3-Day Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater Safari from Moshi

Serengeti plains and crater wildlife in three days of game drives and bush camps

A 3-day camping safari from Moshi takes you through Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater with an English-speaking guide, tracking the Great Migration, lions, elephants and black rhinos across two of Tanzania's most active wildlife zones. Day one brings an afternoon game drive after the scenic drive through the Great Rift Valley; day two opens with a sunrise game drive on the central plains followed by a bush breakfast; day three descends into the crater for morning game viewing before the return to Arusha.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Journey to the Heart of Serengeti

• Depart early from Moshi
• Drive through Great Rift Valley
• Arrive at Serengeti National Park
• Afternoon game drive in Serengeti
• Overnight at Simba campsite

Day 2: Serengeti Sunrise

• Early sunrise game drive
• Enjoy bush breakfast
• Continue game drive until midday
• Return to campsite for lunch
• Drive to Ngorongoro Simba campsite
• Dinner and overnight camping

Day 3: Exploring Ngorongoro Crater

• Breakfast at campsite
• Drive to Ngorongoro Crater
• Game drive in Ngorongoro Crater
• Enjoy bush breakfast
• Continue game drive until midday
• Lunch at picnic site
• Rest at Kizumba campsite
• Drive back to Arusha town

The experience

The route starts with an early morning pickup from your Moshi hotel and a drive through the Great Rift Valley, passing villages and farmland on the way to Serengeti National Park. The Serengeti's vast plains are the stage for the Great Migration, where millions of wildebeests and zebras move seasonally in search of fresh grass, and your afternoon game drive puts you on the ground to watch lions, cheetahs, elephants and giraffes move through their habitat. You'll sleep at Simba campsite under the African sky.

Day two starts before dawn with a sunrise game drive across the central plains, where big cats are most active in the cool hours. After a bush breakfast cooked in the wilderness, the game drive continues until midday, then you return to camp for lunch and rest before moving to Ngorongoro Simba campsite. On the final day, you descend into Ngorongoro Crater, one of the world's largest calderas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where black rhinos, elephants, lions and hippos live in the enclosed ecosystem. A bush breakfast and game drive fill the morning. Lunch comes at a picnic site inside the crater before the drive back to Arusha town.

Your guide speaks English throughout and handles all logistics, including the scenic routing and timing of game drives around wildlife activity. Meals are freshly prepared at camp or packed for the field. The camping setup trades hotel rooms for the immediacy of sleeping in the park, which is what makes the early morning departures and the unbroken time in prime game-viewing areas possible.

What’s included

• English-speaking guide throughout the three days.
• all game drives at sunrise and sunset when wildlife is most active.
• overnight camping at Simba and Kizumba campsites.
• freshly prepared meals including bush breakfasts in the field.
• park entry fees for Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00

AgesAdult (16 to 80 years) · Child (5 to 15 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 7

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Tarry Adventures and Safaris

Is this one for you?Choose this 3-day camping safari if you want both parks in one trip and need to be in the field at dawn and dusk when predators hunt. Lodge stays offer more comfort but you'll miss those peak wildlife hours.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 15 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Great Migration and when will I see it on this safari?

The Great Migration is the seasonal movement of millions of wildebeests, zebras and other herbivores across the Serengeti in search of fresh grazing. The Serengeti is famous for hosting this migration, and your game drives on days one and two put you in the central plains where the herds move. The exact timing and location of the migration shifts with the seasons and rainfall, so your guide will position the safari to catch the herds where they are during your dates.

What wildlife might I see in Ngorongoro Crater on the final day?

Ngorongoro Crater is home to black rhinos, elephants, lions, hippos and a range of other species that live year-round in the enclosed caldera. The crater's walls trap water and vegetation, creating a self-contained ecosystem where wildlife concentrates, so a morning game drive there often yields sightings of multiple species in a few hours.

Where will I sleep on this 3-day safari?

You'll camp at Simba campsite in Serengeti on nights one and two, and at Kizumba campsite near Ngorongoro on night three. Camping puts you inside the parks and allows early morning and late afternoon game drives when wildlife is most active.

Is pickup from my hotel in Moshi included?

Yes, your guide will pick you up from your hotel or a meeting point in Moshi on the morning of day one and return you to Arusha town at the end of day three.