Arusha and Kilimanjaro · Lake Manyara National Park · Tarangire National Park · Ngorongoro Crater · Serengeti
Twelve Days: Kilimanjaro Hike, Maasai Villages and the Northern Parks
Boots on the Shira Plateau, conversations in Maasai communities, then four of Tanzania's great parks without a rushed overnight in sight.
- Duration
- 12 days
- Destinations
- Arusha and Kilimanjaro · Lake Manyara National Park · Tarangire National Park · Ngorongoro Crater · Serengeti
- Best months
- Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Jan, Feb
- Group size
- 1 to 6 guests
- From
- $5,957 per person
Overview
Boots on the Shira Plateau, conversations in Maasai communities, then four of Tanzania's great parks without a rushed overnight in sight.
Plenty of twelve-day Tanzania trips make you pick between the mountain and the plains. This one keeps both. It begins on the quieter western side of Kilimanjaro, with a morning among Maasai people and a full day on foot up to the Shira Plateau, a volcanic caldera that makes for a proper hike rather than a quick photo stop.
From there the route turns to the wildlife circuit: Lake Manyara, Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and three days in the Serengeti. Two cultural visits, to a Maasai community on Kilimanjaro's slopes and to Chief Lobulu's village near Karatu, are built into the days instead of tacked on at the edges.
It suits people who prefer depth to a checklist: real walking, real conversations and more than a single night at each stop. Whether you come for the Big Five, a physical challenge or time with local communities, each gets its own chapter.
- A guided Kilimanjaro hike up to the Shira Plateau, paired with a full wildlife safari
- Two unhurried cultural encounters with Maasai communities, one of them with an evening dance
- A guided walking safari in Arusha National Park, with an armed ranger
- Lake Manyara, Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti at a steady pace, with more than one night in the main areas
- A private vehicle and guide throughout, with two accommodation levels to choose from
Best forWildlife enthusiastsCouplesSolo travellersActive travellers
Wildlife radar
What you can expect to see
The trip runs all year. The Shira Plateau hike is at its most comfortable in the dry months of June to October and January to February.
- African elephantHigh
- LionHigh
- Cape buffaloHigh
- GiraffeHigh
- WildebeestSeasonal
- Black rhinoRare
The difference
Two full days on the mountain's western flank
Culture and hiking are often treated as add-ons: one village stop, one day walk, squeezed between long transfers. Here each is given room. You spend two days based on Kilimanjaro's western slopes, climb to around 3,600 m (11,811 ft) across the Shira Plateau, accompanied by an armed ranger and a mountain guide from the area, and spend a proper morning with a Maasai community that is a conversation, not just a dance.
The northern circuit that follows keeps multiple nights at each stop. The structure of the trip is the same at either accommodation level, and only the lodges change.
Along the way
Highlights
Western Kilimanjaro and the Shira Plateau
A greener and quieter side of the mountain than most visitors ever see. The day hike climbs from about 2,000 m (6,562 ft) to 3,600 m (11,811 ft) across a volcanic caldera that is a World Heritage Site, with the snowy summit of Kibo in view from the trail on a clear day.
Maasai cultural encounters
A morning spent with a community on Kilimanjaro's western slopes, ending with dancing as the day cools, plus an afternoon at the home village of Chief Lobulu, close to Karatu. Each is an hour inside everyday life rather than a scripted stop.
The northern circuit
A village walk and game drive at Lake Manyara, Tarangire's elephants among the baobabs, a full day on the floor of Ngorongoro Crater, and three days in the Serengeti.
On the map
Your route
Follow the trip from the first night to the last, by road and by air.
- Start · Day 1Arusha
- Day 2-3West KilimanjaroDrive from Arusha
- Day 4Arusha National ParkDrive from West Kilimanjaro
- Day 5Lake ManyaraDrive from Arusha National Park
- Day 6Tarangire National ParkDrive from Lake Manyara
- Day 7-8Ngorongoro CraterDrive from Tarangire National Park
- Day 9-11Central SerengetiDrive from Ngorongoro Crater
- End · Day 12ArushaFlight from Central Serengeti
Day by day
Your itinerary
Day 1
Arrival in Arusha
Arusha
After arriving at Kilimanjaro International Airport you ride privately into Arusha and sleep there. The detailed safari briefing is held the following morning.
