6 days Melia lodges collection luxury safari 2026-2029

Northern Tanzania is one of the best places for a wildlife safari, with vast savannah plains, large herds of elephants, lions, leopards, and the famous wildebeest migration. Staying at Meliá lodges adds comfort to the journey, with excellent accommodation, good dining, and beautiful views of the surrounding landscapes.

This itinerary combines stays at Meliá properties in northern Tanzania, including Meliá Serengeti Lodge and Ngorongoro Lodge Meliá Collection, with time to explore Tarangire National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater, and the Serengeti. The route can be adjusted depending on your arrival airport, travel dates, and preferred length of stay.

Safari overview

This six-day route is a suggested itinerary, not a confirmed hotel booking. It uses three Meliá properties and combines their locations with visits to two of Tanzania’s leading wildlife areas.

6 days Melia lodges collection luxury safari 2026-2029 Detailed day-by-day itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Arusha – Gran Meliá Arusha

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, your driver will meet you and transfer you to Gran Meliá Arusha. The drive usually takes around 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on traffic and the exact pickup arrangements.

After checking in, take time to rest after your journey. You can enjoy the hotel gardens, relax by the swimming pool, or have a drink while taking in the views of Mount Meru when the weather is clear.

If you arrive early, you may arrange a short visit to Arusha town or a local cultural attraction, depending on your interests and arrival time.

In the evening, enjoy dinner at the hotel and meet your safari guide for a briefing. Your guide will explain the route, expected driving times, wildlife viewing arrangements, and what to carry for the following day’s journey.

Meals: Dinner, depending on your booking arrangement.

Overnight: Gran Meliá Arusha.

Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park and Ngorongoro

After an early breakfast, depart Arusha for Tarangire National Park. The drive takes approximately two to three hours, depending on traffic and the park gate used.

Tarangire is famous for its large elephant herds, old baobab trees, and the Tarangire River, which attracts wildlife during the dry season. The park offers good opportunities to see elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, impalas, and a variety of bird species. Lions and leopards are also present, although sightings are never guaranteed.

Once inside the park, enjoy a game drive with your guide. You will travel along wildlife tracks, stopping whenever animals are spotted and conditions allow.

A picnic lunch will be served at a designated picnic site. After lunch, continue exploring the park before leaving in the afternoon and travelling towards the Ngorongoro highlands.

Arrive at Ngorongoro Lodge Meliá Collection in the late afternoon or early evening. Settle into your room and enjoy the lodge’s crater surroundings before dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, and dinner, according to the selected package.

Overnight: Ngorongoro Lodge Meliá Collection.

Day 3: Ngorongoro Crater game drive

Wake up early and have breakfast before departing for the Ngorongoro Crater. An early start gives you more time to explore the crater floor and increases your chances of seeing wildlife while animals are active.

The crater is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including zebras, wildebeest, buffaloes, hippos, hyenas, and lions. With luck, you may also spot a black rhino grazing in the open grassland. The crater’s combination of grassland, woodland, wetlands, and water sources supports many different species.

Your guide will take you through different areas of the crater, explaining animal behaviour and helping you look for wildlife. You will stop at suitable locations for photography and enjoy a picnic lunch during the excursion.

In the afternoon, return to the lodge. Depending on your interests and the activities available, you may relax at the property, enjoy the crater views, visit a nearby Maasai community through an organised cultural experience, or spend time at the spa.

The lodge also promotes cultural experiences and guided excursions around the Ngorongoro area.

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, and dinner, according to your package.

Overnight: Ngorongoro Lodge Meliá Collection.

Day 4: Ngorongoro to Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, check out and depart for Serengeti National Park. The journey takes you through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with opportunities to enjoy views of the highlands and open grasslands along the way.

Depending on your route and conditions, you may stop for photographs and wildlife viewing before entering the Serengeti. The drive can be long, so an early departure is recommended.

Once inside the park, the safari continues through the plains, where you may encounter giraffes, elephants, gazelles, zebras, wildebeest, and predators such as lions and cheetahs.

