Serengeti and Ngorongoro
Serengeti › Ngorongoro highlands › Ngorongoro Crater › Arusha
From $2,250 mid-range$3,550 luxury
3-day safari · Northern circuit
Tarangire and Ngorongoro Crater
Elephants under the baobabs of Tarangire, then a dawn descent into the Ngorongoro Crater. The best short safari from Arusha.
- Days
- 3
- From
- $1,450
- Best
- All year
The route
Where you go
- Tarangire1 night · about 2 h from Arusha
- Ngorongoro highlands1 night · about 2 h
- Ngorongoro CraterDay visit · at first light
- ArushaDay visit · about 3 h
Day by day
- Day 1
Arusha to Tarangire
Your guide collects you in Arusha at 8am. Two hours south, Tarangire’s baobabs and big elephant herds; game drive through the afternoon along the Tarangire River.
- Day 2
Tarangire to the highlands
An early drive while the animals are active, then up the Rift Valley escarpment to the green Ngorongoro highlands near Karatu. Afternoon coffee-farm walk or rest.
- Day 3
Ngorongoro Crater
Down into the crater as the gates open, before the vehicles arrive: black rhino, lion, hyena and flamingos on the soda lake. Picnic lunch on the floor, then back to Arusha by early evening.
Included
- Private 4×4 with pop-up roof and your own English-speaking driver-guide
- Park, conservation and crater fees
- 2 nights in lodges or tented camps, full board
- Bottled water in the vehicle
- $25 to The Little Oasis Foundation
Not included
- International flights and visas
- Travel insurance
- Tips
- Drinks at the lodges
Best time: All year. Tarangire is at its best from June to October.
Is the vehicle private?
Yes. Every Trailheads safari uses a private 4×4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof and your own driver-guide, for your party only. You never share with strangers.
What is the difference between mid-range and luxury?
The vehicle, guide and route are the same. Mid-range lodges and tented camps are comfortable, en-suite and full board. Luxury camps are smaller, closer to the wildlife and more personal, with better food and service. Where you stay explains both.
Are park fees included?
Yes. Every park, conservation area and crater fee on the itinerary is included in the price we quote.
Can you change the itinerary?
Every safari here is a starting point. We change the parks, the nights and the lodges around your dates and interests, and quote the version you choose.
Make it yours.
Tell us your dates. We send the exact lodges, the day-by-day plan and a price. A real person replies within 2 hours.