Arusha is cooler than the plains ahead, so keep a light layer handy for the evening.
- Ridge
- Kahawa House
- Summit
- Gran Melia, Arusha
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 2
Western Kilimanjaro and Maasai Culture
West Kilimanjaro
After an early breakfast you drive to the western side of Kilimanjaro, greener and far less trodden than the standard climbing routes, where large elephant herds follow seasonal corridors. The day is built around a slow morning with a Maasai community, a relaxed afternoon at the lodge and a traditional dance after dark.
Only a small share of the traffic seen on the mountain's southern climbing routes reaches this side.
- Ridge
- Kambi ya Tembo
- Meals
- All meals
Day 3
Shira Plateau Day Hike
West Kilimanjaro
This is the hiking centrepiece. Drive to Londorosi Gate and walk up onto the Shira Plateau, climbing from about 2,000 m to 3,600 m (6,562 ft to 11,811 ft) alongside an armed ranger and a local mountain guide. If energy allows, press on towards Shira 1 Camp, Lion Gorge and the foot of the Shira Pinnacles, with Kibo's snow-capped summit in view on clear days, before heading back down to the lodge.
Altitude affects people differently, so you set the pace and your fitness decides how far you go.
- 3,600 m / 11,811 ft
- Ridge
- Kambi ya Tembo
- Meals
- All meals
Day 4
Walking Safari in Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park
After breakfast you head to Arusha National Park for a guided walk. Following footprints and interpreting the terrain step by step, with a knowledgeable guide beside you, gives a completely different feel for wildlife. Back in Arusha there is a hot meal and a quiet evening, and a coffee walk or town tour is easy to add.
An armed ranger accompanies every walk here as standard park practice, not because of any unusual danger.
- Ridge
- Kahawa House
- Summit
- Gran Melia, Arusha
- Meals
- All meals
Day 5
Mto wa Mbu Village Walk and Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara
The morning drive ends near Lake Manyara, where you stroll through bustling Mto wa Mbu and eat lunch among banana trees. In the afternoon you drive into Lake Manyara National Park.
Mto wa Mbu means mosquito creek in Swahili, so bring repellent for the village walk.
- Summit
- Gibb's Farm
- Meals
- All meals
Day 6
Tarangire National Park
Tarangire National Park
Your guide collects you after breakfast and drives to Tarangire, named for the river that pulls elephant families to its banks. Giraffe, bushbuck and hartebeest share the landscape, and lion and leopard are never far behind.
In the dry season the river is one of the few dependable water sources for miles, so elephants gather along it.
- Summit
- Gibb's Farm
- Meals
- All meals
Day 7
Chief Lobulu's Village and the Karatu Coffee Walk
Ngorongoro Highlands
The day starts at Chief Lobulu's Maasai village. A stop in Karatu follows for a walk through a working coffee plantation, local markets and lunch, before the road climbs into the Ngorongoro Highlands for a gentle afternoon.
The altitude of the Karatu plantations suits Arabica, and the walk's guides will happily explain why.
- Meals
- All meals
Day 8
A Full Day on the Ngorongoro Crater Floor
Ngorongoro Crater
Setting off early with a boxed lunch, you go down the crater wall and stay on the floor all day, in a place where animals are packed more tightly than almost anywhere else in Africa. You head back up to the lodge late in the afternoon.
The floor is several degrees cooler than the rim, so take a jacket even if the morning is clear.
- Meals
- All meals
Day 9
Across the Highlands to the Serengeti
Serengeti
The road traverses the Ngorongoro highlands and goes by Olduvai Gorge, the site where the Leakeys uncovered fossils of Australopithecus, Homo habilis and Homo erectus. A halt at the nearby Shifting Sands is possible if you ask your guide. From the park gate an afternoon game drive carries you to camp.
Even without entering the museum, the roadside viewpoint at Olduvai gives a real sense of the gorge's scale.
