Best Seller 10-Day Kenya & Tanzania Safari
$3,200 / personPrivate · lowest rate, US$, subject to availability
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Tanzania
8-Day Tanzania Classic Safari
Tanzania's classic northern circuit: Tarangire's elephants, a full day inside the Ngorongoro Crater, a stop at Olduvai Gorge, and the plains of the Serengeti.
Duration8 days7 nights
From$6,900per person sharing, US$. Estimate, subject to availability
Trip overview
A private safari run by road and one internal flight through the four parks that define northern Tanzania. Two nights each in Tarangire and Ngorongoro, two more in the Serengeti, with a stop at Olduvai Gorge, where Louis and Mary Leakey made some of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century.
CountryTanzaniaTanzania
Duration8 days7 nights
ArrangementPrivateyour own vehicle and guide
Starts & endsArusha
Best timeJun – Oct
From$6,900Per person sharing, in US dollars. An indicative starting price: your exact rate is quoted for your dates and party size, subject to availability. All prices shown are estimates. Your final price is confirmed in your written quote.
Map route
The route, stop by stop
1
Arusha
Day 1 · Arrive
2
Tarangire
Days 2 to 4 · 2 nights
3
Ngorongoro
Days 4 to 6 · 2 nights
4
Serengeti
Days 6 to 8 · 2 nights
5
Arusha
Day 8 · Ends here
What you are likely to see
Elephant
Lion
Wildebeest
Zebra
Black rhino
Flamingo
Solid tone means often seen on this route. Outline means possible, and worth the patience. Sightings vary with season and luck, and nothing wild is guaranteed.
Best months to travel
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best
Quieter
Green season
Gallery
The ground this safari covers
Day by day
8 days, in order
Each day lists the route, the meals included and the lodge for that night. Ask us for the expected driving time on any day.
01
Arusha
Arrival in Arusha
Kilimanjaro International Airport is where a private transfer is waiting, and the road runs west toward Arusha, with Mount Meru's cone ahead and, on a clear evening, Kilimanjaro behind. The night is spent at a lodge on a coffee estate on the edge of town, among rows of coffee bushes and shade trees.
The rest of the evening is free, and the quiet of the estate makes it an easy place to shake off the flight.
Private arrival transferEvening at leisure
Accommodation
One night
8 photos
Arusha Coffee Lodge
Coffee plantation on the outskirts of Arusha Lodge · 8 photos
View lodge & photosClose
Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge is set within a working coffee plantation on the edge of Arusha, the gateway town for safaris on Tanzania’s northern circuit. Rows of coffee bushes and mature gardens surround the lodge, creating a calm, green retreat that feels a world away from the town centre. Accommodation is in 30 wooden chalets. […]
One night in Arusha, at a property such as Arusha Coffee Lodge. The exact lodge is confirmed with the final itinerary.
02
Arusha to Tarangire
Arusha to Tarangire
The road runs south out of Arusha across Maasai country, past red earth, herds of cattle and busy roadside markets, to Tarangire National Park. Lunch is taken on arrival.
The afternoon game drive gives the first look at what makes Tarangire so special: enormous, ancient baobabs standing over the grass, and elephants, a great many of them, moving slowly between the trees toward the river.
DriveAfternoon game drive
Day 22 photos
Accommodation
Night 1 of 2
8 photos
Tarangire Treetops
Community wildlife area bordering Tarangire National Park Lodge · 8 photos
View lodge & photosClose
Tarangire Treetops is an Elewana lodge set in a community wildlife area that borders Tarangire National Park, a landscape of ancient baobabs, marula trees and seasonal elephant herds. The main lodge is built around a baobab thought to be a thousand years old, and the twenty treetop suites are raised among the branches, each open […]
Night 1 of 2 in Tarangire, at a property such as Tarangire Treetops. The exact lodge is confirmed with the final itinerary.
03
Tarangire
Full Day in Tarangire
Tarangire holds one of the largest concentrations of elephants in Tanzania, and a full day in the park shows why. The herds move down to the Tarangire River through the day, the youngsters close under their mothers, and the dust hangs gold in the afternoon light.
Drives run morning and afternoon, with lion, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe and a great variety of birds adding to the elephants. The baobabs, some of them many centuries old, give every scene a sense of great age.
