4-day Tanzania Safari: Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro

Four days crossing three parks where the animals outnumber the visitors

A 4-day group safari from Arusha through Tanzania's northern parks: Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. You start with a full day of game drives among Tarangire's massive elephant herds, move to the Serengeti's central Seronera area for wildlife representative of the whole park, and finish with five hours inside Ngorongoro Crater, home to an estimated 30,000 animals including black rhino, lions and leopards. The guide leads in English, Spanish, Italian, French or German.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arusha to Tarangire National Park

• Pick up from hotel in Arusha
• Drive to Tarangire National Park
• Full day game drive in park
• Enjoy picnic lunch

Day 2: Tarangire to Serengeti National Park

• Breakfast at camp
• Drive to Serengeti National Park via Karatu
• Arrive for lunch
• Afternoon game drive in Serengeti

Day 3: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

• Early breakfast
• Morning game drive in Serengeti
• Depart to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
• En-route game drive and picnic lunch

Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha

• Breakfast at camp
• Descend into Ngorongoro Crater
• Five hours game drive in crater
• Picnic lunch on crater floor

The experience

The safari picks you up from your Arusha hotel at 8:30 AM on day one and drives into Tarangire National Park for a full day of game drives with a picnic lunch. The park's river and swamp areas act as a magnet for wildlife, especially during the dry season when animals concentrate around water. Tarangire holds some of Africa's largest elephant herds, and you'll also spot three rare species found nowhere else in the same density: the Greater Kudu, Fringed-eared Oryx, and Ashy Starlings. You stay at Kizumba Campsite.

Day two takes you from Tarangire across the high farmland of Karatu and through Ngorongoro Conservation Area, then down into the Serengeti's endless plains. The route descends into what the itinerary calls the heart of wild Africa: the Seronera area in the central park, one of the richest wildlife habitats in the Serengeti because the Seronera River draws animals year-round. You arrive in time for lunch and an afternoon game drive. The Serengeti's scale is what separates it: the plains roll into the distance as far as the eye can see, and the big five move across them in herds. You camp at Seronera.

Day three starts with an early breakfast and a last morning game drive in the Serengeti, then you depart for Ngorongoro Conservation Area with an en-route game drive and picnic lunch. Ngorongoro is managed for both wildlife and the Maasai people who graze cattle alongside the animals: a working landscape, not a park cordoned off from people. You stay at Simba public campsite.

The final morning you descend into Ngorongoro Crater itself for five hours of game drives on the crater floor. The crater is one of the most densely crowded African wildlife areas in the world, holding an estimated 30,000 animals. Year-round water and fodder support herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog and giant African elephants, plus a huge population of predators: lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and leopards. You'll eat a picnic lunch on the crater floor, then return to Arusha.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Arusha at 8:30 AM on day one.
• game drives with a professional guide.
• accommodation at Kizumba Campsite, Seronera campsite and Simba public campsite.
• picnic lunches on days one, three and four, and lunch on day two.
• entry to Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (15 and older) · Child (4 to 14 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupUp to 7

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled 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 heart problems

Operated by Super Game Tanzania Tours and Safaris

Is this one for you?The tour runs on a fixed four-day schedule with early starts and full days of game drives, so it suits travelers who can commit to the pace and want the three major parks in a single trip. A group format means you share the experience and the cost with other visitors, and the guide handles all navigation and wildlife spotting.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 14 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

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

The big five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino) appear across all three parks, with Tarangire known for its massive elephant herds and Ngorongoro Crater holding some of Tanzania's last remaining black rhino. You'll also encounter wildebeest, zebra, eland, warthog, hippo, hyena, jackal and cheetah, plus rare species like the Greater Kudu and Fringed-eared Oryx in Tarangire.

How much time do I actually spend game driving each day?

Day one is a full day of game drives in Tarangire with a picnic lunch break. Day two includes a drive through Ngorongoro Conservation Area en route to the Serengeti, then an afternoon game drive in the Seronera area. Day three starts with an early morning game drive in the Serengeti before departing for Ngorongoro, with another en-route game drive. Day four is five hours of game drives inside Ngorongoro Crater itself.

What is Ngorongoro Crater actually like compared to the parks?

Ngorongoro Crater is a conservation area, not a national park, and it's managed for both wildlife and the Maasai people who live and graze cattle there. The crater floor itself is one of the most densely crowded African wildlife areas in the world, with an estimated 30,000 animals concentrated in a single basin. The five-hour drive on the crater floor gives you close encounters with herds and predators in a much smaller, more concentrated space than the Serengeti's endless plains.

Is this a private tour or do I travel with other people?

This is a group safari, which means you travel with other visitors from different parts of the world. The guide leads the group through all three parks and the game drives are shared experiences, giving you the chance to interact with people on the same itinerary.