Tanzania · Joining Group Safaris

3 Days Safari Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater – Midrange Lodge

3 daysArusha • Serengeti • Ngorongoro Crater

Duration: 3 days / 2 nights
Country: Tanzania
Style: Joining Group Safaris, Lodge Safaris, Tanzania Safaris, Wildlife Tours
Stay: Mid-range lodges
Travel: Tailor-made

Overview

Tanzania’s two most famous wildlife areas in three days. You cross the Ngorongoro highlands to the endless plains of the Serengeti, where big cats and huge herds roam, then finish with a game drive on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater.

You travel in a shared 4×4 with a pop-up roof (maximum 6–7 guests, everyone gets a window seat) and stay in comfortable mid-range lodges with private rooms.

Note: on this tour you share the safari vehicle with other guests, but your accommodation is private.

Route

1Arusha
2Serengeti
3Ngorongoro Crater

Day-by-day itinerary

Day01 Arusha – Serengeti National Park
Your guide collects you from your Arusha hotel early in the morning for the drive west. The road climbs through the green highlands of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with views over the crater rim, before dropping down onto the endless short-grass plains of the Serengeti.

After a picnic lunch at Naabi Hill Gate, you game-drive the rest of the way to the Seronera area in the heart of the park. The Seronera river valley has one of the highest densities of big cats in Africa, so even the first afternoon often brings lions, cheetahs or a leopard draped over a sausage tree.

You arrive at your lodge in central Serengeti (Seronera) around sunset for dinner and the night.
- Meals Lunch & Dinner
- Overnight Mid-range lodge in central Serengeti (Seronera) (or similar)
Day02 Serengeti – Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Enjoy an early-morning game drive in the Serengeti, when the cats are most active, before heading back across the plains towards the Ngorongoro highlands.

On the way you may pass Maasai herders with their cattle and, if time allows, stop at Olduvai Gorge, one of the world's most important sites for the study of early humans (entry at extra cost). You reach your lodge in Karatu in the late afternoon.
- Meals Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Overnight Mid-range lodge in Karatu (or similar)
Day03 Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha
After an early breakfast you drive up to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater and stop at the viewpoint. The view is unforgettable: a 600-metre-deep, 20-kilometre-wide volcanic caldera with lakes, swamps, forest and grassland laid out below you.

Then you descend to the crater floor for your game drive. The steep walls keep most animals inside all year, so wildlife is dense and easy to see: lions, elephants, buffalo, hyenas, zebras, wildebeest, hippos and flamingos are all regulars. The crater is also one of the best places in Tanzania to look for the endangered black rhino, which takes patience to find.

After a picnic lunch by the hippo pool you climb back out of the crater in the afternoon and drive back to Arusha, arriving in the early evening.
- Meals Breakfast & Lunch

What’s included

Included

All park entrance fees and government taxes
All meals as listed in the itinerary
Bottled drinking water (at least 3 litres per person per day) and soft drinks in the vehicle
Airport transfers on arrival and departure
Accommodation during the safari (private room)
Shared 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof and a guaranteed window seat (maximum 6–7 guests)
Vehicle inverter for charging, communications radio, cool box and filtered water
Professional English-speaking driver-guide

Not included

International and domestic flights (unless listed above)
Tanzania visa fee
Tips for your guide, driver and camp crew
Travel insurance
Alcoholic drinks and personal items
Optional activities such as a hot-air balloon flight

Gallery

5 Days Tanzania Mid-range Safari – photo 4

7 Days Tanzania Explorer Safari – photo 3

7 Days Tanzania Explorer Safari – photo 2

7 Day Tanzania Wilderness Safari – photo 4

Frequently asked questions

How does a joining-group safari work?

You share the safari vehicle with other travellers (a maximum of 6–7 guests, each with a window seat and access to the pop-up roof), which keeps the price down. Your room at each lodge is private.

Can I make this a private safari?

Yes. We can run any of our joining-group itineraries as a private safari with a vehicle and guide just for your group. Ask us for a private quote.

When is the best time for this safari?

Northern Tanzania is good all year. The long dry season (June to October) is best for general game viewing, January to March is calving season in the southern Serengeti, and the April–May rains bring green landscapes and lower prices.

Can I change the accommodation or add days?

Yes. Every itinerary can be tailored: upgrade or change lodges, add extra nights, or combine your safari with Zanzibar or a Kilimanjaro climb. Tell us what you have in mind when you enquire.

What should I pack?

Light, neutral-coloured layers, a warm fleece for early mornings (the Ngorongoro rim gets cold), a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, binoculars and a camera with a spare battery. Soft bags pack into safari vehicles and light aircraft more easily than hard suitcases.

Tailor-made