Tanzania is a premier safari destination in Africa, renowned for its national parks, game reserves, and diverse wildlife. The country offers some of the most iconic safari experiences, combining birdwatching, wildlife viewing, and stunning landscapes in one unforgettable adventure. Top destinations include Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, and Lark Plains, each offering unique experiences for travelers.

Serengeti National Park is famous for its vast savannahs, abundant wildlife, and exceptional birding opportunities. Visitors can witness the Great Migration, while spotting lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and buffaloes. The park’s variety of habitats, including grasslands, riverine forests, and wetlands, also supports hundreds of avian species, making it a paradise for birdwatchers.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, crowned by the iconic Ngorongoro Crater, is a microcosm of East African biodiversity. The crater floor hosts black rhinos, lions, elephants, flamingos, and wildebeests, while its rim and surrounding forests provide excellent birdwatching opportunities.

Tarangire National Park is known for its elephant herds, majestic baobab trees, and rich birdlife. The park’s acacia woodlands, riverine forests, and floodplains attract a variety of waterbirds, raptors, and migratory species, alongside abundant mammals.

Lake Manyara National Park combines soda-lake scenery, lush woodlands, and Rift Valley escarpments, offering sightings of tree-climbing lions, flamingos, hippos, and diverse bird species.

Tanzania’s game parks and reserves provide travelers with immersive experiences of wildlife, landscapes, and birding, all in their natural habitats. Whether it’s the open plains of the Serengeti, the crater ecosystems of Ngorongoro, or the wetlands of Lake Manyara, every safari promises unforgettable encounters with Africa’s most iconic animals and birds.

Lilac-breasted Roller perched on a branch in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania

Kori Bustard walking in open savannah at Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

Overview

Itinerary

Experience the best of Tanzania’s national parks and game reserves on an unforgettable safari. Explore Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, and Lake Manyara, spotting Big Five mammals, flamingos, and diverse bird species. Immerse yourself in stunning landscapes, rich wildlife, and exceptional birdwatching, making every moment of your Tanzanian adventure truly unforgettable.

Highlights

Serengeti National Park: Witness the Great Migration, spot the Big Five, and enjoy exceptional birdwatching opportunities.
Ngorongoro Crater: Explore this iconic volcanic crater with dense wildlife, including black rhinos, lions, elephants, and flamingos.
Tarangire National Park: See elephant herds, baobab trees, and a variety of savannah and woodland bird species.
Lake Manyara National Park: Enjoy flamingos, tree-climbing lions, hippos, and a rich diversity of wetland and forest birds.
Lark Plains & Arusha: Begin your safari with highland birding and scenic drives through Tanzania’s lush landscapes.
Guided Game Drives & Birding Walks: Daily expert-led excursions ensure you spot both mammals and rare bird species.
Unique Birding & Wildlife Encounters: Combine prime birdwatching hotspots with sightings of cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, zebras, and topis.
Scenic Landscapes: Experience acacia woodlands, savannah plains, volcanic craters, and Rift Valley lakes.
Photography Opportunities: Capture majestic wildlife, flamingo colonies, and breathtaking African scenery.

Day 01 :

Arusha to Lark Plains

Begin your Tanzania Birding Safari with a morning pick-up from Arusha airport or your hotel, followed by a short safari briefing. Arusha, often called Tanzania’s tourism capital, serves as the gateway to some of the country’s most remarkable birding destinations.

From Arusha, drive north toward the Lark Plains, a vast open area ideal for spotting a variety of bird species. Along the way, enjoy active roadside birding, making stops to observe both common and rare species in their natural habitats. At the plains, immerse yourself in targeted birdwatching, seeking local specials alongside a rich diversity of grassland and woodland birds. This area is known for producing excellent sightings, making it a rewarding start to your Tanzanian birding adventure.

In the late afternoon, return to Arusha for dinner and overnight stay, reflecting on the day’s birding highlights and preparing for the next leg of your safari.

Accommodation: Kibo Palace Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Drinking Water

Day 02 :

Arusha National Park to Lake Manyara

After breakfast, set out early for Arusha National Park, a highland gem nestled around Mount Meru. The park’s mix of montane forest, grasslands, and crater lakes creates an ideal habitat for a variety of highland bird species, making it a perfect spot for dedicated birdwatching.