Your guide will select the best route according to the season, recent wildlife sightings, and the time available. The location of the wildebeest herds changes throughout the year, so the day’s game drive should be planned around current conditions rather than a fixed promise of seeing the migration.

Arrive at Meliá Serengeti Lodge later in the day. The lodge sits within Serengeti National Park and offers rooms and suites inspired by Maasai design, with views of the surrounding landscape.

After check-in, relax and enjoy dinner at the lodge.

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, and dinner, according to your package.

Overnight: Meliá Serengeti Lodge.

Day 5: Full-day Serengeti National Park safari

Today is dedicated to exploring the Serengeti, one of Africa’s best-known wildlife destinations. After an early breakfast, leave the lodge for a morning game drive while the weather is cool and many animals are active.

The Serengeti supports large populations of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, elephants, giraffes, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and many other species. Your guide will look for recent animal sightings and choose suitable tracks for the day.

You may spend the morning exploring open plains, river valleys, rocky outcrops known as kopjes, and areas where predators are frequently seen. These habitats provide different opportunities for wildlife viewing and photography.

Enjoy lunch as a picnic in the park or return to the lodge if your schedule and location make that practical. After lunch, continue with an afternoon game drive.

For an additional experience, you can ask about a hot-air balloon safari, which normally begins before sunrise and is subject to availability and weather. Other possibilities include a bush breakfast, a bush lunch, or a sundowner overlooking the plains. These activities may carry extra charges.

Return to Meliá Serengeti Lodge in the evening. Enjoy dinner and spend your final night surrounded by the sounds and atmosphere of the African wilderness.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, depending on the selected package.

Overnight: Meliá Serengeti Lodge.

Day 6: Morning safari and departure

Wake up early for breakfast and, if your departure schedule permits, enjoy a final short game drive around the lodge area. This is another opportunity to see wildlife and take photographs before leaving the Serengeti.

After the game drive, return to the lodge, collect your luggage, and check out.

Your transfer arrangements will depend on your onward travel plans. You may travel to a nearby airstrip for a scheduled or charter flight to Arusha, Kilimanjaro, or Zanzibar, subject to the flight schedule. Alternatively, you can continue by road if your arrangements allow sufficient time.

If you are flying internationally from Kilimanjaro International Airport on the same day, make sure the transfer and flight timings leave enough time for check-in and any delays.

Meals: Breakfast, depending on your package.

End of safari.

Accommodation plan

What is included in 6 days Melia lodges collection luxury safari 2026-2029

The final inclusions depend on the tour operator and the accommodation rates selected. A package can be arranged to include:

• Accommodation for five nights at the properties listed above.

• Meals as specified in the booking confirmation.

• Private 4×4 safari vehicle with a professional English-speaking driver-guide.

• Airport pickup and drop-off according to the agreed itinerary.

• Game drives in Tarangire, Ngorongoro, and Serengeti.

• Park and conservation fees, where specified in the quotation.

• Bottled or refillable drinking water during game drives.

Usually excluded unless specifically arranged: international flights, travel insurance, visas, tips, alcoholic beverages, laundry, optional balloon safaris, and personal expenses.

Important planning notes for 6 days Melia lodges collection luxury safari 2026-2029

• Best time to travel: June to October is generally good for wildlife viewing, while January to March is an excellent period to consider the southern Serengeti and Ndutu region for wildebeest calving, depending on rainfall and herd movements.

• Transport: The itinerary involves substantial driving. A fly-in or fly-out arrangement can reduce travel time, particularly for the Serengeti.

• Tarangire accommodation: This itinerary uses a Meliá property in Ngorongoro after visiting Tarangire; it does not imply that a Meliá lodge is located inside Tarangire National Park.

• Booking: Confirm room availability, park fees, game-drive arrangements, and meal plans for your dates before making payment.

For hotel details, you can visit the official Meliá Hotels website and search for the individual properties.

This itinerary is suitable for couples, families, and private safari travelers who want to explore northern Tanzania while staying at Meliá properties. get in-touch with us https://summerwinteradventures.com/for a detailed itinerary