5-Day Tanzania Balloon Safari | Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro

Your Tanzania balloon safari begins with a morning departure from Arusha, where you meet your private safari guide and travel to Tarangire National Park. Known for its impressive elephant herds, ancient baobab trees and varied savannah landscapes, Tarangire offers an excellent introduction to Tanzania’s northern safari circuit. After completing the park entry formalities, set out on a guided game drive through the park’s diverse habitats. Watch for elephants moving between the baobabs, giraffes browsing on acacia trees, zebras and wildebeest across the grasslands, and buffalo gathering near seasonal water sources. With luck, you may also encounter lions or other predators, although wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed. Pause for a picnic lunch at a designated location, according to your confirmed meal plan, before continuing your afternoon game drive. Your guide will help interpret animal behaviour, tracks and the ecology of this remarkable landscape, making the experience about more than simply spotting wildlife. Later in the afternoon, leave the park and continue to your selected accommodation in the Tarangire area. Settle in for the evening and prepare for the journey towards the Serengeti the following day, where the highlight of this trip awaits: a sunrise hot-air balloon safari, subject to confirmed availability and suitable weather conditions. Overnight: Selected lodge or tented camp in the Tarangire area, confirmed in your final itinerary.

Where you'll stay tonight

Mid-Range

Safari haven tarangire camp

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, depart from your accommodation in the Tarangire area and travel towards the legendary Serengeti National Park in your private 4x4 safari vehicle with your professional driver-guide. Today's journey takes you through the changing landscapes of northern Tanzania, from open countryside towards the vast plains and wildlife-rich habitats of the Serengeti. The drive is a substantial part of the safari, so allow time for the transfer, park entry formalities and any planned stops. Depending on the confirmed route and road conditions, your guide will arrange wildlife viewing opportunities along the way and an afternoon game drive once you enter the Serengeti, where time permits. The Serengeti is renowned for its expansive grasslands, big-cat habitats and the Great Migration, whose location changes throughout the year. During the game drive, look out for giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, elephants and a variety of plains game. Lions, cheetahs and leopards may also be encountered, although sightings are never guaranteed and depend on wildlife movements and conditions. Later, continue to your pre-booked accommodation in the Serengeti. Staying near the confirmed balloon launch area is important for an early-morning flight, as balloon operators generally arrange collection from accommodation close to their launch site. Enjoy dinner and rest before the planned sunrise balloon safari, subject to confirmed availability and suitable weather conditions. Overnight: Confirmed lodge or tented camp in the Serengeti, selected to suit the balloon launch location.

Where you'll stay tonight

Mid-Range

Sightseeing Luxury Tented Lodge

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Rise before dawn for the signature experience of your Tanzania safari: a hot-air balloon flight over the Serengeti. A balloon operator's vehicle will collect you from your confirmed nearby accommodation at the agreed early-morning time and transfer you to the launch site. After the pre-flight briefing, watch the balloon inflate against the first light of dawn before lifting gently above the Serengeti. From the air, enjoy a remarkable perspective over the open plains, winding rivers and changing landscapes below. Depending on the launch area, season and wildlife movements, you may see herds of wildebeest and zebras or animals moving across the plains. Wildlife sightings vary and cannot be guaranteed. The flight usually lasts around one hour, depending on weather and operating conditions. After landing, celebrate with the operator's traditional bush breakfast and return transfer to the agreed meeting point with your safari guide. The balloon flight, breakfast, transfers and any applicable fees must match the confirmed operator booking and package inclusions. Continue with a game drive in the Serengeti, exploring the area with your guide and looking for wildlife at ground level. The timing and length of this drive will depend on the balloon operation, meeting arrangements and the day's conditions. Return to your accommodation later for dinner and a relaxing evening in the heart of the Serengeti. Overnight: Your confirmed Serengeti lodge or tented camp.

Where you'll stay tonight

Mid-Range

Sightseeing Luxury Tented Lodge

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Enjoy breakfast at your Serengeti accommodation before setting out with your private safari guide towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. As you leave the Serengeti's open plains behind, the scenery gradually changes, revealing rolling grasslands, wooded areas and the dramatic highlands of northern Tanzania. Depending on your departure time, the confirmed route and road conditions, enjoy wildlife viewing along the way. The Serengeti is home to a remarkable range of wildlife, and your guide will help you look for animals and explain the landscapes and ecosystems encountered during the journey. The length of the transfer means that game-viewing stops must be balanced with the time needed to reach your overnight accommodation. Pause for lunch according to your confirmed meal plan, then continue towards the Ngorongoro area. The journey offers a change of scenery from the Serengeti plains to the cooler highland landscapes surrounding the Ngorongoro Crater. Arrive at your pre-booked accommodation in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area or Karatu area, depending on the confirmed itinerary. Settle in, enjoy dinner if included, and prepare for the following day's crater safari. An early departure is recommended to make the most of your game drive before returning to Arusha. Overnight: Confirmed lodge or tented camp in the Ngorongoro or Karatu area.

Where you'll stay tonight

Mid-Range

Ang'ata ngorongoro camp

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After an early breakfast, depart for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and descend into the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater for a memorable morning game drive. Enclosed by towering crater walls, this remarkable landscape features open grasslands, woodland, seasonal wetlands and a lake, supporting a rich variety of wildlife. Explore the crater floor with your private safari guide, looking for elephants, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest, hippos and other wildlife. Lions are regularly sought by safari visitors, and Ngorongoro is also one of the places where travellers may have an opportunity to look for the endangered black rhinoceros. Sightings depend on animal movements and conditions, so no wildlife encounter can be guaranteed. Enjoy a picnic lunch at a designated site, subject to the confirmed arrangements, before completing the crater visit within the permitted schedule. The crater's varied habitats and dramatic scenery provide a fitting finale to your Northern Tanzania safari. After the game drive, begin the journey back to Arusha in your private 4x4 safari vehicle. Arrival time will depend on your accommodation location, road conditions, crater access arrangements and the duration of the game drive. If you have an onward flight or another scheduled activity, please arrange the timing with Tanzalux in advance. Your five-day adventure concludes in Arusha, with memories of Tarangire's baobabs and elephants, the Serengeti's sweeping plains and your sunrise balloon experience. End of safari: Drop-off at the agreed location in Arusha.

Where you'll stay tonight

Mid-Range

Gold crest hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch