3-Day Tarangire & Ngorongoro Safari: Big Five Drives
Herds of 300 elephants and the Big Five in two parks
A 3-day safari tour from Moshi through Tarangire National Park and Ngorongoro Crater with private transportation, accommodation at Haven Nature Campsite in Karatu, all meals, and an English-speaking guide. Game drives in pop-up safari vehicles put you at eye level with lions, black rhinos, elephants and other wildlife; Tarangire holds the greatest concentration of animals outside the Serengeti, while the crater floor offers endless sightings in a single day. Children from age 10 are welcome.
2d
Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1 — Moshi to Tarangire National Park
- Start trip from Moshi
- Game drive in Tarangire National Park
- Dinner and overnight at Karatu campsite
Day 2 — Karatu to Ngorongoro Crater
- Breakfast at camp
- Drive to Ngorongoro Crater
- Check in at Loduare gate
- Descend to crater floor for game viewing
- Spot Big Five and other wildlife
- Drive back to Karatu
- Dinner and overnight at Haven Nature campsite
The Experience
The drive from Moshi to Tarangire National Park opens the safari on the first day. Tarangire is known for herds of up to 300 elephants that scratch the dry river bed for underground streams, and the park holds the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem. Migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland crowd the shrinking lagoons, while dry-country antelope such as fringe-eared oryx and long-necked gerenuk are regularly spotted here. Your game drive moves through the park in a pop-up safari vehicle, giving unobstructed views in all directions. Dinner and overnight happen at Haven Nature Campsite in Karatu.
Day two starts early with breakfast and a 30-minute drive to Ngorongoro Crater. You descend to the crater floor in the pop-up vehicle, where the sheer number and diversity of animals and birdlife can overwhelm the choices of where to look. Lions perched on rocky outcrops, black rhinos, lionesses with cubs, and the Big Five move through the same landscape you're watching from. Radio calls between guides alert you to sightings so you can reach them before the moment passes. The afternoon drive returns you to Karatu for dinner and another night at Haven Nature Campsite.
On day three, after lunch and an optional Maasai tour at Mmto wa Mmbu, your guide drives you back to Kilimanjaro International Airport, arriving by 4:30pm for check-in at 6:00pm and a flight home around 8:30pm. The entire tour includes private transportation, all meals while on safari, accommodation, and all park fees and taxes.
What’s included
- Private transportation from Moshi through both parks and back to Kilimanjaro International Airport.
- two nights at Haven Nature Campsite in Karatu.
- all meals while on tour including breakfast.
- all park entry fees and taxes.
- English-speaking guide for the full three days.
Operated by KLM Safaris
Is this one for you?The early starts and full days in the vehicle suit travelers who want to maximize wildlife viewing and don't mind long hours in the pop-up safari vehicle. The fixed itinerary and included meals mean you're not arranging transport, accommodation or park logistics yourself — the guide handles the timing around radio calls for Big Five sightings.
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Top questions
What animals will I actually see on this safari?
Tarangire National Park is famous for herds of up to 300 elephants, plus migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland. The park also holds dry-country antelope like fringe-eared oryx and long-necked gerenuk that are rarely seen elsewhere in Tanzania. Ngorongoro Crater holds the Big Five and offers endless sightings in a single day, with lions, black rhinos and other predators regularly spotted from the pop-up vehicles.
How much time do I spend actually watching wildlife?
You have a full game drive in Tarangire on day one, then a full day on the Ngorongoro Crater floor on day two, with the afternoon drive back to camp. Both days are spent in pop-up safari vehicles with unobstructed 360-degree viewing, so the wildlife watching is continuous from morning until the afternoon return.
What is included in the price?
Private transportation from Moshi to both parks and back to Kilimanjaro Airport, accommodation at Haven Nature Campsite in Karatu for two nights, all meals while on tour, breakfast, and all park entry fees and taxes are included. Tips and travel insurance are not included.
Is there an optional activity I can add?
On day three before returning to the airport, you can book an optional Maasai tour at Mmto wa Mmbu. This is arranged after lunch and before your drive back to Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Can children go on this safari?
Children are welcome from age 10 and up. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, and the pop-up safari vehicles allow children to see over the sides easily.
3-Day Tarangire & Ngorongoro Safari: Big Five Drives
2d · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 708 per person
★★★★★★★★★★4.9730 reviewsVerified traveler reviews via our booking provider
