Five days is the length at which northern Tanzania starts to make sense as a loop rather than a dash. You can see three very different places, Tarangire, the Serengeti, and the Ngorongoro Crater, and still sleep in the same area two nights running at least once.
This guide lays out the classic 5-day route from Arusha, day by day, with drive times taken from published route guides. It also covers how the plan shifts with the seasons, which add-ons fit, and what actually moves the price.
The route at a glance
The loop runs Arusha, Tarangire, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and back to Arusha. Drive times between the stops, from published route guides:
| Leg | Distance | Typical drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Arusha to Tarangire | About 120 km | 2 to 3 hours |
| Tarangire to Karatu | About 100 km | About 2 hours |
| Karatu to Ngorongoro (Loduare Gate) | About 15 km | About 30 minutes |
| Karatu to Serengeti (Naabi Hill Gate) | About 115 km | 3.5 to 4.5 hours |
| Naabi Hill Gate to Seronera | About 60 km | About 1 hour |
| Karatu to Arusha | About 140 km | 3 to 3.5 hours |
These are driving times, not door-to-door times. Inside the parks you stop for animals, and a road transfer through the Ngorongoro highlands or across the Serengeti plains is also a game drive. Rain can slow the gravel sections.
5-day Tanzania safari itinerary, day by day
Day 1: Arusha to Tarangire
Leave Arusha in the morning. The main road south toward Babati is tarmac, and the last stretch to the gate is gravel. Arrive by late morning, have lunch in the park, and spend the afternoon on game drives along the river valley and swamps. Stay inside or just outside Tarangire, or continue toward Karatu if you want a shorter day two.
Day 2: Tarangire to the Serengeti
This is the long transfer day. If you slept near Tarangire, it is about two hours to Karatu, then the climb into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, along the crater rim, and down onto the plains to Naabi Hill Gate. From Naabi it is roughly another hour to central Serengeti around Seronera. Your guide will game drive the last stretch, so you arrive at camp having already seen the plains.
Day 3: Full day in the Serengeti
No transfer today. Head out at dawn, return for lunch or take a packed one, and go out again in the afternoon. Central Serengeti has resident lion prides and is one of the better areas for leopard. If the migration herds are within reach, your guide plans the day around them.
Day 4: Serengeti to the Ngorongoro rim or Karatu
Do a morning drive, then head back out through Naabi Hill Gate and up to the crater highlands. Overnight on the rim or in Karatu. Sleeping close to the crater matters because the next morning starts early.
Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater, then Arusha
Descend into the crater early, before the floor gets busy. Spend the morning and part of the afternoon on the crater floor, then climb out and drive back to Arusha, around three hours from Karatu. Most people arrive in Arusha in the evening, so do not book an international flight out the same night unless your operator has confirmed the timing works.
How the route changes by season
The loop itself stays the same. What changes is where you sleep in the Serengeti, and whether the long drive still makes sense.
- Late January to March: the herds are on the southern plains around Ndutu, with calving starting late in January. Staying in the south shortens day 2 and day 4, which suits this route well.
- April and May: the herds move through the central and western Serengeti, around Moru Kopjes and western Seronera. This overlaps with the low-season period for park fees, roughly mid-March to mid-May, when the Tarangire and Lake Manyara fee drops. Gravel roads can be muddy after rain.
- June and July: the herds gather in the Western Corridor near the Grumeti River. That adds driving time from Seronera.
- August to October: river crossings at the Mara in the far north. Driving there and back in five days is not realistic. Either fly one way or choose a longer trip such as our 7-day Great Migration Safari (from $3,800 per person).
- November and December: the herds return south through the Lobo area.
The migration follows rain, so these months are a guide. Plan the Serengeti nights around the month, not the other way round.
Add-ons that fit
Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara National Park sits just off the road between Tarangire and Karatu, near the town of Mto wa Mbu. You can add an afternoon there on day 1 or day 2, or turn the trip into six days and give it a proper game drive. Our 8-Day Fly Safari (from $4,400 per person) includes both Tarangire and Lake Manyara before flying into the Serengeti.
Zanzibar
Many people finish a northern circuit on the beach. Fly from Arusha to Zanzibar the morning after day 5, rather than the same evening. Our guide to a Zanzibar beach holiday after safari covers flights and where to stay. If you want it packaged, the 9-Day Wilderness and Beach Holiday starts from $3,500 per person.
Flying one leg
Fly out of the Serengeti on day 4 instead of driving, and you save most of a day. You lose the crater unless you rearrange the route, so this works best if the crater comes first.
What drives the budget
We do not quote a fixed price for a custom 5-day trip, but these are the factors that move it:
- Park fees per person, per 24 hours. TANAPA's tariff works out to $82.60 for a non-resident adult in the Serengeti in peak season (including 18% VAT) and $53.10 to $59.00 for Tarangire, depending on season. The full table is in our national parks guide. Lake Manyara sits in the same tier as Tarangire.
- Concession fees per person per night if you sleep inside a national park. In the Serengeti, 2026 guides put this around $70 in peak season.
- The Ngorongoro crater descent, which the NCAA charges at $295 per vehicle per descent, on top of the Conservation Area fee each person pays. You cross the Conservation Area twice on this route, so ask how your quote handles that.
- Private vehicle or shared. A private 4x4 and guide costs more per person for couples, less for groups of four to six.
- Accommodation level. This is the biggest single swing. The same route can cost very different amounts with tented camps versus high-end lodges.
- Season. Lodges and park fees are higher in peak months.
Fee figures come from third-party 2026 fee guides, which differ slightly on how VAT is shown. Confirm current rates with TANAPA and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority before you budget.
5 days compared with shorter and longer trips
| Length | What fits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 3 days | Serengeti only, ideally by air | No Tarangire, crater only with a long final day |
| 5 days | Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro by road | Two long transfer days, one full Serengeti day |
| 7 days or more | Same loop plus Lake Manyara or more Serengeti nights | More time and cost, but slower pace |
If you have less time, read our post on making a 2-day Serengeti safari work. If you can add days, a 7- to 9-day trip covers the same region at a slower pace.
Frequently asked questions
Is 5 days enough for a Tanzania safari?
Yes, for the northern circuit's three main stops. You get one full day in the Serengeti, half a day or more in Tarangire, and a morning in the crater. You will spend two days mostly on the road.
Should I do Tarangire or Lake Manyara on a 5-day safari?
Tarangire usually gets the slot on a 5-day trip. Lake Manyara is close to the same road, so you can add a short visit, or make the trip six days.
Can I do Serengeti and Ngorongoro in 5 days during the Mara River crossings?
Not comfortably by road. The crossings happen in the far north of the Serengeti, a long way from Ngorongoro. Fly at least one leg or take a longer trip.
Can I fly to Zanzibar straight after the crater?
It is possible but tight, since you get back to Arusha in the evening. Most people fly the next morning.
Can you adjust this route for halal meals or a family?
Yes. Our 7-Day Tanzania Halal Safari (from $3,300 per person) follows a similar route, and we build 5-day versions on request. Tell us your dates through the tailor-made safari planner or contact us.
