An easy beginning
Arrive in Arusha with time to rest, reset and let the first anticipation of Tanzania gather.
Private family journey
7-Day Gentle Family Safari
Arusha · Mto wa Mbu · Ngorongoro · Serengeti
A beautifully paced first chapter in Tanzania, from Arusha's gentle welcome through Mto wa Mbu and the Crater to the Serengeti's great closing horizon.
7 days
6 nights
Overview
Seven days, with time for every generation to settle into the wild.
This is Tanzania in a softer rhythm: an easy arrival beneath Mount Meru, the colour and welcome of Mto wa Mbu, the blue-green wonder of the Ngorongoro Crater and three unhurried Serengeti nights to carry home.
With your own guide and vehicle, the pace remains yours. There is time to pause at a sighting, return to camp when the day asks for a rest, and let the best moments be shared rather than rushed.
04
Wild places, thoughtfully linked
06
Nights with room to rest
01
Private guide and vehicle
Highlights
A family safari that never asks you to hurry.
The route is deliberately concise, but every chapter has been given enough space to feel complete: local life in Mto wa Mbu, the Crater and the Serengeti's vast closing scene.
A local welcome
Mto wa Mbu brings Tanzania's colour, craft and everyday warmth into the journey before the wilderness expands.
One remarkable Crater
Descend into Ngorongoro's natural amphitheatre for close wildlife viewing in an extraordinary setting.
A Serengeti farewell
Close on the plains with time for the big skies, the wildlife and the feeling of having truly arrived.
Day by day
A route with room
to become a story.
Follow the journey below. The map will keep pace with each chapter, while the small details stay deliberately open to the rhythm of the wild.
Day 01
Arusha
Arrive gently in Arusha
Your Excellent Guides host meets you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and brings you beneath Mount Meru to Arusha. The first evening is intentionally unhurried: a comfortable room, a considered dinner and time for everyone to arrive together before the wilderness begins.
Day 02
Mto wa Mbu · Karatu
Mto wa Mbu, full of colour
After breakfast, travel through the Rift Valley toward Mto wa Mbu, where orchards, local kitchens and small workshops bring a different texture to the journey. Walk gently through the village with a local host, tasting seasonal fruit and meeting makers whose work carries the character of the region. By afternoon, continue into Karatu's cooler green hills.
Day 03
Ngorongoro Crater · Karatu
Ngorongoro, a world within walls
Set out while the morning is cool for the descent into the Ngorongoro Crater. Lions, elephant, buffalo, hippo and, with luck, the rare black rhinoceros share this remarkable natural bowl. A private picnic lets the family take in the moment before returning through the highlands for an easy evening in Karatu.
Day 04
Karatu · Central Serengeti
The Serengeti opens ahead
After breakfast, leave the highlands and drive west toward the Serengeti. The journey itself becomes a game drive as the land opens wider and wider, until the first great plains arrive like a reveal. Settle in with time for the afternoon light, dinner and the quiet excitement of three nights in the wild.
Day 05
Central Serengeti
The Serengeti, without an agenda
This is a day for possibility. Follow lion tracks at first light, watch giraffes cross the open country or simply stay with a sighting that has everyone quietly absorbed. The Serengeti rewards patience, and your private guide gives the day room to unfold around what the plains offer.
Day 06
Central Serengeti
One more day for the plains
A final full day gives the family the luxury of following curiosity rather than a checklist. Return to a favourite area, wait for a leopard to step from the woodland or simply let the wide, quiet spaces become part of the memory. As the light softens, the Serengeti has a way of making the simplest moments feel lasting.
Day 07
Serengeti · Arusha · Departure
Carry the family story home
After a final morning in the Serengeti, fly from Seronera to Arusha for a farewell lunch and your onward airport transfer. The route may be concise, but its moments stay wonderfully present: a child's first elephant, a shared laugh in the vehicle, the Crater's immense walls and the calm of the plains at dusk.
Where you'll stay
Hand selected for an
unmatched experience.
From Arusha's warm welcome to Karatu's green highlands and the Serengeti plains, each stay gives the family a place to rest, reconnect and let the day settle.
01 / 03
Luxury Arusha retreat
Gran Melia Arusha
A polished Arusha welcome, chosen for an easy first landing after the journey.
