5-Day Tanzania Camping Safari
This 5-day Tanzania safari begins with a scenic drive from Arusha to Tarangire National Park, famous for its vast elephant herds, ancient baobab trees, and rich birdlife. After an exciting game drive and picnic lunch, you’ll continue to Mto Wa Mbu for your overnight stay.
The adventure continues through the breathtaking highlands of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area before entering the legendary Serengeti National Park. Here, you’ll experience sweeping plains, abundant wildlife, and —dependingon the season —theworld-renowned Great Migration. A full day in the Serengeti allows for unforgettable encounters with predators and diverse wildlife in one of Africa’s most iconic landscapes.
From the Serengeti, you’ll travel to the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater, a natural wonder teeming with wildlife and offering one of the best chances to spot the endangered black rhino.
Your safari concludes at Lake Manyara National Park, a compact yet diverse park set beneath the dramatic Great Rift Escarpment, known for its tree-climbing lions, lush forests, and thousands of wading birds.
This itinerary perfectly combines Tanzania’s most iconic parks, spectacular scenery, and exceptional wildlife experiences in just five unforgettable days.
Price includes
- 18% VAT to our entrance fees
- 2 nights accommodation in Arusha town before and after safari
- Accommodation at basic camping during the safari full board
- Camping fees at all national parks
- Entrance fees to all national parks
- Extended 4 x 4 luxury safari jeep with pop up roof for game viewing
- Government taxes, VAT and service charges relating to accommodation and included meals
- Ngorongoro Crater fees
- Professional safari cook
- Professional safari English Speaking guide
Price does not include
- Both International and local flights
- Optional Tours (balloon rides USD. 560 per person), should be booked in
advance - Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.)
- Tips and gratuities to your safari guide and cook
Day 1 – Arusha to Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, your Bush Windows Safari guide will collect you from your accommodation and begin the journey to Tarangire National Park. The drive takes approximately two and a half hours along well-maintained tarmac roads.
Tarangire is named after the Tarangire River—often referred to as the “River of Warthogs”—which serves as the primary water source for wildlife during the dry season. The park is particularly renowned for its large elephant herds, frequently seen gathering along the riverbanks. You may also encounter giraffe, bushbuck, and hartebeest, often closely followed by predators such as lions and leopards.
Tarangire is a haven for bird enthusiasts, boasting more breeding bird species than almost anywhere else in the world. The landscape is dotted with enormous ancient baobab trees, some believed to be over a thousand years old.
You will enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park before continuing your afternoon game drive. Later, you will travel to Mto Wa Mbu for your overnight stay.
Accommodation
Budget: Fig Tree Camp & Lodge
Meals & Drinks: All meals included, drinks not included
Day 2 – Safari to Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, you will ascend into the cooler highlands of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where you will have the opportunity to stop and take in the spectacular views of the Ngorongoro Crater.
Continuing onward, you will transit through the conservation area and enter the southern region of the iconic Serengeti National Park.
The Serengeti is truly breathtaking. Its vast open grasslands provide exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities. While it is home to abundant resident wildlife year-round, it is perhaps best known for the Great Migration. Massive herds of wildebeest, accompanied by zebra and antelope, move continuously in search of fresh grazing. The migration can be found somewhere in the ecosystem throughout the year—knowing where to look makes all the difference. Depending on the season, you may witness one of the “Seven Natural Wonders of the World.”
You will enjoy a picnic lunch en route and overnight at a campsite in Central Serengeti.
Accommodation
Budget: Camping
Meals & Drinks: All meals included, drinks not included
Day 3 – Serengeti National Park
Today is dedicated entirely to game drives in the Serengeti.
The park supports an extraordinary diversity of wildlife, including impala, buffalo, crocodile, and hippo. In addition to its iconic landscapes, the Serengeti offers excellent chances to encounter predators such as lions, cheetahs, and leopards. Every game drive presents new and unforgettable moments.
You may choose between early morning and late afternoon game drives, returning to camp for lunch and relaxation, or enjoy a full-day game drive with a picnic lunch in the park.
Accommodation
Budget: Camping
Meals & Drinks: All meals included, drinks not included
Day 4 – Serengeti to Ngorongoro
After breakfast, you will journey toward the Ngorongoro highlands, enjoying wildlife sightings along the way.
Upon arrival, you will descend into the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater. Concealed by steep volcanic walls lies a pristine wilderness of sweeping savannah, acacia woodlands, shimmering lakes, and marshes. The crater was formed two to three million years ago when a massive volcano collapsed in on itself.
The descent into the crater is an adventure in itself. Once on the crater floor, you will quickly find yourself surrounded by wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, and more than 500 bird species. This is one of the best places in Tanzania to see the endangered black rhino, often spotted grazing on the open plains.
After a full afternoon exploring the crater, you will return to Mto Wa Mbu for your overnight stay.
Accommodation
Budget: Fig Tree Camp & Lodge
Meals & Drinks: All meals included, drinks not included
Day 5 – Lake Manyara National Park
This morning, you will travel to Lake Manyara National Park—the final destination of your safari adventure.
Located approximately 120 km west of Arusha, Lake Manyara is compact yet incredibly diverse. The dramatic Great Rift Escarpment towers above the park’s western boundary, creating a spectacular backdrop. The shallow alkaline lake expands and contracts seasonally, attracting thousands of wading birds, including flamingos, along with more than 500 recorded bird species.
You may encounter large troops of baboons, elephants moving through the lush evergreen forest, and—if you are fortunate—the park’s famous tree-climbing lions.
After a picnic lunch and your final game drive, you will be transferred to your chosen drop-off location, whether Arusha, Kilimanjaro International Airport, or Arusha Airport.
Accommodation
No accommodation (End of tour)