# 12-Day Private Tanzania Safari Twelve slow days with a private guide: two or three nights almost everywhere, a morning with the people of Lake Eyasi, and Serengeti time matched to the season. Two nights in Tarangire, one at Lake Eyasi, two on the Ngorongoro crater rim, three in the central Serengeti and three in the Serengeti area that suits your month, usually the north or the southern plains. The smallest camps, a private vehicle throughout and a flight back to Arusha. - **Length:** 12 days, 11 nights - **Route:** Tarangire National Park → Lake Eyasi → Ngorongoro Crater → Serengeti National Park - **Style:** Private - **Comfort:** Ultra-luxury - **Pace:** Relaxed - **Best months:** January, February, March, June, July, August, September, October ## About this journey ## The shape of the trip Twelve days, eleven nights, five places, nothing rushed. Tarangire for two nights, Lake Eyasi for one, the Ngorongoro crater rim for two, the central Serengeti for three, and a final three nights in the part of the Serengeti that suits your month. At the end, a light-aircraft flight takes you back to Arusha. ## Why it's slow Most stays are two or three nights, so you rarely pack two mornings running. Most days have either a short transfer or none. That leaves room for the things a faster safari skips: a walk with an armed ranger in Tarangire where permitted, a long morning at a single sighting, an afternoon in camp with a book. Lake Eyasi adds people to the wildlife. It's a soda lake below the Eyasi escarpment, home to Hadzabe hunter-gatherers and Datoga pastoralists. A visit is arranged with local guides where permitted, and it's optional. If you'd rather, Lake Manyara National Park can take its place. ## The seasonal Serengeti After three nights in the central Serengeti, you move to the area that suits your month. The herds' position varies with the rains, but as a pattern: - **July to October:** the northern Serengeti and the Mara River, for possible river crossings. - **December to March:** the southern plains around Ndutu, for the calving season. In these months the order may flip, with Ndutu before the central Serengeti. - **June:** sometimes the western corridor, if the herds linger there. Your camps are positioned to the migration's expected area for your month and confirmed close to your dates. See [the Great Migration month by month](/travel-guide/great-migration-month-by-month) for more. ## Ultra and luxury versions As written, this is an ultra-level safari: the smallest, most exclusive camps available on the route, private concessions where they exist, and a private vehicle and guide throughout. Fewer guests share each camp, and some offer walks or night drives that the parks themselves don't allow; those depend on the camp's location. The luxury version keeps the route and the pace, with premium camps and lodges instead. It's a real alternative, not a lesser one. The time on the ground is the same. ## When to go The north from July to October and the south from January to March are the strongest months for this route. June works well with a western variation. The long rains, roughly April and May, close many of the smallest camps. ## Day by day ### Day 1: Arusha to Tarangire Your private guide collects you in Arusha in the morning, and the trip begins at an easy pace: about 2 to 3 hours to Tarangire, lunch at your camp and a game drive in the late afternoon. With two nights here, there's no need to see everything today. Watch the light change on the baobabs and the elephants drift down to the river. The first evening is for settling in, and for listening: francolins at dusk, and perhaps lions calling after dark. - Meals: Lunch, Dinner - Driving: about 2 h 30 min ### Day 2: Tarangire on foot and by vehicle Where permitted, the morning starts with a guided walk led by an armed ranger, through woodland or along a dry river course. On foot, the scale of everything changes: the width of an elephant footprint, the height of a termite mound, the alarm call of a francolin as you pass. Back at camp, brunch and a rest. In the afternoon, take a long drive, perhaps south towards the Silale swamp, or stay in camp and let the bush come to you. - Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ### Day 3: Tarangire to Lake Eyasi A longer travel day, about 4 hours with stops. You drive through Mto wa Mbu and up to Karatu, then down a rougher road to Lake Eyasi, a shallow soda lake at the foot of the Eyasi escarpment. The country here is drier and quieter than the parks, with acacia scrub and rocky hills around the lake. Lake Eyasi is home to Hadzabe hunter-gatherers and Datoga pastoralists. You arrive in time for a late lunch and a slow afternoon. - Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner - Driving: about 4 h ### Day 4: Lake Eyasi to the crater rim The morning is for a cultural visit, arranged with local guides where permitted. You might join a Hadzabe group for part of their morning and learn about bow-making and foraging, or visit a Datoga homestead where blacksmiths work scrap metal into arrowheads and jewellery. These are people's homes, not performances, so ask your guide before taking photographs. After lunch you drive about 2 to 3 hours up to the highlands and your lodge on the crater rim. - Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner - Driving: about 2 h 30 min ### Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater You leave the rim early for a full morning on the crater floor, and can stay longer with a picnic. Most of the crater's animals stay put rather than migrating, so there's plenty to see in any month: lions, spotted hyenas, buffalo and big herds of wildebeest and zebra. Old bull elephants feed in the Lerai Forest. The crater is also one of the best places in Tanzania to look for black rhino, though they're few and often far off. The afternoon is free on the rim. - Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner - Driving: about 1 