Flamingoes Lake Natron Ol Doinyo Lengai Tanzania safari

Safari and hiking

9 days

On this fabulous itinerary you go on Big Five game drives, but also do some guided safari walks and take on a challenging hike to the top of an active volcano! To do this, we visit all of northern Tanzania's main safari attractions, like Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, but also some lesser-known ones, like Olmoti Crater and Lake Natron. Prepare to be blown away.

Detailed Itinerary

Northern Tanzania national parks map, Lake Natron

Day 1: Tarangire game drive

Today we head to Tarangire National Park for an exciting first game drive! This park is famous for its enormous baobab trees, massive elephant population, beautiful bird life, and more! Stand up in your safari car and peer through the gap in the roof at the varied wildlife. And enjoy lunch overlooking Tarangire River and the tree-dotted landscape.

Day 2: Hike Mt Ol Doinyo Lengai

After breakfast we drive to Lake Natron, a soda lake which often has algae blooms that turn it red! In the evening we trek up Ol Doinyo Lengai, an active volcano. We hike at night as it's so hot in the day. It's an incredibly challenging and daring climb that takes around 10 hours to complete. Those who aren't keen on the volcano can opt instead to do the Great Rift hike, which is also brilliant.

Pur. Mt Ol Doinyo Lengai with Maasai huts

Day 3: Ngare Sero waterfall hike

We arrive back from the volcano hike in the morning and head to camp to have breakfast and a well-deserved rest. In the afternoon we take a safari walk by the lake shore, led by a local Maasai guide. We also do a guided 5 km roundtrip hike up a narrow gorge to Ngare Sero waterfall. This is a beautiful oasis and you can swim in the pool created by the falls – bliss.

Day 4: Guided safari walk by lake

This morning we enjoy a guided safari walk at the southern end of Lake Natron. We look for large game on land, and the lake's famous flamingo stands on the water. Depending on the time of year, the lake could be red in colour from an algae bloom! We then drive to northern Serengeti, where the game-spotting begins long before we even enter this world-class reserve!

Pur. Ol Doinyo Lengai in distance, flock of lesser flamingos on Lake Natron

Day 5: Great Migration game drive

Today is all about the animals. Depending on the time of year, we'll either head to northern or central Serengeti to see the enormous herds of the Great Migration, the largest land-based migration in the world! If we head north, it's to see the famous river crossings, where the wildebeest and zebra herds plunge en masse across the Mara and Grumeti Rivers, fearful of crocs and the deadly current.

Day 6: Serengeti game drive

We enjoy another day of game drives in the world's best game park. The Serengeti is home to the Big Five (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard), and our safari guide Kazi will be doing his best to ensure you see all of these magnificent animals, as well as the many other gems that populate the park, like cheetahs, hippos, hyenas, serval cats, kudus, impalas and giraffes.

Day 7: Ngorongoro highlands

Today we enjoy a half-day game drive in central or southern Serengeti. January to March is calving season in southern Serengeti, so we’ll be sure to head there to see baby animals if your trip is early in the year. There's also lots of predator action to be observed around these herds. We then drive to the beautiful Ngorongoro highlands for dinner.

two hyenas sitting in lush grass looking off to the left of the frame

Day 8: Olmoti Crater hike

Today we do something few include in their Tanzania safari but is a real treat: hike to the floor of Olmoti Crater! This is a chance to see some wildlife up close, and moreover it's a truly beautiful hike. You're also likely to see some Maasai and their cattle in the area. The crater floor is bisected by a valley river, and we can hike to see pretty Munge Waterfall.

Ours. Olmoti Crater, near Munge River Ngorongoro CA, Highlands with Masai guide wearing traditional red blanket and official ranger

Day 9: Ngorongoro Crater safari

This is an epic day, as we drive down into Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive like no other. From the crater rim, the land below looks empty. But once you descend, you realise just how incredibly abundant the wildlife is. Expect to see zebras, buffaloes, elephants, lions, hippos, black rhinos, hyenas and more! In the evening we head to the town of Karatu.

Inclusions

Professional, English-speaking safari guide and driver

A private safari car with pop-up roof and all petrol (fuel)

All game drives

All park fees

All meals

All accommodation

Bottled drinking water

Airport transfers

Airfares

Tanzanian visa

Traveller’s insurance

Tips

Alcohol and soft drinks

Gallery

Safari vehicle on game drive in Ngorongoro Crater

a coalition of cheetahs, what is the Serengeti famous for?

Great Migration, what is the Serengeti famous for?

Pur. Mt Ol Doinyo Lengai and desert rose tree

FAQs

Can I see the Big Five in Serengeti?

Yes, Serengeti National Park is home to the Big Five! Also, it has the highest concentration of wildlife in all Tanzania. It's not one of the most famous game parks in the world for nothing!

Does Ngorongoro Crater have the Big Five?

Yes, Ngorongoro Crater has the Big Five! It's one of relatively few places where you can see endangered black rhinos. There are also about hundreds of lions in the crater, which is an extremely high density.

How hard is it it climb Mt Ol Doinyo Lengai?

It's very hard. Not only must you tackle a steady uphill for hours to reach the summit, but the incline is incredibly steep – around 45 degrees. The descent is equally tough, impacting your knees and testing your nerve. Further, most people do the climb at night, as it's usually too hot during the day.

You can learn more about East Africa's most challenging one-day hike here.

What are the Big Five?

The Big Five are leopards, lions, bush elephants, Cape buffaloes and black rhinos.

What is the Great Migration?

The Great Migration refers to the nonstop circular movement of herds of wildebeests, zebras and antelopes across the plains of northern Tanzania and southern Kenya. Roughly two million animals take part in the migration, motivated by the need to find water and green pasture. The spectacle of seeing such enormous herds on the move attracts visitors from all over the world!

Why is Lake Natron red?

The water of Lake Natron sometimes turns red (or orange-red) because of the cyanobacteria that thrives in its hyper-saline environment. This red tinge to the water can even be seen from space!

Learn more about Lake Natron – Tanzania's beautiful and deadly red lake.