6-Day Tanzania Budget Safari: Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Lake Manyara Itinerary

6-Day Tanzania Budget Safari

Activities:
- Pick-up from Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha town.
- Transfer to your budget lodge or hotel in Arusha.
- Safari briefing by your guide, including what to expect, packing tips, and Q&A.
Optional: Visit a local market or cultural center if arriving early.
Meals: Dinner (if arriving in time)
Accommodation: Budget lodge in Arusha (e.g., Outpost Lodge, Venus Premier Hotel)

Drive Time: ~2.5 hours (120 km)
Activities:
- Morning departure after breakfast.
- Game drive in Lake Manyara National Park: famous for tree-climbing lions, large troops of baboons, flamingos, and hippos.
- Explore the groundwater forest, open plains, and the alkaline lake ecosystem.
Scenery: Great Rift Valley escarpment, lush woodlands, and lakeside views.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Budget campsite/lodge near Mto wa Mbu or Karatu (e.g., Panorama Safari Camp)

Drive Time: ~4–5 hours (via Ngorongoro)
Activities:
- Scenic drive through Ngorongoro Highlands into Serengeti.
- En-route picnic lunch and possible wildlife sightings.
- Afternoon game drive in Central Serengeti (Seronera Valley): known for big cats, elephants, giraffes, and wildebeest.
Wildlife: Lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, wildebeest, zebras, hyenas.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Budget tented camp in Central Serengeti (e.g., Seronera Public Campsite or similar)

Activities:
- Early morning game drive to catch predators in action at sunrise.
- Full-day exploration of Serengeti plains and kopjes.
- Visit hippo pools, observe migration (seasonal), and photograph Big 5 wildlife.
Optional: Balloon safari (additional cost) in the early morning.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (picnic), Dinner
Accommodation: Budget tented camp in Serengeti

Drive Time: ~3–4 hours
Activities:
- Morning game drive en route out of Serengeti.
- Optional visit to a Maasai village near Ngorongoro (cultural experience).
- Overnight stay on the crater rim for early access next morning.
Scenery: Crater rim views, highland forest, Maasai settlements.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Budget lodge/campsite on Ngorongoro rim (e.g., Simba Campsite)

Activities:
- Early descent into Ngorongoro Crater for a half-day game drive.
- Explore the world’s largest intact caldera: home to rhinos, lions, hippos, and flamingos.
- Picnic lunch by a hippo pool.
- Ascend and drive back to Arusha in the late afternoon.
Drive Time: ~4–5 hours to Arusha
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Optional overnight in Arusha or transfer to airport.