About this expedition
Tarangire’s river, baobabs and open woodland introduce a different scale of landscape from the Serengeti plains. The Ngorongoro Crater is a volcanic caldera. Descending from the rim takes you into a basin of grassland, marsh and woodland.
Arusha → Tarangire → Ngorongoro → Serengeti, with four nights in the Serengeti and a scheduled return flight on Day 8. A private-group journey with published dates.
Browse the field photographs ↗Journey highlights
- Private groups of four or eight with one Shutter Monks host
- Window seat for every guest
The experience
Luxury lodges and safari camps along the route.
- Price basis: Per person, twin sharing
Your days in the wild
Day 1 · Arusha arrival
Kilimanjaro airport pickup and transfer to Arusha for rest.
Day 2 · Tarangire
Travel to Tarangire for an afternoon safari.
Day 3 · Tarangire to the highlands
Morning safari, then travel to the Ngorongoro highlands.
Day 4 · Ngorongoro Crater to Serengeti
Morning crater visit with a picnic, followed by onward travel to Serengeti.
Day 5 · Serengeti safari
A full day exploring the Serengeti in your private safari vehicle.
Day 6 · Serengeti safari
A full day exploring the Serengeti in your private safari vehicle.
Day 7 · Serengeti safari
A full day exploring the Serengeti in your private safari vehicle.
Day 8 · Fly out of Serengeti
Transfer to the airstrip for the included scheduled flight to Arusha/Kilimanjaro.
Inclusions & exclusions
Inclusions & exclusions
Included
- Seven nights: Arusha 1, Tarangire 1, Ngorongoro 1 and Serengeti 4.
- Airport and scheduled ground transfers, private pop-up-roof 4×4, fuel and English-speaking driver-guide.
- Park, conservation and crater vehicle fees.
- Scheduled Day 8 flight, drinking water on drives and local ground support.
Not included
- International flights, visa and travel insurance.
- Unlisted drinks, tips, balloon flights, cultural visits and personal expenses.
- Meal plan must be confirmed in the final written quotation.
What to expect from this tour
Tarangire
Look for elephant families in woodland and birds perched above the grass. Water and season influence where animals gather.
In your viewfinder. Use a baobab as an anchor in a wide frame, leaving room for animals to move through the picture.
Ngorongoro
Look for grazers on the crater floor and predators using the folds in the grass for cover.
In your viewfinder. Try shooting across the basin with the crater wall in the distance to show the scale of the landscape.
Serengeti
Watch herd movement as well as predators resting or travelling through the grass. The weather can change both the light and where animals gather.
In your viewfinder. Use a kopje or lone tree to give scale to animals in a wide photograph.
Wildlife moves freely. Your guide follows local access rules and the conditions on the day.
Wildlife to look for
A field checklist for this route. Some subjects are elusive or seasonal; sightings depend on habitat, access and the day.
- Lion
- African elephant
- African buffalo
- Leopard
- Cheetah
- Spotted hyena
- Plains zebra
- Blue wildebeest
- Masai giraffe
- Common eland
- Impala
- Thomson’s gazelle
- Grant’s gazelle
- Common warthog
- Olive baboon
- Vervet monkey
- Common ostrich
- Secretarybird
- Lilac-breasted roller
- Black rhinoceros
Key Essentials
Connectivity
If you want mobile data, compare roaming with a local SIM or compatible eSIM before arrival. Check activation requirements and coverage for the route. Download your itinerary for offline use.
What to pack or hire
Bring a spare battery, memory cards, a dust cover and binoculars. Ask about luggage limits and space for a long lens before renting camera equipment.
What to budget separately
Use this departure’s inclusions and exclusions to check transfers, flights, insurance, tips, camera fees and optional activities. Ask us for a written price before adding an extra.
Booking terms
Payment terms
- Per person, twin sharing: USD 4,300. Booking amount: USD 1,075. Remaining balance: USD 3,225.
- Single occupancy: USD 5,200. Booking amount: USD 1,300. Remaining balance: USD 3,900.
- Reserve your seat with 25% of the quoted trip price. Rupee deposits are rounded to the nearest ₹1,000; dollar deposits are calculated in USD to the nearest cent.
- The remaining balance is due 60 days before departure. For bookings made 60 days or less before departure, the full price is due when you book.
Cancellation policy
- Email info@shuttermonks.com to cancel. The date we receive your written notice determines the cancellation period.
- More than 60 days before departure: we retain half of the booking deposit. The rest of the deposit and any additional balance paid are refundable.
- 60 days or less before departure: the full tour price is non-refundable.
Important journey notes
- Sharing USD 4,300; single USD 5,200. Groups of four or eight guests plus one host, with a window seat for each guest.
- May weather can require adjustments to safari timing and routing.
- Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed. The sequence of activities may change with permits, weather and local conditions; final arrangements are confirmed before booking.