Three private days for two, through Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater, staying in exclusive 4-star lodges, at a gentle pace with short drives and real time to yourselves. Flowers waiting in your room, a bottle of champagne, and a romantic hot lunch in the bush are all built in. Made for honeymooners, newlyweds and couples in love. From US$1,100 per person (about $2,200 a couple), with special surprises arranged on request.
What Makes It Romantic
Everything about this trip is built around the two of you rather than a packed checklist. Included in the price:
- A private safari for two, your own 4x4 and guide, no strangers, no group schedule
- Fresh flowers waiting in your room on arrival
- A bottle of champagne to toast the trip
- A romantic hot lunch set up in the bush, a proper meal in the open rather than a lunchbox
- Exclusive 4-star lodges chosen for their setting and intimacy
- A relaxed pace, with short drives and time simply to be together
Special surprises can be arranged on request, from a private candlelit dinner to a proposal set-up. See the ideas further down the page, or tell us your own.
Overview
We kept this trip close to Arusha on purpose. Rather than sending you on the long haul to the Serengeti, which eats a day of driving in each direction, this safari pairs Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater, three parks that sit within a few hours of each other. That means less time in the vehicle and more time together, which is what a honeymoon or a romantic escape should be about. You still see wonderful wildlife, Tarangire's elephants and baobabs, Lake Manyara's forest and flamingos, and the crater's Big Five, but at a pace that leaves room for a long lunch, a slow sundowner and an early night.
If you are planning a full honeymoon, this pairs beautifully with a Zanzibar beach stay afterward. Our guide to what a Tanzania honeymoon safari costs is a good place to start if you are shaping the wider trip.
At a Glance
- Day 1: Arusha to Tarangire National Park, bush hot lunch, flowers & champagne on arrival
- Day 2: Lake Manyara morning game drive, on to a 4-star lodge on the Ngorongoro Crater rim
- Day 3: Ngorongoro Crater floor game drive, return to Arusha
Your Itinerary
Arusha to Tarangire National Park
We collect you from your Arusha hotel and drive a short couple of hours to Tarangire, a park of huge elephant herds moving among ancient baobab trees. You spend the day on a private game drive, with your romantic hot lunch set up in the bush somewhere with a view. In the late afternoon you arrive at your 4-star lodge, where flowers and a bottle of champagne are waiting, and settle in for a quiet dinner and your first night together in the wild.
Accommodation: an exclusive 4-star lodge in the Tarangire area (full board). Included: flowers, champagne, bush hot lunch.
Tarangire to Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater Rim
After breakfast you leave Tarangire and make the short drive to Lake Manyara National Park for a morning game drive. Manyara is a gentle, pretty park: a shady groundwater forest that opens onto the shore of a soda lake, home to hippo, elephant, troops of baboon, its famous tree-climbing lions and, when the water is right, ribbons of pink flamingo along the shallows. After lunch you continue up into the Ngorongoro Highlands, through Karatu's coffee country, arriving at a 4-star lodge on the crater rim in the afternoon. The rest of the day is yours: time to rest, take in the view down into the crater you will explore tomorrow, or arrange a couples' treatment where the lodge offers one. As the sun drops behind the rim, it is a fine moment for a sundowner for two.
Accommodation: a 4-star lodge on the Ngorongoro Crater rim (full board). Includes a morning game drive in Lake Manyara.
Ngorongoro Crater and Return to Arusha
An early descent takes you onto the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, one of the densest gatherings of wildlife anywhere in Africa. You search for the Big Five together, including the rare black rhino, alongside lion prides, elephant, buffalo, hippo and flamingo, with a picnic on the crater floor. In the afternoon you climb back up to the rim and drive home to Arusha, where the safari ends, hopefully with a few new favourite memories.
Meals: breakfast and lunch. Ngorongoro Crater service fee included. End of safari in Arusha.
Special Surprises, Arranged on Request
Tell us in advance and we will quietly set up something extra to make the trip yours. Popular touches include:
- A private candlelit dinner for two, away from the main dining area
- A honeymoon or anniversary cake, and a decorated room with rose petals
- A couples' spa treatment, where the lodge offers one
- A sundowner set up at a viewpoint, drinks and a table as the light goes
- A photographer for part of the trip, to capture the two of you
- Help planning a proposal, arranged discreetly so the surprise stays a surprise
Surprise options carry a small additional cost depending on what you choose, quoted before you confirm.
Price
It is US$1,100 per person, based on a couple sharing, which is about US$2,200 per couple. The price includes all park and conservation fees, the Ngorongoro Crater service fee, a private 4x4 with your own guide, two nights in exclusive 4-star lodges, all meals, a romantic bush hot lunch, and the flowers and champagne that make it feel like a celebration.
Private safari for two. Fees, flowers and champagne included.
| Rate | Price (USD) |
|---|---|
| Per Person (Couple Sharing) | $1,100 |
| Per Couple, Total | ~$2,200 |
2027 indicative rate. Tell us your dates for an exact quote.
What is Included
- All park and conservation fees
- Ngorongoro Crater service fee (about $295/vehicle)
- Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, for the two of you
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide
- 2 nights in exclusive 4-star lodges (full board)
- Flowers and a bottle of champagne
- Romantic bush hot lunch
- All meals, drinking water, and Arusha hotel transfers
Not Included
- International flights and Tanzania visa
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tips and gratuities
- Premium and additional drinks
- Optional surprises (candlelit dinner, spa, photographer, cake)
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
Where You'll Stay
You stay in exclusive 4-star lodges: an intimate lodge in the Tarangire area, and a 4-star lodge on the Ngorongoro Crater rim, such as the Serena or Sopa, with views over the crater.
Both are chosen for setting and intimacy rather than size, with comfortable en-suite rooms and a romantic feel in the evenings. We confirm the exact properties at booking, and if you would like to step up to a luxury lodge or a tented camp for either night, we will happily re-quote. To understand the difference between a lodge and a tented camp, see our lodge versus tented camp guide.
What Wildlife Will We See?
Tarangire is famous for large elephant herds among ancient baobab trees, with lions, giraffe and zebra. Lake Manyara adds a groundwater forest, hippo, tree-climbing lions and flamingos on the soda lake. The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the best places in Tanzania to see the Big Five, including the rare black rhino, along with big cats, all in a compact space. Across the three parks you have an excellent chance of a rich and varied safari.
| Park | Wildlife |
|---|---|
| Tarangire | Large elephant herds among ancient baobabs, lions, giraffe, zebra |
| Lake Manyara | Groundwater forest, hippo, tree-climbing lions, flamingos on the soda lake |
| Ngorongoro Crater | Big Five including the rare black rhino, big cats, all in a compact space |
Best Time for a Honeymoon Safari
This safari runs year-round, so you can time it to your wedding rather than the other way round.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Dry (most popular) | Jun to Oct | Easiest wildlife viewing, elephants gathering in Tarangire, clear crater mornings |
| Short rains | Nov to Dec | Fresh green scenery, fewer visitors |
| Green (value) | Mar to May | Lush landscapes, quietest lodges, lowest prices, some rain |
The crater rim sits high and cool, so pack a warm layer for the early crater morning. For the full month-by-month picture, see our best time to go guide.
