3 days / 2 nights
Ngorongoro Crater Safari
Arusha · Ngorongoro Conservation Area · Ngorongoro Crater
Discover the extraordinary wildlife and landscapes of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area on this 3-day safari centered around the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater. Descend into the crater for an immersive game drive across its fertile grasslands, forests, wetlands and lakes, where an exceptional concentration of wildlife thrives.
This itinerary is ideal for travellers seeking a shorter Northern Tanzania safari with a strong focus on wildlife, scenery and the unique ecosystem of the Ngorongoro Crater.
Safari highlights
- Excellent opportunity to search for the endangered black rhino
- Strong chances of seeing lions and other predators
- Look for elephants, buffalo, zebras and wildebeest
- Spot hippos around the crater's wetlands and lakes
- Descend approximately 600 metres into the spectacular crater
- Enjoy panoramic views of the Ngorongoro Highlands
- Discover the crater's diverse birdlife and seasonal flamingos
- Excellent wildlife and landscape photography opportunities
- Explore one of Africa's most remarkable natural ecosystems
Out on safari
Day by day
3 days, 2 nights
The route below is the standard version. Game drives follow the wildlife rather than a timetable, and your guide adjusts as the animals move.
- 1
Arusha to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
After breakfast, depart Arusha and travel toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Enjoy the scenic journey through the Great Rift Valley and surrounding highlands.
Arrive at your lodge or camp in the afternoon. The remainder of the day is free to relax and enjoy the spectacular highland environment.
- 2
Full-Day Ngorongoro Crater Safari
After an early breakfast, descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a full-day game drive.
Explore the crater floor, where grasslands, woodland, wetlands and Lake Magadi create habitats for an extraordinary variety of wildlife. Search for lions, elephants, buffalo, zebras, wildebeest, hippos and the endangered black rhino.
Enjoy a picnic lunch in a designated area before continuing your wildlife exploration.
- 3
Ngorongoro to Arusha
After breakfast, begin your journey back to Arusha. Enjoy the scenic landscapes of the Ngorongoro Highlands along the way.
Depending on your schedule, an optional cultural or community experience can be arranged before continuing to Arusha.
Included
What the price covers
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
- Professional English-speaking safari guide
- Private game drives
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area entry and conservation fees
- Ngorongoro Crater descent and applicable crater fees
- 2 nights of accommodation
- Meals
- Drinking water during game drives
- Arusha-Ngorongoro transfers as specified
- All applicable government taxes and tourism fees
Accommodation options: Your accommodation will be selected according to your preferred comfort level, travel dates, availability and safari route. Exact properties will be confirmed in your personalised quotation
Not included
What you arrange yourself
- International and domestic flights
- Tanzania visa fees
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tips for safari guide and lodge staff
- Alcoholic and premium beverages
- Laundry and personal expenses
- Optional cultural activities
- Souvenirs and personal purchases
- Any service not specifically mentioned under "Included"
Best for
This safari is ideal for couples, families, first-time safari travellers, photographers and wildlife enthusiasts who want to experience the unique wildlife concentration and spectacular scenery of the Ngorongoro Crater without committing to a longer Northern Circuit safari.
Accommodation levels
Choose the level, and we build the trip around it
The same route can be run four ways. The level you pick decides where you sleep, how far you drive to the wildlife each morning, and most of what the safari costs.
Budget
Clean, simple camps and small lodges. Everything you need after a day in the park, and nothing you do not.
Mid-range
Comfortable lodges and permanent tented camps with en-suite bathrooms, pools and full service. Where most safaris sit.
Luxury
High-end lodges and luxury tented camps in prime locations, with the shorter drives to the wildlife that come with them.
Premium
The best addresses in each park. Exclusive-use camps, private guiding and the quietest corners of the reserves.
Why there is no price on the page
A safari price that fits everyone fits nobody. Two people in a premium camp in August and a family of four in a mid-range lodge in April are different trips at different costs, on the same itinerary. Rather than publish a figure that would be wrong for most people reading it, we price each trip properly.
Tell us your dates, your group and the level you want, and you get an accurate quote back with the accommodation named.
What the quote is built from
- Accommodation level and the type of camp or lodge
- Where you sleep: park rates differ, and so do the drives
- Travel dates, since low, high and peak seasons are priced apart
- Group size, and the ages of any children
- Safari style: private, shared, or tailor-made
- Length of the trip, the parks you enter and the activities you add
- Vehicle and transport arrangements
- Anything special: flights, transfers, honeymoon touches, dietary needs
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