6-Day Tanzania Night Safari: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti & Ngorongoro

This 6-day Tanzania Night Safari is for travellers who want to experience northern Tanzania beyond the usual daytime game drive.

The journey begins in Tarangire National Park, where large elephant herds move among ancient baobab trees and wildlife gathers near the Tarangire River. You then continue to Lake Manyara National Park for a special night game drive, searching for the animals that become active only after dark.

From there, the safari moves to Serengeti National Park for big cats, open plains and full-day wildlife viewing. The final highlight is a game drive inside the Ngorongoro Crater, one of Africa’s most wildlife-rich natural landscapes.

At Serengeti Soul Adventure, we arrange this as a private safari with your own professional driver-guide and 4×4 vehicle. You have time to stop for photographs, follow wildlife sightings and enjoy every park at a comfortable pace.

The night game drive is planned at Lake Manyara. Serengeti and Tarangire are included for their excellent daytime wildlife experiences, while Lake Manyara gives this itinerary its special after-dark safari moment.

Safari at a Glance

Why Choose This Tanzania Night Safari?

Most safaris happen between sunrise and sunset. This itinerary gives you that classic Tanzania wildlife experience, then adds one evening when the bush feels completely different.

At night, the sounds change. Baboons settle into the trees, hippos may leave water to feed, hyenas become more active and smaller nocturnal animals begin to move through the forest. With a responsible guide, park ranger and controlled spotlight, you may see wildlife that is rarely visible during daytime game drives.

The rest of the itinerary includes the popular parks that travellers come to Tanzania to see:

• Tarangire for elephants, baobabs and river wildlife
• Lake Manyara for forest, baboons, hippos and night wildlife
• Serengeti for lions, leopards, cheetahs and open grasslands
• Ngorongoro Crater for the Big Five and high wildlife concentration

Your 6-Day Tanzania Night Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Arusha to Tarangire National Park

Your Serengeti Soul Adventure driver-guide will collect you from your Arusha hotel or agreed pickup point in the morning. After a short safari briefing, begin the drive to Tarangire National Park.

Tarangire is famous for its elephant herds and giant baobab trees. During the dry season, the Tarangire River becomes an important water source for animals, attracting elephants, buffalo, zebra, wildebeest and many antelope species.

Enjoy a full game drive with a picnic lunch in the park. Your guide will explore river areas, woodland and open grassland, looking for wildlife and allowing time for photographs.

You may see elephant families crossing the road, giraffes feeding from acacia trees, lions resting in grass or colourful birds moving through the trees.

In the afternoon, leave Tarangire and continue to your lodge in Mto wa Mbu or Karatu.

Drive time: Approximately 2–3 hours from Arusha, plus game drive
Meals: Lunch and dinner
Overnight: Lodge in Mto wa Mbu or Karatu

Day 2: Lake Manyara Game Drive and Night Safari

After breakfast, travel to Lake Manyara National Park for a daytime game drive.

Lake Manyara is very different from Tarangire. The park begins with lush groundwater forest, where large baboon troops, vervet monkeys, elephants and bushbuck may be seen beneath tall trees. As the route continues, the forest opens into woodland, grassland and lakeshore habitat beneath the Great Rift Valley Escarpment.

Look for giraffes, buffalo, zebras, hippos and birdlife. Lake Manyara is also known for tree-climbing lions, although sightings are naturally never guaranteed.

After the daytime game drive, return to your lodge for dinner and a short rest.

After darkness falls, return for the guided night game drive. This is the special experience of the itinerary. The vehicle moves slowly through the forest and woodland as the guide and ranger use light carefully to search for signs of nocturnal wildlife.

Possible sightings may include bushbabies, genets, civets, porcupines, hyenas, owls, hippos feeding outside water and other animals active after dark. Every night is different, and no animal is guaranteed, but the quiet atmosphere of the park after dark makes the experience memorable.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight: Lodge in Mto wa Mbu or Karatu

Day 3: Lake Manyara to Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, leave Lake Manyara and travel through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area toward Serengeti National Park.

You will stop at the Ngorongoro Crater viewpoint, where the crater floor stretches far below. Continue toward Serengeti with a picnic lunch on the way.

As you enter Serengeti National Park, the landscape changes dramatically. The highlands give way to wide grasslands, rocky kopjes and open skies. Your afternoon becomes an en-route game drive as you travel toward your camp or lodge in Central Serengeti.

Keep your camera ready. Wildlife can appear at any time, including giraffes, zebras, elephants, lions and hyenas.

Drive time: Approximately 6–8 hours, including scenic and wildlife stops
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight: Safari lodge or tented camp in Central Serengeti

Day 4: Full-Day Serengeti Game Drive

Today is dedicated to Serengeti National Park.

After an early breakfast, leave camp with a packed lunch for a full-day game drive. Central Serengeti, also known as Seronera, is rich in resident wildlife throughout the year. Rivers and water sources attract animals even when the Great Migration is in another part of the ecosystem.

Your guide will explore different wildlife areas, including river valleys, kopjes, woodland and open plains. This gives you a strong chance to search for lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, buffalo, hyenas and many antelope species.

