Ngorongoro & Serengeti
Mwanza → Ngorongoro → Serengeti → Mwanza
Ngorongoro & Serengeti is a 4-day, 3-night Tanzania safari: Mwanza → Ngorongoro → Serengeti → Mwanza.
Day-by-day
Your guide meets you in Mwanza, on the shore of Lake Victoria. A fly-in transfer is part of the Sublime option; the others travel by road with game viewing along the way. Travel days involve long drives or flights; times depend on the day's schedule and are confirmed in your final itinerary.
Descend early into the Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest intact caldera at about 260 km², and spend several hours on the crater floor, where the Big Five can be seen in a single day: lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, rhinoceroses, cheetahs, hyenas. Enjoy a picnic lunch by the hippo pool before climbing back to the rim in the afternoon. Overnight: Ngorongoro Farm House on the Classic option, with higher-grade camps and lodges on Signature and Sublime.
Leave the crater highlands and cross to the Serengeti plains with game viewing on the way, arriving for an afternoon drive. Overnight: Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge on the Classic option, with higher-grade camps and lodges on Signature and Sublime.
Enjoy a final early game drive, then travel back to Mwanza for your onward flight or hotel. Travel days involve long drives or flights; times depend on the day's schedule and are confirmed in your final itinerary.
Three ways to take this journey
Comfortable lodges, seasoned guides, shared vehicle.
- ◆Comfortable lodges
- ◆Seasoned guides
- ◆Shared vehicle
- ◆Accommodation
- ◆All meals
- ◆Guide
- ◆Transport
Elevated camps, smaller groups, richer inclusions.
- ◆Elevated camps
- ◆Smaller groups
- ◆Richer inclusions
- ◆Accommodation
- ◆All meals
- ◆Guide
- ◆Transport
Top-tier lodges, private guide & vehicle, fly-in transfers.
- ◆Top-tier lodges
- ◆Private guide & vehicle
- ◆Fly-in transfers
- ◆Accommodation
- ◆All meals
- ◆Guide
- ◆Transport
- ◆Group size: From 1 person
- ◆Tailor dates, lodges and pace — every trip is bespoke.
- ✓Accommodation as per your chosen option
- ✓All meals
- ✓Professional English-speaking guide
- ✓Transport throughout, as per your option
- —International flights
- —Visas
- —Travel insurance
- —Tips and personal expenses
- —Optional extras (see the price list in the description)
Optional extras
A sunrise balloon flight over the Serengeti plains, followed by a champagne bush breakfast.
Your own guide and safari vehicle for the whole trip, for the freedom to set the pace.
Add days on the beach in Zanzibar at the end of your safari.
A guided visit to a local community to meet people and see daily life.
Light-aircraft transfers between parks to save long drives.
A session in a photographic hide for close wildlife photography.
Before you book
What is the difference between Classic, Signature and Sublime?
Classic: comfortable lodges, seasoned guides and a shared vehicle. Signature: elevated camps, smaller groups and richer inclusions. Sublime: top-tier lodges, a private guide and vehicle, and fly-in transfers.
When is the best time to go?
Ngorongoro Crater: Wet season (Nov – May): Best for vibrant landscapes, but expect rain and muddy roads. Dry season (Jun – Oct): Best for game viewing, with clear skies and easier travel. Serengeti National Park: Wet season (Nov – May): Herds graze the southern short-grass plains; calving season brings newborns to the southern Serengeti. Dry season (Jun – Oct): The migration heads north through Seronera towards the Western Corridor and the Grumeti River crossings.
What should I pack?
Suggested: Documents: Passport (6+ months validity), Visa / eVisa, Travel insurance, Yellow-fever certificate, Flight tickets; Clothing: Neutral-colour layers, Warm fleece (cold mornings), Sun hat & sunglasses, Comfortable walking shoes, Swimwear (Zanzibar); Gear: Binoculars, Camera + spare batteries, Power bank & Type-G adapter, Small daypack, Refillable water bottle; Health: High-SPF sunscreen, Insect repellent (DEET), Malaria prophylaxis, Personal medication, Basic first-aid kit.
How do I book and pay?
Send an enquiry or choose your dates on this page. The Shayona team confirms availability and sends a quote, and your booking is confirmed once the deposit is paid.
Is it suitable for children and families?
Yes, with some planning. Tell us the ages of everyone travelling when you enquire so that we can suggest the right pace and accommodation.
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Ready to experience this journey?
Tell us your dates — we'll tailor the lodges, pace and add-ons around you.