3-Day Classic Safari & Maasai Visit
Arusha Serengeti Ngorongoro Maasai village Arusha
From, per person$1,005
Tanzania safari
3-Day Luxury Ngorongoro Highlands & Crater Safari
Overview
Most visitors see the Ngorongoro Crater in a hurried half day. Here the pace is reversed: two nights in the highlands around the crater, a free day to settle in, and an early descent on the final morning, when the floor is at its quietest.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, and the crater at its heart is a collapsed volcano whose walls rise about 600 meters (2,000 feet) above a floor of roughly 260 square kilometers (100 square miles). Grassland, swamp, a soda lake and patches of forest support a dense, resident population of animals, from wildebeest and zebra to lion, hyena and black rhino, and it is one of the few places in Tanzania where rhino are seen. Maasai herders still graze their cattle in the wider conservation area, which sets it apart from the national parks.
Tanzania Tourism Safaris books you into a luxury lodge or camp in the highlands, with full board, a private vehicle and your own guide. The trip suits couples, photographers and travelers who prefer depth to distance.
Tour highlights
- Two nights at a luxury lodge in the crater highlands
- A free day for walks, picnics or simply resting
- Descent to the crater floor at about 6:30 a.m.
- Around six hours of game viewing in the caldera
- Picnic lunch beside the hippo pool
Day by day
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Day 1 Arusha Up to the Ngorongoro Highlands Stay Luxury lodge or camp in the Ngorongoro highlandsMeals Lunch, Dinner
Leave Arusha after breakfast and drive west across the Rift Valley floor, then climb into the cool, green highlands of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area; the journey takes around three hours. Check in at your lodge, have lunch and spend the afternoon settling in. Depending on where you stay, you may look straight down into the crater or out across forest toward the Serengeti side. Evenings up here are chilly, so a fleece and a fire are welcome after sunset.
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Day 2 An Unhurried Day on the Crater Rim Stay Luxury lodge or camp in the Ngorongoro highlandsMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today has no fixed timetable. Plenty of travelers sleep in, linger over breakfast and enjoy the view. If you would like to be active, ask your guide or lodge about a guided walk in the highlands, done with an armed ranger inside the conservation area, a picnic lunch at a viewpoint on the crater edge, or a visit to a nearby Maasai homestead to learn about life with cattle at altitude. We confirm which options come with your lodge when you book.
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Day 3 Dawn Descent into the Crater, Return to Arusha Meals Breakfast, Lunch
Have a quick early breakfast and start down the crater wall, reaching the floor at around 6:30 a.m. You then have about six hours to explore. Look for elephant bulls, buffalo, black rhino, hippo, hyena, cheetah and lion, and for flamingos on the soda lake when water levels allow. Lunch is a picnic at the hippo pool. After the steep climb out, drive back to Arusha, where you are dropped at your hotel or chosen address by about 6 p.m.
Prices by season
Per person in US dollars. The price depends on when you travel and how many travelers share the trip.
| Season | 1 traveler | 2 travelers | 4 travelers | 6 travelers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low season 1 Mar – 31 May | $3,707 | $2,059 | $1,863 | $1,749 |
| High season 1 Nov – 20 Dec and 6 Jan – 29 Feb | $3,902 | $2,168 | $1,962 | $1,842 |
| Peak season Now 1 Jun – 31 Oct and 21 Dec – 5 Jan | $4,336 | $2,409 | $2,180 | $2,046 |
Tour price includes
- Private 4×4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof (up to 7 travelers)
- English-speaking resident local guide
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area and crater fees, and government taxes
- Two nights at a luxury lodge or camp in the highlands
- Meals as listed in the itinerary
- Airport meet-and-greet and private transfers
Tour price excludes
- International flights
- Tanzania visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Souvenirs and other personal spending
Questions about this safari
Why not go into the crater on Day 2?
You can, if you prefer; just tell us when you book. We plan the descent for the final morning so that you arrive rested, reach the floor at first light before most vehicles, and still get back to Arusha the same evening. The free middle day leaves time to enjoy the lodge and the highlands.
Which lodge will we stay at?
We choose from luxury lodges and camps in the Ngorongoro highlands, some right on the crater rim, depending on availability and the style you like. The property is named in your quote. Popular rim-top properties fill early in peak season, so booking several months ahead helps.
How cold is it at Ngorongoro?
Cooler than most people expect. The crater rim stands at about 2,300 meters (7,500 feet), so nights and early mornings are cold for much of the year, and mist often hangs over the rim at dawn. Pack a warm fleece, a light jacket and long trousers alongside your safari clothes.
Before you go
- Best Time To Visit Tanzania
- How Much Does a Tanzania Safari Cost?
- Top Safari Packing List in Tanzania
- The Best Guides on Tanzania Visa Requirement
- Tanzania Travel Insurance
- Tanzania Travel Safety
- Tipping In Tanzania Safari
- Tanzania Safari Faqs
Listed in Luxury safaris
Where you will go
Parks on this safari
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