Tanzania · Safari

3-Day Serengeti and Ngorongoro Safari with Big Five Game Drives

3 Days Round trip from Arusha Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Travel across the endless plains of the world-famous Serengeti
  • 02 Look for the Big Five in the wildlife-rich Ngorongoro Crater
  • 03 See abundant animal and bird life in Tanzania's oldest national park
  • 04 Witness the unique co-existence of Maasai herders and wildlife in Ngorongoro

Experience three adventurous days in Tanzania exploring the world-famous Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater. Travel across the Serengeti's endless plains on game drives through Tanzania's oldest and most popular national park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its abundant wildlife and seasonal wildebeest migration. Continue to Ngorongoro Crater, often called Africa's Garden of Eden, where you can spot leopards, lions, black rhinos, hyenas, zebra, waterbuck, baboons and many other animals. Along the way, enjoy the remarkable landscapes of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the unique sight of Maasai cattle grazing alongside wildlife.

Ngorongoro Crater, known as "Africa's Garden of Eden," is a well-preserved natural phenomenon that has become a sanctuary for all kinds of wildlife.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 3 Days
Tour type Private
Activity level Easy
Accommodation Included · Standard
Transport Included
Wheelchair access No
Cities Arusha, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Drive to Serengeti National Park and Afternoon Wildlife Viewing

  • After breakfast, you will drive to Serengeti National Park, one of Africa's premier game parks. Driving through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area toward Serengeti National Park, you will begin to experience the vastness of this territory and marvel at the multitude of animal and bird life while cruising through this acacia-spotted savannah. The Serengeti is Tanzania's oldest and most popular national park and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a year-round destination, and each season has its own special highlight, with the most famous being the annual wildebeest migration, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
  • As the afternoon comes to an end, you will drive to your lodge, which is located inside the park, for relaxation, dinner and an overnight stay.

Overnight at Serengeti Serena Lodge on a full-board basis.

2
Day 02

Full-Day Game Drive in the Serengeti

  • The sound of Africa arouses you from sleep, and you will freshen up and go to the main area for breakfast.
  • After breakfast, your driver-guide will pick you up and drive to the park for a full-day game drive. If you love animals, then Serengeti is a good place to be. Here you will find the real Mufasa, Nala, Simba and Scar, thanks to the Disney film "The Lion King". There are around 3,000 lions living in the Serengeti ecosystem. They are relatively easy to spot, not just because of their numbers, but also because they like to loll about for hours each day under the trees. In fact, lions can lounge around for about 20 hours a day. The Serengeti also has bush elephants, Cape buffaloes, and birds like the Kori bustard, Fischer's and many others.
  • The bottom line is that Serengeti is an endless playground, from the Big Five and the big cats to hot-air balloons and river crossings at the Mara River and Grumeti - there is no shortage of raw adventures and adrenaline-pumping moments.
  • Later in the evening, you will drive to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and an overnight stay.

Overnight at Serengeti Serena Lodge on a full-board basis.

3
Day 03

Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive and Return to Arusha

  • Have an early breakfast. Today, you drive to the 8th wonder of the world for a full-day game drive spotting wildlife. Ngorongoro Crater, known as "Africa's Garden of Eden," is a well-preserved natural phenomenon that has become a sanctuary for all kinds of wildlife. It is 190 km from Arusha town.
    • First, there was a volcanic caldera full of grassland, forest and swamp, a setting of jaw-dropping beauty. Secondly, the permanent water on the crater floor supports a resident population of more than 25,000 large mammals. Here you will find many of the reasons you chose to come on safari: leopard, lion, black rhino, hyena, wallowing zebra, waterbuck, baboons and many others. Aside from the crater, inside the conservation area you will be able to see the Maasai grazing their cattle in an area that has been a separate conservation area since 1956 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978. This harmonious co-habitation of man and beast makes Ngorongoro unique in Tanzania, and your driver-guide will be pleased to explain this incredible co-existence to you.
  • Later in the evening, you will drive to Arusha.

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Arusha 3 cities · 3 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • Arrival transfer from Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha town
  • Departure transfer from the hotel in Arusha town to JRO Airport
  • A safari briefing at the beginning
  • English-speaking driver-guide
  • Custom-built, extended, open-roof 4WD safari Land Cruiser with fridge and inverter
  • Accommodation as specified
  • Soft drinks and snacks
  • Flying doctor insurance cover
  • Unlimited tea and coffee during the safari
  • A glass of wine after lunch
  • Meals as specified (full-board basis - breakfast, lunch, dinner)
  • Unlimited bottled mineral water during the safari
  • Game drives, including park and vehicle entry fees
  • 2 binoculars
  • Wi-Fi in the vehicle
  • Unlimited mileage
  • Departure transfer from the hotel to Kilimanjaro/Arusha Airport
  • All current government fees and taxes
  • Fruits
  • Gym bag

What's Not Included

  • International airfares
  • International and domestic departure tax
  • Meals and excursions not described in the itinerary above
  • Entry visas to the country
  • Travel and health insurance
  • Any optional tours or excursions not mentioned in the itinerary above
  • Drinks at hotels, lodges and tented camps unless otherwise specified
  • Tips (tipping is an expected, though not compulsory, component of any African safari. We are often asked for tipping guidelines, and we recommend $15 USD for your guide per person per day. It is one of the most direct ways that you can have a positive economic impact on the East African community. Although it may not be customary for you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels, as an important source of income for those in the tourism industry.)

What to bring

  • Gym clothes
  • Swimming costume
  • Mosquito repellent
  • Sunscreen

Know before you go

Enhance your safari with additional activities.

  • Balloon safari: $515 per person
  • Olduvai Gorge: $38 per person
  • Masai Village visit: $30 per vehicle
  • Other languages for the driver-guide are available upon request.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Arusha, Tanzania
Tour start
Arusha, Tanzania
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 3 days finish where they began, in Arusha.

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