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Day Trips From Arusha - Compare 349 Tours

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

 
 

5 Questions About Day Trips From Arusha

Answered by Anthony Ham

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.”

1

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.”

2

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.”

3

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.”

4

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.”

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Tanzania Reviews

4.8/5 1,905 Reviews
Expert
Mark Eveleigh  –  
United Kingdom UK

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  –  
United Kingdom UK

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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Santiago Kenet Sánchez Custodio  –  
Spain ES
Reviewed: Jul 31, 2025
Amazing country, wonderful people, unforgettable experience
5/5

All the things you've seen in documentaries when you're a child, is possible in Tanzania. It's absolulety great have the opportunity of watching a cheetah teaching her puppy how to hunt a gazelle, or lions for everywhere. But it's not only...

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Kevin  –  
United States US
Reviewed: Jul 30, 2025
Tanzania - Awesome and Beautiful
5/5

My wife and I did extensive research on which country to visit to go on an African Safari and we chose Tanzania. The country abounds in wildlife. We saw the Big 5 along with several other African wildlife. Why we chose Tanzania is...

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Florian Bieber  –  
Austria AT
Reviewed: Jul 28, 2025
Wonderful safari
5/5

Great experince touring Serengeti and Ngorangora with Safari Soles. We saw an amazing range of wildlife in a few days, including the Mara river crossing of wilderbeasts, lion cubs, cheetah, cervile cats, elephants, a (distant) rhino,...

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Hrvoje August  –  
Croatia HR
Reviewed: Jul 27, 2025
Eden, paradise...
5/5

Everything that we saw on documentaries is acctually true....all the wildlife, untouched beauty, animals, scenery....everything is beyond any dream...LOVE IT.... For sure one if not the best Photo Safari destination...and Serengeti is like...

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