4-Day Tanzania Camping Safari: Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Tarangire

Four days tracking a million wildebeest and spotting black rhino in the crater

A 4-day camping safari from Arusha through Tanzania's north circuit parks: Tarangire National Park, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with a guide and driver in a custom safari jeep. You sleep in public campsites, eat three meals a day, and spend each day on game drives watching herds, predators and rare species move across the landscape. The tour includes all park entry fees, bottled water and soft drinks. Pickup from your Arusha hotel is included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arusha to Tarangire National Park

• Safari briefing in the morning
• Travel to Tarangire National Park
• View elephants and wildlife at river
• Arrive at lodge or campsite for dinner
• Overnight at lodge or campsite

Day 2: Mto Wa Mbu to Serengeti National Park

• Breakfast at lodge or campsite
• Drive from Mto Wa Mbu to Serengeti
• Stop at Ngorongoro crater viewpoint
• Arrive Serengeti and have lunch
• Game drive in Seronera area
• Experience Serengeti sunset
• Overnight at Seronera Public Campsite

Day 3: Seronera, Serengeti National Park

• Early breakfast
• Early morning game drive
• Return to camp for lunch and packing
• Game drive exiting Serengeti
• Arrive Ngorongoro Simba campsite
• Overnight at Ngorongoro Simba Public campsite

Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater and Return to Arusha

• Early breakfast
• Descend Ngorongoro crater at 6:15 am
• Search for black rhino and wildlife
• Lunch in crater area
• Game drive and ascend crater
• Pack for trip back to Arusha
• Transfer to hotel or airport

The experience

The route moves through three parks in four days, each one built around a different wildlife draw. Tarangire comes first, a six-hour drive from Arusha through acacia woodlands and grassland where elephant herds gather at the river and swamps. You arrive in late afternoon for dinner and overnight at one of three campsites. Day two is the longest drive: six hours through Ngorongoro Conservation Area to Serengeti, with a stop at the crater viewpoint on the way. Once in Serengeti, you have the afternoon and evening for a game drive in Seronera, the park's center, and watch the sunset with wild animals in view.

Day three stays in Serengeti: an early game drive after breakfast, then lunch back at camp before a second drive as you exit the park toward Ngorongoro. The final day descends into Ngorongoro Crater at 6:15 am to search for black rhino. The hardest animal to spot in the crater, though most others are easier to find on the crater floor. After lunch and a final game drive, you ascend and head back to Arusha or the airport. Your guide and driver stay with you throughout, and the jeep's pop-up roof gives you standing room for photographs and unobstructed views during every drive.

Accommodation is in public campsites: Twiga, Jambo Lodge or Sunbright on night one; Seronera Public Campsite (Nyani) on night two; Ngorongoro Simba on night three. Meals and bottled water are provided each day. The tour suits families with children from age one. Infants can travel in a pram or stroller, and specialized infant seats are available. All surfaces and transportation are wheelchair accessible.

What’s included

• Game driving in each park with a guide and driver.
• all national park entrances and conservation area fees.
• three nights in public campsites (Twiga, Jambo Lodge or Sunbright on night one.
• Seronera Public Campsite on night two.
• Ngorongoro Simba on night three).
• breakfast, lunch and dinner each day.
• bottled water (three liters or more daily) and soft drinks.
• hotel pickup in Arusha.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (1 to 15 years)

GroupUp to 36

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 today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Cubs Expeditions Limited

Is this one for you?The tour departs from Arusha with hotel pickup included, so you don't need a car or separate transport to the parks. The fixed four-day schedule moves through all three north circuit parks in one trip, fitting the full route into a single safari without backtracking.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 15 years).

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 animals will I see on a 4-day Tanzania safari?

Tarangire is known for huge elephant herds, plus kudus, buffaloes, giraffes, eland and gerenuk. Predators include lions, leopards and hyenas. Serengeti holds over 1.5 million wildebeest and 250,000 zebras during migration, along with other plains animals. Ngorongoro Crater concentrates most species on its floor, though black rhino are rare and hardest to spot.

How much driving is involved each day?

Day one is a short morning briefing then a drive to Tarangire, arriving in late afternoon. Day two is the longest at six hours from Mto Wa Mbu to Serengeti, including stops at the Ngorongoro viewpoint. Days three and four include early morning game drives and afternoon drives, with lunch breaks at camp.

What's included in the camping accommodation?

Three nights in public campsites (Twiga, Jambo Lodge or Sunbright; Seronera Public Campsite; Ngorongoro Simba) are included. All meals and bottled water (three liters or more daily) plus soft drinks are provided throughout the tour. Park entry fees and taxes are covered. You bring personal items and any additional supplies you need.

Does the tour include pickup from my hotel in Arusha?

Yes, pickup from your Arusha hotel is included. If you have a late flight on the final day, the driver can take you to the airport. If not, the tour can arrange airport transport on a following day.

What is the Ngorongoro Crater and why is it the highlight?

Ngorongoro is a massive volcanic crater in the conservation area, unique because animals concentrate on its floor rather than spreading across open plains. This density makes spotting wildlife easier, though black rhino remain rare. The crater's surreal landscape and the early morning descent at 6:15 am to search for rhino are what make it the standout stop of the four days.