If you are travelling during the Great Migration season, your guide will focus on the areas where wildebeest and zebra herds are most likely to be found during your travel dates.

Return to your camp or lodge in the evening for dinner and rest beneath the Serengeti sky.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight: Safari lodge or tented camp in Central Serengeti

Day 5: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater – Karatu

After breakfast, enjoy a final morning game drive in Serengeti while travelling toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

You then descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive on the crater floor. The crater is one of Tanzania’s most concentrated wildlife areas, with grassland, woodland, swamps, hippo pools and Lake Magadi creating habitat for many animals.

You may see lions, buffalo, zebras, wildebeest, hyenas, hippos and elephants. Ngorongoro is also one of the better places to look for the endangered black rhino, although sightings are never guaranteed.

Enjoy a picnic lunch inside the crater before ascending the crater wall and continuing to your lodge in Karatu.

Drive time: Approximately 4–5 hours, plus Ngorongoro Crater game drive
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight: Lodge in Karatu

Day 6: Karatu to Arusha – End of Safari

After breakfast, begin the drive back to Arusha through northern Tanzania’s green highlands and rural communities.

Depending on your travel plans, you can be dropped at your Arusha hotel, Arusha Airport or Kilimanjaro International Airport. If you would like to continue your holiday, Serengeti Soul Adventure can arrange a domestic flight and Zanzibar beach stay after your safari.

Drive time: Approximately 3–4 hours
Meals: Breakfast and lunch

What Makes a Night Game Drive Different?

During the day, safari vehicles usually look for large animals in open grassland, near rivers and beneath trees. At night, the guide looks for very different signs: a pair of eyes in the light, movement in a branch, an animal crossing the road or sounds coming from the bush.

A night game drive is not designed to chase wildlife or disturb animals. The vehicle moves slowly, guests remain inside and the spotlight is used responsibly. It is a quieter experience that gives you a glimpse of a part of the African bush that many visitors never see.

Accommodation on This Safari

This package can be arranged as a mid-range, luxury or premium safari experience.

Your accommodation is selected to make the route practical and comfortable:

• Mto wa Mbu or Karatu after Tarangire and Lake Manyara
• Central Serengeti camp or lodge for the best wildlife access
• Karatu lodge after Ngorongoro Crater

We can arrange family rooms, private cottages, tented camps, honeymoon rooms and luxury lodge options depending on your travel style.

Your confirmed Serengeti Soul Adventure itinerary will show the exact accommodation names, room type and meal plan before booking.

What Is Included in This Safari?

Your quotation will clearly show all included services. This 6-day Tanzania Night Safari is normally arranged with:

• Private 4×4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
• Professional English-speaking driver-guide
• Park entry and conservation fees
• Lake Manyara guided night game drive, subject to current park approval and availability
• Ngorongoro Crater service fee
• Accommodation as shown in the confirmed itinerary
• Meals as stated in the itinerary
• Day game drives in Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater
• Drinking water during game drives
• Government taxes and applicable tourism levies

What Is Not Included?

• International and domestic flights
• Tanzania visa fees
• Travel insurance
• Alcoholic drinks and soft drinks, unless stated
• Tips and gratuities
• Optional activities not included in the itinerary
• Personal expenses, laundry and souvenirs

Best Time for This Night Safari

This safari can be enjoyed throughout the year.

June to October is the dry season and is excellent for wildlife viewing in Tarangire, where animals often gather close to the river and water sources.

December to March is a good period for Serengeti wildlife and the wildebeest calving season in southern Serengeti and Ndutu. The itinerary can be adjusted around your travel dates if migration viewing is your priority.

Lake Manyara night game-drive availability can depend on current park operations, weather and permit arrangements, so early booking is recommended.

Book Your 6-Day Tanzania Night Safari

This safari gives you the best of northern Tanzania in one complete route: Tarangire’s elephants and baobabs, Lake Manyara after dark, Serengeti’s big cats and the remarkable wildlife of Ngorongoro Crater.

Contact Serengeti Soul Adventure with your travel dates, number of guests and preferred accommodation level. We will prepare your private Tanzania night safari quotation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the night game drive in this safari?
The night game drive is arranged in Lake Manyara National Park, subject to current park approval and availability.

Are night game drives done in Serengeti?
This itinerary uses Serengeti for daylight game drives. The night activity is planned at Lake Manyara, where the experience can be arranged under the relevant park procedures.

What animals can I see at night?
Possible sightings include bushbabies, genets, civets, porcupines, hyenas, owls, hippos and other nocturnal animals. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.

Is this safari suitable for families?
Yes. It can be arranged for families, although the night-drive suitability depends on children’s ages and current park requirements.

Can I upgrade to luxury accommodation?
Yes. The itinerary can be arranged with luxury lodges, premium tented camps or upgraded room categories, depending on your budget and travel dates.

Can I add Zanzibar after the safari?
Yes. You can continue from Arusha to Zanzibar for a beach holiday. Serengeti Soul Adventure can arrange the safari, domestic flight support, airport transfers and beach accommodation together.