This 10-day itinerary is designed for travel between December and March, when the southern Serengeti ecosystem around the Ndutu Plains becomes one of the most remarkable wildlife regions in Africa. Vast herds of wildebeest gather for the annual calving season, drawing predators and creating exceptional opportunities for wildlife view
Day 1: Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport – Arusha
You are welcomed at Kilimanjaro International Airport by your Wildlux representative and transferred to your lodge in Arusha. Depending on your arrival time, there is space to rest and recover in peaceful surroundings. Arusha is the gateway to Tanzania's northern safari circuit and the natural starting point for the days ahead.
ActivitiesMeet and greet · Road transfer · Time at leisure
Road transferKilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) → Arusha
Meals: Dinner and breakfast (half board)
Overnight at Under the Shade Safari Lodge, Arusha, on a bed-and-breakfast basis. Optional: Serval Wildlife visit, USD 150 per person including lunch.
Day 2: Arusha – Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, drive to Tarangire National Park and begin your first game drive. Tarangire is known for its elephant population, giant baobabs and a mix of savannah, seasonal wetland and acacia woodland. Elephants, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, impala and a rich variety of birdlife are all part of the landscape, and predators such as lion and leopard are seen from time to time. Continue to your lodge in the late afternoon.
ActivitiesRoad transfer · Private game drive
Road transferArusha → Tarangire National Park
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner (full board)
Overnight at Tarangire Sopa Lodge, inside Tarangire National Park, on a full-board basis. Optional: Tarangire night game drive, USD 180 per person, subject to park operation.
Day 3: Tarangire – Ndutu Plains
Leave Tarangire and travel towards the Ndutu Plains within the greater Serengeti ecosystem, crossing some of northern Tanzania's most striking landscapes. Between December and March the Ndutu region is associated with the annual wildebeest calving season, when large numbers of wildebeest gather to give birth and predators such as lion, cheetah and hyena follow the herds. Arrive at camp and settle into the wilderness around you.
ActivitiesRoad transfer · Game drive en route
Road transferTarangire National Park → Ndutu Plains
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner (full board)
Overnight at Ndutu Misako Tented Camp on the Ndutu plains, on a full-board basis. Herd movements vary year to year and cannot be guaranteed.
Day 4: Full Day on the Ndutu Plains
A full day exploring the Ndutu calving grounds with your guide. During the December-to-March season the plains hold thousands of newborn calves, and the concentration of young animals draws predators — creating some of the most compelling wildlife viewing anywhere in East Africa. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the field before continuing, with your guide following the herd movements to the most productive areas. Return to camp in the late afternoon.
ActivitiesFull-day game drive · Picnic lunch in the field
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner (full board)
Optional: Ndutu balloon safari, USD 599 per person including a bush breakfast after landing. Subject to weather and advance booking.
Day 5: Ndutu Plains – Serengeti National Park
Continue north into the Serengeti National Park, one of Africa's most iconic wildlife landscapes, known for its endless plains and exceptional wildlife density. Game drive as you travel, with opportunities to encounter lion, elephant, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo and much more, before arriving at your camp for dinner under an enormous African sky.
ActivitiesGame drive en route · Afternoon game drive
Road transferNdutu Plains → Serengeti National Park
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner (full board)
Overnight at Land of Nature Tented Camp in the central Serengeti, on a full-board basis.
Day 6: Serengeti – Ngorongoro Crater
Enjoy a morning game drive as you leave the Serengeti and travel towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, then descend to the crater floor. Ngorongoro holds a remarkable concentration of wildlife within a contained caldera — lion, elephant, buffalo, zebra, wildebeest and hippo are regularly seen, and the critically endangered black rhino is present though sightings are never certain. Take a picnic lunch inside the crater before ascending to your lodge on the rim.
ActivitiesMorning game drive · Crater-floor game drive · Picnic lunch in the crater
Road transferSerengeti National Park → Ngorongoro Crater
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner (full board)
Overnight at Ngorongoro Rim Lodge on the crater rim, on a full-board basis.
Day 7: Ngorongoro – Karatu Coffee – Fly to Zanzibar – Nungwi
Depart the Ngorongoro highlands for Karatu, a fertile coffee-growing region, and join a coffee experience covering the growing and roasting process alongside local culture and tradition. Continue to Arusha Airport for your flight to Zanzibar, where you are met and transferred by road to Nungwi on the island's northern coast. The remainder of the day is at leisure on the beach.
ActivitiesKaratu coffee experience · Road transfer · Domestic flight · Beach transfer
TransferNgorongoro → Karatu → Arusha Airport → Zanzibar → Nungwi
Meals: Breakfast and dinner (half board)
Overnight at Turaco Beach Resort, Nungwi, on a half-board basis. Flight timings are confirmed at booking and may adjust the day's pacing.
Day 8: Nungwi Beach at Leisure
A relaxed day on Nungwi Beach — swim in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, rest under the palms, or choose from optional activities including snorkelling, diving, dhow cruises and sunset sailing.
ActivitiesBeach time · Optional water activities
Meals: Breakfast and dinner (half board)
Optional Zanzibar excursions can be arranged locally or pre-booked during planning.
Day 9: Nungwi – A Second Day on the Coast
Another unhurried day in Nungwi. Explore the local area, visit nearby beaches, take to the water, or simply do very little at all. In the evening, enjoy your final dinner on the island.
ActivitiesBeach time · Optional excursions
Meals: Breakfast and dinner (half board)
Overnight at Nungwi.
Day 10: Departure from Zanzibar
After breakfast, enjoy your final moments on the coast before your transfer to Abeid Amani Karume International Airport for your onward flight, closing a journey through Tanzania's wildlife, landscapes, culture and tropical shoreline.
ActivitiesRoad transfer · Departure
Road transferNungwi → Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ)
Meals: Breakfast
Transfer timing is aligned with your confirmed flight.