h 30 min ### Day 6: To the central Serengeti The road west follows the crater rim, then descends onto the plains, where the land flattens and the sky gets bigger. You can stop at Olduvai Gorge, a site of early human fossil finds with a small museum, and at Naabi Hill Gate for the view from the top. From there to your camp in the central Serengeti, the drive becomes a game drive. Plan on about 5 to 6 hours of travel in all, taken at an easy pace. - Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner - Driving: about 5 h 30 min ### Day 7: The central Serengeti Three nights in the central Serengeti give you time to learn an area rather than pass through it. Spend today on the classic drives around Seronera: the river valley for leopards, the Simba Kopjes for lions, the open plains for cheetahs in the cooler hours. Your guide works at your pace, so a long wait at a sighting is never a problem. Lunch can be in camp or out on the plains under an acacia. - Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ### Day 8: The central Serengeti, further afield An optional dawn balloon flight over the plains can start the day, subject to availability. Afterwards your guide might take you south-west to the Moru Kopjes, where old Maasai rock paintings survive and lions often lie up on the granite. Or head east onto the short grass if the herds are around. On a slow safari, some of the best days are the ones without a plan, so if you'd rather stay close to camp, do. - Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ### Day 9: Into the seasonal Serengeti Today you move to the part of the Serengeti that suits your month. From July to October that usually means the north, near the Mara River, about 4 to 5 hours from Seronera with game viewing on the way. From December to March it usually means the southern plains around Ndutu, a shorter drive. In June the herds may still be in the western corridor. Your camp is positioned to the migration's expected area for your month, which varies with the rains, so the exact location is confirmed close to your dates. - Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner - Driving: about 5 h ### Day 10: With the herds A full day in the seasonal area. In the north, the Mara River and its crossing points are the focus, along with the quieter riverine woodland, home to elephants, giraffe and leopards. In the south, the short-grass plains around Ndutu are where calving usually peaks in February, with lions, cheetahs and hyenas close behind the herds. Either way, your guide decides with you each evening how to spend the next day. - Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ### Day 11: A last full day Your final full day on safari. Use it for whatever you've enjoyed most: a return to a lion pride you found earlier, a long wait at the river for a crossing that may or may not happen, or a lazy morning in camp and a last evening drive. River crossings depend on the herds and the rains, and nobody can schedule them. Tonight's dinner is your last in the bush, so take your time over it. - Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ### Day 12: Fly back to Arusha After breakfast your guide drives you to the nearest airstrip for a light-aircraft flight back to Arusha. Flights from the northern or southern Serengeti often stop at other airstrips on the way, so allow most of the morning. In Arusha you're met and taken to your hotel, or to Kilimanjaro International Airport if your onward flight leaves in the evening. If you'd like a few days on Zanzibar, flights to the coast can be added. - Meals: Breakfast - Driving: about 1 h ## Included - Private safari vehicle with pop-up roof and driver-guide - Park and conservation fees for the itinerary - Accommodation as listed in the itinerary - Meals as listed in the itinerary - Drinking water in the vehicle - Light-aircraft flight from the Serengeti to Arusha on day 12 - Airport transfers at the start and end of the safari ## Not included - International flights - Visas - Travel insurance - Tips for your guide and camp or lodge staff - Drinks unless stated - Optional activities such as hot-air balloon flights, guided walks and cultural visits - Excess luggage charges on the light-aircraft flight - Your hotel night in Arusha before day 1 ## Questions ### Why take twelve days in northern Tanzania? Because the extra days go on staying, not on driving. Most stays are two or three nights, so you rarely pack two mornings in a row, and you see the Serengeti in two areas rather than one. You also get Lake Eyasi, which shorter trips skip, and enough slack that one rainy or quiet day doesn't matter. ### How are the cultural visits at Lake Eyasi run? They're arranged with local guides where permitted, and they're optional. You might spend part of a morning with a Hadzabe group or at a Datoga homestead. These are people's homes rather than shows, so your guide will explain what's welcome, including when to ask before taking photographs. If you'd rather not visit, Lake Manyara National Park can replace Lake Eyasi. ### Which part of the Serengeti will we stay in? Three nights in the central Serengeti, then three in the area where the migration is expected for your month. From July to October that's usually the north, near the Mara River. From December to March it's usually the southern plains around Ndutu. The herds' position varies with the rains, so the exact camp is confirmed close to your dates. ### Can children come on this safari? Often, yes, but it depends on the camps. Some of the smallest camps set a minimum age, and walking safaris usually have their own age limits. Tell us your children's ages when you enquire, and we'll suggest camps that welcome families. The slow pace and two-night stays suit children better than most safaris do. --- Source: https://untamedsafariexperience.com/safaris/12-day-private-tanzania-safari Last updated: 2026-10-25 Plan a journey: https://untamedsafariexperience.com/plan-your-safari