This six-day route is for people who'd rather not spend the whole trip in a vehicle. It opens in Tarangire's elephant country, then turns off toward Lake Natron, a shallow, mineral-red soda lake below the still-active volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai, where flamingos gather in large numbers and a guided hike leads up into the escarpment to a waterfall most visitors never hear about. The trip finishes with a full day inside the Ngorongoro Crater. Quality lodges and tented camps, full board, and one driver-guide throughout make it a bit more adventurous than the standard circuit without giving up much comfort.
Safari HighlightsYour driver-guide picks you up from your Arusha hotel or Kilimanjaro International Airport and drives you to Tarangire National Park. After lunch, you head out on an afternoon game drive through baobab-studded plains, watching for the elephant herds that gather along the river here.
🏨 Overnight: Tarangire Simba LodgeYou descend the Rift Valley escarpment via Mto wa Mbu, and the scenery turns increasingly dry and open as you get closer to Lake Natron. You should arrive in the afternoon with time to walk down to the shore, where flamingo flocks stand out against the shape of Ol Doinyo Lengai in the distance.
🏨 Overnight: Lake Natron Tented CampAfter an early breakfast, you set out on a guided hike through the gorge below the escarpment, wading through shallow pools to reach a waterfall tucked into the rock. A swim there is optional, and the water is cold. In the afternoon, you visit a nearby Maasai village to hear about local traditions and see something of day-to-day life.
🏨 Overnight: Lake Natron Tented CampAfter breakfast it's a long but scenic drive back up through the Rift Valley to the Ngorongoro Highlands. You'll arrive with time to settle in before the light fades over the crater rim.
🏨 Overnight: Karatu Simba LodgeYou descend into the Ngorongoro Crater at dawn for a full day among lion, elephant, buffalo, wildebeest and, with some luck, the crater's resident black rhino. Lunch is a picnic near the Lerai Forest, before you climb back up to the lodge in the late afternoon.
🏨 Overnight: Karatu Simba LodgeAfter breakfast, it's back down through the Rift Valley to Arusha, timed to reach the airport in good time for your onward flight from Kilimanjaro International Airport.
✈ Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport| Season | Per Person (sharing) | Group of 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Peak Season (Jul–Sep, late Dec) | $3,470 | $17,700 |
| High Season (Jun, Oct) | $3,040 | $15,500 |
| Low Season (Mar–May) | $2,533 | $12,920 |
June to October is the strongest window for this trip, with dry, easier hiking conditions at Lake Natron and reliable game viewing in Tarangire and Ngorongoro. November's short rains bring greener landscapes and fewer other visitors around, while March to May, the long rains, is the cheapest time of year to travel, though the Natron waterfall hike can get trickier when water levels rise.
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