3-Day Classic Safari & Maasai Visit
Arusha Serengeti Ngorongoro Maasai village Arusha
From, per person$1,005
Tanzania safari
3-Day Serengeti & Ngorongoro Tented Camp Safari
Overview
Canvas walls, a proper bed and the sound of the bush after dark: a night under canvas in the middle of the Serengeti is what sets this short road safari apart. You travel overland from Arusha to the Seronera Valley in the central Serengeti, sleep at a luxury tented camp there, and spend the next morning tracking predators across the plains before driving to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater.
The last day is spent on the crater floor, a sealed volcanic bowl crowded with buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, lion and hyena, and one of the few places in Tanzania where black rhino are regularly seen. On the way out you stop at a Maasai village before returning to Arusha or the airport in the evening.
Tanzania Tourism Safaris runs the trip as a private safari in a 4×4 Land Cruiser with its own guide. It suits travelers who want the two headline names of northern Tanzania in three days, with a more comfortable camp than a standard mid-range trip and a lodge night overlooking the caldera.
Tour highlights
- A night at a luxury tented camp near Seronera
- Big cats around the kopjes of the central Serengeti
- Sunset over the caldera from the crater rim
- Game drive on the Ngorongoro Crater floor
- Visit to a Maasai village on the final afternoon
Day by day
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Day 1 Overland to the Seronera Valley Stay Luxury tented camp in the Seronera area, central SerengetiMeals Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, your guide collects you in Arusha and heads west through the highlands and down onto the Serengeti plains. The scenery changes from farmland to forest to open grassland dotted with granite kopjes, rocky outcrops where lions like to rest. Game viewing starts once you pass the park gate. In the afternoon you reach the Seronera Valley, the wildlife-rich heart of the park, and check in at your tented camp for dinner.
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Day 2 Serengeti Morning, Crater Rim by Evening Stay Upscale lodge or camp on the Ngorongoro Crater rimMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Make the most of the early light with a game drive around Seronera, where leopards rest in the riverside trees and cheetahs hunt on the open plains. Large herds of wildebeest and zebra may be in the area, depending on the season. After a picnic lunch, drive east into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and up to the crater rim. Arrive in time to watch the sun go down over the caldera before dinner.
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Day 3 Inside the Caldera, Then Back to Arusha Meals Breakfast, Lunch
Following breakfast, descend the steep road to the crater floor. Grassland, swamp and a soda lake share the bowl, and wildlife is packed closely together: lion, buffalo, elephant, hyena, hippo and flamingo are common, and black rhino are often seen. With luck, several of the Big Five turn up within a few hours. In the late afternoon, stop at a Maasai village for a cultural visit, then continue to Arusha or the airport.
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 | $1,969 | $1,313 | $1,120 | $1,056 |
| High season 1 Nov – 20 Dec and 6 Jan – 29 Feb | $2,073 | $1,382 | $1,179 | $1,112 |
| Peak season Now 1 Jun – 31 Oct and 21 Dec – 5 Jan | $2,304 | $1,536 | $1,311 | $1,236 |
Tour price includes
- Airport meet-and-greet and private transfers
- Private 4×4 Land Cruiser (up to 7 travelers) with an English-speaking local guide
- National park and conservation area fees and taxes
- Two nights of accommodation as listed
- Meals as listed in the itinerary
- All activities in the itinerary, including the Maasai village visit
Tour price excludes
- International flights
- Tanzania visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Souvenirs and other personal spending
Questions about this safari
What is a luxury tented camp like?
Think of a hotel room with canvas walls. Tents at this level have proper beds, an en-suite bathroom with running water, and a veranda facing the bush. Meals are served in a shared dining tent. You hear the wildlife at night, but you are comfortable and safe inside, with staff on hand to escort you after dark.
Is three days really enough for the Serengeti and the crater?
It is enough for a strong first taste, but the first day is mostly spent on the road from Arusha. If you can add a day, a second night in the Serengeti gives you a full day of game drives there. Ask us and we can extend this itinerary.
How is this different from your other 3-day Serengeti trips?
The route is the classic Serengeti and crater loop, but the Serengeti night is spent at a luxury tented camp rather than a mid-range one, and the crater night is at an upscale lodge or camp on the rim. It suits travelers who want more comfort without stretching the trip.
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 Cultural safaris
Where you will go
Parks on this safari
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