Morning and afternoon drives
Day 32 photos
Accommodation
Night 2 of 2
8 photos
Tarangire Treetops
Community wildlife area bordering Tarangire National Park Lodge · 8 photos
View lodge & photosClose
Tarangire Treetops is an Elewana lodge set in a community wildlife area that borders Tarangire National Park, a landscape of ancient baobabs, marula trees and seasonal elephant herds. The main lodge is built around a baobab thought to be a thousand years old, and the twenty treetop suites are raised among the branches, each open […]
A second night at the same property in Tarangire.
04
Tarangire to Ngorongoro
Tarangire to Ngorongoro
One more drive through Tarangire in the soft morning light, and then lunch, before the road climbs west into the Ngorongoro highlands. The dry plains give way to green farmland and coffee around Karatu, and then to cool, forested hills.
The night is the first of two in the highlands, where the air after dark is cool enough to call for a jumper.
Morning game driveDrive to Ngorongoro
Day 42 photos
Accommodation
Night 1 of 2
8 photos
The Manor at Ngorongoro
Coffee estate near Karatu, outside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Lodge · 8 photos
View lodge & photosClose
The Manor at Ngorongoro is an elegant Elewana property set on a 1,500 acre Arabica coffee estate near Karatu, in the green farming highlands just outside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Its Cape Dutch architecture gives it the feel of a grand country house, and accommodation is spread across the Manor House and a series of […]
Night 1 of 2 on the Ngorongoro rim, at a property such as The Manor at Ngorongoro. The exact lodge is confirmed with the final itinerary.
05
Ngorongoro
Ngorongoro Crater Tour
The road tips over the rim and descends two thousand feet onto the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, and within minutes the herds are everywhere: zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, and the gazelle that the lions watch from the grass.
With a picnic lunch on board, the whole day is spent below the rim, working through forest, lake shore and open savannah in a single caldera, among the densest concentrations of wildlife on earth. Black rhino, old elephant bulls with long tusks, hippo pools and flamingos on the soda lake can all be part of it.
Full day crater descentPicnic lunch
Day 52 photos
Accommodation
Night 2 of 2
8 photos
The Manor at Ngorongoro
Coffee estate near Karatu, outside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Lodge · 8 photos
View lodge & photosClose
The Manor at Ngorongoro is an elegant Elewana property set on a 1,500 acre Arabica coffee estate near Karatu, in the green farming highlands just outside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Its Cape Dutch architecture gives it the feel of a grand country house, and accommodation is spread across the Manor House and a series of […]
A second night at the same property on the Ngorongoro rim.
06
Ngorongoro to Serengeti
Ngorongoro to the Serengeti, via Olduvai Gorge
Leaving the highlands, the road runs west past Olduvai Gorge, where Louis and Mary Leakey made some of the most significant discoveries in the story of human origins. A stop there, and a look into the gorge itself, puts the Serengeti ahead in a very long perspective.
The plains open out soon after, flat and endless, and the Serengeti is reached in time for lunch. The afternoon game drive follows, the first of many animals on the move.
Olduvai GorgeAfternoon game drive
Day 62 photos
Accommodation
Night 1 of 2
8 photos
Serengeti Migration Camp
Grumeti River, north-central Serengeti National Park Tented camp · 8 photos
View lodge & photosClose
Serengeti Migration Camp is an Elewana tented camp in a secluded part of the north-central Serengeti, set beside the Grumeti River where resident hippos wallow and animals come down to cross. The camp lies along the route of the Great Migration, and the wildebeest herds typically pass through the area from around April to July […]
Night 1 of 2 in the Serengeti, at a property such as Serengeti Migration Camp. The exact lodge is confirmed with the final itinerary.
07
Serengeti
Full Day in the Serengeti
The Serengeti gets its reputation from its herds: wildebeest, zebra and gazelle in numbers that are hard to take in, and the lion, cheetah and hyena that live alongside them. A full day on the plains follows them, wherever the season has taken them.
Drives run in the morning and again in the afternoon. In between, the camp is a place to rest and take in the sheer size of the landscape, the grass running to every horizon under an enormous sky.