Explore the park through a combination of drives and walking birding trails, maximizing your chances to spot both forest and grassland birds. While birding, keep an eye out for wildlife highlights, including Maasai giraffes, monkeys, and other iconic East African mammals. Spend the majority of the day in the park, ensuring a thorough exploration of its avian diversity and scenic landscapes.

In the afternoon, leave Arusha National Park and drive west through semi-arid landscapes toward Lake Manyara National Park. Along the way, enjoy several strategic birding stops, spotting additional species and experiencing the rich Rift Valley avifauna. This route provides excellent opportunities for photography and rare bird sightings, adding depth to your Tanzania birding safari.

Arrive at Lake Manyara Serena Lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight stay, preparing for the next day’s exciting birding adventures along the Rift Valley lakes.

Accommodation: Lake Manyara Serena Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Drinking Water

Day 03 :

Lake Manyara National Park

Depart early from your lodge to maximize your time at Lake Manyara National Park, one of Tanzania’s most scenic Rift Valley parks. This park is famous for its pristine soda lake, lush lowland forests, and iconic baobab trees, creating a rich and varied habitat for birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts alike.

Lake Manyara is renowned for its diverse birdlife, including the spectacular flamingo congregations that shimmer across the lake’s surface during peak seasons. In addition to flamingos, expect to spot waterbirds, raptors, and woodland species, making it a true highlight for birding enthusiasts.

Wildlife viewing in Lake Manyara is equally exciting. The park is home to savannah elephants, lions, baboons, and various monkey species, providing excellent photographic opportunities in the park’s unique scenery. Whether you are tracking birds along the lakeshore or observing mammals in the woodland, Lake Manyara delivers a rich and rewarding safari experience.

Spend the day exploring the park, combining game drives and guided birdwatching walks, to fully appreciate its avian and mammal diversity. Return to Lake Manyara Serena Lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight stay, resting up for the next leg of your Tanzania Birding Safari.

Accommodation: Lake Manyara Serena Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Drinking Water

Day 04 :

Lake Manyara to Ngorongoro Crater

After breakfast, depart early and head toward the Ngorongoro Crater, one of Tanzania’s most iconic natural wonders. This massive volcanic caldera sits at approximately 2,000 meters above sea level and descends about 600 meters, offering breathtaking views from both the rim and the crater floor. The surrounding highland forests are rich with indigenous trees and provide excellent habitats for diverse bird species.

Begin the day by enjoying the panoramic views from the crater rim, scanning for highland birds in the surrounding forests. Then descend into the majestic Ngorongoro Crater, passing through scenic landscapes dotted with Euphorbia trees and unique Rift Valley flora. The crater floor is home to abundant wildlife, including lions, black rhinos, zebras, wildebeests, hippos, and various gazelle species, offering incredible game viewing opportunities alongside your birding adventure.

Spend the day combining birdwatching and game drives, capturing the remarkable diversity of both avian and mammal species in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Later in the afternoon, ascend back to the crater rim, where you can continue spotting highland forest birds while enjoying the sweeping views of the crater walls and surrounding landscapes.

Conclude the day with dinner and overnight stay at the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, resting up for the next stage of your Tanzania Birding Safari.

Accommodation: Ngorongoro Serena Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Drinking Water

Day 05 :

Ngorongoro to Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, depart from Ngorongoro Crater and journey toward the legendary Serengeti National Park, arriving in time for an evening game drive. The Serengeti is renowned for its vast savannahs, abundant wildlife, and exceptional birding opportunities, making it a highlight of your Tanzania Birding Safari.

Spend the day exploring the diverse habitats of the Serengeti, from open grasslands and wetlands to scrublands and riverine forests. These ecosystems support a wide array of avian species, providing excellent birdwatching opportunities throughout your drives. Expect to encounter both resident and migratory birds, adding significant variety to your species list.

Game viewing in the Serengeti is equally spectacular. Keep an eye out for savannah elephants, Maasai giraffes, lions, leopards, cheetahs, zebras, servals, and assorted antelopes, all thriving across the park’s expansive plains. Long game drives allow you to fully immerse yourself in the Serengeti’s incredible biodiversity and dramatic landscapes, making for unforgettable photographic and wildlife experiences.

Enjoy midday lunch stops surrounded by nature before continuing your exploration. Return to Mbusi Mawe Serena Camp in the evening for dinner and overnight stay, resting up for more exciting birding and wildlife encounters in the Serengeti.