Karatu highland lodge
Ngorongoro Coffee Lodge
A peaceful highland base after a colourful day in Mto wa Mbu, with space for the family to settle in before the Crater.
Serengeti lodge
Serengeti Explorer
An elegant Serengeti base with generous space, thoughtful service and the plains close at hand.
What's included
The ease is built in.
The journey is designed so the practical details quietly support the experience. Before travel, we will confirm every element against your exact dates and preferred level of accommodation.
- Private airport transfers, a custom-built 4x4 Safari Land Cruiser and professional English-speaking driver-guide
- Full-board safari accommodation, with Arusha meals as outlined in the itinerary
- All national park entry fees, current government taxes and levies
- Scheduled domestic flight from Seronera to Arusha, bottled drinking water and 24-hour support from Arusha
Not included
- International flights, Tanzania entry visa and travel or health insurance
- Balloon safaris, optional excursions, spa treatments, laundry and bar services
- Tips, personal purchases and meals, drinks or activities not specified in the itinerary
Testimonials
In their own words
“Your #1 safari company”My 10-day safari with Excellent Guides was by far the most exciting experience. We saw all of the Big Five, from Arusha to the Serengeti. Our guide Hassan was the best: patient and full of knowledge. I highly recommend this company.
“Priceless experience!”Organising the trip, the lodge and the trek up Kilimanjaro with Excellent Guides was a unique experience. On summit night, my guide's positive motivation and good mood carried me to the top. A mega experience. Thank you!
“Excellent indeed!”Our honeymoon safari and relaxing days in Zanzibar were so much more than we expected. Rajabu is such an experienced, warm-hearted guide. We saw all the Big Five. A memory forever engraved in our minds.
“It seems like a dream”Our guide Jerry was the main reason our safari was so successful. So knowledgeable, with such a love for nature and the animals. How close we came to the wildlife was unbelievable. Everything I dreamed it would be, and more.
“We literally saw everything”The guides were like walking encyclopedias, and they knew where to find the animals, including a cheetah stalking its prey and taking off on an epic run. I truly can't say enough about this company.
“The dream safari”Two wonderful weeks through northern Tanzania. Their professionalism and experience, the smiles always on their faces and their attention to every detail made our honeymoon unique and unforgettable.
“Professionals, great service”Everything was wonderful: the organisation, the hotels and the safari itself. Professionals all the way, excellent service. We recommend them with all our heart.
“Once in a lifetime”Our guide Cosmas was amazing. Knowledgeable about the animals, the geography and the history of the region. The customer service was out of this world. They really spoil you.
“Wow! Unforgettable”We planned the trip for six months with Dearson, who answered every question promptly and personalised the itinerary to our wishes. The hospitality at every camp was outstanding.
“What an experience”Apollo and Ross were fantastic: fun, energetic, knowledgeable and informative. They found the Big Five and took such wonderful care of us throughout our first safari.
“A trip to Eden”We loved travelling through the reserves, watching the wildlife and visiting the tribes. John was kind, deeply knowledgeable and could notice even the most hidden animals.
“Photo Safari”Our guide took us to wonderful places and made the photographic safari exceptional. He was skilled, fun and friendly, and I returned home with beautiful memories and images.
“Smoothly run and professional”Communication was excellent, the ownership was involved and our hotels and lodges were fantastic. From airport pickup to drop-off, everything ran smoothly.
“Amazing week”Our guide was attentive, punctual and remarkable at spotting animals from miles away. He became our eyes, our source of knowledge and our friend throughout the journey.
“Miraculous!”My mum and I had the most incredible time. Travelling through Tarangire and Ngorongoro felt like travelling with a friend who cared deeply about making our experience perfect.
“Four action-packed days”Excellent Guides listened carefully, made every day count and placed us in safe, knowledgeable hands. Their network and respect for the wilderness made the safari extraordinary.
“Excellent!”Communication, preparation, lodges and guiding were all excellent. We especially valued travelling with a Tanzanian-owned company whose guide went the extra mile.
“The perfect honeymoon”We could sit back and enjoy every moment. The lodges were excellent, the vehicle was well maintained and our guide's knowledge and thoughtful approach made the journey faultless.
Make it your own
Ready to begin a family story of your own?
Share the ages, interests and dates you are considering. We will refine this gentle route around the moments your family will most want to make time for.
