Serengeti & Ngorongoro Safari: 3-Day Game Drives & Crater

Three days of game drives across open plains, a collapsed volcano and the rift valley

A 3-day camping safari from Arusha takes you into Serengeti National Park and down into Ngorongoro crater on game drives led by a driver-guide, with nights at campsites inside the parks. You start with an afternoon drive into the Serengeti, spend a full day crossing the crater floor, and return to Arusha on the third day. Pickup from Arusha is included. Meals and accommodation at Seronera and Simba campsites are part of the package.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arusha to Serengeti National Park

• Breakfast in Arusha
• Drive from Arusha to Serengeti
• Evening game drive in Serengeti
• Dinner at Seronera Campsite
• Overnight at Seronera Campsite

Day 2: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater

• Morning game drive in Serengeti
• Early lunch in Serengeti
• Drive from Serengeti to Ngorongoro
• Dinner at Simba Campsite
• Overnight at Simba Campsite

Day 3: Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha

• Early breakfast at Simba Campsite
• Crater floor tour with picnic lunch
• Drive back to Arusha

The experience

The drive from Arusha to Serengeti takes three hours and ends with an evening game drive before dinner at Seronera Campsite. You wake early the next morning for a second game drive across the open plains, then head toward Ngorongoro. The route itself becomes part of the day. Your driver explains the wildlife and landscape as you travel through Serengeti toward the crater rim, where you spend the night at Simba Campsite. On the final morning, you descend to the crater floor for a full day of driving inside the collapsed volcano, with a picnic lunch, before the return to Arusha.

The Ngorongoro crater holds a concentrated mix of animals (lions, elephants, monkeys) in a landscape shaped by geology rather than open savanna. The Serengeti plains stretch without obvious boundaries, and the rift valley appears as you move between the two. Camping means you stay inside the parks instead of returning to town each night, which shapes how the days feel and what you see at dawn and dusk.

Your guide is a driver who speaks English and leads the game drives from the vehicle. Meals and accommodation at both campsites are included. The itinerary is fixed, so the timing holds across all three days without needing to arrange transport or entry separately.

What’s included

• Driver-guide in English.
• pickup from Arusha.
• accommodation at Seronera Campsite and Simba Campsite.
• meals at both campsites including a picnic lunch on the crater floor.
• game drives on all three days.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (21 to 60 years) · Senior (61 and older) · Youth (16 to 20 years) · Child (5 to 15 years) · Infant (under 5)

GroupUp to 7 · max 6 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 28 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Suricata Safaris

Is this one for you?Three days is long enough to see both parks without rushing the crater. A full day inside Ngorongoro is what makes the wildlife viewing possible instead of a quick stop. The fixed schedule and included transport mean you do not build the itinerary yourself, which matters if you want the parks arranged and the timing held.

Traveler reviews

4.97★★★★★★★★★★

796 verified traveler reviews

5 ★777

4 ★17

3 ★1

2 ★0

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (16 to 20 years); Child (5 to 15 years); Infant (under 5).

What animals will I see on a Serengeti and Ngorongoro safari?

Serengeti and Ngorongoro both hold lions, elephants, and a wide variety of other wildlife. The crater concentrates animals in a smaller space because of the collapsed volcano's walls, while the Serengeti plains spread them across open grassland. Monkeys appear in forested areas, and the mix changes with the season.

How much time do I spend actually driving and looking for animals?

You have a game drive in the evening on day one, a morning drive on day two, and a full day on the crater floor on day three. The drives happen from the vehicle with your guide, and the route between parks on day two also includes wildlife viewing as you travel.

Where do I sleep on this 3-day safari?

You stay at Seronera Campsite inside Serengeti National Park on the first night and Simba Campsite on the crater rim on the second night. Both are camping accommodations included in the package.

Does the tour include meals?

Meals are included at the campsites. You have dinner after arrival on day one, breakfast and lunch on day two, and breakfast before the crater drive on day three, plus a picnic lunch on the crater floor.

What is the rift valley, and will I see it on this tour?

The rift valley is a geological formation that runs through Tanzania. The route between Serengeti and Ngorongoro passes through it, and your driver points out the landscape as you travel.

Is this tour physically demanding?

The safari involves sitting in a vehicle for several hours each day on rough terrain. It is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or pregnancy. Infants must sit on an adult's lap.