Accommodation: Mbusi Mawe Serena Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Drinking Water

Day 06 :

Serengeti National Park Birding and Wildlife

After breakfast, spend a full day exploring the Serengeti National Park, a world-renowned destination for both birdwatching and wildlife viewing. The park’s vast plains, rocky koppies, and wetlands provide habitats for an incredible diversity of species, making it a highlight of your Tanzania Birding Safari.

Birding in the Serengeti offers sightings of iconic and endemic species, including Kori and Buff-crested Bustard, Coqui Francolin, Grey-breasted Spurfowl, Brown Parrot, Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, Freckled Nightjar, Plain-backed Pipit, Sooty Chat, Tanzanian Hornbill, Grey-crested Helmet-shrike, Rosy-patched Shrike, Long-tailed Cisticola, Buff-bellied Penduline, Red-throated Tits, and the Steel-blue Whydah. With such diversity, every stop provides opportunities for photography and close observation of unique avifauna.

Wildlife highlights complement the birding experience. The park is home to cheetahs, leopards, topis, rock hyraxes, klipspringers, and hippos in their natural habitats. Explore rocky outcrops and muddy pools to spot mammals in their prime, while enjoying the Serengeti’s breathtaking landscapes and open savannahs.

Spend the day on extended game drives and birding transects, combining the excitement of birdwatching with classic African safari encounters. Return to Mbusi Mawe Serena Camp in the evening for dinner and overnight stay, preparing for the next adventure in your Tanzania Birding Safari.

Accommodation: Mbusi Mawe Serena Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Drinking Water

Day 07 :

Serengeti to Tarangire National Park

After breakfast, depart early from the Serengeti and journey toward Tarangire National Park, a less-visited but spectacular birding destination in northern Tanzania. Along the way, enjoy active roadside birding, spotting both common and rare species as you traverse the scenic landscapes.

Upon arrival, enter Tarangire, famously known as the land of elephants and iconic baobab trees. This park combines stunning scenery with excellent birdwatching opportunities, featuring species that thrive in its acacia woodlands, riverine forests, and floodplains. Expect to encounter numerous woodland and savannah birds, making it a rewarding stop for avid birders.

In addition to birdlife, Tarangire is renowned for its abundant wildlife, including large elephant herds, impalas, giraffes, zebras, and predators. Game viewing here complements the birding experience, allowing you to witness Tanzania’s diverse fauna in a relatively tranquil and less crowded setting.

Spend the afternoon exploring the park with guided game drives and birdwatching walks, capturing the rich biodiversity and dramatic landscapes of Tarangire. Return to Tarangire Sopa Lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight stay, reflecting on the day’s birding and wildlife highlights and preparing for the next stage of your Tanzania Birding Safari.

Accommodation: Tarangire Sopa Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Drinking Water

Day 08 :

Full Day Birding in Tarangire National Park

Spend the entire day exploring Tarangire National Park, maximizing your chances to spot bird species you may have missed the previous day. Known for its diverse avifauna and scenic acacia woodlands, Tarangire is a prime destination for birdwatchers, with opportunities to add both resident and migratory species to your list.

While birding remains the focus, the park’s abundant wildlife ensures exciting mammal encounters throughout the day. Expect to see African elephants, cheetahs, Cape buffalo, banded mongooses, and other savannah mammals as you traverse the park’s varied habitats. The mix of floodplains, riverine forests, and baobab-studded plains provides a perfect balance of birdwatching and wildlife viewing.

Guided game drives and birdwatching walks allow you to explore Tarangire’s rich ecosystems, from its wetlands and scrublands to the iconic baobab-lined landscapes. This full day is ideal for photography, close wildlife observation, and detailed birding, enhancing the overall Tanzania Birding Safari experience.

Return to Tarangire Sopa Lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight stay, reflecting on a day filled with avian and mammal highlights and preparing for your journey onward.

Accommodation: Tarangire Sopa Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Drinking Water

Day 09 :

Tarangire National Park to Arusha & Departure

After breakfast, depart Tarangire National Park and drive back toward Arusha, keeping an eye out for any additional bird species along the way. The scenic drive offers final opportunities for photography and birdwatching, adding a few last species to your Tanzania Birding Safari list.

Arrive in Arusha in time for lunch, before being transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your evening flight home. This marks the conclusion of an unforgettable safari, filled with diverse birding experiences, iconic wildlife encounters, and the stunning landscapes of northern Tanzania.

Accommodation: None
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Drinking Water