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BOKERADVENTURES
Lake Manyara and the Rift Valley landscape in northern Tanzania

4 days / 3 nights · Classic safari

4-Day Tarangire & Ngorongoro

$2,100–$3,000 USD pp · midrange planning range

Journey reference: BA-4D-CLASSIC

Lake Manyara and the Rift Valley landscape in northern Tanzania · Photo credit ↗

Two contrasting parks, one comfortable Karatu base. This short safari gives Tarangire and the crater their own days, with arrival and departure kept separate.

Ideal for a first safari with two contrasting wildlife areas and no domestic flights.

What makes this journey special

  • Tarangire game drive
  • Dedicated Ngorongoro Crater day
  • Two nights at the same Karatu lodge

When to go & how it flows

Year-round subject to weather and lodge availability; June-October is a useful dry-season planning window.

Day 1 arrival in Arusha; Day 2 Tarangire and travel to Karatu; Day 3 Ngorongoro Crater; Day 4 departure. Two consecutive Karatu nights avoid another hotel change.

Private road safari with locally guided activities where listed

Your journey, day by day

Arrival and the final travel day are included in the trip length. Driving times are planning guides; weather, roads and formalities can change the day.

  1. Day 1

    Arrival in Tanzania

    Meet your Boker Adventures representative at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and transfer to your hotel. Rest after your flight; no safari or cultural visit is scheduled today. Your briefing covers the route, daily timings, meals, medical or mobility needs, wildlife etiquette and any booked extras. Late arrivals receive their briefing the following morning.

    Overnight
    Arusha
    Meals
    dinner

    Planning time: JRO to hotel: approximately 1-1.5 hours, depending on traffic and hotel location. Late dinner must be arranged in advance.

  2. Day 2

    Tarangire National Park

    After breakfast, travel to Tarangire for a game drive among baobabs, woodland and river habitats. Look for elephants, giraffes, antelope and birds, with a picnic lunch at a designated site. Your guide adjusts the route to wildlife and conditions. Leave with enough time to reach your Karatu lodge for dinner; this is a safari-and-transfer day.

    Overnight
    Karatu
    Meals
    breakfast, lunch and dinner

    Planning time: Arusha to Tarangire: about 2-3 hours; park exit to Karatu: 1.5-2.5 hours, plus game drives and stops.

  3. Day 3

    Ngorongoro Crater safari

    Leave early for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and descend into the crater after formalities. Explore grassland, wetland and other habitats, looking for the resident wildlife; a rhino or predator sighting is a possibility, never a promise. Enjoy a picnic lunch and return to your Karatu lodge after the permitted crater session. The same lodge awaits tonight.

    Overnight
    Karatu
    Meals
    breakfast, lunch and dinner

    Planning time: Karatu to the crater access area: about 1.5-2 hours each way, depending on the lodge, gate queues and descent route. The crater session follows permit limits.

  4. Day 4

    Return to Arusha and departure

    After breakfast, return to Arusha with lunch arranged en route or in town. Continue to JRO for a flight whose timing Boker has checked before booking, or finish at an Arusha hotel. No game drive is scheduled. An early flight requires a separately quoted additional night or a revised itinerary.

    Overnight
    No overnight stay included
    Meals
    breakfast and lunch

    Planning time: Karatu to Arusha: about 3-4 hours; onward to JRO: a further 1-1.5 hours, plus stops and airline check-in time. No hotel night is included today.

Places to stay

These are alternatives from the itinerary, not a reservation. We confirm the property, room and meal plan for each stop in your quote. Upgrades can change the budget.

Arusha · 1 night

Midrange choices

Kahawa House / Pazuri Inn

Luxury choices

Arusha Coffee Lodge / Hamerkop House

Named options from the brochure; each property and room is quoted separately, subject to availability.

Karatu · 2 nights

Midrange choices

Ngorongoro Farm House / Tloma Lodge

Luxury choices

Kitela Lodge / Gibb's Farm

Named options from the brochure; each property and room is quoted separately, subject to availability.

Included in the planned route

  • Three accommodation nights in the confirmed rooms; private 4x4 with English-speaking driver-guide for the stated road programme.
  • Listed park visits and relevant entry, overnight and vehicle permits; one Ngorongoro Crater descent.
  • Dinner on Day 1; breakfast, lunch and dinner on Days 2-3; breakfast and lunch on Day 4: three breakfasts, three lunches and three dinners. Drinking water in the safari vehicle.
  • JRO-to-Arusha arrival transfer on Day 1 and the departure arrangement described on Day 4; briefing and applicable taxes on the quoted services.

Not included

  • International flights, visas, travel/medical insurance, tips, personal purchases, laundry and drinks other than those specified. Optional activities, single-room supplements, additional nights and Zanzibar extensions cost extra. Domestic flights are excluded.

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