Wilderness Trails
Kilimanjaro Int. Airport
4x4 Land Cruiser/Jeep with pop-up roof
6 Pax per Vehicle can be a Group/Private Toure
If you’ve been searching for the best 5-day safari Tanzania can offer, your search ends here. Tanzania is home to some of the most extraordinary wildlife on the planet—and five days is the perfect amount of time to experience the very best of it without feeling rushed or shortchanged.
With Howling Tours, the best 5-day safari in Tanzania itinerary takes you through three legendary destinations: Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, and the Ngorongoro Crater. Each one is iconic in its own right. Together, they deliver a safari experience that is genuinely hard to top anywhere in Africa.
Whether you’re traveling from the UK, planning a Tanzania safari and Zanzibar beach extension, or comparing Tanzania safari packages to find the right fit—this guide covers everything you need to make an informed, confident decision.
Your safari begins with a morning pickup from Arusha, followed by a scenic drive to Tarangire National Park. Known for its iconic baobab trees and massive elephant herds, Tarangire is a photographer’s dream. Game drives here often include sightings of lions, zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, and unique bird species, making it an excellent introduction to Tanzania’s wildlife.
You’ll enjoy a picnic lunch in the heart of the park before continuing your game drive into the afternoon. The varied habitats—from riverbanks to rolling savannahs—provide plenty of opportunities for wildlife sightings. By evening, you’ll transfer to your lodge or camp for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation Options
Sangaiwe Tented Lodge
Tarangire Sopa Lodge
Nimali Tarangire
After breakfast, depart for the world-famous Serengeti National Park, traveling through the Ngorongoro highlands. Along the way, you’ll pass Maasai villages and dramatic landscapes that gradually transition into Serengeti’s vast savannahs.
Upon entering the park, enjoy an afternoon game drive en route to your camp or lodge. The Serengeti is renowned for its predator population, including lions, leopards, and cheetahs. Depending on the season, you may also witness part of the Great Migration as wildebeest and zebras traverse the plains in search of greener pastures.
Accommodation Options
Into the Wild Tented Camp
Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge
Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge combines modern luxury with the wild beauty of the Serengeti. Overlooking sweeping savannahs, it offers elegant tented suites, contemporary amenities, and a tranquil atmosphere. Perfectly situated for year-round wildlife viewing, the lodge provides guests with comfort, adventure, and breathtaking safari experiences in the heart of Tanzania’s most iconic park.
Lemala Kuria Hills Lodge
Today is dedicated to exploring the Serengeti’s diverse ecosystems. You’ll begin with an early morning game drive, when predators are most active, followed by a bush breakfast or return to camp for a late meal. The Serengeti’s sheer size allows you to explore river valleys, kopjes (rocky outcrops), and open grasslands, each offering unique wildlife encounters.
Spend the afternoon continuing your adventure, with chances to see elephants, buffalo, giraffes, and countless antelope. Bird enthusiasts will also appreciate the park’s 500+ bird species. As the sun sets, the Serengeti transforms into a golden landscape, providing perfect photo opportunities before heading back to your lodge or camp.
Into the Wild Tented Camp
Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge
Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge combines modern luxury with the wild beauty of the Serengeti. Overlooking sweeping savannahs, it offers elegant tented suites, contemporary amenities, and a tranquil atmosphere. Perfectly situated for year-round wildlife viewing, the lodge provides guests with comfort, adventure, and breathtaking safari experiences in the heart of Tanzania’s most iconic park.
Lemala Kuria Hills Lodge
Rise early for one last sunrise game drive in the Serengeti, where the cool morning hours are often the most rewarding for wildlife sightings. Lions, cheetahs, and leopards may be active, and the light offers superb photographic opportunities. After breakfast, enjoy a final sweep across the Serengeti plains before beginning your journey toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Instead of descending into the crater, you will travel to the highlands surrounding it, a region of rolling hills, lush forests, and panoramic viewpoints. The drive offers a change in scenery, with cooler temperatures and sweeping views over the crater rim. Depending on timing, you may stop at Maasai villages to learn more about their traditional way of life. In the evening, settle into your lodge or camp in the Ngorongoro Highlands for dinner and relaxation.
Bougainvillea Safari Lodge
Ngorongoro Farm House
Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge
After an early breakfast, you’ll descend the steep walls of the Ngorongoro Crater for a once-in-a-lifetime safari experience. Often described as the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” the crater shelters over 25,000 large animals within its floor, making it one of the densest wildlife areas on the planet. Here, you may encounter prides of lions, herds of buffalo, zebras, wildebeest, and elephants. If luck is on your side, you may even spot the endangered black rhino—one of the rarest sightings in East Africa.
A picnic lunch will be enjoyed at a scenic spot within the crater, often near the hippo pools where you can relax as you watch these semi-aquatic giants wallowing in the water. Afterward, continue your game drive across the crater floor, soaking in its unique landscapes and abundant wildlife. By mid-afternoon, you’ll ascend the crater walls and begin your return journey to Arusha, arriving in the early evening. This marks the end of your unforgettable 5-day safari, leaving you with lifelong memories of Tanzania’s wilderness.
Understanding the 5-day safari in Tanzania cost upfront is something we actively encourage. Transparent pricing builds trust, and trust is the foundation of a good booking relationship.
Tanzania safari cost per day varies based on the following factors:
Accommodation Level This is the biggest driver of price variation. Budget camping, mid-range lodges, and luxury tented camps each come with different price points—but the wildlife experience in the parks remains extraordinary at every level. The choice is really about how you want to spend your evenings and mornings.
Group Size Fixed costs like the vehicle, guide, and park fees are shared across the group. Larger groups generally see a lower per-person cost. Solo travelers and couples are absolutely welcome and fully catered for.
Travel Season Peak season (July to October) commands higher rates at top lodges due to demand—particularly during the Great Migration. Green season travel (November to May) offers more competitive pricing with fewer crowds and equally good wildlife.
What’s Included in All-Inclusive Packages Our Tanzania safari all-inclusive packages cover park entrance fees, all game drives, full-board accommodation, a private 4×4 vehicle, professional local guiding, and airport transfers. The price you’re quoted is the price you pay—no surprise additions.
For a detailed, personalized quote based on your exact travel dates, group size, and accommodation preferences, contact our team directly. We’ll send you a full, transparent breakdown within 24 hours.
Not all Tanzania safari packages are created equal. What separates a good safari from the best 5-day safari Tanzania has available comes down to three things: the parks you visit, the quality of your guide, and how well the itinerary is paced.
This itinerary nails all three.
The parks—Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater—represent the heart of Tanzania’s Northern Safari Circuit. Each park offers something completely different—baobab-studded elephant country, boundless open plains with year-round predator action, and a volcanic crater that functions as a natural wildlife sanctuary. Three parks, three entirely different ecosystems, and one unforgettable five-day experience.
The Guiding—Every safari runs in a private 4×4 vehicle with a dedicated local guide who was born and raised in Tanzania. These aren’t generic tour guides working from a script. They know the parks, the animals, the seasons, and the secret spots that make all the difference between a standard game drive and something truly memorable.
The Pacing—Five days is long enough to go deep into each destination without spending half your time in a vehicle driving between them. The itinerary is designed so that every day feels purposeful, every game drive feels unhurried, and every evening feels well-earned.
Dry Season—June to October This is the gold standard for game viewing. Wildlife concentrates around water sources, vegetation is lower and animals are easier to spot, and road conditions across the parks are at their best. July to September brings the Great Migration river crossings in the Serengeti—widely regarded as one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on Earth. If this is your first safari, the dry season gives you the best possible introduction.
Calving Season—Late January to March The southern Serengeti fills with newborn wildebeest calves, and predator activity intensifies dramatically. It’s extraordinary for wildlife photography and one of the most action-packed periods in the entire Serengeti calendar. Prices are also more competitive than in the peak dry season.
Green Season—November to May: Lush landscapes, competitive pricing, fewer tourists, and excellent birdwatching as migratory species arrive from Europe and beyond. Game viewing is still strong—Tanzania’s wildlife doesn’t hibernate in the rains. For experienced safari travelers, the green season has a quiet, intimate atmosphere that many prefer.
The right lodge or tented camp doesn’t just give you a bed for the night—it becomes part of the safari itself. At Howling Tours, every property in our best 5-day Tanzania safari itinerary is hand-selected based on comfort, service quality, atmosphere, and location relative to the wildlife areas.
Mid-Range Lodges—Reliable, well-appointed accommodation with excellent meals, attentive service, and all the comfort you need after a long day in the bush. Great value without compromising on the experience.
Luxury Tented Camps—For guests wanting something more elevated, our luxury options bring private decks, premium furnishings, curated menus, and exclusive service to locations that few travelers ever reach. Falling asleep to the sounds of the bush from a well-appointed tent is a very specific kind of luxury—and one that’s hard to leave behind.
All accommodation across this itinerary is full board, covering breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are no hidden meal costs. Private tented suites and high-end lodge upgrades are available on request.
Booking is straightforward. Here’s how it works:
Step 1—Contact—Contact Us: Reach out via email at info@howlingtours.com or WhatsApp at +255 759960639. Tell us your travel dates, group size, where you’re traveling from, and any special interests or requirements.
Step 2—Get Your Personalized Quote We’ll send you a detailed, transparent quote within 24 hours—broken down by accommodation, park fees, guiding, and transfers. No hidden costs. No vague pricing.
Step 3—Customize Your Itinerary: Work directly with your travel specialist to adjust accommodation levels, add a Zanzibar extension, include cultural experiences like Maasai village visits, or modify any aspect of the itinerary to suit your preferences.
Step 4—Confirm With a Deposit: Secure your safari with a deposit. Full payment terms and policies are clearly explained upfront.
Step 5—Pre-Trip Briefing Your dedicated travel designer provides a complete pre-trip briefing—packing list, health and visa guidance, weather expectations, and everything you need to arrive prepared, confident, and ready for the best 5-day safari Tanzania has to offer.
Step 6—Arrive and Experience Land at Kilimanjaro International Airport, meet your driver, and let Tanzania take over from there.
Hear from our clients! At Safari Peak, we’re proud to share stories of unforgettable Tanzania safaris, thrilling Kilimanjaro climbs, and serene beach escapes, all crafted to create lasting memories.
Posted on cjlarson10Verified Unforgettable experience Had an amazing experience here!! Dennis was our main point of contact and he was great, he was very clear in communication, very prompt and sent a really nice and exact itinerary. We worked with him on what we were looking for and he delivered exactly that. Our guide on the safari was Yuma and he was just great! We saw some other cars with flat tires, ran out of gas, etc and Yuma was a pro and we never had any issues. The roads are definitely tricky but he did a great job navigating and making it as comfortable as possible. He also had a ton of knowledge about all the animals we saw, big and small, and we saw a ton!! The highlight was seeing a whole pack of mama lions with their cubs, we also saw male lions, zebras, hyenas, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, ostriches, leopards, cheetahs, a blue cobra (very rare), baboons, elephants, and a million different birds. Our stays had amazing food, wine, and amenities. The van itself had wine, beer, water and packed lunches every day. Every detail was thought about and planned before we could even ask for it. Dennis even called ahead to a few hotels to let them know we were celebrating an anniversary and they really helped us celebrate. It was truly the trip of a lifetime and the perfect experience. 10/10 would recommend to any friend and already have! Thank you Dennis and team for an unforgettable experience!!Posted on jonnyadlerVerified BEST LUXURY SAFARI IN TANZANIA!!! I cannot recommend Howling Tours highly enough – this was truly the trip of a lifetime, and it was all thanks to Denis and his incredible team. From the very beginning, Denis went above and beyond to make everything seamless for us. He personally picked my mom up from the airport at 2am without hesitation, and then picked up my fiancé and me at 11pm with the same level of care and professionalism. Everything ran like clockwork, and that level of reliability set the tone for our entire safari experience.Denis also arranged for us to stay at some of the most incredible hotels in Tanzania, including several Melia properties, which were absolutely stunning. At more than one stop, Denis even called ahead to arrange special touches or upgrades for us, which made us feel truly cared for and added such a personal, thoughtful element to the journey. What amazed us most is that all of this was done without the kind of sky-high price tag you’d expect from such a luxury safari.Our driver, Yuma, deserves special recognition as well. He was extremely professional, kind, and knowledgeable, but what stood out most was his skill behind the wheel. On the safari roads, we saw plenty of vehicles broken down or pulled over, but Yuma kept us moving smoothly and safely the entire time. Thanks to him, we were able to maximize our time in the parks and, unbelievably, we saw all of the Big 5 (and then some!). It felt like every day was filled with once-in-a-lifetime sightings, and Yuma’s expertise and intuition were a huge reason why.After our safari, Denis’ sister helped arrange the Zanzibar portion of our trip, along with their guide Ania, and that was just as smooth and enjoyable. Everything was taken care of for us, so all we had to do was relax and soak in the beauty of the island.In short, every detail of our journey was handled with professionalism, warmth, and genuine care. Denis and his team made us feel like family, not just clients. If you are considering a safari in Tanzania, do yourself a favor and book with Howling Tours. You will not only have an unforgettable adventure, but you’ll also have the peace of mind knowing that every little detail is being looked after by people who truly care. This was, without question, one of the best travel experiences of our lives.Posted on Boston BabeVerified Best Safari in Tanzania! Everything was spectacular! Dennis worked with us to design a perfect, dream safari. Our driver/tour guide Yuma was terrific- very knowledgeable about the animals and wildlife, patient with us as we explored. The Melia Hotels were luxurious, people could not have been more friendly. Had the same experience with this company in Zanzibar too. Dennis was always available and checking in to make sure we had everything we needed. I would highly recommend Dennis and his company! Five stars!!!Posted on Sven PVerified 3-Day Safari incl. 1 Day Luxury Serval Experience We had the chance to enjoy a very special safari experience with Denies and his team. We were speechless – simply wonderful.Itinerary:Day 1: Flight from Zanzibar (ZNZ) to Arusha, transfer to the luxury Serval Life Resort.Day 2: Transfer from Serval Resort via Arusha to Tarangire National Park.Day 3: Full-day safari in Ngorongoro National Park.Day 4: Lake Manyara National Park, then transfer to Arusha Airport. Flight back to Zanzibar and transfer back to the hotel.The planning was very professional. Everything worked as agreed, and Denies and his team were always punctual. This builds trust and allowed every day to start with a positive feeling.Our expectations in the national parks were exceeded. Our guide showed us the animals, explained the flora and fauna, and everything else necessary for an authentic safari experience. The knowledge he shared with us was impressive. We also felt his calm personality and his passion for his work – which made the experience truly unforgettable.We would gladly book again with the Howling Team.Conclusion: Competent, dedicated, and passionate about their work.Posted on Najea HVerified Coffee & waterfalls 😍 Super lovely trip to Materuni waterfalls 💚🤗 Coffee making and waterfalls!! 🏞☕️ Thank youuuuu Howlingtours team🙂🤗Posted on Charle StonVerified Unforgettable 4-Day Luxury Safari with Howling Tours – Ask for Denis! From the moment we were picked up, our 4-day luxury safari with Howling Tours exceeded every expectation. Every detail was handled with professionalism and warmth, and we owe so much of that incredible experience to our guide and driver, Denis—an absolute gem!The vehicle was spotless, comfortable, and stocked with cold drinks and snacks, which made the long drives enjoyable. Denis was not only a skilled driver, navigating tough terrain with ease, but also incredibly knowledgeable about the wildlife, the ecosystem, and even the small details that made the bush come alive. His ability to spot animals from a distance was unreal—we saw lions, elephants, giraffes, a leopard, and even a black rhino thanks to his sharp eyes and tracking expertise.The luxury accommodations arranged by Howling Tours were top-notch—beautiful lodges and tented camps that combined comfort with breathtaking views of the savannah. Every evening, we were greeted with warm hospitality, gourmet meals, and the sounds of nature just outside our rooms.What made this safari truly special, though, was Denis’s passion and energy. He was always on time, always in a great mood, and he clearly loves what he does. His respect for the animals and the land was inspiring, and he always made sure we had the best vantage points without disturbing the wildlife.We felt safe, informed, and totally immersed in the beauty of Tanzania throughout our trip. If you’re looking for a seamless luxury safari experience, Howling Tours is the way to go—and if you’re lucky enough to get Denis as your guide, you’re in for the trip of a lifetime!Posted on Izmir RVerified 2-Day Safari Tour We booked our safari with Howling Tours, and Denis was a great host. Everything went smoothly – from the pick-up at the airport to the first safari tour, and then back to the lodge (which was absolutely stunning).Everything was just as perfect on the second day as well.Since we didn’t have a return flight on Saturday evening, Denis kindly offered us a hotel stay (including transfer and meals) at no extra cost, so we could fly out the next morning.I can highly recommend Howling Tours, Denis, and his team. Thank you for this unforgettable adventure.Posted on Global59012226643Verified 9-day Kenya & Tanzania safari tour We joined a 9-day Kenya & Tanzania safari tour with Howling and overall had a fantastic experience! The daily schedules were well-paced, the guides were knowledgeable and kind, and we were lucky to see an incredible variety of animals—many of them up close. The food was also enjoyable throughout the trip. There were a few minor surprises along the way, but nothing that took away from the joy of the journey. It was truly a memorable adventure!Posted on Otilia GVerified Unforgettable memories Our safari adventure with Denis and John from Howling Tours was absolutely incredible! From start to finish, everything was perfectly organized, and the experience exceeded all our expectations.The guides were highly knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about wildlife. They made sure we saw the Big Five and many other amazing animals up close while sharing fascinating insights about them.We visited a Maasai village, which was an incredible place with kind and hospitable people. The safari vehicle was comfortable, and we always felt safe throughout the journey.The lodges and camps we stayed in were great, the food was delicious, and the staff went above and beyond to make our trip special.Every moment was exciting! It truly felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we couldn’t have asked for a better company to organize it.A huge bravo to Denis for making this safari unforgettable! If you're looking for an extraordinary adventure in the wild, look no further. Highly recommended!Posted on NorthStar13315628898Verified Howling Tours Experience The tour guides were really nice and funny and the tour itself was extraordinary. Seeing the animals live together in harmony is really something you should put on your bucket list if you ever visit Tanzania.Tripadvisor rating score: 5.0 of 5, based on 19 reviews,showing our latest reviews
Explore some of the Similar Tanzania Safari Deals and Choose your Best Safari with us
10 Days / 9 Nights
From
Per Person
10 Days / 9 Nights
From
Per Person
2 Tage / 1 Nacht
From
Pro Person
2 Tage / 1 Nacht
From
Pro Person
2 Tage / 1 Nacht
From
Pro Person
2 Tage / 1 Nacht
From
Pro Person