5-Day Private Camping Safari from Arusha: Tanzania Wildlife Tour

Five days in four parks, one private vehicle, elephants and the Big Five

A 5-day private camping safari from Arusha takes you through Tarangire National Park, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and back, with your own guide, a dedicated 4x4 vehicle and overnight stays at campsites. You drive to each park, conduct full-day and half-day game drives, and descend into Ngorongoro Crater on the final morning to see wildlife concentrated around Lake Magadi before returning to Arusha. The tour runs with a live guide who speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and one additional language.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arusha to Tarangire National Park

• Breakfast at accommodation
• Private guide picks you up
• Start safari in private 4x4 vehicle
• Arrive at Tarangire lodge for lunch
• Afternoon game drive in Tarangire
• Dinner and overnight at Twiga camp

Day 2: Drive to Serengeti National Park

• Early morning breakfast
• Drive to Serengeti via Ngorongoro Conservation Area
• Game drive en route
• Picnic lunch during drive
• Dinner and overnight at Seronera Campsite

Day 3: Full day game drive in Serengeti

• Early morning breakfast
• Depart camp for full day game drive
• Picnic lunch with short break
• Continue game drive till late evening
• Return to Seronera Campsite for dinner and overnight

Day 4: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Area

• Early morning coffee, tea and biscuit
• Morning game drive with lunch boxes
• Drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
• Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Simba Campsite

Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater and return to Arusha

• Early breakfast with coffee
• Descend into Ngorongoro Crater for wildlife viewing
• Visit Lake Magadi to see flamingos and hippos
• Transfer back to Arusha city
• Drop off at hotel or airport

The experience

Your guide picks you up after breakfast between 08:30 and 09:00 on day one and drives you to Tarangire National Park, arriving in time for lunch at the lodge and an afternoon game drive. Tarangire is known for its density of elephants and baobab trees. In the dry season from June to November, you can expect to see large herds of zebra, wildebeest and cape buffalo alongside waterbuck, giraffe, impala, eland and various monkey species. Predators here include lions, leopards, cheetahs and African wild dogs. You stay overnight at Twiga camp.

Day two takes you north to the Serengeti with a picnic lunch, passing through Ngorongoro Conservation Area and conducting game drives along the way. You arrive at Seronera Campsite for dinner and overnight. The following day is a full game drive in the Serengeti from early morning through late evening, with a lunch break at midday, before returning to the campsite. On day four, an early morning game drive runs until mid-afternoon, then you depart for Ngorongoro Conservation Area with game viewing en route, arriving at Ngorongoro Simba Campsite for dinner and overnight.

The final morning begins with early breakfast and coffee, then you descend over 600 meters into Ngorongoro Crater. The crater's year-round water and vegetation support herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog and giant African elephants, along with a dense population of lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and leopards. You visit Lake Magadi, a shallow alkaline lake in the southwestern corner where flamingos, hippos and water birds gather. After the crater, your guide drives you back to Arusha for hotel drop-off.

What’s included

• Private 4x4 vehicle for the full 5 days.
• your own guide speaking English, Spanish, Italian, French and one additional language.
• four nights of camping accommodation at Twiga camp, Seronera Campsite and Ngorongoro Simba Campsite.
• all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
• game drives in Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
• entry to all four parks and the crater descent.

Information

Lasts 5d, runs every day with no fixed time, from US$ 2,300 per person, with live guides in 5 languages, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate5 group tours ›

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.12 with pickup ›

AgesAdult (18 to 60 years) · Senior (61 and older) · Youth (14 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 13 years) · Infant (under 5)

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

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancy

Operated by Suricata Safaris

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're arriving in Arusha and want to see multiple parks without sharing your vehicle or guide with other travelers. The private setup means your driver adjusts the route and timing to what you want to photograph and how long you want to stay at each sighting.

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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: Youth (14 to 17 years); Child (5 to 13 years); Infant (under 5).

What animals will I see on a 5-day safari from Arusha?

Tarangire is famous for elephant herds and baobab trees, with zebra, wildebeest, cape buffalo, giraffe, impala and predators including lions, leopards and cheetahs. The Serengeti holds similar wildlife across its vast plains. Ngorongoro Crater concentrates herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog and elephants, plus lions, hyenas, jackals and the harder-to-spot leopard. Lake Magadi within the crater draws flamingos, hippos and water birds.

How much time do I spend on game drives each day?

Day one includes an afternoon game drive after lunch. Day two is a half-day with game viewing en route to the Serengeti. Day three is a full day of game drives from early morning through late evening with a lunch break. Day four runs an early morning drive until mid-afternoon, then you travel to Ngorongoro with game viewing along the way. Day five is a morning descent into Ngorongoro Crater before the return drive to Arusha.

Where do I sleep on this 5-day safari?

You stay at campsites throughout: Twiga camp near Tarangire on night one, Seronera Campsite in the Serengeti on nights two and three, and Ngorongoro Simba Campsite on night four. On the morning of day five you depart for Arusha.

What time does the tour start and when do I return to Arusha?

Your guide picks you up after breakfast between 08:30 and 09:00 on day one. The tour returns you to your Arusha hotel on the morning of day five after the Ngorongoro Crater visit, with no fixed return time stated in the itinerary.

What is included in the tour price?

The tour includes your private guide, the dedicated 4x4 safari vehicle, all game drives, park entry, accommodation at campsites (Twiga, Seronera and Ngorongoro Simba), dinner and breakfast each night, and picnic lunches on days two through five. Gratuities and airport departure tax are not included.