Serengeti · Ngorongoro Crater
Serengeti and Crater Fly-In Getaway
Skip the long road, land on the plains, and spend your short break watching lions and crater wildlife.
- Duration
- 5 days
- Destinations
- Serengeti · Ngorongoro Crater
- Best months
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
- Group size
- 1 to 8 guests
- From
- $2,589 per person
Overview
Skip the long road, land on the plains, and spend your short break watching lions and crater wildlife.
Two of Africa's most famous wildlife areas fit into one working week if you let an aircraft do the heavy lifting. A light plane lifts you out of Arusha on the first morning and sets down on the Seronera airstrip, so your first afternoon is already a game drive rather than a day lost to dust and tarmac.
From there the plan is simple. Two full days follow the Serengeti's resident prides and, when the season allows, the great herds. Then you climb to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area for a whole day on the crater floor, where an enclosed bowl of grassland packs in an astonishing amount of game. A last drive through the market village of Mto wa Mbu brings you back to Arusha.
The route is identical at every comfort level. What shifts from one tier to the next is the camp or lodge waiting for you at dusk, so you can decide how much to invest in the nights without touching the days.
- Fly straight to the Seronera airstrip and give your first afternoon to wildlife, not to a long transfer
- Two full days on the plains, long enough to follow a predator's movements instead of catching a brief glimpse
- Five days give you real prospects of lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino
- A full day on the floor of Ngorongoro Crater, one of the densest wildlife gatherings on the continent
- A relaxed pause in Mto wa Mbu village on the road back, with time to look around rather than snap and go
- Three accommodation tiers on one unchanged route, from simple and comfortable to truly rarefied
Best forCouplesSolo travellersShort breaks
Wildlife radar
What you can expect to see
Any month works for resident predators and the crater floor. If the herds matter most to you, tell us your dates and we will advise on the likelihood of seeing them.
- LionHigh
- African elephantHigh
- Cape buffaloHigh
- Black rhinoHigh
- LeopardRare
- WildebeestSeasonal
Great Migration herds, depending on the month
The difference
A short trip that wastes no hours
Most five-day itineraries lose a day to the road. By flying in, this one puts the time back where it counts: out in the vehicle, with the engine off and binoculars up.
Private vehicles, a dedicated guide and a pared-back route mean you can stay with a sighting as long as it keeps giving, then move on without a group vote.
On the map
Your route
Follow the trip from the first night to the last, by road and by air.
- Start · Day 1Arusha
- Day 1-2Central SerengetiFlight from Arusha
- Day 3-4Ngorongoro CraterDrive from Central Serengeti
- End · Day 5ArushaDrive from Ngorongoro Crater
Day by day
Your itinerary
Day 1
Fly from Arusha to the Serengeti
Central Serengeti
A morning flight from Arusha lands you at Seronera airstrip in Central Serengeti. After lunch at camp, your first game drive begins in the afternoon light.
- Ridge
- Lahia Tented Lodge
- Summit
- Siringiti Serengeti Camp
- Meals
- Lunch, dinner
Day 2
A full day on the Serengeti plains
Central Serengeti
Dawn to dusk in the vehicle, tracking the resident prides and whichever herds are close. Your guide chooses the route by where the animals are, not by a fixed schedule.
- Ridge
- Lahia Tented Lodge
- Summit
- Siringiti Serengeti Camp
- Meals
- All meals
Day 3
Over the highlands to Ngorongoro
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
You drive from Central Serengeti up to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with wildlife along the way, and settle in for the evening near the crater rim.
- Meals
- All meals
Day 4
Down into the crater
Ngorongoro Crater
A full day descending to the crater floor, where grassland, swamp, forest and soda lake sit inside a single caldera wall and animals are rarely far from view.
The crater is a closed system about 260 km² (100 sq mi) across, and most of its resident animals stay inside it all year.
- Ridge
- Kitela Lodge
- Meals
- All meals
Day 5
Mto wa Mbu and back to Arusha
Mto wa Mbu, Arusha
The road leads back to Arusha, with a halt at Mto wa Mbu village en route. You are then transferred to the airport for your flight home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Gallery
Along the route
Where you stay
Choose your style of stay
Trail
Comfortable and great value
From$2,589per person
- Serengeti Katikati Camp
- Tortils Ngorongoro Camp
- Ngorongoro Farm House
Ridge
Character, comfort and standout settings
From$3,177per person
- Lahia Tented Lodge
- Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
- Kitela Lodge
Summit
Exclusive, refined and luxurious
From$4,676per person
- Siringiti Serengeti Camp
- Ngorongoro Lodge, The Rim Room (Meliá Collection)
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 | $3,437 |
| 3 travellers | $2,891 |
| 4 travellers | $2,825 |
| 5 travellers | $2,629 |
| 6 travellers | $2,589 |
- Prices are in US dollars, per person sharing a double or twin room. Vehicle and guide costs are shared, so the price per person changes with group size and does not always fall in a straight line.
- 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 conservation area entry fees
- Game drives in a 4x4 Land Cruiser
- An English-speaking professional guide
- Meals as shown in the itinerary
- Accommodation for the nights in your chosen tier
- Airport transfers
Not included
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities for guides and camp staff
- Personal spending
Good to know
- Prices are quoted per person sharing a double or twin room. Single supplements are available on request.
- A minimum of two travellers is needed for the charter flight to Seronera.
- Availability and rates depend on your exact dates within the season.
- Government park and conservation fees can change without notice.
Questions
Good to know
The route, the parks and the wildlife stay the same. Only your lodging changes: the first tier is comfortable and straightforward, the second adds space and polish, and the third places you somewhere distinctive every night.
Yes. Everyone takes the same short flight from Arusha to the Seronera airstrip, usually in under an hour, and begins on the plains.
We cannot promise where the herds will be on a given date. We can promise five days in country where resident lions and leopards are watched all year. If the migration is your priority, speak to us before booking and we will help you pick dates with the best odds.
It can. The vehicle and guide are shared costs, so a bigger party may lower the per-person figure. Ask us for a quote for your exact numbers.
The price covers park fees, private game drives, your guide, meals, lodging and airport transfers. You arrange your international flights, visa, insurance and gratuities.
Serengeti and Crater Fly-In Getaway
Tell us your dates and group size and we will confirm availability and a personal quote.