Big Five safari in Tanzania: where to see each animal

Meet Benjamin. The person behind Gatsio Safariz.

Benjamin and his team organise your Tanzania trip: a safari in the north, a Kilimanjaro climb, days on Zanzibar, or a mix. Gatsio Africa Safaris is a licensed safari company based in Arusha.

Share what you would love to experience. The team will help turn it into a trip that fits you.

Show us what you have in mind.

Pick what interests you. For Tanzania we can show a planning amount for luxury lodges so far; other lodge levels and climbs the team prices in your quote. Nothing is booked.

What would make this trip unforgettable?

Combine with: Kenya Tanzania

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Your safari so far

Country: Uganda
Length: 7 days
Travelers: 2 travelers
Travel time: Not chosen yet
Lodge level: Midrange (assumed)
Travel style: Not chosen yet
Experiences: Gorilla trekking

Planning amount per person

USD 2,000 – USD 3,300

USD 4,000 – USD 6,600 in total for 2 travelers

Based on: Travel time flexible: the range covers the whole year · Lodge level assumed: Midrange

Choose a month and a lodge level to narrow the range.

Non-binding guide price. Gatsio states the fixed price in the quote. Not included: International flights, Visa fees.

How this amount is calculated

Included: Accommodation with meals as published by the lodges, Private vehicle with driver-guide, Vehicle fuel. Not included: International flights, Visa fees.

AccommodationPer person per night, two per room, meals included. 6 nights × 2 guests	USD 1,110 – USD 1,380
Vehicle with driver-guidePer vehicle per day, 6 guests per vehicle, fuel not included. 7 days × 1 vehicles	USD 1,295 – USD 2,100
Vehicle fuelPer vehicle per day, estimated from consumption and fuel price. 7 days × 1 vehicles	USD 126 – USD 399
Driver-guide lodging and mealsPer driver-guide per night, staff rooms at the lodges. 6 nights × 1 driver-guides	USD 150 – USD 210
Gorilla permitsPer person, official UWA tariff. 2 permits	USD 1,200 – USD 1,600
Park entry feesPer person per park day, official tariff. 0 to 4 park days × 2 guests	USD 0 – USD 360
Reserve, upper end only (10 %)Accommodation and vehicle rates are published rates of lodges and other operators, not Gatsio's own rates. Some are 'from' prices.	USD 0 – USD 409

All rates are provisional and not yet confirmed by Gatsio.
Flexible dates: the range covers all travel periods the sources price.
Two travellers per room.
Up to 6 guests per vehicle.
Private or shared not chosen: priced as a private trip.
Permits are counted for every traveller.
The parks and park days are not fixed yet: between 0 and 4 days with park fees are assumed.
On permit days the park entry is part of the permit, so it is not charged twice.
The contingency is added to the upper end only.

Sources

Approximate planning amount from provisional component rates. It is not a quote; Gatsio confirms the final price.

Route ideas and notes

No itinerary fits all of this yet

Try fewer wishes or a different length. Or send the plan anyway: every itinerary can be adjusted.

Safari ideas in Tanzania.

Every route is a starting point. Open one to change days, travelers, month and lodge level, then send it as an enquiry.

Search itinerariesSort

17 itineraries

Dhow sailing off a white sand beach in Zanzibar at sunset

11 days · 10 nights · Tanzania

Honeymoon Safari in Tanzania and Zanzibar Beach

Ngorongoro · Serengeti · Zanzibar

Price in your quote

Tree hotel above a floodlit waterhole with elephants at dusk, Aberdare National Park, Kenya

Kenya + Tanzania

12 days · 11 nights · Combination trip: Kenya + Tanzania

And Tanzania Safaris

Lake Nakuru · Masai Mara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro

Price in your quote

Giraffes at the Momella Lakes with Mount Meru behind, Arusha National Park

14 days · 13 nights · Tanzania

Family Safari and Zanzibar Holiday Package

Lake Manyara · Ngorongoro · Serengeti · Zanzibar

Price in your quote

View from the rim into the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

14 days · 13 nights · Tanzania

Safaris and Zanzibar Beach

Lake Manyara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro · Zanzibar

Price in your quote

Boat safari on the Rufiji River in Nyerere National Park (Selous), Tanzania

14 days · 13 nights · Tanzania

Luxury Safari in Tanzania & Serengeti & Selous & Zanzibar

Serengeti · Nyerere (Selous) · Zanzibar

Price in your quote

Elephants passing giant baobab trees in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

3 days · 2 nights · Tanzania

Safari Tanzania – Tarangire , Lake Manyara & Ngorongoro Crater

Tarangire · Ngorongoro · Lake Manyara

Price in your quote

Lions resting on a granite kopje in the Serengeti, Tanzania

3 days · 2 nights · Tanzania

Serengeti Adventure

Serengeti

Price in your quote

4 days · 3 nights · Tanzania · Budget friendly

Camping Safari Serengeti & Ngorongoro

Serengeti · Ngorongoro

Price in your quote

Travellers in an open-roof safari vehicle watching zebras in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

