5-Day Best of Tanzania Wildlife Safari – Northern Circuit | Budget Camping
- 5 Days 4 Nights
Tanzania Wildlife Safari – Budget Camping
Overview
Discover the best of Tanzania’s Northern Safari Circuit on this unforgettable 5-Day Tanzania Wildlife Safari. This carefully designed itinerary combines some of the country’s most famous wildlife destinations, including Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, and the Ngorongoro Crater.
From the magnificent elephant herds and baobab-studded landscapes of Tarangire to the endless plains of the Serengeti and the extraordinary wildlife concentration of the Ngorongoro Crater, this safari offers an incredible variety of landscapes and wildlife experiences.
The extended time in the Serengeti allows you to enjoy two nights in Central Serengeti, giving you more opportunities for game drives and increasing your chances of encountering Africa’s iconic wildlife.
You will be accompanied throughout your journey by an experienced professional safari guide who will provide fascinating insights into the wildlife, landscapes, ecosystems, and natural history of Tanzania.
This private safari can be customized to suit your interests, travel dates, and budget, making it an excellent choice for couples, families, friends, and small groups.
At a Glance
- Duration: 5 Days / 4 Nights
- Safari Style: Private Budget Camping Safari
- Safari Circuit: Tarangire – Serengeti – Ngorongoro
- Starting Point: Moshi or Arusha
- Ending Point: Moshi, Arusha, Kilimanjaro International Airport, or Arusha Airport
- Accommodation: Budget camping, with lodge upgrades available
- Departure: Available any day
- Safari Type: Private and exclusive
- Vehicle Capacity: Maximum 6 clients per vehicle
- Customization: The itinerary can be customized according to your interests, schedule, and budget
- Children: Children of all ages are welcome. Discounts apply to children aged 0–15, with additional family discounts available where applicable.
Safari Highlights
- Tarangire National Park – Full-day game drive
- Serengeti National Park – Three game-viewing opportunities across two nights
- Ngorongoro Crater – Spectacular crater game drive
- Search for Tanzania’s famous Big Five
- Experience the endless plains of the Serengeti
- See Tarangire’s magnificent baobab trees and large elephant herds
- Enjoy 1 night in Tarangire, 2 nights in Central Serengeti, and 1 night on the Ngorongoro Crater rim
- Experience the adventure of camping in the heart of the African wilderness
- Travel with an experienced professional safari guide
Tanzania Wildlife Safari – Budget Camping
1 Pax
$2400
2 Pax
$1475
3 Pax
$1375
4-6 Pax
$1155
Optional Safari Activities
Enhance your safari with additional experiences:
- Night Game Drive in Tarangire or Lake Manyara – USD 150 per person
- Empakai Crater Hike
- Maasai Village Visit – USD 40 per vehicle
- Hadzabe & Datoga Cultural Visit
- Mto wa Mbu Village Tour – USD 35 per person
- Ngorongoro Crater Rim Walking Safari – USD 30 per person
- Olduvai Gorge Visit – USD 40 per person
- Balloon Safari in Tarangire or Serengeti – USD 590 per person
Included
- Pick-up & drop-off from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Zanzibar Airport
- 4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser with pop-up roof
- Professional English-speaking safari guide
- All National Park fees
- Safari lodge accommodations
- Three meals per day on safari
- Bottled drinking water throughout
- Medical kit & binoculars (1 pair per jeep)
- Domestic return flights (Zanzibar–Serengeti–Zanzibar)
- All activities listed in the itinerary
Excluded
- International flights
- Personal spending money & souvenirs
- Alcoholic and soft drinks
- Travel insurance & visa fees
- Optional activities
- Extra accommodation before/after safari (unless specified)
- Tips & gratuities (recommended $20/day per guide)
Day-by-Day Itinerery
Day 1
Arusha to Tarangire National Park – Full-Day Game Drive
Distance: Approximately 106 km / 65 miles
Driving Time: Approximately 2.5–3 hours
Your safari begins with a 7:00 AM pickup from your hotel in Arusha. After meeting your safari guide, you will depart for Tarangire National Park with a packed picnic lunch.
Tarangire is one of Tanzania’s most spectacular wildlife destinations and is particularly famous for its large elephant population, magnificent baobab trees, and the Tarangire River, which provides an important source of water for wildlife.
During your full-day game drive, keep your eyes open for elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, oryx, eland, lesser kudu, and many other species. The park’s varied landscapes provide excellent opportunities for photography and wildlife viewing.
After an exciting day exploring Tarangire, you will leave the park and drive to your accommodation in the Karatu/Ngorongoro area. Enjoy dinner and relax around the campsite before spending the night.
Accommodation: Migombani Safari Campsite https://migombanicamp.com/
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner Included
Day 2
Tarangire to Serengeti National Park – Central Serengeti
Distance: Approximately 197 km / 122 miles
Driving Time: Approximately 5.5–6 hours
After breakfast, you will depart Tarangire and travel towards the legendary Serengeti National Park.
