5 Days Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater & Tarangire Safari

Safari Overview

Our 5 Days Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater & Tarangire Safari takes you to the most famous game parks in Tanzania.Lake Manyara National Park lies 130 kilometers outside of Arusha town and encompasses Lake Manyara and its surroundings. There are five different vegetation zones including groundwater forest, acacia woodland, open areas of short grass, swamps and the lake’s alkaline flats. The park’s wildlife includes more than 350 species of birds, baboon, warthog, giraffe, hippopotamus, elephant and buffalo. If lucky, catch a glimpse of Manyara’s famous tree-climbing lions. Night game drives are permitted in Lake Manyara. Located beneath the cliffs of the Manyara Escarpment, on the edge of the Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park offers varied ecosystems, incredible bird life, and breathtaking views. Known for its elephants and tree-climbing lions, Lake Manyara is also excellent for flamingos and other fascinating birds in and around the soda lake.

The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera. Forming a spectacular bowl of about 265 square kilometres, with sides up to 600 metres deep; it is home to approximately 30,000 animals at any one time. The Crater rim is over 2,200 metres high and experiences its own climate. From this high vantage point it is possible to make out the tiny shapes of animals making their way around the crater floor far below.  The crater floor consists of a number of different habitats that include grassland, swamps, forests and Lake Makat (Maasai for ‘salt’) – a central soda lake filled by the Munge River. All these various environments attract wildlife to drink, wallow, graze, hide or climb.

Tarangire National Park offers an unparalleled game viewing, and during the dry season elephants abound. Families of the pachyderms play around the ancient trunks of baobab trees and strip acacia bark from the thorn trees for their afternoon meal. Breathtaking views of the Maasai Steppe and the mountains in the south make a stopover at Tarangire a memorable experience. Herds of up to 300 elephants scratch the dry river bed for underground streams, while migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland crowd the shrinking lagoons. It’s the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem.

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    Day 1: Arusha – Lake Manyara National Park

    Early morning pick up from your hotel in Arusha at 8:00am for a drive todrive across the floor of the Great Rift Valley to Lake Manyara National Park. Elephant, giraffe, buffalo, zebra and a variety of antelope inhabit the park as well as a variety of monkeys and a large population of hippo’s. If you are lucky you may see the Manyara lions, well known for their tree climbing habits, lazily resting on the branches of an “Acacia tortilis” tree. The birdlife is also abundant with flamingos, pelicans, hornbills and plenty of forest species. Overnight at TWIGA Campsite or  Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge or a similar lodge.

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    Day 2: Lake Manyara National Park – Ngorongoro Crater

    After breakfast, depart for the Ngorongoro crater for a full afternoon of tracking game with your guide on the crater floor. You will break for your picnic lunch at the Ngoitoktok springs picnic site. All the big five may be seen. Other species encountered are cheetah, grant’s and Thompson’s gazelle, common zebra, wildbeest and the spotted hyena. Flamingos may also be seen at the Crater Lake. Dinner and overnight at the SIMBA Campsite or Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge or a similar lodge.

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    Day 3: Full Day Ngorongoro Crater

    Morning hike in the Southern Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the elephant cave and waterfall. In the afternoon visiting the Iraqw tribe cultural centre in Karatu to learn how the tribe protected their cattle from Masai incursions using underground settlements. After full day activities overnight at SIMBA Campsite or Campsite near Karatu or a similar lodge.

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    Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater – Tarangire National Park

    After breakfast depart for Tarangire National park, Tanzania’s third largest national park and sanctuary for an unusually large elephant population. Majestic baobab trees are an interesting feature of the park, dwarfing the animals that feed beneath them. Animals concentrate along the Tarangire River, which provides the only permanent water supply in the area. There is a great diversity of wildlife including lion, leopard, cheetah and up to six thousand elephant. Arrive in time for lunch after lunch, afternoon spent game viewing in the park, dinner and overnight at the Tarangire safari lodge or Nimali tarangire camp.

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    Day 4: Tarangire National Park – Arusha

    After early morning breakfast, proceed for your last game drive in the park as you leave for Kilimanjaro or Arusha arriving in the afternoon in time for your onward flight. Alternatively continue to your booked hotel for overnight.

Included in the Safari Cost
  • Arrival & Departure airport transfers complementary to all our clients.
  • Transportation as per itinerary.
  • Accommodation per itinerary or similar with a request to all our clients.
  • Meals as per itinerary B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D=Dinner.
  • Services literate English driver/guide.
  • National park & game reserve entrance fees as per itinerary.
  • Excursions & activities as per itinerary with a request
  • Recommended Mineral Water while on safari.
Excluded in the Safari Cost
  • Visas and related costs.
  • Personal Taxes.
  • Drinks, tips, laundry, telephone calls and other items of a personal nature.
  • International flights.
  • Optional excursions and activities not listed in the itinerary like Balloon safari, Masai Village.
For more information:

Please contact us on email info@morningstarsafaris.com or phone +254 742 143 599