7-Day Tanzania Self-Drive Safari Itinerary

The route

1. Day1

   Arusha to Tarangire NP

   130 km2 hrs

   Collect vehicle from Arusha. Drive south on the A104 to Makuyuni then west on the B144 to the Tarangire main gate. Afternoon circuit — the main Tarangire River track (40 km north–south along the river) produces elephant herds, lion, and leopard in dry season (July–October).

   • Tarangire park entry: USD 59/person/day + USD 40/vehicle/day
   • Best wildlife: July–October (2,500+ elephants at the river)

   Overnight: Tarangire public campsite

2. Day2

   Tarangire — Full Day

   Full day Tarangire circuit. Dawn departure along the Tarangire River — elephant family groups of 50 to 150 individuals, lion in the baobab woodland, and the Silale Swamp in the south (python, hippo, extraordinary birdlife). The ancient baobab trees of Tarangire are the park's photographic signature — morning light on the baobabs with elephant herds below them is one of Tanzania's most iconic images.

3. Day3

   Tarangire to Ngorongoro Rim Camp

   200 km3.5 hrs

   Depart Tarangire by 7 am north via Makuyuni, then west on the B144 through Karatu to the Lodoare gate (Ngorongoro Conservation Area entrance). Pay NCAA entry (USD 80/person/24 hrs). Drive the 18 km to the crater rim — the first view of the crater from the rim road is one of the most dramatic moments in African travel.

   • NCAA entry: USD 80/person/24 hrs
   • Crater descent fee: USD 60/vehicle/descent

   Overnight: Simba public campsite (on the crater rim, 3 km from the descent road)

4. Day4

   Ngorongoro Crater Descent

   5:45 am departure from Simba campsite — drive 3 km to the descent road entry point. Descend at 6:10 am (the gate opens at 6 am). Spend the full day in the crater (260 km² caldera, 25,000 resident animals). Key targets: black rhino (30 individuals — best near Lerai Forest), lion (6 prides), spotted hyena (400+ individuals). Mandatory crater exit by 4 pm.

   Overnight: Simba campsite

5. Day5

   Ngorongoro to Serengeti — Seronera

   145 km3 hrs

   Depart Simba campsite by 6 am. Drive west through the NCA to the Naabi Hill gate (Serengeti TANAPA entry). Stop at Olduvai Gorge (30 mins, small guided tour of the hominin fossil site). Continue to Seronera — the central Serengeti hub and the most productive year-round game drive area in Tanzania. Afternoon Seronera circuit.

   • Serengeti park entry: USD 70/person/day + USD 40/vehicle/day

   Overnight: Seronera public campsite

6. Day6–7

   Serengeti — Two Full Days

   Two full days in the Serengeti. Day 6: Seronera circuit — the Seronera River system holds a resident leopard population (one of the most reliable leopard areas in Tanzania) and lion prides year-round. Day 7: extended circuit depending on season — Ndutu (January–March calving), western corridor Grumeti River (June–July), or north toward Lobo (September–October). Exit Serengeti via Naabi Hill gate and drive to Arusha (3 hrs) on Day 7 afternoon.