3 Days Big 5 Budget Safari – Tarangire, Ngorongoro & Manyara

Your adventure begins with a morning pickup from your hotel in Arusha or directly from Kilimanjaro/Arusha Airport. After a short briefing, drive to Tarangire National Park, famous for its iconic baobab trees and large elephant herds. Enjoy a full-day game drive across the vast savannahs, where you’ll also spot giraffes, zebras, lions, and many bird species. In the late afternoon, continue to Karatu for dinner and an overnight stay.

After an early breakfast, depart for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and descend into the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best places in Africa to see wildlife. Enjoy a 6–7 hour game drive on the crater floor, where wildlife is easy to spot due to the unique landscape. Animals commonly seen include lions, elephants, buffaloes, hippos, zebras, wildebeest, hyenas, and, with luck, the rare black rhinoceros. Lunch will be served at a scenic picnic spot near the hippo pool. In the afternoon, ascend from the crater and return to Ngorongoro Inn for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, drive to Lake Manyara National Park, a beautiful park located at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. Enjoy a game drive through the park’s lush groundwater forest, open savannah, and lakeshore. Lake Manyara is renowned for its tree-climbing lions, large troops of baboons, flamingos, elephants, giraffes, hippos, and a diverse array of birdlife. After the game drive, enjoy lunch before beginning the return journey to Arusha, where you will be dropped off at your hotel or preferred location.