Tanzania · Joining Group Safaris

2 Days Safari to Tarangire & Ngorongoro – Midrange Lodge

2 daysArusha • Tarangire • Ngorongoro Crater

Duration: 2 days / 1 night
Country: Tanzania
Style: Joining Group Safaris, Lodge Safaris, Tanzania Safaris, Wildlife Tours
Stay: Mid-range lodge
Travel: Tailor-made

Overview

A short, great-value introduction to northern Tanzania. Day one is in Tarangire, the “home of elephants”, where ancient baobabs shade some of the largest elephant herds in the country, along with lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras and wildebeest.

Day two is the highlight: the Ngorongoro Crater, a vast volcanic caldera where wildlife is so concentrated that it’s often called the best game-viewing spot in Tanzania.

You travel in a shared 4×4 with a pop-up roof (maximum 6–7 guests, everyone gets a window seat), and your room at the lodge is private.

Note: on this tour you share the safari vehicle with other guests, but your accommodation is private.

Price per person

Group size	1 person	2 people	3–5 people	6+ people
Mid-range lodge	US$850	US$700	US$630	US$590
Luxury lodge	US$1,250	US$1,150	US$1,050	US$1,030

Route

1Arusha
2Tarangire
3Ngorongoro Crater

Day-by-day itinerary

Day01 Arusha – Tarangire National Park
Your guide collects you from your Arusha hotel in the morning, and after a short briefing you set off on the roughly two-hour drive to Tarangire National Park. This is baobab country: huge, centuries-old trees stand above the grassland, and the Tarangire River draws one of the largest concentrations of elephants in Tanzania, especially in the dry season.

Your guide plans the game drive around the latest sightings, looking for lions, leopards and cheetahs as well as the giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffalo and warthogs that graze the river valley. Lunch is a picnic at the Tarangire River viewpoint, where animals come down to drink (keep an eye on your lunch box, the vervet monkeys are bold).

You leave the park at around 4:30 pm and drive to your lodge in Mto wa Mbu for dinner and the night.
- Meals Lunch & Dinner
- Overnight Suricata Boma Lodge, Mto wa Mbu (or similar)
Day02 Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha
After an early breakfast you drive up to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater and stop at the viewpoint. The view is unforgettable: a 600-metre-deep, 20-kilometre-wide volcanic caldera with lakes, swamps, forest and grassland laid out below you.

Then you descend to the crater floor for your game drive. The steep walls keep most animals inside all year, so wildlife is dense and easy to see: lions, elephants, buffalo, hyenas, zebras, wildebeest, hippos and flamingos are all regulars. The crater is also one of the best places in Tanzania to look for the endangered black rhino, which takes patience to find.

After a picnic lunch by the hippo pool you climb back out of the crater in the afternoon and drive back to Arusha, arriving in the early evening.
- Meals Breakfast & Lunch

What’s included

Included

All park entrance fees and government taxes
All meals as listed in the itinerary
Bottled drinking water (at least 3 litres per person per day) and soft drinks in the vehicle
Airport transfers on arrival and departure
Accommodation during the safari (private room)
Shared 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof and a guaranteed window seat (maximum 6–7 guests)
Vehicle inverter for charging, communications radio, cool box and filtered water
Professional English-speaking driver-guide

Not included

International and domestic flights (unless listed above)
Tanzania visa fee
Tips for your guide, driver and camp crew
Travel insurance
Alcoholic drinks and personal items
Optional activities such as a hot-air balloon flight

Gallery

7 Days Tanzania Explorer Safari – photo 4

7 Day Tanzania Wilderness Safari – photo 4

Frequently asked questions

How does a joining-group safari work?

You share the safari vehicle with other travellers (a maximum of 6–7 guests, each with a window seat and access to the pop-up roof), which keeps the price down. Your room at each lodge is private.

Can I make this a private safari?

Yes. We can run any of our joining-group itineraries as a private safari with a vehicle and guide just for your group. Ask us for a private quote.

When is the best time for this safari?

Northern Tanzania is good all year. The long dry season (June to October) is best for general game viewing, January to March is calving season in the southern Serengeti, and the April–May rains bring green landscapes and lower prices.

Can I change the accommodation or add days?

Yes. Every itinerary can be tailored: upgrade or change lodges, add extra nights, or combine your safari with Zanzibar or a Kilimanjaro climb. Tell us what you have in mind when you enquire.

What should I pack?

Light, neutral-coloured layers, a warm fleece for early mornings (the Ngorongoro rim gets cold), a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, binoculars and a camera with a spare battery. Soft bags pack into safari vehicles and light aircraft more easily than hard suitcases.

Tailor-made