Safari
Arusha, Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha
your journey
This short safari links the three parks that give you the most variety in the least time. You start in Tarangire, where elephant families move between the baobabs along the river, spend a night inside the Serengeti, and finish with a morning on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, where black rhino, lion and buffalo share one grassy bowl.
Two of the three nights are in Karatu, a farming town in the highlands between Lake Manyara and the crater, which keeps the driving days sensible. The Serengeti night is inside the park, so you are already on the plains for the sunrise drive, when the cats are most active.
It is a full four days with long stretches on the road, but every transfer doubles as a game drive. If you arrive the day before, we can meet you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and book an Arusha hotel night. You travel with the same driver-guide in a private 4×4 with a pop-up roof throughout.
Travellers with limited time who still want the Serengeti and the crater, climbers adding a few days after Kilimanjaro, and first-timers who want a taste of the northern circuit before planning a longer trip.
Parks visited
Tarangire National Park · Serengeti National Park · Ngorongoro Conservation Area
what makes it special
day by day
We collect you from your Arusha hotel in the morning for the drive of about two and a half hours to Tarangire National Park. You spend the day game driving with a picnic lunch, among giant baobabs and some of the biggest elephant herds in northern Tanzania. Giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and buffalo gather along the Tarangire River, and lion and leopard hunt here too. Birdwatchers can look for the kori bustard, one of the heaviest flying birds. In the late afternoon you drive on to your lodge in Karatu for dinner.
After breakfast you climb through the Ngorongoro highlands, stopping at the crater viewpoint, then drop down onto the short-grass plains of the Serengeti. The drive takes around four and a half hours with game viewing on the way, and lunch is a picnic in the park. In the afternoon you explore the central Serengeti, where lion prides rest in the shade of acacias and cheetahs scan the grass from termite mounds. You spend the night at a lodge or camp inside the park.
Set off at sunrise, when the predators are most active and the light is soft, then return for breakfast. Your guide then heads deeper into the park, from the open plains to the wooded river valleys where leopards rest in the trees, and you stop for a picnic lunch out on the plains. In the afternoon you leave the Serengeti and drive back across the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to your lodge in Karatu, arriving in time for dinner.
After an early breakfast you drive up to the crater rim and descend about 600 metres to the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, one of the largest unbroken volcanic calderas in the world. This is your best chance of the trip to see all of the Big Five in one place, including the rare black rhino, along with hippo, hyena, zebra and the flamingos on Lake Magadi. After a picnic lunch on the crater floor you climb out and drive back to Arusha, or straight to the airport for your flight.
the price
Price on request
before you ask
You can go on safari here all year. The dry season from June to October is the easiest time for game viewing, because animals gather near rivers and the grass is short, but it is also the busiest. From November to May the parks are green, quieter and excellent for birds, with short rains around November and the long rains in April and May. Where the wildebeest migration is depends on the month, so tell us your dates and we will plan the route around them.
Our safaris use 4x4 safari vehicles with a pop-up roof, so you can stand up for game viewing and photography. On a private safari the vehicle and driver-guide are yours alone for the whole trip.
Each tour page lists exactly what is included and excluded. On our northern circuit safaris, such as the 7-day Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire trip, national park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area entrance fees are included. If you are not sure, ask your specialist before you book.
Yes. Every itinerary on this site is a starting point. We can add or remove days, swap parks, or change the accommodation to suit your budget, and your specialist will send you a revised plan and quote.
Bring light, neutral-coloured clothes, a warm layer for early mornings and for the Ngorongoro Crater rim, which is cold at night, comfortable shoes, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellent. Binoculars and a camera with spare batteries and memory cards make a big difference. Soft bags pack into safari vehicles more easily than hard suitcases.
Most visitors need a visa. Apply online in good time through the official Tanzania Immigration website at eservices.immigration.go.tz, and do not use unofficial agents. Your passport should be valid for at least six months after arrival. Requirements differ by nationality, so check the official site for your country.
Enquire
Every Honesha trip can be changed to suit you: the pace, the lodges, the number of days. Tell us your dates and who is travelling, and our team in Arusha will come back to you with a plan and a price.
Your journey
Price on request
4 days · 3 nights
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karibu
Talk to our team in Arusha. We answer every message ourselves, usually the same day.
Price on request
Plan your trip
Enquiry about: 4-Day Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater Safari
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