Tanzania Rewilded

The Big Five on a 3-day luxury Tanzania safari
 
 
 Private luxury safari · 3 days
Arusha
 
Tarangire
 
Ngorongoro Crater
Elephants &

The Big Five

A 3-day luxury Tanzania safari to two of Tanzania’s great parks. Tarangire’s elephant herds and baobabs, then a full morning on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, the best place in the country to see all of the Big Five in one day.

3days
2 nights
2
Parks
$880
From, per person
Plan this safari
Day by day ↓
Download PDF ↓
 ArushaDay 1
 TarangireDay 2
 KaratuDay 2
 NgorongoroDay 3
Safari permit
TR · BF03
Big Five Highlights
 
Duration
3 days · 2 nights
Daily departures, your dates
Start / finish
Kilimanjaro Airport
Ends in Arusha on Day 3
Best months
June – October
Dry season, animals gather at water
Travel style
Private · Luxury
Boutique hotel & highland lodge
Group
1 – 6 guests
Your own 4×4 & guide, never shared
Pace
Easy · All ages
Longest drive ≈ 4 hrs, with game en route

Why this3-Day Luxury Tanzania Safari Works

Three days is enough for two of the best parks in the north if you do not waste time on the road. This route keeps the drives short: Arusha to Tarangire, up to the crater highlands for the night, and down into the Ngorongoro Crater the next morning.

Tarangire gives you the elephants, sometimes hundreds at the river. The crater gives you the rest: lion, buffalo, black rhino and, with luck, a leopard on the forested rim. It is a good trip on its own, or before a longer safari, a climb or a few days on Zanzibar.

The route

Four Stops, Three Days

About 480 km by road, all of it with your own guide. Tap a stop to see where it sits on the map.

  1. 01

    Arusha

    Airport welcome and a quiet first night

    1 night
  2. 02

    Tarangire National Park

    Baobabs and big elephant herds

    Day visit
  3. 03

    Karatu

    A highland lodge near the crater gate

    1 night
  4. 04

    Ngorongoro Crater

    Big Five on the crater floor, then back to Arusha

    Day visit
Road ≈ 480 kmParks 2Ends Arusha
Day by day

The Journey

✦

This is how the trip usually runs. Your guide will adjust each day around the weather, the wildlife and what you most want to see.

Kilimanjaro above the plains at dusk
Kilimanjaro from the arrivals road
Day01
Arusha

Karibu, Tanzania

Your driver-guide meets you at Kilimanjaro International Airport with your name on a board and gives you a short introduction to the trip. On a clear evening you can see Kibo’s snow cap as you drive west to Arusha.

The rest of the day is yours. Rest by the pool, unpack and get ready for an early start tomorrow.

Good to know

Meals and drinks on arrival day are not included, so you can eat when your flight allows.

  • Transfer≈ 1 hr by road
  • OvernightGran Meliá Arusha or Katambuga House
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
Elephant country
Day02
Tarangire National Park → Karatu

Where the Elephants Gather

After breakfast you drive about three hours south to Tarangire National Park, which has one of the largest elephant populations in Africa. In the dry season the Tarangire River is the only water for miles, and herds of several hundred walk down to it between the ancient baobabs.

You spend the day on game drives, looking for lions, giraffes, zebras and wildebeest, with a picnic lunch in the park. In the late afternoon you climb the Rift Valley escarpment to Karatu, a cool farming town in the crater highlands.

Field note

Look up into the baobabs. Tarangire’s pythons and yellow-collared lovebirds both use the hollows.

  • Drive≈ 3 hrs to park · 2 hrs to Karatu
  • OvernightThe Retreat at Ngorongoro or Kitela Lodge
  • Meals
    BreakfastLunchDinner
Guests scanning the bush with binoculars from a safari vehicle
Looking for rhino on the crater floor
Day03
Ngorongoro Crater → Arusha

Down Into the Crater

After an early breakfast you drive to the rim and down the 600-metre wall of the Ngorongoro Crater, the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world. The crater floor holds some of Africa’s densest wildlife: lions in the grass, buffalo, flamingos on the soda lake and your best chance of black rhino in Tanzania.

You stop for a picnic lunch by the hippo pool, then climb out in the afternoon and drive back to Arusha, where the tour ends.

Good to know

The tour ends in Arusha in the late afternoon. Tell us if you want a night in Arusha, a transfer to the airport or a flight to Zanzibar and we’ll add it.

Where you sleep

Two Lodges, Two Nights

A boutique first night in Arusha, then a highland lodge close to the crater gate for an early start.

The Retreat at Ngorongoro
The Retreat at Ngorongoro

Karatu · Crater highlands · 1 night on this trip.

1night

Gran Meliá Arusha

Arusha · Foot of Mount Meru

A large, polished hotel set among coffee fields on the lower slopes of Mount Meru. It has a spa, a pool and several restaurants. Or Katambuga House, same standard.

