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.
5 days / 4 nights · Fly-in & fly-back
5-Day Ngorongoro & Serengeti
$3,500–$5,100 USD pp · midrange planning range
Journey reference: BA-5D-NGOR-SERENGETI
Savannah and acacia trees in Serengeti National Park · Photo credit ↗Keep the focus on the crater and Central Serengeti. Stay two nights in each area, allow a full Serengeti day, then fly back to Arusha instead of retracing the road.
Ideal for travellers prioritising these two wildlife destinations who can arrive early enough for the longer first-day hotel transfer.
What makes this journey special
- Dedicated crater day
- Two Central Serengeti nights
- Scheduled Serengeti-to-Arusha flight
When to go & how it flows
Year-round subject to camp and flight operation. Central Serengeti is the base; no particular migration event is guaranteed.
Two Karatu nights and two Serengeti nights. Day 1 is arrival and a longer transfer; Day 3 is the main safari-area road journey; Day 4 is a full Serengeti day. Day 5 is the return flight.
Private road safari with shared scheduled return flight
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.
Day 1
Arrival and transfer to Karatu
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), meet your representative and travel directly to Karatu with comfort stops. Settle in, have dinner and receive your safari briefing, or finish the briefing before departure tomorrow if you need rest. No game drive is scheduled on arrival day. This route requires a flight arriving early enough for a comfortable transfer.
- Overnight
- Karatu
- Meals
- dinner
Planning time: Allow approximately 3.5-5 hours after airport formalities, depending on traffic and lodge location. Boker must approve your arrival flight before confirmation. A late arrival needs an extra Arusha night and a longer holiday, or a revised itinerary; do not shorten the next day to compensate.
Day 2
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.
Day 3
Journey to Central Serengeti
Travel through the Ngorongoro highlands and onward to Central Serengeti with a packed lunch and comfort stops. There is no crater descent today. Once inside Serengeti, enjoy wildlife viewing along the permitted route to camp as time allows. Settle in before dinner; the priority is a comfortable arrival rather than a late extra game drive.
- Overnight
- Central Serengeti
- Meals
- breakfast, lunch and dinner
Planning time: Allow about 5-7 hours from Karatu including normal stops and formalities; sightings, weather and tracks can extend this. This is a long transfer day.
Day 4
A full day in Central Serengeti
Explore the Seronera region with your guide, pausing to watch animal behaviour around plains, kopjes and river corridors. Choose a picnic outing or morning and afternoon drives with a camp break when distances allow. A pre-booked sunrise balloon safari can replace the early game drive. Return to the same camp for dinner.
- Overnight
- Central Serengeti
- Meals
- breakfast, lunch and dinner
Planning time: No camp move. Game-drive distance depends on wildlife, weather and your preferences. Balloon collection is before dawn.
Day 5
Fly from Serengeti to Arusha
Transfer from camp to Seronera Airstrip for your confirmed scheduled flight to Arusha Airport (ARK). A morning game drive is not promised because check-in determines the departure from camp. On arrival, meet your driver for a transfer to an Arusha hotel, where this package ends. Lunch is provided as a packed meal or in Arusha according to the schedule.
- Overnight
- No overnight stay included
- Meals
- breakfast and lunch
Planning time: Airstrip transfer depends on the camp. Flight routing may include stops. ARK is not JRO: a JRO transfer and any extra hotel night are separately quoted. Avoid a tight onward connection.
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.
Central Serengeti · 2 nights
Midrange choices
Serengeti Kati Kati / Embalakai Serengeti
Luxury choices
Kubu Kubu / Serengeti Serena
Named options from the brochure; each property and room is quoted separately, subject to availability.
Included in the planned route
- Four 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 2-4; breakfast and lunch on Day 5: four breakfasts, four lunches and four dinners. Drinking water in the safari vehicle.
- JRO-to-Karatu arrival transfer on Day 1 and the departure arrangement described on Day 5; briefing and applicable taxes on the quoted services.
- Seronera-ARK scheduled economy flight with quoted taxes, airstrip transfer and ARK-to-Arusha-hotel transfer. Flight is shared, not a charter.
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. Other domestic flights, JRO onward transfer and an Arusha night after Day 5 are extra.