7 Day Mahale And Serengeti Safari
Destinations: Tanzania, Mahale Mountains National Park, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater
This 7-day Tanzania trip runs through Mahale, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, linked so the travelling is done between the wildlife. White-sand beaches meet the clear lake right below the forest. The Grumeti and Mara rivers hold crocodile and stage the migration’s river crossings in season. Lion, elephant, buffalo and flamingo-lined soda lakes share the crater floor.
Day By Day
Day 1 Arrival At Mahale
You fly in from Kigoma, you fly to Kigoma on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, and land near Mahale Mountains National Park, where our guide meets you and the transfer to camp works as your first afternoon out in the park. There are no roads, you arrive by light aircraft and boat, and move on foot. White-sand beaches meet the clear lake right below the forest. Chimp trekking is the draw, with primate walks, kayaking and snorkelling around it. You settle into camp as the light goes. The forest is loud with primates once you are inside it.
Mahale rises straight from Lake Tanganyika, its forested slopes reaching Mount Nkungwe at 2,462 metres. It protects one of the largest populations of wild chimpanzee, the habituated M-group. Nothing is promised in the wild, which is what makes a good sighting count. The country is quiet here, and on most outings you have it to yourselves. Your guide has the ground worked out, and knows where the day is likely to lead.
Day 2 Chimpanzee Trekking In Mahale
A full day in Mahale Mountains National Park. You are tracking chimpanzees on foot, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. Chimp trekking is the draw, with primate walks, kayaking and snorkelling around it. Mahale rises straight from Lake Tanganyika, its forested slopes reaching Mount Nkungwe at 2,462 metres. It protects one of the largest populations of wild chimpanzee, the habituated M-group. You climb back down through the trees to the lakeshore below.
There are no roads, you arrive by light aircraft and boat, and move on foot. White-sand beaches meet the clear lake right below the forest. Your guide has the ground worked out, and knows where the day is likely to lead. The morning is cool and the animals are moving, so the first hours out are the busiest. You carry a packed breakfast and stay out while the going is good.
Day 3 Chimpanzee Trekking In Mahale
A full day in Mahale Mountains National Park. You are tracking chimpanzees on foot, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. Mahale rises straight from Lake Tanganyika, its forested slopes reaching Mount Nkungwe at 2,462 metres. It protects one of the largest populations of wild chimpanzee, the habituated M-group. There are no roads, you arrive by light aircraft and boat, and move on foot. The forest is loud with primates once you are inside it.
White-sand beaches meet the clear lake right below the forest. Chimp trekking is the draw, with primate walks, kayaking and snorkelling around it. The morning is cool and the animals are moving, so the first hours out are the busiest. You carry a packed breakfast and stay out while the going is good. Around midday the heat sits heavy, and you rest in the shade before heading out again as it cools.
Day 4 Transfer To Serengeti
A short morning tracking chimpanzees on foot at first light in Mahale, then to the airstrip and a light aircraft for the move to Serengeti National Park. The country changes on the way, and you reach the Serengeti in the afternoon. You head out out on game drives as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. It carries the great wildebeest migration, well over a million animals moving in a yearly loop. Big cats are the draw, lion on the kopjes, cheetah on the plains, leopard in the riverine trees. You rest through the midday heat and head out again as it cools.
Dawn balloon flights drift over the herds where operators offer them. The Serengeti runs to nearly 15,000 square kilometres of open plains and scattered kopjes. The Grumeti and Mara rivers hold crocodile and stage the migration’s river crossings in season. You carry a packed breakfast and stay out while the going is good. Around midday the heat sits heavy, and you rest in the shade before heading out again as it cools.
Day 5 Game Drives In Serengeti
A full day in Serengeti National Park. You are out on game drives, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. Big cats are the draw, lion on the kopjes, cheetah on the plains, leopard in the riverine trees. The Grumeti and Mara rivers hold crocodile and stage the migration’s river crossings in season. Dawn balloon flights drift over the herds where operators offer them. On most drives you will not pass another vehicle.
