5-Day Tanzania Camping Safari: Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Lake Manyara

5 Days / 4 Nights | 4 National Parks | Budget Camping Safari

Experience the highlights of northern Tanzania on this 5-day camping safari, combining four wildlife destinations: Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara National Park.

Safari at a Glance

DURATION

5 Days / 4 Nights

SAFARI STYLE

Camping Safari

SAFARI VEHICLE

4×4 Safari Jeep

This itinerary is designed for travelers who want to explore Tanzania's famous wildlife areas while enjoying the adventure of camping in the African wilderness. From Tarangire's elephants and baobab trees to Serengeti's open plains, the dramatic landscapes of Ngorongoro Crater and the groundwater forests of Lake Manyara, each destination offers a different safari experience.

Your nights are spent at carefully selected campsites: Migombani Campsite in Mto wa Mbu, Nyani Campsite in the Serengeti and Simba Campsite on the Ngorongoro Crater rim. With an experienced safari guide, a 4x4 safari vehicle and meals arranged throughout the trip, you can concentrate on enjoying the wildlife and scenery.

Whether this is your first safari or another adventure in Tanzania, this journey offers an opportunity to experience the country's northern safari circuit in five days.

Safari Highlights

This camping safari combines four destinations into one journey, with game drives and overnight stays at established campsites.

– Authentic Camping Experience – Spend four nights at Migombani, Nyani and Simba campsites, enjoying the atmosphere of the African wilderness.

– Professional Safari Guide – Explore the parks with an experienced guide who helps interpret wildlife behaviour and adapts game drives to conditions.

– Four Parks in Five Days – Experience a wide range of northern Tanzania's wildlife and landscapes on one carefully coordinated itinerary.

Starting Points

Arusha

Arusha is a convenient starting point for this northern Tanzania camping safari. We can collect you from your hotel or another agreed location and begin the journey toward Tarangire National Park.

Zanzibar

A domestic flight to mainland Tanzania and the subsequent road transfer must be arranged around the flight schedule. An arrival the previous day may be necessary to enjoy the full Tarangire experience on Day 1.

Kilimanjaro International Airport

If you are arriving through Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), pickup can be arranged according to your arrival time. For the best experience, we recommend coordinating your arrival with the first day's safari schedule, or arriving the evening before.

Moshi

Travelers staying in Moshi can arrange a pickup from their hotel. Because Moshi is farther from the safari route than Arusha, an earlier departure and additional transfer time may be required.

Detailed 5-Day Camping Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Arusha → Tarangire National Park → Migombani Campsite

Destination: Tarangire National Park
Accommodation: Migombani Campsite

Your safari begins with a morning pickup from your agreed location, followed by a drive to Tarangire National Park, famous for its large elephant population, iconic baobab trees and diverse wildlife. Enjoy a game drive through the park’s savannah, woodlands and riverine habitats, with opportunities to spot elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, buffalo and numerous bird species. After a picnic lunch, continue exploring the park before driving to Migombani Campsite in Mto wa Mbu, situated on the Great Rift Valley escarpment overlooking Lake Manyara. Upon arrival, settle into your camping accommodation, enjoy dinner and relax for the evening. Overnight: Migombani Campsite.

Day 2: Migombani Campsite → Serengeti National Park → Nyani Campsite

Destination: Serengeti National Park
Accommodation: Nyani Campsite

After breakfast at Migombani Campsite, depart early and travel through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area toward Serengeti National Park, enjoying the changing landscapes from the Great Rift Valley highlands to the vast savannah plains. Upon entering the Serengeti, enjoy an afternoon game drive in search of wildlife such as lions, elephants, cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffalo and numerous bird species. Depending on the season, you may also encounter herds of the Great Wildebeest Migration. Later in the day, proceed to Nyani Campsite for dinner and an overnight stay, experiencing the unique atmosphere of camping in the Serengeti wilderness.

Day 3: Serengeti National Park → Ngorongoro Conservation Area → Simba Campsite

Destination: Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Accommodation: Simba Campsite

After breakfast, enjoy a morning game drive in Serengeti National Park, exploring its vast plains, river valleys and rocky kopjes in search of lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, giraffes, zebras and wildebeest. Depending on the season, you may also encounter large herds of the Great Migration. After lunch, continue toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, enjoying the changing landscapes and views of traditional Maasai homesteads along the way. Arrive at Simba Campsite on the Ngorongoro Crater rim in the evening, settle into your tent, enjoy dinner and prepare for the following day's crater safari.

Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater Safari → Migombani Campsite

Destination: Ngorongoro Crater
Accommodation: Migombani Campsite

After an early breakfast at Simba Campsite, descend into Ngorongoro Crater for a morning game drive across its spectacular volcanic landscape, exploring grasslands, wetlands and woodland in search of wildlife such as lions, elephants, buffalo, zebras, wildebeest, hippos and, if fortunate, the endangered black rhino. Enjoy a picnic lunch at a designated location before continuing your wildlife exploration and ascending from the crater in the afternoon. You will then drive to Migombani Campsite in Mto wa Mbu, where you can relax, enjoy views of Lake Manyara and the Great Rift Valley, and have dinner. Overnight: Migombani Campsite.

Day 5: Lake Manyara National Park → Arusha

Destination: Lake Manyara National Park
Accommodation: None

After breakfast at Migombani Campsite, depart for Lake Manyara National Park and enjoy a game drive through its diverse landscapes of groundwater forests, open plains and lakeside habitats beneath the Great Rift Valley escarpment. Look out for elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffalo, baboons, blue monkeys, hippos and a variety of bird species, with a chance to spot the park’s famous tree-climbing lions. After lunch, leave the park and drive to Arusha for drop-off at your hotel or another agreed location. If you have an onward flight, please inform us in advance so we can plan the timing accordingly. The safari ends in Arusha, with no accommodation included on this final day.

What Is Included in This Safari?

Your final quotation should clearly identify the services included. A typical package can include:

- Pickup and drop-off at the agreed locations

- 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof

- Professional English-speaking safari guide

- Four nights of campsite accommodation

- Camping tents and equipment according to the package

- Camping crew and cook, where applicable

- Meals specified in the itinerary

- Picnic lunches during game drives

- National park entry fees

- Ngorongoro Conservation Area and crater-related fees

- Game drives in all four destinations

- Drinking water during the safari

Current park, camping and conservation fees should be confirmed when preparing the quotation.

What Is Not Included?

Unless specifically stated in your quotation, the following may be excluded:

- International flights

- Domestic flights

- Zanzibar accommodation

- Accommodation before or after the safari

- Tanzania visa

- Travel insurance

- Tips and gratuities

- Alcoholic drinks and other personal beverages

- Personal purchases

- Laundry

- Optional activities

- Additional transfers not specified in the itinerary

- Services not listed in the confirmed package

5 Day camping safari Price

- $ 2,880 per person when 1 person travels alone

- $ 1,765 per person when 2 persons travel together

- $ 1,492 per person when 3 persons travel together

- $ 1,383 per person when 4 persons travel together

- $ 1,353 per person when 5 persons travel together

Important Information About the Route

This safari covers four national parks and conservation areas in five days, so some days involve substantial road journeys.

Day 2 includes travel from the Lake Manyara area through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to Serengeti. Day 3 combines Serengeti game viewing with onward travel to Simba Campsite.

For this reason, the timing of game drives depends on the final route, road conditions and campsite arrangements.

If you prefer a slower pace with additional time for wildlife viewing, a longer itinerary would be worth considering.