7-Day Luxury Serengeti Safari

This itinerary is built for travelers who want Serengeti time done properly—without long road transfers and without “checking boxes.” You begin with an easy arrival in Arusha, then fly into the Serengeti for maximum time on the plains. With private game drives and a flexible pace, your guide can follow the best sightings of the day—lion prides around kopjes, cheetah on open plains, leopard along river lines, and elephant herds moving between water sources.

Your stay at Four Seasons Serengeti is a major part of the experience: refined comfort, excellent service, and strong wildlife access. From there, you transition to the Ngorongoro Highlands for a full Crater descent—an iconic safari day with exceptional density of animals and one of the best places to search for black rhino in Tanzania.

Want to elevate it further? We can add a balloon safari, private sundowners, a photographic focus (longer drives and positioning), or a Zanzibar extension after Day 7—while keeping the same smooth logistics.

7-Day Luxury Serengeti Safari - Four Seasons Serengeti

Day 1: Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) – Transfer to Arusha (Gran Meliá Arusha)

Land at JRO and step straight into a smooth, private arrival. Our team will welcome you and handle the logistics so you can relax immediately. The transfer to Arusha is comfortable, with Mount Meru often visible in the distance on clear days. Once you arrive, check in, refresh, and settle into the rhythm of Tanzania.

This first evening is intentionally unhurried: recover from travel, enjoy a relaxed dinner, and let your body reset. If you arrive earlier in the day, we can arrange a gentle add-on such as a short coffee experience, a craft stop, or simply quiet time at the hotel. Your guide or our representative will brief you on tomorrow’s flight and safari flow, plus practical tips for photography, wildlife etiquette, and how we pace each game drive for the best sightings.

Overnight: Gran Meliá Arusha – Arusha

Day 2: Fly to Serengeti – Private Game Viewing En Route – Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti

After breakfast, you transfer to Arusha Airport for your scheduled flight to the Serengeti. From the air, you’ll watch Tanzania shift from highlands and farms into vast wilderness— a preview of the scale that makes Serengeti so iconic. On landing, your private guide meets you at the airstrip and the safari begins immediately.

The key benefit of flying is simple: today is a real safari day, not a long drive day. Your guide will work the best habitats depending on season and sightings— river lines for leopard, open plains for cheetah, and kopjes for lion activity. You’ll move at a comfortable pace with time to stop, watch, photograph, and wait for behavior to unfold. This is where a private safari feels different: you’re not rushing to fit a schedule, you’re following the bush.

Arrive at Four Seasons Serengeti for check-in and lunch. Later, head out again for an afternoon drive when light is soft and predators often become more active. Return to the lodge with time to unwind before dinner.

Overnight: Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti – Serengeti

Day 3: Full Day Serengeti – Predator Tracking, Plains, and River Lines

Start early for the strongest wildlife window of the day. In the cool morning hours, you’ll often catch lions returning from night hunts, hyenas patrolling, and herbivores moving toward water. Your guide will interpret tracks, listen for alarm calls, and follow fresh updates from nearby sightings—without locking you into a fixed route.

You can choose the pace: either a long, continuous safari day with picnic lunch in the bush, or a split schedule—morning drive, lunch and rest at the lodge, then a second drive late afternoon. Both work well; the best option depends on heat, season, and what you want most (cats, elephants, scenic landscapes, photography).

In between sightings, Serengeti offers the details that make the experience feel complete: giraffes crossing golden grasslands, elephants carving paths through scrub, and endless sky changing color through the day. Return in time for dinner and a relaxed evening back at Four Seasons.

Overnight: Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti – Serengeti

Day 4: Serengeti Signature Day – Optional Balloon Safari at Sunrise + Private Game Drive

Today can be your most memorable day in Serengeti. If you choose the optional hot-air balloon safari, you’ll wake before dawn and head to the launch site. As the sun rises, you drift silently above the plains—often spotting herds, predators, and the patterns of the landscape in a way that’s impossible from the ground. After landing, enjoy a classic bush breakfast in a beautiful setting before returning to the lodge.

Whether you do ballooning or not, the rest of the day remains dedicated to high-quality game viewing. Your guide can target areas you haven’t explored yet: kopjes for lion prides and big cats, river corridors for leopard and birdlife, and open plains where cheetah can be active. If you’re traveling for a honeymoon or celebration, we can also arrange a private sundowner setup with snacks and drinks as the light turns golden.

Return to Four Seasons for dinner and a final relaxed Serengeti evening.

Overnight: Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti – Serengeti

Day 5: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Highlands – Scenic Transfer + Crater Rim Views

After breakfast, depart Serengeti and begin the transition toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This is a classic safari contrast day: Serengeti’s endless plains give way to cooler highlands and crater viewpoints. You’ll enjoy game viewing en route as you exit the park, with chances for last sightings along the way.

If you’d like, we can include a brief cultural stop at a Maasai community (optional) to learn about traditions, herding lifestyle, and the relationship between people and wildlife in this region. Arrive at your Ngorongoro lodge with time to settle in, enjoy the atmosphere of the highlands, and prepare for tomorrow’s early Crater descent.

Overnight: Luxury lodge in the Ngorongoro Highlands (Meliá / similar standard) – Ngorongoro

Day 6: Full Day Ngorongoro Crater – Wildlife-Dense Caldera – Return to Arusha

Today is the iconic Ngorongoro Crater day. You’ll start early and descend the crater walls to reach the floor as wildlife becomes active. Over a single day, you move through multiple habitats—short grass plains, swamp areas, woodland patches, and the soda lake—each attracting different species.

Expect strong chances for lion, buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, hippo, hyena, and large bull elephants. The Crater is also one of the best places in Tanzania to search for black rhino, and your guide will concentrate on the zones where sightings are most realistic. You’ll enjoy a picnic lunch inside the crater, then continue your drive before ascending to the rim.

In the afternoon, you drive back to Arusha in comfort. Arrive with time to refresh, enjoy dinner, and relax after a truly full safari day.

Overnight: Gran Meliá Arusha – Arusha

Day 7: Departure – Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO)

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and a relaxed morning. Depending on your flight schedule, you may have time for a quick stop for souvenirs, a coffee break, or simply extra time at the hotel before your private transfer to JRO. Timing is planned to keep departure smooth and stress-free.

End of Safari.