PoolSpaMeru views
1night

The Retreat at Ngorongoro

Karatu · Crater highlands

A luxury lodge near the crater gate with large suites, highland views and a spa. It is placed for an early start into the crater. Or Kitela Lodge, same standard.

SuitesSpaHighland views

Lodges are shown “or similar”. If one is full we’ll swap in a lodge of the same standard in the same area, and you’ll approve it first.

Timing & price

When to Go

Tarangire and the crater are good all year. From June to October the bush is dry and animals gather at the water, which makes them easy to find. The rains from April to May bring green hills and the lowest prices.

Tarangire & Ngorongoro, month by month Highlighted: high season
MonthWeatherWhat it’s likePrice season
JanuaryDryWarm & greenShort dry spell. Green hills, newborn animals and far fewer vehicles.Mid season
FebruaryDryWarm & greenBaby wildebeest and zebra in the crater, and flamingos on the lakes.Mid season
MarchDry → wetWarm, some showersAfternoon showers begin. Good light and quiet game drives.Mid season
AprilLong rainsGreen seasonHeavy afternoon rain some days. Lush scenery and the lowest prices.Low season
MayLong rainsGreen seasonThe rains ease towards the end of the month. Very few other visitors.Low season
JuneDryCool & clearThe dry season starts. Grass shortens and animals are easy to spot.High season
JulyDryCool & clearElephants gather along the Tarangire River. Chilly mornings on the crater rim.High season
AugustDryCool & clearPeak dry season. Huge elephant herds in Tarangire.High season
SeptemberDryWarm & dustyWater is scarce, so animals crowd the rivers and swamps.High season
OctoberDryWarm & dustyThe last dry weeks. Some of the best game viewing of the year.Ask us
NovemberShort rainsWarm, showersShort afternoon showers. The bush turns green again.Ask us
DecemberShort rainsWarm, showersGreen and fresh, with busy holiday weeks from the 20th.High from 20th
Price per personYour groupDry seasonHigh seasonJune 1 + August + September+ 20 December – January 10Mid seasonJanuary 11 – March 31Warm, green & quietBest valueLow seasonApril 1 – May 31Long rains, fewer vehicles
1solo guest$2,035USD per person$2,035USD per person$1,935USD per person
2guests$1,220USD per person$1,220USD per person$1,075USD per person
3guests$1,110USD per person$1,110USD per person$980USD per person
4–6guests$1,000USD per person$1,000USD per person$880USD per person
 Check dates →Check dates →Check dates →
18%

Travel as a bigger group and save. A group of 4–6 pays up to 18% less each than two, because you share the vehicle and guide.

Prices are in US dollars, per person, sharing one private vehicle and guide. High season also covers 1 – 10 January. For October to mid-December, ask us for a quote.

No surprises

What's Included

Included / 08

  • Private 4×4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roofCharging points, cool box and binoculars on board
  • Your own professional English-speaking safari guide
  • All park, crater and conservation fees on the route
  • Game drive inside the Ngorongoro Crater
  • Accommodation as listed, or similar, including camp concession fees
  • All meals as shown in the day-by-day
  • Drinking water, coffee and tea on safari
  • Airport transfers on arrival and departure

Not included / 07

  • International flights to Kilimanjaro (JRO)
  • Tanzania visaSee our visa guide
  • Travel insuranceRequired. See our insurance guide
  • Optional activities and sightseeing not on the itinerary
  • Tips for guides and lodge staff
  • Laundry, drinks not listed and personal items
  • Local and domestic flights
Good questions

Before You Book

It is enough to see a lot. Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Crater are close together, so almost all your time is spent with animals rather than on the road. If you can add a day, Lake Manyara or a second night in the highlands makes the pace easier.

The Ngorongoro Crater is the best place in Tanzania to try. Lion, elephant and buffalo are seen on most visits, and the crater holds a small population of black rhino. Leopard is the hardest, usually in the forest on the rim or along the Tarangire River. Nobody can promise all five, but your guide will do their best.

Yes. The trip ends in Arusha, so it is easy to add a flight to Zanzibar, a night near the airport, or more days in the Serengeti. Tell us what you’d like and we’ll send you the new route and price.

Yes. The drives are short, the vehicle is yours, and you can stop whenever you need a break. See our family safari guide for more.

Add to your trip

Related Activities

Ideas that fit well with this safari. Ask us and we’ll add any of them to your plan.

Meet the people
Culture

Maasai & cultural visits

Spend time in a Maasai village or with the Hadzabe near Lake Eyasi.

Read more →
Beach

Zanzibar beach days

Finish with warm sea, white sand and Stone Town’s old streets.

Read more →
Adventure

Climb Kilimanjaro

Add a climb to the roof of Africa before or after your safari.

Read more →
Destination

Ngorongoro Crater

A day on the floor of the world’s largest intact caldera.

Read more →
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Three days,

A Lifetime of Stories

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Big Five Highlights
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