4 days · 3 nights · Tanzania · Budget friendly

Joining a Shared Group Safari in Arusha

Lake Manyara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro

Price in your quote

Wildebeest and zebra herds on the Serengeti plains during the migration

5 days · 4 nights · Tanzania

Big five Safari, Lake Manyara, Serengeti & Ngorongoro

Lake Manyara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro

Price in your quote

Dome tents and a safari vehicle at a public campsite in the Serengeti, Tanzania

6 days · 5 nights · Tanzania · Budget friendly

Budget Camping Safari in Tanzania

Lake Manyara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro · Tarangire

Price in your quote

6 days · 5 nights · Tanzania

Marangu Route

Kilimanjaro

Price in your quote

Good to know.

What is included?

It depends on the trip. Gatsio’s trip descriptions include park entrance fees, accommodation, a guide and transport. International flights, visas and insurance are not included. Your quote lists everything.

Can I change a trip?

Yes. Every idea is a starting point; the team adjusts days, parks and lodges.

Is the guide price binding?

No. It is an estimate from published rates. The binding price is in your quote.

How early should I ask?

As early as you can, because popular lodges fill up in busy months.

Black rhino grazing on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania — Black rhino, Ngorongoro

Travel guideTanzania

Big Five safari in Tanzania: where to see each animal

The Big Five are the lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. Hunters once named them as the animals hardest to hunt on foot; today they are the animals most travellers hope to photograph. In northern Tanzania you can see all five on one safari.

Animals: Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, black rhino
All five in one place: Ngorongoro Crater
Hardest to find: Rhino and leopard
Best time: June to October, in the dry season

Where to find each of the Big Five

Lions: on the kopjes of the central Serengeti and on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater. Leopards: in the trees along the Seronera River in the Serengeti; they are shy, so luck plays a part. Elephants: in large herds in Tarangire, and in the Crater and Lake Manyara. Buffaloes: common in all the northern parks. Black rhinos: a small, protected population lives on the Ngorongoro Crater floor and is usually seen from a distance.

Good to know

In the dry season from June to October the grass is short and animals gather near water, so they are easier to find. No sighting is ever guaranteed; combining the Ngorongoro Crater with the Serengeti gives the best chance of seeing all five.

Questions travellers ask

Can you see the Big Five in one day?

In the Ngorongoro Crater it is possible, because all five live there, but leopards are rarely seen on the crater floor. Most travellers complete the Big Five over a few days in the Crater and the Serengeti.

Where can I see rhinos in Tanzania?

The best place is the Ngorongoro Crater, where black rhinos live on the open crater floor. They are rare and protected, so guides keep a respectful distance.

Why are they called the Big Five?

The name comes from big-game hunters, who meant the five animals most dangerous to hunt on foot. It has nothing to do with size: hippos and giraffes are not on the list.

Safaris that fit

11 days · 10 nights · Tanzania

Honeymoon Safari in Tanzania and Zanzibar Beach

Ngorongoro · Serengeti · Zanzibar

Price in your quote

Kenya + Tanzania

12 days · 11 nights · Combination trip: Kenya + Tanzania

And Tanzania Safaris

Lake Nakuru · Masai Mara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro

Price in your quote

14 days · 13 nights · Tanzania

Family Safari and Zanzibar Holiday Package

Lake Manyara · Ngorongoro · Serengeti · Zanzibar

Price in your quote

14 days · 13 nights · Tanzania

Safaris and Zanzibar Beach

Lake Manyara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro · Zanzibar

Price in your quote

3 days · 2 nights · Tanzania

Safari Tanzania – Tarangire , Lake Manyara & Ngorongoro Crater

Tarangire · Ngorongoro · Lake Manyara

Price in your quote

4 days · 3 nights · Tanzania · Budget friendly

Camping Safari Serengeti & Ngorongoro

Serengeti · Ngorongoro

Price in your quote

Build my safari Ask the team

Ready for your Tanzania safari adventure?Ready for yourTanzania safari adventure?

This is how your trip could look.This is how your trip could look.

Meet Benjamin. The person behind Gatsio Safariz.Meet Benjamin. The person behind Gatsio Safariz.

On safari with Gatsio

Share your wishes

Shape your safari

Travel with a plan

Show us what you have in mind.Show us what you have in mind.

What would make this trip unforgettable?

Safari ideas in Tanzania.Safari ideas in Tanzania.

Places worth the trip in Tanzania.Places worth the trip in Tanzania.

Before you go

Share the road with other travelers.Share the road with other travelers.

When to goWhen to go

Good to know.Good to know.

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Your message

Ready for your Tanzania safari adventure?

This is how your trip could look.

Meet Benjamin. The person behind Gatsio Safariz.

Show us what you have in mind.

Safari ideas in Tanzania.

Places worth the trip in Tanzania.

Share the road with other travelers.

When to go

Good to know.

Prefer to just write?