Arusha and Kilimanjaro · Tarangire National Park · Ngorongoro Crater · Serengeti
Unhurried Tanzania: Twelve Days at a Gentle Pace
Longer stays, easy walks and a flight home from the Serengeti, for celebrations and multi-generation groups.
- Duration
- 12 days
- Destinations
- Arusha and Kilimanjaro · Tarangire National Park · Ngorongoro Crater · Serengeti
- Best months
- Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
- Group size
- 2 to 6 guests
- From
- $6,136 per person
Overview
Longer stays, easy walks and a flight home from the Serengeti, for celebrations and multi-generation groups.
A good safari does not have to be a sprint. This twelve-day route trades constant moves for longer stays, with two or three nights in most places, so you unpack once and actually settle in. It begins in the highlands west of Kilimanjaro with easy nature walks and Maasai cultural encounters, well before the main game drives start.
From there it passes through Arusha National Park, Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and three consecutive nights in the Serengeti, then ends with a short flight to Arusha in place of a long last drive. It suits older travellers who want a full picture of Tanzania without back-to-back transfer days, couples marking an anniversary who would rather have quiet time together than a checklist of parks, and groups of friends or family spanning several generations. The route is the same at both levels of accommodation.
- Two nights in the West Kilimanjaro highlands, with gentle walks and Maasai cultural time before game drives begin
- Mostly two- and three-night stays, so you are not repacking every morning
- A guided walking safari in Arusha National Park at an easy pace
- A full day in Ngorongoro Crater, about 260 km² of enclosed caldera reached by vehicle, with no steep climbs
- Three nights in the Serengeti, giving the plains room to breathe
- A flight under an hour from the Serengeti to Arusha instead of a six-hour-plus drive
Best forSeniorsAnniversary couplesMulti-generation groups
Wildlife radar
What you can expect to see
June to October is the best time for this relaxed route, with dry weather, clear sightings and comfortable days on safari. The long pace also works in the green months from November to March, when the parks are quieter and the light is soft, though April and May bring the heaviest rain.
- African elephantHigh
- LionHigh
- GiraffeHigh
- Cape buffaloHigh
- Black-and-white colobus monkeyHigh
- Black rhinoRare
The difference
Pacing is the product
Most itineraries are designed around the wildlife and leave the pace to chance. This one starts from the pace: how many hours in the vehicle, how many different beds, how much time to rest between big days.
The effect is that each person in a mixed-age or mixed-fitness party can enjoy every day, and your guide reads the group's energy so nobody is hurried away from a good sighting.
Along the way
Where the slow pace pays off
West Kilimanjaro
A highland area that remains off the standard circuit, with a guided walk through a wildlife management area and a Maasai cultural visit on foot.
Arusha National Park
Giraffe and colobus monkeys, and one of the few parks in Tanzania where a guided walking safari takes place.
Tarangire
Elephant herds and baobabs said to be a thousand years old, with a full day to take them in.
Ngorongoro Crater
The floor is reached entirely by vehicle, so seeing one of Africa's densest wildlife concentrations needs no strenuous walking.
Central Serengeti
Seronera's year-round water supports resident big cats, including lions that rest on the kopjes.
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 4ArushaDrive from West Kilimanjaro
- Day 5Tarangire National ParkDrive from Arusha
- Day 6-7KaratuDrive from Tarangire National Park
- Day 8-10Central SerengetiDrive from Karatu
- Day 11ArushaFlight from Central Serengeti
- End · Day 12Kilimanjaro AirportDrive from Arusha
Day by day
Your itinerary
Day 1
Arrival in Arusha
Arusha
You land at Kilimanjaro International Airport, with an easy first evening to recover from the journey.
- Ridge
- Kahawa House
- Summit
- Arusha Coffee Lodge
- Meals
- Dinner
Day 2
Up to West Kilimanjaro
West Kilimanjaro
A scenic drive into the highlands west of Kilimanjaro, a region that remains well away from the usual safari routes.
- Summit
- Original Maasai Lodge
- Meals
- Full board
Day 3
A full day in the highlands
West Kilimanjaro
A guided walk through the wildlife management area and a real encounter with Maasai life, all on foot at a speed that works for everyone in the party.
Few operators route through West Kilimanjaro at all, which keeps it quiet.
- Summit
- Original Maasai Lodge
- Meals
- Full board
Day 4
Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park / Arusha
A short drive to a park that suits a gentle morning: giraffe, colobus monkeys and a guided walking safari at an easy pace.
