Serengeti & Crater — Three Days

Two parks in three days with a full day inside the crater at the end. The shortest trip that still gets you into the Serengeti.

3 days · Starts and ends in Arusha · Budget · Private journey

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A lioness standing on a rock in warm evening light

At a glance

Destinations: Serengeti · Ngorongoro
Best for: Wildlife safari
Travel style: Budget · Drive
Activity level: Easy — most of the day is spent in a vehicle or on a boat
Best time to travel: June to October usually offers drier roads and camping conditions for the Serengeti and crater in three days. Wildlife lives in both year-round; migration viewing would need a route matched to the herd location and your limited time.
Start and end: Starts and ends in Arusha

Why this journey

A full day inside the crater, not a morning
A night in the Serengeti
Small groups and camping gear provided
No internal flights — everything by road from Arusha
Three days, which is as short as this pair of parks goes

Day by day

Straight to the Serengeti on the first day, a night on the crater rim, and the whole of the third day on the crater floor. It is a lot of driving for three days, and it is the least time in which both parks are possible.

Day 1 — Arusha to Serengeti National Park

Departing Arusha after breakfast, a scenic drive through the Great Rift Valley with refreshment stops. Lunch on arrival in the Serengeti, then a sunset game drive in the Seronera area. The evening is campsite setup and dinner under the African sky.

Stay Seronera Public Campsite Meals Lunch & Dinner

Day 2 — Serengeti to Ngorongoro crater rim

An early morning game drive in Seronera maximises wildlife viewing. After breakfast and packing, the journey continues toward Ngorongoro with game viewing along the route. A Maasai community visit provides cultural insight before ascending to the crater rim for dinner overlooking the landscape.

Stay Simba Public Campsite Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 3 — Full day inside the Ngorongoro Crater

After early breakfast, descend for a full day in the crater with picnic lunch inside the crater, with the crater floor in view. Afternoon game drives search for elephants, lions and black rhinos before returning to Arusha.

Meals Breakfast & Lunch

Stay and travel

Camping and simple lodges or park bandas, with a cook travelling with the group.

A 4×4 with a roof hatch and a window seat for everyone, driven by your guide throughout.

Camps fill, and roads change with the rains. Where something has to change we substitute at the same level and tell you before you travel, not after.

Included and excluded

What is included

Every activity named in the day-by-day
Accommodation as listed, or a similar alternative if a camp is full
Meals as noted against each day
Transfers between the agreed pick-up and drop-off points
Park, reserve and conservation area fees
An English-speaking Tanzanian driver-guide
A 4×4 with a roof hatch, or the vehicle the route calls for
Drinking water through the day
Government taxes
Boat safari and transfers
TANAPA armed ranger where the park requires one
Ngorongoro crater service fee

Not included

International flights, airport taxes and visa fees
Travel, medical and baggage insurance
Personal spending — drinks, laundry, telephone
Tips for your guide and crew
Anything not listed as included

Practical information

Visas, insurance and tipping: A visa is arranged before travel or on arrival. Travel and medical insurance is a condition of booking. Tipping is customary and we will suggest a range rather than set one.

Related journeys

Every route here can be changed

Tell us what you would keep, what you would drop and how long you have. We will send back a version that is yours.

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