The journey takes you through Tanzania’s beautiful highlands before descending towards the vast plains of the Serengeti. As you approach the park, the landscape opens into an immense savannah stretching towards the horizon.
Serengeti National Park is Tanzania’s most famous wildlife destination and is renowned for its extraordinary diversity of habitats, including open grasslands, savannah, woodland, swamps, and seasonal water sources.
Distinctive granite rock formations known as kopjes are scattered throughout the plains and provide important resting and lookout points for wildlife, including predators.
The Serengeti is also world-famous for the Great Wildebeest Migration, when enormous herds of wildebeest and zebras move through the ecosystem in search of fresh grazing and water. The exact location of the migration varies according to the season.
Upon arrival in Central Serengeti, you will enjoy game viewing as you make your way towards the Seronera area.
You will spend the night at your campsite surrounded by the sights and sounds of the African wilderness.
Accommodation: Nyani Public Campsite
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
Day 3
Full-Day Game Drive in Central Serengeti
Activity: Full-Day Game Viewing
After breakfast, prepare for a full day of exploring the magnificent Central Serengeti with morning and afternoon game drives.
The Seronera area is one of the most rewarding parts of the Serengeti for wildlife viewing because of its permanent water sources and diverse habitats. The vast savannah provides an ideal environment for both predators and herbivores.
During your game drives, you may encounter lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, impalas, gazelles, hippos, and hyenas, as well as many species of birds.
The Serengeti’s endless plains are particularly spectacular during the golden hours of early morning and late afternoon, when wildlife is often most active and the scenery is perfect for photography.
Your experienced guide will help you locate wildlife and explain the fascinating behavior and relationships between the different species within this remarkable ecosystem.
After a full day of game viewing, return to your campsite for dinner and another night in Central Serengeti.
Accommodation: Nyani Public Campsite
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
Day 4
Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Distance: Approximately 153 km / 95 miles
Driving Time: Approximately 3–3.5 hours
After breakfast, you will enjoy a final morning game drive in Serengeti National Park as you make your way towards the park exit.
The morning is an excellent time for wildlife viewing, and you will have another opportunity to spot animals before leaving this incredible ecosystem.
As you travel out of the Serengeti, the landscape gradually changes as you approach the Ngorongoro highlands. You will continue towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, home to the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater.
In the afternoon, you will arrive at your accommodation on the crater rim. From here, you can enjoy breathtaking views over the surrounding landscape and, weather permitting, spectacular sunset scenery.
Dinner will be served at the campsite before you settle in for the night, ready for your final day of wildlife adventure.
Accommodation: Simba Public Campsite
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
Day 5
Ngorongoro Crater – Game Drive – Arusha
Distance: Approximately 158 km / 98 miles
Driving Time: Approximately 3.5–4 hours from the Ngorongoro area to Arusha, excluding the crater game drive
On the final day of your safari, you will have an early breakfast before beginning your descent into the Ngorongoro Crater at approximately 6:30 AM.
The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera. Its approximately 260-square-kilometre crater floor supports an extraordinary concentration of wildlife.
During your game drive, keep your camera ready for opportunities to see elephants, buffaloes, black rhinoceros, lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, hippos, zebras, wildebeest, and gazelles.
The crater’s unique ecosystem and high concentration of wildlife make it one of Tanzania’s best places to search for the Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros.
You will stop for a picnic lunch near the Ngoitoktok/Hippo Pool, where you can enjoy your meal while observing hippos and a variety of bird species.
After lunch and further game viewing, you will ascend from the crater and begin your journey back to Arusha.
You are expected to arrive in Arusha in the late afternoon or early evening, where you will be dropped off at your hotel or Kilimanjaro International Airport, depending on your onward travel arrangements.
After five unforgettable days of wildlife, spectacular landscapes, and incredible African experiences, you will say goodbye to your safari crew.
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch Included
Accommodation: Not included on the final night
Dinner: Not included
Why Book With Kilele Climb Tours?
- We are the true experts when it comes to Tanzania
- 100% Responsible Tourism Practices
- Private, Tailor Made Safari Experiences
- 24/7 On-Safari Support
- Highly experienced,Professional Guides
- Honesty, Integrity & Highest Travel Ethics
- Great Value for Money
- Premium SafariJeeps for Ultimate Comfort
Request This Safari
Why Book With Kilele Climb Tours?
- We are the true experts when it comes to Tanzania
- 100% Responsible Tourism Practices
- Private, Tailor Made Safari Experiences
- 24/7 On-Safari Support
- Highly experienced,Professional Guides
- Honesty, Integrity & Highest Travel Ethics
- Great Value for Money
- Premium SafariJeeps for Ultimate Comfort