Morning and afternoon drives
Day 72 photos
Accommodation
Night 2 of 2
8 photos
Serengeti Migration Camp
Grumeti River, north-central Serengeti National Park Tented camp · 8 photos
View lodge & photosClose
Serengeti Migration Camp is an Elewana tented camp in a secluded part of the north-central Serengeti, set beside the Grumeti River where resident hippos wallow and animals come down to cross. The camp lies along the route of the Great Migration, and the wildebeest herds typically pass through the area from around April to July […]
A second night at the same property in the Serengeti.
08
Serengeti to Arusha
Departure
The final morning game drive, in the cool of the dawn, is a last chance to see the plains waking up. Then comes the flight back to Arusha from the Lobo airstrip in the north of the park, low over the grass and the kopjes.
Lunch is arranged in Arusha before the evening transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for the flight home.
Morning game driveFlight to ArushaDeparture
Accommodation
No overnightNo overnight. Departure timed to the international flight.
The price
The price, in full
Written plainly so there are no surprises at the airport. Anything optional can be added to the quote before you pay.
Included
Already in the price you see.
- All internal flights
- Accommodation as specified
- All meals as mentioned
- Transfers and game drives
- Park fees and entrance charges
- Services of a professional guide
Not included
Budget for these separately.
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses, including tips
- Drinks and meals not mentioned
- Optional activities and excursions
Before you book
Questions, answered
What travellers ask us most about a safari like this one. Anything else, ask below and a specialist in Nairobi replies within one business day.
Is this a private safari?
Yes. This safari is private: your own vehicle and guide for the whole trip, and we never merge your party with another to cut costs.
How do we book, and how much is the deposit?
Press Book this safari. You can hold your dates for three days without paying while a specialist checks availability with the lodges and parks, or pay a deposit of 30, 40 or 50 percent, or the full amount, by credit or debit card through Pesapal. You can also pay by bank transfer, or in person at our Nairobi office by card. The standard schedule is a 30 percent deposit to confirm and the balance 60 days before arrival; bookings made within 60 days of departure, and gorilla or chimpanzee permits, are paid in full at booking. Card details go to Pesapal, never to Volcan.
Will we see the Great Migration and a river crossing?
The herds usually reach the Maasai Mara around July and stay until about October, crossing the Mara River many times in that period. For the rest of the year they are in the Serengeti in Tanzania. The timing is set by the rains, so no operator can promise a crossing on a given day, but our guides follow the reports every morning and position you as well as experience allows.
Do we need a visa?
Tanzania: visas are issued online through the official immigration portal, visa.immigration.go.tz, and on arrival at some entry points. Rules depend on your passport and change from time to time, so check them before you book flights, and always apply through the official government portal, never a third-party agent. We tell you what applies to your route when we confirm your trip.
Which vaccinations and health precautions do we need?
See a travel clinic at least six weeks before you go. Malaria is present in most safari areas of East Africa, so ask about antimalarials, insect repellent and cover-up clothing for the evenings. A yellow fever certificate can be required depending on your route and where you arrive from.
What vehicle will we travel in?
A Toyota Land Cruiser from Volcan’s own fleet, in the company’s colours, with the same driver-guide from the first day to the last. It is yours alone for the whole safari, and every vehicle carries reusable water bottles.
Can children come on this safari?
Yes, and a private vehicle makes it easy to set the pace around them. Child rates depend on the lodges, and some camps and activities set minimum ages, so tell us the ages of everyone travelling and we confirm what applies before you pay anything.
What happens if we need to cancel?
Tell us in writing as early as possible. The cancellation charges for your trip are set out in your written booking confirmation. Gorilla permits, internal flights and non-refundable lodge deposits already paid on your behalf cannot be recovered, so they are charged in full. Refunds go back to the card or account the payment came from. The detail is in our Booking & Payment Terms.
Enquire
Plan this safari with us
Send your dates and who is travelling. A specialist checks availability with the lodges and parks and replies within one business day with an itemised price.
- Free, and no obligation
- Ask about changing the dates, lodges or pace
- Answered by the team in Nairobi who plan the trip
Availability
8-Day Tanzania Classic Safari
Dates are held for 72 hours without payment while you check flights. Nothing is charged until the itinerary is confirmed in writing.
From
$6,900
Per person sharing, in US dollars. An indicative starting price: your exact rate is quoted for your dates and party size, subject to availability. All prices shown are estimates. Your final price is confirmed in your written quote.
Prices are for guidance and are confirmed against current lodge and park rates before any payment.
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