Safari Overview
A balanced 6-day camping safari in Northern Tanzania
An ideal first safari, thoughtfully designed
This 6-day camping safari is designed as a simple, well-balanced introduction to safari travel in Northern Tanzania. It combines three of the country’s most iconic parks, Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and Serengeti National Park, into an itinerary that makes sense in terms of time, distances, and budget.
Camping keeps costs accessible while allowing more time to be spent inside the parks, where the experience truly unfolds. For first-time safari travelers, this combination works especially well: wildlife is abundant, landscapes are varied, and game viewing is rewarding throughout the year, including during the low season.
We recommend this safari because it offers one of the best compromises between experience and practicality. Travel days are realistic, park time is maximized, and the route captures the essence of the northern circuit without unnecessary complexity. It’s a safari that introduces what Tanzania does best, open landscapes, rich wildlife, and a natural rhythm, and it rarely leaves travelers disappointed.
This itinerary is fully customizable and can be adjusted in pace, accommodation style, or timing, but in its core form it represents a solid, well-tested way to experience Tanzania on safari for the first time.
Safari itinerary
Arrival in Arusha
Upon arrival in Arusha, you’ll be met by our team and transferred to your accommodation. This first day is kept light, allowing time to rest after your journey and prepare for the safari ahead. A briefing will help you understand the route, daily rhythm, and what to expect over the coming days.
Overnight in Arusha.
Tarangire National Park
fter breakfast, you depart for Tarangire National Park, around two hours from Arusha.
Tarangire is known for its wide landscapes, iconic baobab trees, and large elephant herds, especially during the dry season. The park also supports a rich variety of wildlife and is particularly rewarding for birdlife, with hundreds of species recorded.
You’ll enjoy a full game drive, exploring different areas of the park and taking time to observe animals at a natural pace.
Dinner and overnight at a public campsite.
Ngorongoro Crater & transfer to Serengeti
After an early breakfast, you head toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive.
The crater offers one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Africa and is one of the few places in Tanzania where it’s possible to see the Big Five in a single day. Open grasslands, wetlands, and Lake Magadi create a compact but incredibly diverse ecosystem.
After a maximum of six hours inside the crater, you continue toward the Serengeti National Park, reaching the central Serengeti in the late afternoon.
Dinner and overnight at a public campsite inside the park.
Full day in the Serengeti
This day is dedicated entirely to exploring the Serengeti ecosystem.
The Serengeti is defined by its vast open plains, high predator density, and seasonal wildlife movements. Game drives unfold slowly, following animal activity rather than fixed routes. Depending on the time of year, you may encounter large herds of wildebeest and zebra, as well as lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, and many other species.
A picnic lunch is taken inside the park, allowing the day to flow naturally.
Dinner and overnight at the campsite.
Serengeti to Karatu
After breakfast, you enjoy a final morning game drive in the Serengeti before beginning the journey toward Karatu, approximately five hours away.
Along the way, it’s possible to stop at a Maasai village (optional, entrance fee not included), offering insight into local traditions and daily life.
Overnight in Karatu.
Karatu to Kilimanjaro Airport
After breakfast, you drive to Kilimanjaro International Airport, approximately four hours away, in time for your onward flight.
We recommend booking flights departing after 12:00 pm.
If you have an evening flight, optional activities can be added at extra cost, such as a cultural tour in Mto wa Mbu or a cycling excursion through local communities.
End of services.
What is included (and what is not)
- 4×4 Toyota Land cruiser with pop-up roof unlimited mileage for exclusive use and gasoline
- Professional driver/driver and related expenses (accommodation, food) English speaking
- 1 night lodge and 4 nights camping
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner as mentioned
- Entrance fees to national parks per person and per day you will visit
- Tent for 2 people – with camping equipment
- Cook for the entire safari
- Fee for car descent to Ngorongoro crater
- Daily car fees in Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Serengeti
- Bottled water during the game drives
- 18% VAT and taxes
As a reminder, the daily fee for the parks are valid for 24 hours after which you will have to pay extra fees (for any delays at the request of the client as the timings are designed to fit within the 24 hours) which will be the responsibility of the traveler.
What is included
- Flight to Tanzania
- Tanzania entry visa (apply online before departure at official website https://eservices.immigration.go.tz/visa/
- Compulsory Health insurance
- Extra expenses – Alcohol and soft drinks in lodges, souvenirs
- Entrance fees to parks not mentioned or extra fees if staying longer than 24 hours
- Tips
- Sleeping bag
- Activities not mentioned or quoted as optional
- Transaction costs bank transfer payment (to be paid by the client)
- Anything not mentioned in “costs include”
What is not included
Prices
Rates are per person and exclude international flight from/to your home country. This tour is offered in US dollars (USD).
All prices are indicative and might change according to the season and lodges availabilities. Please contact us for more details and prices.
| Season | 2 People | 4 People | 6 People |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low Season (April/May/Novembre) | $ 2,020 | $ 1,535 | $ 1,340 |
| High Season (Jan/Feb/March/June/Oct) | $ 2,080 | $ 1,590 | $ 1,414 |
| Peak season (Jul/Aug/Sept - 20 Dec/5 January) | $ 2,180 | $1,675 | $1,490 |
Serengeti National Park
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Tarangire National Park
Arusha
Karatu