The Serengeti runs to nearly 15,000 square kilometres of open plains and scattered kopjes. It carries the great wildebeest migration, well over a million animals moving in a yearly loop. Around midday the heat sits heavy, and you rest in the shade before heading out again as it cools. The guide reads the tracks and the birds, and there is no rush to be anywhere. Late in the afternoon the light turns gold and the game comes back to the open ground.
Day 6 Transfer To Ngorongoro Crater
A short morning out on game drives at first light in the Serengeti, then to the road for the move to Ngorongoro Crater. The country changes on the way, and you reach the Ngorongoro Crater in the afternoon. You head out out on game drives as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. Lion, elephant, buffalo and flamingo-lined soda lakes share the crater floor. The rim sits at 2,300 metres and mornings are cold before the sun clears the wall. Back at camp after dark, dinner is under the stars.
Its walls hold around 25,000 large animals, so game viewing is concentrated and reliable. It is one of the best places in Africa to see black rhino, completing the Big Five in a day. The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world, about 260 square kilometres of floor. The guide reads the tracks and the birds, and there is no rush to be anywhere. Late in the afternoon the light turns gold and the game comes back to the open ground.
Day 7 Departure
A final morning out on game drives before you leave, the best window of the trip for anything still on your list. You make the most of the early light, then you drive back toward Kigoma. It is one of the best places in Africa to see black rhino, completing the Big Five in a day. Lion, elephant, buffalo and flamingo-lined soda lakes share the crater floor. This 7-day trip links Mahale, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, with the travelling done between the wildlife so your days stay on the ground that matters. The rim sits at 2,300 metres and mornings are cold before the sun clears the wall.
The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world, about 260 square kilometres of floor. Its walls hold around 25,000 large animals, so game viewing is concentrated and reliable. Back at camp, dinner is served under a sky thick with stars. Each time out turns up something new, and the pace is yours to set.
What’s Included
- All internal flights and road transfers on the route
- Full-board accommodation on safari as shown
- Game drives and the activities named in the day plan
- Park entry fees for the days shown
- Airport and airstrip transfers, drinking water in the vehicle
What’s Not Included
- International flights and any visa
- Travel insurance
- Drinks, tips for guides and staff
- Activities not listed and items of a personal nature
Why Is This Safari in Tanzania Worth It?
This trip earns its place because the stops are nothing alike, and seeing them together makes each one land harder. There are no roads, you arrive by light aircraft and boat, and move on foot. White-sand beaches meet the clear lake right below the forest. Lion, elephant, buffalo and flamingo-lined soda lakes share the crater floor. Linking Mahale, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater in one route means you cover more of Tanzania than a single park allows, and the travelling between them is short. On 7 days you get range without the trip feeling rushed, the set-piece wildlife, the quieter corners, and the change of country from one stop to the next. For a traveller who wants variety over a single famous name, this is a strong, well-balanced way to see the region, and it works whether it is a first trip or a return.
Can You Enjoy Tanzania Safari in Just 7 Days?
7 days across Mahale, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater is a well-judged length, though it is a read of each stop rather than a deep stay. You get a full day or more at the main parks, enough to see the headline wildlife and still catch the quieter moments. It suits travellers who value breadth and do not mind moving every couple of days. What this length cannot do is exhaust any one park, the biggest of them could fill a week on their own, so the remote corners stay for another trip. If a single place is your priority, spend the nights there instead. And if you have longer, the route takes an easy add-on, whether that is more time with the wildlife or a stretch on the coast to finish. As it stands, this 7-day trip is balanced and full.
How Much Is a 7 Day Tanzania Safari?
What you pay turns mostly on the camps and the season. In Tanzania, park fees run from USD 35 to 70 per adult per day depending on the park, with the Ngorongoro Crater charged higher. As a rough guide, most trips of this length run from around USD 2,100 to 4,550 per person sharing, higher in the peak dry months and cheaper in the green season. Camp and lodge level is the big lever, from simple tented camps to the smarter river and bush camps, and a shared vehicle between four brings the per-person cost down. Tell an operator your dates, group size and the standard you want and it can be quoted to the figure.