Arusha National Park is one of the few Tanzanian parks where a guided walking safari is permitted all year.
- Ridge
- Kahawa House
- Summit
- Arusha Coffee Lodge
- Meals
- Full board
Day 5
A full day in Tarangire
Tarangire National Park
A whole day among Tarangire's elephant herds and its ancient baobabs.
Outside the wet season, Tarangire has one of the highest elephant densities in Africa as herds gather along the river.
- Summit
- Siringiti Tarangire Camp
- Meals
- Full board
Day 6
Mto wa Mbu to Karatu
Mto wa Mbu / Karatu
En route to the Ngorongoro highlands you pause at Mto wa Mbu, a bustling market town, and spend the time talking with local people instead of snapping photos from the vehicle.
- Summit
- Gibb's Farm
- Meals
- Full board
Day 7
Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Crater / Karatu
A day on the crater floor, a self-contained ecosystem you reach entirely by vehicle, with one of Africa's densest concentrations of wildlife and no hard walking.
The crater is a closed ecosystem roughly 260 km² wide, and most of its animals never leave.
- Summit
- Gibb's Farm
- Meals
- Full board
Day 8
Karatu to the Serengeti
Central Serengeti
The drive out onto the endless Serengeti plains, and the first of three nights in the same camp.
- Summit
- Siringiti Serengeti Camp
- Meals
- Full board
Day 9
Game drives in the Serengeti
Central Serengeti
A full day of drives that never feels hurried. Your guide judges the mood of the whole group so nobody is pulled away from a good sighting.
- Summit
- Siringiti Serengeti Camp
- Meals
- Full board
Day 10
More of the Seronera valley
Central Serengeti
A second full day of drives across the Seronera valley.
Seronera's year-round water supports resident big cats, including lions that climb onto the kopjes.
- Summit
- Siringiti Serengeti Camp
- Meals
- Full board
Day 11
Fly from the Serengeti to Arusha
Seronera / Arusha
You fly out of Seronera airstrip to Arusha; the trip takes less than an hour, whereas the road would take six hours or longer.
- Ridge
- Kahawa House
- Summit
- Arusha Coffee Lodge
- Meals
- Full board
Day 12
Departure
Kilimanjaro International Airport
A transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Gallery
Along the route
Where you stay
Choose your style of stay
Ridge
Character, comfort and standout settings
From$6,136per person
- Kahawa House
- Original Maasai Lodge
- Lake Burunge Baobab Tented Lodge
- Ngorongoro Farm House
- Kubukubu Tented Lodge
Summit
Exclusive, refined and luxurious
From$9,818per person
- Arusha Coffee Lodge
- Original Maasai Lodge
- Siringiti Tarangire Camp
- Gibb's Farm
- Siringiti Serengeti Camp
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 | $7,499 |
| 3 travellers | $6,818 |
| 4 travellers | $6,477 |
| 5 travellers | $6,273 |
| 6 travellers | $6,136 |
- 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
- All park, concession and conservation area fees
- Vehicle, guide and fuel every day
- All meals
- Accommodation as listed
- The Seronera to Arusha flight
- Airport transfers
Not included
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities
- Personal expenses
Good to know
- Rates are quoted per person on a twin or double share basis. Single supplements are available on request.
- Emergency air evacuation cover with AMREF Flying Doctors is part of the package. A full personal travel insurance policy is still advised, especially for older travellers.
- Lodging and rates depend on availability and can shift with your exact dates.
- Entry charges for parks and conservation areas are fixed by the authorities, who can revise them at short notice.
Questions
Good to know
Only as much as a gentle walk. Game drives are seated, the crater is reached by vehicle, and the two walking days, in West Kilimanjaro and Arusha National Park, run at an easy speed. Tell us about any mobility needs and we can adjust further.
Yes. The long stays leave energy for evenings together, and small touches for a celebration can be arranged if you tell us what you are marking.
No single day is especially hard for anyone, and vehicle and guide costs are split across the party, so the per person price falls as the group grows.
All park fees, a vehicle and guide each day, meals, the lodging listed, the Serengeti flight and airport transfers. International flights, visas, insurance, tips and personal spending are separate.
Yes. The package includes AMREF Flying Doctors evacuation cover, but a comprehensive policy that covers pre-existing conditions is worth arranging separately.
Yes, many guests finish with a few quiet days in Zanzibar. Ask about adding one.
Unhurried Tanzania: Twelve Days at a Gentle Pace
Tell us your dates and group size and we will confirm availability and a personal quote.