Day Trips From Arusha - Compare 421 Tours

4.8/5 – 2,005 Tanzania Reviews

Arusha is most people’s entry point for Tanzania’s world-famous Northern safari circuit. Within reach of a day trip from the city are some incredible safari destinations, among them the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Natron, and Lake Manyara, Tarangire and Arusha National Parks. To make this work, especially for the Serengeti, you may need to fly to and from Arusha, but many Arusha-based safari operators can offer both driving and flying tours that make each destination work on a day trip. Arusha is also a fascinating provincial northern Tanzanian city in its own right, with numerous cultural day trips on offer close to the city.

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5 Questions About Day Trips From Arusha

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Answered by

Anthony Ham

Anthony has written numerous Lonely Planet guidebooks, including ‘Tanzania’ and ‘East Africa’. He writes about Tanzania and the wider region for magazines and newspapers worldwide. He is also the author of ‘The Last Lions of Africa’, part of which is set in Tanzania.
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Can you do a safari as a day trip from Arusha?

“You could drive to most of the parks on Tanzania’s Northern safari circuit as part of a day trip from Arusha. These parks include Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater. To visit the Serengeti on a day trip, you would probably need to fly. Having more time to visit each park would obviously be preferable, but day trips can be excellent for those with limited time. It might also be possible to fly in/out to/from a park in 1 day from Arusha, and you will certainly find operators willing to take you on such a trip. If you do a fly-in-fly-out day trip, remember that you also get to enjoy a scenic flight on the way in and out. Another option for a 1-day safari could be Arusha National Park. Best known as the home of Mt Meru, you’ll really get to enjoy some of northern Tanzania’s most spectacular views on a visit to the park. Remember that the best views of Mt Kilimanjaro are actually from Kenya, not Tanzania, so Arusha National Park’s views could just be the best you’ll find anywhere in the country’s north. In addition to the scenery, the park also has some wildlife that includes zebra, giraffe, hippo and buffalo. Elephant is also possible, although the park doesn’t have a big population. The park also has a few leopard, spotted hyena and wildebeest.”

How do I find a reliable operator for a day trip from Arusha?

“The best place to find a reliable operator that organizes day trips from Arusha is on the tours page for Arusha on SafariBookings.com. Apart from seeing what each operator has to offer in terms of their packages and day trips, you can also read reviews by travelers who have actually gone on one of these trips, as well as see the rating given to each operator by travelers.”

Is there enough to see on an Arusha city tour?

“There certainly is enough to fill a day in Arusha, so much so that you will have to make some choices about your priorities. If getting to know Arusha on a city tour is how you’d like to spend your day, then count on spending time exploring and shopping in the city’s markets, visiting its museums (the Natural History Museum is good), and going on a tour of a local coffee plantation; the latter often ends up being many visitors’ favorite activity in the city. You could also consider choosing from a variety of cultural tours just outside the city. Most such tours include a visit to a local community or village close to Arusha, where you may share a meal with locals, get a tour of the village, take a walk with a local guide, or take part in some other activity or cultural demonstration. Choosing a cultural tour of this kind would, however, mean that you won’t have time on the same day for a city tour, although some cultural tours or packages offer half-day options.”

What are the options for private vs group day safaris from Arusha?

“Both private and group day safaris are possible from Arusha, and it all depends on what kind of trip you want to have. On a private day safari, you will pay more than you would for a group safari, because you will have to pay the entire costs of a guide, vehicle and other expenses that would be shared on a group safari. Having paid a little more, on a private day safari you should be able to custom design the itinerary in consultation with the tour operator, deciding which park or parks to visit, how long you will spend at each site and so on. You will, of course, be limited in how much you can cover in a day. But otherwise you should be able to design the safari according to your needs. Such decisions are rarely possible on a group safari, on which you’re more likely to be on a pre-organized itinerary. Apart from sharing costs, one plus of going on a group safari is the opportunity to meet and share experiences with like-minded safari travelers.”

Are day safaris suitable for families, and are there any child-friendly options?

“Day safaris from Arusha can be excellent for families, although depending on the age of your children, the tour operator may require you to pay for a private safari, rather than joining a group one. Most activities on a day safari are suitable for children, from viewing wildlife to visiting a local community on a cultural tour. Such trips can be wonderful opportunities for children to experience another culture, and perhaps even participate in activities such as dancing or cooking. Remember, however, that cultural tours out of Arusha may include a meal that some children may not like; always bring extra snacks, just in case. Also, when planning a day safari for your family, be realistic in how much ground you can cover and avoid itineraries where you’ll end up spending all day in the car.”

Tanzania Reviews

4.8/5 2,005 Reviews

Expert

Mark Eveleigh –

Mark is a travel writer who grew up in Africa and has written over 700 titles for Condé Nast Traveller, Travel Africa, BBC Wildlife and others.

As a safari destination Tanzania has it all!

5/5

Tanzania as a safari destination has it all. If this is your first safari and your ambition is to get some amazing sightings and rack up the big 5 as soon as possible, then Ngorongoro Crater is probably the best place in the world to do...

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Sue Watt –

Sue is an award-winning writer who specializes in African travel and conservation. She writes for national newspapers, magazines, Rough Guides and Lonely Planet.

The perfect safari destination

5/5

With almost a quarter of this vast country dedicated to wildlife reserves and national parks, Tanzania is justifiably regarded as Africa’s premier safari destination. It’s one of my favourite countries, not just for the bush, beaches...

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Laurent Leard –

Reviewed: Nov 9, 2025

Vast country, vibrant, wild and with nice people despite their struggles

5/5

First safari ever for us. The tour operator provided us with a wonderful guide (Telly). Spoke english and french. Excellent spoter and last, highly knowledgable about the fauna. This makes a big difference. We could not imagine how...

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Børge Fjermestad –

Reviewed: Nov 5, 2025

Wonderful country, lots of animals and friendly people!

4/5

We had a beautiful trip to Zanzibar, and a two day safari from there. A bit stressful and a lot of driving during this two days, and would have liked to have a third day for more relaxing. But the rest was really great. Tanzanite people...

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Mariana Gomes de Sousa –

Reviewed: Nov 4, 2025

Went for the adventure, stayed for the people

4/5

I have to admit, at first it felt a bit weird because I’d never organized a trip like this on my own before. Everyone kept saying I was crazy for going to Tanzania without an agency — but honestly, everything went even better than I...

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Kalpit Vachhani –

Reviewed: Nov 2, 2025

What a beautiful country

5/5

We did 4 days safari in Serengeti and then went to Zanzibar for 5 days. We were absolutely blown away by the wildlife in Serengeti and the beauty of Zanzibar. The smiles on Zanzibar people was a breath of fresh air in this world where...

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Day Trips From Arusha - Compare 421 Tours

1-Day Tarangire Trip

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5 Questions About Day Trips From Arusha

Answered by

Anthony Ham

5 Questions About Day Trips From Arusha

Can you do a safari as a day trip from Arusha?

How do I find a reliable operator for a day trip from Arusha?

Is there enough to see on an Arusha city tour?

What are the options for private vs group day safaris from Arusha?

Are day safaris suitable for families, and are there any child-friendly options?

Tanzania Reviews

As a safari destination Tanzania has it all!

The perfect safari destination

Vast country, vibrant, wild and with nice people despite their struggles

Wonderful country, lots of animals and friendly people!

Went for the adventure, stayed for the people

What a beautiful country