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5 Day Private adventure

A Taste of the Serengeti

Four days out to the plains of the Serengeti, with the Ngorogoro Crater’s Big Five and Tarangire’s great elephant herds along the way.

Duration

4 Day Safari
5 Day Adventure

Style

Hotel
Safari Lodge
Safari Style Tents

destinations

Tarangire
Serengeti
Ngorongoro

Arrival Info

Kilimanjaro (JRO)

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The Journey

A Real Taste of Tanzania

Get a real taste of Tanzania on this safari which will take you right out to the vast plains of the Serengeti. You will also visit two of Tanzania’s most popular national parks: the Ngorongoro Crater, where you will have the best chance of seeing the Big Five, and Tarangire National Park, home to the largest population of elephants on the planet. You will have a private Kandoo Adventures 4×4 safari vehicle and an expert guide who will teach you about how the animals survive in this often brutal environment.

Highlights

  • Discover the remarkable Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti
  • Spectacular lodge accommodation
  • Private 4x4 safari vehicle and guide
  • Choose your start date

Day BY Day

The shape of the journey

Four days across Tarangire, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, exactly as it unfolds on the ground.

Day One

Arrival Day

You’ll need to organise their own flights to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). From JRO we will arrange a private transfer to your hotel in Arusha. That night or early the next morning you will meet your local Kandoo representative and have a full briefing.

transport — Private transfer

Accommodation — Hotel

Meals included —Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

You will be met by your private guide and vehicle and driven to Tarangire National Park, arriving with plenty of time for an afternoon game-drive. The Tarangire River runs through the park attracting a huge number of elephants, buffalo, giraffe and antelope, particularly in the dry season between June and October. It is not uncommon to see large herds of elephants roaming through Tarangire’s savannah grasses or taking shade under the odd looking “upside down trees” (baobab) that are dotted around the park. The park also boasts over 550 different bird species, the most diverse in Africa, including the Kori Bustard, the heaviest flying bird in the World!

Transport — 4wd Safari Vehicle

Accommodation — Safari Lodge

Meals Included — Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

After breakfast, you will take a picnic lunch with you as you continue to the Serengeti, a drive of around 4 ½ hours through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Even when the migration is quiet, the Serengeti offers some of the most exciting game viewing – great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe, as well as thousands of eland, topi, hartebeest, impala and Grant’s gazelle.

Transport — 4wd Safari Vehicle

Accommodation — Safari Style Tents

Meals Included — Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

After breakfast, you will set out with a picnic lunch for further game viewing in the Serengeti. The Serengeti National Park is one of the world’s greatest game parks. Meaning “endless plains” in the Maasai language, it is Tanzania’s oldest game reserve and is world-famous for the role it plays in the annual Great Migration, when an estimated two million herbivores – mostly wildebeest and zebra – migrate from the Serengeti to Kenya’s Maasai Mara Game Reserve. In the afternoon you will leave the Serengeti to return to Karatu, on the outskirts of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Transport — 4wd Safari Vehicle

Accommodation — Safari Lodge

Meals Included — Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

After an early breakfast, you will drive to the fascinating wildlife arena of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The crater, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is over 260 km2 (100 miles2) and was formed when a massive volcano exploded and collapsed on itself 2-3 million years ago. It is now the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world and often referred to as “Africa’s Eden”. Home to more than 25,000 large mammals, it is not unusual to see all of the “Big Five” (buffalo, elephant, rhino, lion and leopard) in a single day. Driving through the Ngorongoro Highlands, you will arrive at the crater rim and then descend down 610m (2000ft) onto its floor to start your safari extravaganza.

Following your game drive you will transfer to your hotel in Arusha, or onwards to Kilimanjaro airport.

Transport — 4wd Safari Vehicle

Meals Included — Breakfast / Lunch

Please Note

It is in the nature of a trip of this kind that arrangements and participants have to be flexible. While we use all reasonable endeavours to ensure a trip runs according to your itinerary, the day-to-day agenda and ultimate goal of the trip are taken as aims and not as contractual obligations. It is a necessary condition of your joining any of our trips that you accept this flexibility. Occasionally, we may have to make changes and we reserve the right to do so at any time.

The Images

A Taste of the Serengeti

The Price

What's included

Ideal travel time: January, February, March, June, July, August, September, October, December

Prices from £1,499 / $1,993 per person (based on 2 people)

Want to ask us a question or book a private trip?

