5-Day Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro Budget Camping Safari

Destination: Tarangire National Park

Leave Arusha after breakfast for Tarangire National Park. Spend the day on game drives through the park’s river valley, baobab woodland and open plains. Elephant sightings are a major attraction here, but the park also supports giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, antelope and predators. Your guide chooses the most productive route for the season rather than following a fixed loop. After the afternoon game drive, travel to the Mto wa Mbu area, where the camp crew prepares your first night under canvas.

Night accommodation: Migombani Camp camping grounds or comparable organised campsite

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Destination: Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, climb into the Ngorongoro highlands and continue across the conservation area toward the Serengeti. This is a longer travel day, but the scenery changes continually from cultivated highlands to open plains. After entering Serengeti National Park, begin game viewing as you drive toward the Seronera area. Central Serengeti has permanent water and productive predator habitat, making it rewarding throughout much of the year. By late afternoon, arrive at the allocated public campsite. The crew sets up tents while dinner is prepared.

Night accommodation: Seronera-area public campsite - Pimbi, Nyani, Tumbili or comparable TANAPA allocation

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Destination: Central Serengeti

Wake to the sounds of an unfenced wilderness campsite and start early for a full day in the Serengeti. Your guide may follow the Seronera River system, kopjes, open grassland or other productive circuits depending on recent sightings. This is a day to spend time with wildlife rather than simply driving from one destination to another. Lion, cheetah, leopard, hyena, elephant, giraffe and plains game are all possible. The Great Migration may be in central Serengeti at some times of year, but its exact location depends on rainfall and seasonal movement. Return to camp around sunset for a hot meal and a second night under the stars.

Night accommodation: Same Seronera-area public campsite

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Destination: Serengeti / Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Enjoy a final morning game drive in the Serengeti before turning east toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The transfer is still a safari, so your guide will stop for wildlife and viewpoints where time allows. As you climb toward the crater rim, temperatures often become noticeably cooler. Arrive at Simba A Public Campsite in the late afternoon. The campsite sits high on the rim and is unfenced, so all movement after dark must follow crew guidance.

Night accommodation: Simba A Public Campsite, Ngorongoro crater rim

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Destination: Ngorongoro Crater / Arusha

Break camp early and descend into the Ngorongoro Crater. Spend the morning and early afternoon exploring grassland, marshes and forest on the crater floor. Wildlife density can be excellent, and this is one of the best days on the route for seeing a large variety of species within a relatively small area. After lunch, climb out of the crater and drive back to Arusha, arriving in the late afternoon or early evening depending on traffic and safari timing.

Night accommodation: None - end of safari

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch