How many days do you need for a Tanzania safari?
The number of days decides how much of the Serengeti you see and how much of your trip is spent driving. Here is what each common length actually covers.
The Serengeti is the reason most people make the trip, and it is also the furthest park from Arusha. Every extra day tends to go there, and that is where it is best spent.
4 days
Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and one short Serengeti night, or Tarangire, Manyara and Ngorongoro without the Serengeti. Good as an add-on to a Kilimanjaro climb or a business trip. Expect a lot of driving for the time available.
5 days
Tarangire, Ngorongoro and two nights in the central Serengeti. This is the shortest trip we would recommend for a first safari that includes the Serengeti.
7 days
Tarangire, Ngorongoro and three or four Serengeti nights. You can follow the migration to where it is that month rather than staying central. For most first-time visitors this is the right length.
9 days
Adds a second Serengeti area: the north for river crossings, the south for calving, or the Western Corridor in June. Time for a slower day at a lodge, or a walking safari.
12 days
Northern Tanzania properly: Tarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro, Lake Eyasi or Lake Natron, and two Serengeti areas. Alternatively, a week on safari and a week on Zanzibar.
At a glance
- Minimum with Serengeti
- 5 days
- Best for first-timers
- 7 days
- With two Serengeti areas
- 9 days or more
- Safari plus beach
- 10 to 14 days
Fly one way to save time
Flying from the Serengeti back to Arusha or on to Zanzibar saves a full day on the road. On trips of seven days or fewer, this can be worth the cost of the flight.
Questions we get asked
Is 3 days enough for a safari?
Three days gives you Tarangire and Ngorongoro, both excellent. It is too short to include the Serengeti comfortably.
Can a safari be too long?
Some travellers get tired after eight or nine days of early starts. Add a rest day or a beach stay rather than more drives.
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