Tanzania Safari: Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Tarangire Group Camping

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/16

Duration4d

GroupUp to 6

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Camping beneath the wide sky, lions at dusk and coffee at dawn

You’ll travel from Arusha into Tarangire’s elephant country, camp beneath Serengeti stars with your group, and descend into Ngorongoro Crater at dawn with a local guide. Expect dusty roads, wild animal sightings, laughter around campfires—and moments that linger long after you’re home.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arusha to Tarangire National Park

Breakfast in Arusha
Depart for Tarangire National Park
Arrive at lodge for lunch
Afternoon game drive in Tarangire
Dinner and overnight at Twiga campsite

Day 2 — Serengeti National Park Safari

Breakfast at lodge
Depart for Serengeti via Karatu and Ngorongoro
Arrive Serengeti for lunch
Afternoon game drive in Serengeti
Dinner and overnight at Seronera campsite

Day 3 — Serengeti to Ngorongoro Area

Early morning coffee and biscuit
Morning game drive with lunch boxes
Depart to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Dinner and overnight at Simba campsite

Day 4 — Ngorongoro Crater and Return

Early breakfast
Descend into Ngorongoro Crater for wildlife viewing
Visit Lake Magadi and observe wildlife
Transfer back to Arusha for drop off

The Experience

Hands gripping the edge of the jeep, I watched a herd of elephants cross the red-dusted road in Tarangire. Our guide—Jackson, who knew every birdcall—pointed out a baobab tree so old it looked like it might remember the first travelers here. Lunch was simple but good; honestly, I was too distracted by zebra stripes flickering through the heat haze. Someone spilled water and we laughed—there’s something about being out there that makes you lighter.

The drive to Serengeti took longer than I thought (roads here have their own sense of time), but rolling into those endless plains felt almost unreal. We set up camp near Seronera as the sun dropped fast—one minute gold, next minute gone. Dinner tasted smoky from the fire and my hands still smelled faintly of dust. At night hyenas called somewhere close; I couldn’t sleep much but didn’t really mind. You don’t come on a group camping safari for comfort anyway.

Next morning was all about chasing light and movement—lions stretched in tall grass, wildebeest everywhere you looked. Jackson brewed coffee thick enough to stand a spoon in before we packed up for Ngorongoro. The drive wound past Maasai kids waving at us (I waved back; they grinned). The crater itself is hard to describe: mist hanging low over everything, flamingos bright against the lake like someone had scattered confetti. I kept thinking how small we are compared to all this space.

I’m not sure what I expected from a day trip through Ngorongoro Crater after three days on safari—maybe just more animals—but standing there watching hippos blink in the shallows while our group ate biscuits for breakfast felt oddly peaceful. The ride back to Arusha was quiet; everyone tired in that good way when you’ve seen more than you can process. Sometimes I still hear those hyenas if I wake up early enough.

What’s included

Your journey includes hotel pickup in Arusha, all transportation by private 4x4 vehicle with a local guide who really knows these lands, park entry fees throughout Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, nightly campsite accommodation with dinner and breakfast each day—and plenty of stories shared around the fire before heading back to Arusha or the airport at the end.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by Suricata Safaris