- Meals
- All meals
Day 10
Serengeti, First Full Day
Serengeti
Three full days in one of the world's best-known wildlife regions begin here: open plains, resident big cats and, depending on the season, the migratory herds.
Central Serengeti's kopjes are worth checking first thing, as lions often use them as lookouts at dawn.
- Meals
- All meals
Day 11
Serengeti, Second Full Day
Serengeti
A second day of game drives across the plains, tuned to wherever the animals are best that week.
Resident wildlife is strong all year, but the herds' current position changes what else is possible, so ask your guide.
- Meals
- All meals
Day 12
Departure
Serengeti to Arusha
One last game drive on the way to the airstrip for your charter flight to Arusha. You are met and taken to a hotel where a day room is held until the evening airport transfer, with lunch included before you fly home.
- Meals
- Lunch
Gallery
Along the route
Where you stay
Choose your style of stay
Ridge
Character, comfort and standout settings
From$5,957per person
- Kahawa House
- Kambi ya Tembo
- Ngorongoro Farm House
- Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
- Kubukubu Tented Lodge
Summit
Exclusive, refined and luxurious
From$9,709per person
- Gran Melia, Arusha
- Africa Amini Original Maasai Lodge
- Gibb's Farm
- Ngorongoro Lodge, The Rim Room (Meliá Collection)
- Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti
Price per person
Choose a level of stay and see what each person pays for your group size.
| Travelling together | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 2 travellers | $7,377 |
- Prices are in US dollars, per person sharing a double or twin room.
- High season runs from June to September and from December to February; low season covers the other months.
- Priced for two travellers sharing. For one traveller, or three or more, we quote on request.
- These rates are indicative. We confirm the exact price for your dates and group in your personal quote.
- Park fees are set by the authorities and can change, so the quote you accept is the price that applies.
What's included
- Park and conservancy fees throughout
- All game drives, plus the Shira Plateau day hike with its armed ranger and mountain guide
- Fees for the cultural visits
- A professional guide for the whole trip
- Meals as listed for each day
- Accommodation at the level you choose
- Airport and inter-destination transfers
Not included
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities
- Personal expenses
Good to know
- Both accommodation levels include the Shira Plateau hike fee, the Arusha National Park entry, walking and ranger fees, and confirmed park fees at Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara, Tarangire and the Serengeti.
- Third-tier lodge choices are subject to availability and confirmed at booking.
- Park and conservation fees are set by the Tanzanian authorities and can change without notice.
Questions
Good to know
No. This is a guided day walk rather than a summit attempt, and the speed is yours to choose, with an armed ranger and a mountain guide from the area alongside. A decent level of fitness helps, and anyone who copes well with a few hours on foot at height can manage it.
Yes. It covers the whole northern circuit, adds cultural encounters and a mountain walk, and gives a broader introduction than a standard game-drive safari.
The itinerary, route and activities are identical. The difference lies in the lodges, from comfortable, well-placed camps at the second tier to more refined properties at each stop at the third.
Yes, the walking safari in Arusha National Park on day four. It is shorter and gentler, focused on tracking and spotting wildlife on foot, and your guide can adjust the effort of both walks to suit you.
You walk with an armed park ranger and a local mountain guide for the full day, climbing from roughly 2,000 m to the plateau at 3,600 m (6,562 ft to 11,811 ft). Expect several hours on the trail, and decide as you go whether to push towards Shira 1 Camp, Lion Gorge or the Shira Pinnacles.
You track wildlife on foot with your guide and a ranger, whom park regulations require. The park is known for giraffe, buffalo and forest monkeys, with views of Mount Meru. It is a milder outing than the Shira day and a distinct experience from a game drive.
Yes. We can lengthen or shorten the stay at any stop, and a Zanzibar beach finish slots in neatly after the last night.
Private. You have your own vehicle and guide for all twelve days, on dates that suit you.
Twelve Days: Kilimanjaro Hike, Maasai Villages and the Northern Parks
Tell us your dates and group size and we will confirm availability and a personal quote.