Six-Day Big Five Safari – Northern Circuit Adventure From Zanzibar
6 Days / 5 Nights Days
Why Choose This Safari?
Five parks in six days is an ambitious count for a Zanzibar add-on, and this route earns it by giving you a real say in how it starts — a game drive, a canoe safari, or a walking safari through Arusha National Park, your choice, rather than a fixed itinerary from day one. From there it's the classic northern circuit done properly: Lake Manyara's tree-climbing lions, a full day in the Serengeti, a Ngorongoro Crater descent for your best shot at black rhino, and a last morning among Tarangire's elephants and baobabs before the same-day flight back to the coast. It suits travelers who want the complete Big Five checklist without extending their Zanzibar trip by more than a week.
Destinations to Travel
Arusha · Arusha National Park (Momella Lakes & Ngurdoto Crater) · Lake Manyara National Park · Serengeti National Park · Ngorongoro Conservation Area & Crater · Karatu · Tarangire National Park
Itinerary
Day 1 — Zanzibar to Arusha, then Arusha National Park
An early flight takes you from Zanzibar to Arusha, landing at 09:15, ready for a full day at Arusha National Park. You choose how you'd like to explore it — a game drive across the park's varied landscape from the Momella Lakes to Ngurdoto Crater, a canoe safari paddling among hippo, giraffe and buffalo, or a walking safari through forest and grassland where colobus monkeys and over 400 recorded bird species make their home. You return to Arusha for the night.
Day 2 — Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park
After breakfast, you head for Lake Manyara, stopping at the market town of Mto Wa Mbu along the way. The park is known for its tree-climbing lions and dense birdlife, and the game drive here tends to reward patience as much as luck. You spend the night at a lodge within the park.
Day 3 — Lake Manyara to Serengeti National Park
A scenic drive carries you toward the Serengeti, passing through the forests of the Ngorongoro Highlands. Along the way, you can choose to stop at Oldupai Gorge, one of the most significant archaeological sites for human evolution anywhere on earth, or visit a Maasai boma for dance, a village tour and the chance to buy handmade souvenirs. You arrive in the Serengeti for lunch, then head straight into an afternoon game drive across the savannah before an overnight in the heart of the park.
Day 4 — Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
An early morning game drive gets the day moving as you travel toward Ngorongoro, with migrating herds, giraffe and the chance of leopard or cheetah along the way. You spend the evening on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater, with views over the caldera that are hard to beat anywhere on this trip.
Day 5 — Ngorongoro Crater
You descend into Ngorongoro Crater itself, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its density of wildlife — this is your best shot at the endangered black rhino on the whole trip, alongside lion, leopard, hippo and plenty more. A picnic lunch by the hippo pool breaks up the day before you head back to Karatu for the night.
Day 6 — Tarangire National Park to Arusha, then Return to Zanzibar
Your final day is spent in Tarangire National Park, known for its large elephant herds and towering baobabs—keep an eye out for less common species like the Greater Kudu and Ashy Starling during your last game drive. After a picnic lunch, you return to Arusha for your flight back to Zanzibar, departing at 16:35 and landing at 17:35.
What's Included
Rate Includes
- Accommodation as stipulated in the Itinerar
- Airport transfers
- Return flight Zanzibar/Serengeti/Zanzibar or Dar es laam
- Sightseeing as specified in itinerary
- Transport on safari in a 4WD vehicle with an open roof
- All parks entrance fees
- Service of English Speaking driver guide
- Mineral water 1.5lt per person per day
- Salary for the Professional English Drive Guide.
Rate Excludes
- International flights.
- Accommodation before and after safari in Zanzibar
- VISA and any Airport Taxes
- Hot and cold drinks.
- Hot Air Balloon ride over Serengeti, book with us.
- Flying doctors insurance, we can arrange for USD 50per person.
- Tips to the driver/guide and all items of personal nature/use.
- And all not mentioned in the itinerary above.
Best Time to Go
All-season
Pricing
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I do a 6-day Big Five safari from Zanzibar?
Yes — this itinerary is a round trip from Zanzibar, with flights on Day 1 and Day 6, covering Arusha National Park, Lake Manyara, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire in between.
What are my options for Day 1 at Arusha National Park?
You choose one of three experiences — a game drive from the Momella Lakes to Ngurdoto Crater, a canoe safari across the Momella Lakes, or a walking safari through the park's forest and grassland.
Are Oldupai Gorge and the Maasai boma visit included on Day 3?
Still to be confirmed — the itinerary lists these as optional stops without stating whether there's an extra cost, which is worth locking down before this goes live.
Will I see the Big Five on this trip?
This route gives you a genuine shot at all five, with the Ngorongoro Crater on Day 5 offering the best odds for black rhino specifically, alongside lion, elephant, buffalo and, with luck, leopard — sightings of any specific species are never guaranteed.
What time do the flights to and from Zanzibar depart?
The outbound flight leaves Zanzibar at 08:00 and lands in Arusha at 09:15 on Day 1; the return flight departs Arusha at 16:35 and lands in Zanzibar at 17:35 on Day 6.
Where do I stay each night on this safari?
Not specified in the itinerary provided — send over the lodges or camps you'd like listed and I'll fill those in.