Don’t hesitate to contact us

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Included

  • 1 nights' hotel accommodation in Arusha on arrival
  • Return airport transfers from/to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) Full board accommodation at safari lodges as per itinerary
  • Exclusive use of 4WD safari vehicle and English speaking driver guide
  • All Park fees and Crater fees
  • Game drives as indicated in the itinerary
  • Mineral water while on game drives
  • Prices are based on 2 people sharing a room at the safari lodges

Optional

  • Accommodation upgrade available
  • Additional nights before or after your trip
  • Single supplement

Not Included

  • Drinks of choice at safari lodges
  • Extra excursions / services available at safari lodges
  • Items of a personal nature, such as laundry, phone calls & snacks
  • Deviation from the safari itinerary provided
  • Tips and gratuities for your guide and lodge / hotel staff
  • International Flights
  • Hotel accommodation in Arusha at the end of your safari; can be booked on request

How you Travel

Your own vehicle,
your own guide

Every Kandoo safari travels in a well-maintained 4×4, with a pop-top roof for uninterrupted views and a Kandoo guide whose knowledge of these parks runs decades deep.

There are no strangers on your safari, the pace, the route and the day belong entirely to you and your guide.

2009

First Season in Tanzania

14,000+

Guests guided

100%

Our own team,
every trip

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What do you need to know?

Details

Difficulty

Although going on safari is not physically strenuous, it can be very tiring. You will be spending large amounts of time inside your safari vehicle, the weather will be hot and to have the best chance of seeing the big game you need to get up very early in the morning.  You do not need a high level of fitness but you should be prepared for some long, hot days of travelling.  

All safari lodges are booked on a full board basis. Any additional drinks required are for your account, which must be settled when you check out of the lodge. If you are out driving during the day, your driver will take a packed lunch for you. Any dietary requirements noted on your climb Participation Agreement will be passed to the safari team, but please let your safari guide know if you have any further requirements.
 
Your hotel in Arusha is booked on a B&B basis. You can get a meal or snacks from the hotel upon arrival which is payable in Tanzanian Shillings or US Dollars.
 
Water
 
Waste systems are very basic in the middle of the African savannah so to try and reduce the amount of plastic waste on our trips we ask that you bring a Nalgene, or equivalent, water bottle with you on safari. We provide a large tank of mineral water so you can refill your water bottle throughout the day as needed to avoid excessive consumption of single use plastic bottles. 
 
Accommodation is in either twin or double rooms at carefully selected safari lodges. The lodges we use are all set in spectacular locations and provide delicious meals and comfortable airy bedrooms.  
 
Please be aware that Tanzania is still a third world country and cut offs in both water and electricity supply still happen regularly, and we cannot guarantee that all the hotels and lodges will have hot showers at all times. The hotel will help as far as they can, but these outages are outside their control.
 
You will be travelling in one of our comfortable Kandoo Adventures safari vehicles. Each 4×4 vehicle has a “pop top” roof to provide excellent views of the incredible wildlife.
 

The different National Parks – Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro – may look close on a map, but there is a considerable amount of driving between each location. Approximate driving times are listed below. While this gives you the opportunity to see more of the Tanzania countryside – look out for Maasai villages beside the road, children tending their herds of goats and cattle, and road-side markets – you will not see any game during these transit times.

  • Moshi to Lake Manyara – 4 hours
  • Arusha to Tarangire – 2.5 hours
  • Tarangire to Ngorongoro – 3 hours
  • Ngorongoro to Serengeti – 4 hours
  • Lake Manyara to Serengeti – 5 hours

 

Your luggage can be carried with you in your safari vehicle and stored at your accommodation. Please keep all money, passport and valuables on your person at all times. 

For travellers based in the UK or the US, it is best to fly to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). KLM flies to JRO from all of the major UK airports, and many of the larger US international airports as well. UK flights tend to leave early in the morning, transfer at Luchthaven Schiphol, Amsterdam’s main airport, and arrive at JRO late that same evening.
 
All of our safaris begin at a town called Arusha. Arusha is only 50km from Kilimanjaro International Airport by road and we will arrange transport from the airport to your hotel as part of your safari. Transport is generally available at any time, including the late evening or early morning, and takes approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.
 
Travelling Responsibly
 
Here at Kandoo, we like to support our guests to make their travel more sustainable. As of 2025, we are offsetting the carbon on all of our trips from your arrival in destination to drop off at the airport. As we don’t include flight travel in our trips these aren’t included in our offsetting calculations, so we are providing you with the calculator below for you to do this yourselves. 
 
You will be met by our Kandoo team at Kilimanjaro Airport and transferred to your hotel. As you come through the arrivals doors, look out for your name board being held by one of our safari guides.
 
The Tanzanian Shilling is a closed currency so you will not be able to buy this before you arrive. You will need to use Tanzanian Shillings to pay for all local transactions. It is advisable to travel with US Dollars, and exchange these upon arrival. It is very important that US bills be new (no more than 10 years old), crisp and untorn. We can take you to an ATM or bank and there is also a currency exchange as you go through to the Baggage Collection area of the airport. If you are relying on a credit or debit card for emergency funds, make sure you tell your card issuer that you will be using it abroad, or you may find that it won’t work when you really need it.

