraffes, elephants, and wildebeest migrations to Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve.
The Serengeti is renowned for its biodiversity and wildlife, including over 1.5 million wildebeests, 300,000 gazelles, and 200,000 zebras migrating annually. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Category II protected area by IUCN. The park is home to the Big Five: lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffaloes. It has the largest lion population in Africa, along with other predators and a diverse range of herbivores, birds, reptiles, and primates. Visitors can enjoy safari packages to explore the park’s wonders.
Flying over the Serengeti gives you a view of the amazing adventure waiting below. With clear skies, you can see some of the Serengeti’s wildlife as your plane lands at the Seronera Airstrip. Once you arrive, you’ll switch to a safari jeep and start exploring the Serengeti. This 5-day tour is perfect because you will visit Serengeti National Park and the beautiful Ngorongoro Crater.
Day 1 Arusha City
After you arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport, one of our guides will greet you and drive you for about one hour to your lodging in Arusha. Here, you can relax and get ready for your safari in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
Main Destination: Arusha (City)
Accommodation: Arusha Planet Lodge (Mid-range lodge in Arusha city)
Meals: Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)
Drinks: Not included
Day 2 Arusha Airport – Serengeti National Park
One of our drivers will pick you up at your accommodation and take you to Arusha Airport for your flight to the Serengeti. After arriving at Seronera airstrip, our guide will pick you up, and you’ll start a game drive.
The Serengeti is a huge area with a rich ecosystem and diverse wildlife. Every year, 1.5 million wildebeests migrate through the park, joined by zebras, gazelles, giraffes, impalas, warthogs, and hippos. There are also many carnivores like jackals, hyenas, servals, and mongooses. The most popular animals, known as the Big Five, are lions, African leopards, African bush elephants, Eastern black rhinoceros, and Cape buffaloes. This is just the beginning of your adventure. After a picnic lunch and more game viewing, you’ll return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Main Destination: Serengeti National Park
Best Time To Visit: January to February and June to October (Different areas are best at different times)
High Season: July to March (The Seronera area is crowded)
Best Weather: June to October (Little to no rainfall)
Accommodation: Kon Tiki Serengeti Camp (Mid-range tented camp inside Serengeti NP)
Meals & Drinks: All meals included, Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 3 Full Day Game Drive in Serengeti National Park
On this day, you’ll continue with game drives, specifically looking for the Big Five. We recommend an early start to witness one of the most beautiful sunrises.
The Serengeti is famous for its almost treeless grassland in the south. It has kopjes, which are granite formations that predators use as observation posts. The Volcanic Grasslands grow on soils from volcanic ash near the Grumeti and Mbalageti rivers.
Main Destination: Serengeti National Park
Accommodation: Kon Tiki Serengeti Camp (Mid-range tented camp inside Serengeti NP)
Meals & Drinks: All meals included, Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 4 Serengeti National Park – Ngorongoro Highland
This day, you’ll have an early morning game drive, then return to your accommodation for a late breakfast. After breakfast, you’ll leave the Serengeti for Ngorongoro Crater. You’ll have a picnic lunch and game viewing on the way before arriving at your accommodation in the Ngorongoro area for dinner and overnight.
Main Destination: Serengeti National Park
Accommodation: Rhino Lodge (Mid-range lodge on the crater rim of Ngorongoro Crater)
Meals & Drinks: All meals included, Drinks not included
Day 5 Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha
Start early to visit the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest inactive volcanic caldera. It formed when a huge volcano exploded and collapsed on itself. Now, it’s a natural paradise and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, home to nearly 25,000 large animals, including black rhinoceros, buffaloes, hippos, and big cats. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll stop for lunch at a picnic spot near a lake, then continue with game drives until late afternoon when you’ll return to Arusha for your departure.
Main Destination: Ngorongoro Crater
Best Time To Visit: June to October (Best wildlife viewing)
High Season: Most of the year – July to March (Expect crowds)
Accommodation: No accommodation (End of tour)
Meals & Drinks: Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included), Drinks not included
End of Tour:
Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
A transfer back to the airport can be arranged for an extra cost