5 Days Budget Camping Safari – Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater

Tour Overview

Discover the very best of Tanzania’s Northern Safari Circuit on this unforgettable 5-day budget camping safari. This adventure takes you through three of Africa’s most iconic wildlife destinations: Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, and the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater.

Designed for travelers seeking an authentic safari experience without compromising on wildlife viewing, this itinerary offers incredible opportunities to witness the Big Five, vast savannah landscapes, and diverse ecosystems while staying in well-located public campsites.

This safari is perfect for:

  • Budget-conscious travelers
  • Backpackers and adventure seekers
  • Wildlife enthusiasts
  • First-time safari visitors
  • Photographers seeking iconic African wildlife

Why Choose This Safari?

  • Visit Tanzania’s top safari destinations
  • Spend two nights inside Serengeti National Park
  • Excellent opportunities to spot the Big Five
  • Authentic camping experience in the African wilderness
  • Professional safari guide and 4×4 safari vehicle
  • Spectacular landscapes and abundant wildlife

Day By Day Itinerary

After breakfast, your professional safari guide will pick you up from Arusha and depart for Tarangire National Park with picnic lunch boxes.

Tarangire National Park is renowned for its large elephant populations, ancient baobab trees, and the Tarangire River, which serves as a vital water source for wildlife throughout the year. The park supports a rich diversity of animals including lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, buffaloes, impalas, and numerous bird species.

You will enjoy a full-day game drive exploring the park’s diverse habitats and searching for wildlife while taking in the beautiful scenery.

After your picnic lunch and afternoon game drive, proceed to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay.

Driving Time: Approximately 2 hours from Arusha to Tarangire National Park

Accommodation (adjustments according to availabilities)

Migombani Camp

Meal Plan: FB

After breakfast, depart for the world-famous Serengeti National Park. The journey takes you through the scenic Ngorongoro Conservation Area, offering spectacular views of the highlands and surrounding landscapes.

Upon entering Serengeti National Park, you will begin a game drive en route to the central Serengeti. Covering vast open plains, Serengeti is one of the world’s most celebrated wildlife destinations and is home to the Great Migration, where millions of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles move across the ecosystem in search of fresh grazing.

Enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park before continuing your afternoon game drive in search of lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, hyenas, and many other wildlife species.

In the evening, arrive at your campsite for dinner and an overnight stay in the heart of the Serengeti.

Driving Time: Approximately 5 to 6 hours from Tarangire area to Serengeti National Park

Accommodation (adjustments according to availabilities)

Pimbi Public Campsite

Meal Plan: FB

After breakfast, depart with picnic lunch boxes for a full-day game drive across the endless plains of Serengeti National Park.

This full day allows you to explore different sections of the park while maximizing your chances of seeing a wide variety of wildlife. Serengeti is renowned for its large predator populations, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas. The park is also home to elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, and countless antelope species.

Depending on the season, you may witness part of the Great Migration, one of the most spectacular wildlife events on Earth.

Enjoy your picnic lunch at a scenic location within the park before continuing your wildlife exploration throughout the afternoon.

Later, return to your campsite for dinner and another memorable night in the African wilderness.

Accommodation (adjustments according to availabilities)

Pimbi Public Campsite

Meal Plan: FB

After breakfast, enjoy a morning game drive in Serengeti National Park, taking advantage of the cooler hours when wildlife is often most active.

Continue exploring the park while searching for wildlife and enjoying the stunning landscapes that have made Serengeti famous around the world.

Following your picnic lunch, begin your journey toward the Ngorongoro Highlands with a game drive en route. The route offers beautiful scenery and opportunities for additional wildlife sightings along the way.

Arrive at your campsite near the Ngorongoro Crater rim in the late afternoon for dinner and an overnight stay.

Driving Time: Approximately 3 to 4 hours from Central Serengeti to Ngorongoro Highlands

Accommodation (adjustments according to availabilities)

Ngorongoro Simba Public Campsite

Meal Plan: FB

After an early breakfast, descend into the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive with picnic lunch boxes.

Often referred to as Africa’s Garden of Eden, the Ngorongoro Crater is home to an extraordinary concentration of wildlife. The crater floor hosts lions, elephants, buffaloes, hippos, hyenas, wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, and the endangered black rhinoceros, making it one of the best places in Africa to observe the Big Five.

The crater’s stunning scenery and abundant wildlife provide exceptional photographic opportunities throughout the day.

After enjoying your picnic lunch inside the crater, continue your game drive before ascending the crater walls and beginning your journey back to Arusha.

Arrive in Arusha in the late afternoon, marking the end of your unforgettable Tanzania safari adventure.

Driving Time: Approximately 3 to 4 hours from Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha

Meal Plan: HB

Price and Inclusion and Exclusion

Included

  • Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle
  • Professional English-speaking safari guide
  • Camping accommodation according to the itinerary
  • Meals according to the itinerary
  • Mineral water during safari
  • National park and conservation fees
  • Government taxes

Excluded

  • Flights
  • Visa fees
  • Travel insurance
  • Drinks and beverages
  • Optional activities
  • Personal expenses
  • Tips for guide and camp staff (highly recommended)

Recommended tipping guideline: US $15 per person per day