 

Please note that not all hotels can accept card payments so you may need to use an ATM to access funds.

 

We realise that tipping may not be a common practice in all countries but in Tanzania it is a standard practise. For your safari guide we recommend a tip of US$15-30 per day (this is per group, not per person.) Many of the safari lodges operate a shared tip system, and there will be a box in the reception area where you can leave a tip for all staff. Check the information packs in your room as some lodges will specifically ask you not to tip individual staff members. Tips are always discretionary and if you are not happy with the service you have received you do not have to pay tips.

Passport

All travellers will need a passport which will remain valid for at least 6 months longer than your expected visit. You will also need to present proof that you have a return ticket, and proof that you have sufficient money to support yourself during your stay in Tanzania.

Each traveller is responsible for sorting out their own passport and visa requirements, and we cannot offer much assistance in this matter. If you do not yet have a passport, apply for one early, as they can take some time to arrive. If you already have a passport, double check when it expires.

Citizens of the UK, Australia, New Zealand, India, United States, Canada and most EU countries require a visa to enter Tanzania. Citizens of countries not mentioned should contact their nearest embassy or high commission to check visa requirements. Visas usually cost in the neighbourhood of USD50 (around GBP40), but some visas from the US can cost USD100. Tanzanian visas expire three months after they are issued, so be careful not to apply too soon.

Visas can be purchased upon arrival at Kilimanjaro international Airport (IATA code: JRO), but if you choose to do this you can expect long queues, and for the process to take two hours or more. The Tanzanian High Commission has also stressed that they have the right to deny visas applied for on arrival. We have never had a report of this happening, but it is a danger best avoided.

For these reasons, we highly recommend that travellers get their visa in advance, either online, or at their local Tanzanian Embassy.

Please read the Visa Application Guidelines carefully before beginning your application to ensure you apply for the correct type of visa, and that you are planning on entering Tanzania through one of the approved entry points. When filling out your visa, you will need to choose an ‘ordinary visa’ for ‘tourism’ purposes and your entry and exit ports will be the airport you are flying in and out of. A lot of our guests are confused by the ‘Host’ section, for this you simply need to state you are ‘self’ hosted. Your hotel information can be found on your itinerary.

Where to obtain a Tanzanian visa:
– Any Tanzanian Embassy or High Commission
– The Tanzania Immigration Services website
– Entry points to Tanzania: Any gazetted entry point, including international airports.
– In Dar Es Salaam: The Office of the Director of Immigration Services
– In Zanzibar: The Office of the Principal Immigration Officer

Please be advised that, whilst we make every effort to provide you with accurate and up-to-date information, travel requirements can change quickly and sometimes without notice. We urge you to double check the visa and passport requirements for your trip and consult with an embassy or consulate if you have any concerns regarding your application.

Below we have set out what is the general guidance for travel to Tanzania. We strongly advise you to consult with your own GP or travel clinic near you before travelling. They will have the most up to date and medically accurate information relevant to you, and should be relied upon over these recommendations.

Strongly Advised Vaccinations

– Hepatitis A: This can be spread via contaminated food and water.
– Tetanus: Tetanus is often present in the soil, and can contaminate open wounds easily. Tetanus vaccine should be used every ten years if travelling.
– Typhoid: Typhoid can also be spread via contaminated food and water, and poor hygiene.
– Diphtheria: This potentially fatal disease is spread mainly via spit, but occasionally through contact with cuts on the skin.
– Yellow Fever: This can be contracted by being bitten by a contaminated mosquito. This vaccination is not essential if you are arriving directly in Tanzania. You do need it though if you plan to arrive through any country that is subject to yellow fever. Simply stopping over at an airport in an affected country should not require vaccination, but leaving the airport even briefly would make it necessary

Sometimes Advised Vaccinations

– Hepatitis B: This illness is spread via contact with blood or bodily fluids. It is many, many times more virulent than HIV/AIDS. Some 8% of the population of Tanzania are believed to carry the virus.
– Rabies: Rabies is spread via contact between the saliva of any infected animal and an open wound (including bites, but also licking existing wounds). Rabies is fatal unless treated, and treatment of an unvaccinated rabies patient can be very difficult in many parts of Tanzania.
– Tuberculosis: TB is generally contracted through inhaling airborne sputum.
– Cholera: Cholera is spread via contaminated food and water, and poor hygiene.
– Measles: This disease is spread through inhaling sputum.

We ask that you keep a copy of your policy summary (containing policy number and the emergency contact number for your insurer) in your day sack at all times, so that we can access this information should we need to contact the insurer on your behalf.

Sorry but we are not insurance experts so we do not review policies.

Safari

Your insurance must cover the cost of helicopter evacuation and repatriation if necessary. Make sure your insurer knows of your travel plans, and verify that you are fully and adequately insured for the duration of your trip. Please ensure that all activities, excursions and destinations in your itinerary are included in your travel insurance policy, in addition to your regular cover for loss of baggage, cancellation and medical expenses.

