7 Days Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Central Serengeti, Ndutu & Ngorongoro Crater Budget Safari
Safari Overview
This 7-day budget safari with WAZO SAFARIS is carefully designed for travelers seeking a deeper wildlife experience across Northern Tanzania at an affordable cost. The itinerary covers Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Central Serengeti, the wildlife-rich Ndutu region, and the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater, before returning to Arusha.
The safari offers extended time in the Serengeti ecosystem, including two nights in Central Serengeti and two nights in Ndutu, allowing travelers to explore different wildlife zones and seasonal movements. Accommodation is arranged in budget campsites or simple lodges, offering comfort, safety, and an authentic safari atmosphere without unnecessary luxury. This journey is ideal for travelers who value wildlife, nature, and experience over high-end accommodation.
Full Itinerary
Day 1
Arusha – Tarangire National Park
The safari begins with a morning pickup from your hotel in Arusha, followed by a drive to Tarangire National Park, approximately two to three hours away. Upon arrival, you begin your first game drive through the park’s open savannah and riverine landscapes.
Tarangire is well known for its ancient baobab trees and large populations of elephants, which are often seen in family groups moving across the plains or gathering near the Tarangire River. During the game drive, you may also encounter lions, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, buffalo, and a wide range of bird species. A picnic lunch is served inside the park, allowing you to enjoy the surroundings without leaving the wildlife area. In the late afternoon, you proceed to your budget campsite or lodge for dinner and overnight.
OVERNIGHT:
Midrange lodge
MEALS:
Lunch & Dinner
Day 2
Tarangire – Lake Manyara National Park
After breakfast, you depart Tarangire and drive to Lake Manyara National Park, located at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. Despite its smaller size, Lake Manyara offers remarkable ecological diversity, with dense groundwater forests, open grasslands, and a shallow alkaline lake.
Game drives in Lake Manyara provide opportunities to see elephants walking through forested areas, hippos resting in the lake, giraffes browsing among acacia trees, and large numbers of birds, including flamingos and pelicans. The park is also known for its tree-climbing lions, which may be seen resting on branches. After a picnic lunch and afternoon game drive, you continue your journey toward the Serengeti region, overnighting at a budget campsite en route.
OVERNIGHT:
Midrange lodge
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3
Lake Manyara – Central Serengeti National Park
Following breakfast, you drive toward Central Serengeti, entering one of Africa’s most iconic wildlife destinations. As you approach the Serengeti, the landscape opens into vast plains that stretch endlessly toward the horizon.
An afternoon game drive introduces you to the heart of the Serengeti, where wildlife density is consistently high throughout the year. Lions are commonly seen resting on rocky kopjes, while cheetahs patrol the plains and leopards hide among riverine trees. Large herds of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles roam freely across the grasslands. Dinner and overnight are spent at a budget campsite or tented camp inside Central Serengeti, offering a true wilderness experience.
OVERNIGHT:
Midrange Lodge
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4
Full Day in Central Serengeti
This day is dedicated to exploring Central Serengeti in greater depth. Morning and afternoon game drives allow ample time to track predators and observe animal behavior in different parts of the park.
Early mornings are especially rewarding, as predators such as lions and leopards are more active. Throughout the day, you will encounter a wide range of wildlife, including elephants, buffalo, giraffes, hyenas, and numerous bird species. A picnic lunch is enjoyed within the park, followed by continued exploration. In the evening, you return to your campsite for dinner and overnight, surrounded by the sounds of the African wilderness.
OVERNIGHT:
Midrange Lodge
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5
Central Serengeti – Ndutu Area
After breakfast, you depart Central Serengeti and travel south toward the Ndutu area, located within the Serengeti ecosystem. Ndutu is famous for its open plains and seasonal wildlife concentrations, particularly during the wildebeest calving season.
Game drives in Ndutu offer excellent opportunities to see predators such as lions, cheetahs, and hyenas, which are attracted by the abundance of prey. The area’s mix of grasslands, woodlands, and seasonal lakes supports a rich variety of wildlife year-round. After a full afternoon of game viewing, you arrive at your budget campsite in Ndutu for dinner and overnight.
OVERNIGHT:
Midrange Lodge
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 6
Full Day in Ndutu
Spend the entire day exploring the Ndutu region with morning and afternoon game drives. This area is known for excellent off-road wildlife viewing (where permitted), allowing closer encounters with animals.
Depending on the season, you may witness wildebeest calving, predator interactions, and large mixed herds grazing across the plains. The relatively open landscape makes wildlife spotting easier and photography rewarding. A picnic lunch is served during the day, and in the evening, you return to camp for dinner and overnight, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the Ndutu wilderness.
OVERNIGHT:
Midrange Lodge
MEALS:
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 7
Ndutu – Ngorongoro Crater – Return to Arusha
After an early breakfast, you drive to the Ngorongoro Crater and descend into the crater floor for a half-day game drive. This unique volcanic caldera supports a dense population of wildlife within a relatively small area.
During the game drive, you may encounter lions, elephants, buffalo, zebras, wildebeests, hippos, and a variety of bird species. The Ngorongoro Crater is also one of the best places in Tanzania to spot the endangered black rhino. A picnic lunch is served inside the crater before ascending to the rim and beginning the drive back to Arusha, where the safari concludes in the late afternoon.
MEALS:
Lunch & Dinner
Price Includes
- All meals on the safari.
- All Park entrance fees & taxes.
- All prices are quoted in US Dollars.
- Game Safari to National Parks as specified
- Private 4×4 wheel drive vehicle with a roof hatch and sliding windows
- First aid kit. Our guides are all trained in providing basic first aid.
- Charging station. So you can charge your phone, camera battery, or laptop while on the road.
- Water, Soft Drinks, Wine and Beers.
- Professional English speaking safari and tour guide / driver
- Wildlife tours according to your itinerary preferences.
- All game viewing activities specified Safari.
Price Excludes
- Gears
- Tips
- Travel Insurance
- Flights
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