3-Day Safari: Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater from Arusha

A couple nights under canvas, multiple parks, one shot at the big five

A 3-day safari from Arusha takes you into Serengeti National Park for a full day of game drives across the Southern and Central zones, then to Ngorongoro Conservation Area to view wildlife in the crater itself before returning to town. You camp at Seronera and Simba campsites, with pickup from your hotel on day one and the drive back on day three.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arusha to Serengeti National Park

• Breakfast at 7 a.m.
• Pick up from accommodation at 8 a.m.
• Drive 6 hours to Serengeti National Park
• Enter through Ngorongoro gate
• Game drive in Southern, Central, Seronera Valley

Day 2: Explore Serengeti National Park

• Observe elephants and wildlife on plains
• Visit Moru Kopjes and Maasai cave paintings
• Enjoy views from kopjes

Day 3: Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha

• Game drive in Ngorongoro National Park
• Learn about Maasai families and Leakey discoveries
• Return to Arusha

The experience

The first day starts with an 8 a.m. pickup from your Arusha accommodation and a 6-hour drive south into Serengeti through the Ngorongoro gate. Once you arrive, a game drive takes you across the Southern, Central, and Seronera Valley regions: the vast grassland the Maasai call Serengit, the land of endless plains. You'll see wildebeest, zebra, hartebeest, waterbuck, gazelle, and impala grazing year-round. Elephants move in matriarchal herds across the plains, and the Moru Kopjes (rock formations rising like ships from the savannah) offer vantage points where predators hunt. That night you stay at Seronera Campsite.

Day two takes you to Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where the crater itself is the draw. Ngorongoro is the only park in Tanzania that offers a year-round chance to see the big five, sometimes in a single day. The crater floor holds wildebeest, gazelle, golden jackals, bat-eared foxes, hippopotamus, wild dogs, leopards, buffalo, and eland. You'll also encounter Maasai families living in circular homesteads called Bomas, and the park is significant for early human evolution research pioneered by Mary and Louis Leakey. You camp at Simba Campsite.

The final morning brings the return drive to Arusha. Groups stay under six travelers, so the vehicle stays small and the stops feel less crowded than larger tour operations. The camping setup means you're in the parks at dawn and dusk, when wildlife is most active, rather than arriving mid-morning or leaving mid-afternoon.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Arusha on day one.
• two nights of camping accommodation at Seronera and Simba campsites.
• game drives across Serengeti's Southern, Central, and Seronera Valley zones.
• entry to Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
• return transport to Arusha on day three.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 15:00

Book up toStart time

AgesUp to age 80

GroupUp to 6 · max 2 per booking

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 26 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by kilipath African Safaris

Is this one for you?Groups stay under six travelers, so you move through the parks in a smaller vehicle than larger tour operations offer. This works well if you want the flexibility of a guided itinerary without the logistics of arranging transport and park entry separately, and if you prefer camping over lodge stays to stay inside the parks at dawn and dusk when wildlife is most active.

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Top questions

What wildlife can I expect to see on the Serengeti game drive?

Serengeti's Southern and Central zones hold wildebeest, zebra, hartebeest, waterbuck, gazelle, impala, and abundant elephants year-round. Predators use the Moru Kopjes rock formations to hunt, and the region's candelabra trees and rare black rhinos add to the sightings, though larger predators are less predictable than in other zones.

Does Ngorongoro Crater really offer a chance to see the big five in one day?

Ngorongoro is the only park in Tanzania with a year-round opportunity to view all five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and rhino) sometimes within a single day, because the crater's enclosed ecosystem concentrates wildlife on the floor below the rim.

Where do I sleep on this safari?

You camp at Seronera Campsite on night one and Simba Campsite on night two, both inside or adjacent to the parks, so you're positioned for early morning and evening game drives when animals are most active.

How long is the drive from Arusha to Serengeti on day one?

The drive is 6 hours covering 335 kilometers, with pickup at 8 a.m. from your accommodation after breakfast. You enter Serengeti through the Ngorongoro gate and begin your game drive the same afternoon.

What is a Boma, and will I see one in Ngorongoro?

A Boma is a circular homestead where Maasai families live. Ngorongoro Conservation Area is home to Maasai communities, and you'll encounter these traditional settlements during your time in the park.

Is this tour physically demanding?

The tour suits all fitness levels, though it is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, back problems, or poor cardiovascular health due to the long vehicle drives and uneven terrain. Confirm your fitness with the operator before booking if you have any concerns.