Zanzibar mandatory travel insurance

Please be aware that the government of Zanzibar has introduced mandatory inbound travel insurance for all travellers arriving on the island. The charge is $44 and must be paid by all new arrivals even if you already have travel insurance in place. The new charge came into effect from 1st September 2024 and must be obtained from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC). This can be purchased online at https://visitzanzanzibar.go.tz

Malaria and Mosquitoes

Tanzania is home to malaria-carrying mosquitoes and whilst you are in the towns of Moshi and Arusha or out on safari we recommend wearing long sleeves and trousers, as well as using a good mosquito repellent that contains DEET, to make sure you are protected. We would also recommend speaking to a doctor or medical professional who can prescribe anti-malarial medications.

Above 3000m, mosquitoes can not survive.

Avoiding diarrhoea

Make sure that your hygiene is as good as possible to avoid picking up a stomach upset. Needless to say, a bout of diarrhoea can make a week-long trip unpleasant or even impossible.

We make sure that any food we provide is pure and uncontaminated, and that all of your water is filtered or treated with WaterGuard purification tablets.

In the towns of Moshi and Arusha, though, you will have to protect yourself.

Make sure you follow these simple rules at all times:

– If you are not absolutely certain water is pure, do not drink it.
– Wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet, and before eating or handling food of any kind. 
– Do not eat raw vegetables or salads. Cooked, preferably boiled veggies only.
– Avoid any cold drinks, and ice of any kind.
– Water from sealed bottles is generally fine, as are fizzy drinks, wine and beer. Hot tea and coffee are good, as they have just been boiled.

If you do get diarrhoea, the most important thing you can do is to stay hydrated. The best thing to drink is a rehydration solution like Dioralyte. Read more about dehydration below.

Over the counter medicines like Immodium (or anything containing loperamide) are only for short term, mild diarrhoea. Some doctors recommend taking a single, 500mg dose of Ciprofxin, or any ciprofloxacin antibiotic in an emergency situation. This is a prescription medicine, and you should discuss it with your doctor before your trip.

Sunburn and UV Protection

Visiting a destination so close to the equator, you will be vulnerable to sunburn if not properly protected, even on cloudy days.

The three most important things you can do to avoid sunburn are:

– Apply SPF 30 or higher sunscreen to your face, nose and ears at least 30 minutes before going out into the sun, and reapply regularly. High SPF lip balm is also a must.
– Wear a wide-brimmed hat that shades your face, nose and ears.
– Wear UK-protective sunglasses, category 2-4.


Do not forget that the sun is at its strongest between 10:00-14:00 hours each day.

It is always a good idea to carry a small first aid kit with pain killers, antihistamine, plasters, elasticated bandages and antiseptic cream. You will need a good insect repellent, preferably containing DEET, while you are safari. Depending on the individual product, you may need to carry it with you to re-apply during the day. While mosquitos may be most active at dawn and dusk, tsetse flies will be present throughout the day. All of the safari lodges we use are equipped with mosquito nets where necessary. Mosquitos are not found on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater due to its elevation, so the lodges here do not have mosquito nets. 
 
Put the telephone number for our office in Moshi into your phone +255 (0)6275 38215 or +255 (0) 6233 95369. These numbers can also be used to contact our team via WhatsApp If you have any queries regarding your safari arrangements while you are in Tanzania, give our office a call and they will liaise with your safari guide.
 
Clothing to bring

Wear something cool and comfortable, as you will be in the vehicle for several hours each day and it will be very warm in the parks, and on the drive between the parks. The vehicles are not air conditioned, although the pop-top will be open when you are in the parks. Avoid wearing dark blue or black, as these colours attract tsetse flies. And if you are staying in a lodge on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, include some warm clothing. The crater rim rises to an elevation of around 2200m, so it will be significantly cooler at your lodge in the evening and early morning. Long sleeved shirts and trousers are advisable for evenings when mosquitoes are most active.

The only equipment we ask you to bring is:
 
– Reusable water bottle / hydration pack – to reduce the excessive use of single use plastic bottles.
 
These are some other items you may find useful:
 
– Binoculars 
– Camera (with spare battery and memory card)
– Reference books for wildlife identification
– Small first aid kit 
– Insect repellant 
 

Begin Your Journey

Make this safari yours

Tell us when you’d like to travel and how, and a Kandoo safari specialist will return a personal proposal – with dates, lodges and pricing – within one working day.

Every Kandoo safari is fully ATOL and ABTA protected.

Speak to a specialist +44 (0) 1283 499980

Write to Us – Sales@kandooadventures.com

Enquire — A Taste of the Serengeti

5 days · Private · No obligation

Your details are never shared or sold

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