3-Day Safari to Ngorongoro – Wildlife, Ngorongoro Crater and Maasai Encounter.
Our 3 days Ngorongoro Crater safari is a well-planned short safari in Tanzania designed for tourists who want to experience wildlife and scenery in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area without committing to a longer northern Tanzania safari.
The highlight of the trip is a full Ngorongoro Crater game drive, where you descend from the crater rim into the wildlife-rich floor and explore different habitats. The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the top wildlife destinations in Tanzania, and it is a destination for the Big Five, which include the elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and black rhinoceros.
Beyond wild animals, the safari will allow you to enjoy the scenery in the highlands and, in case you request it, to meet with the local Maasai people and have a cultural experience. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is unique since the conservation of wildlife coexists with the activities of the local communities.
This itinerary is ideal for travellers who do not have enough time in Tanzania and wish to have a condensed safari tour that includes wildlife, scenery and culture.
Destination: Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania
Timeframe: 3 Days / 2 Nights
Key Activities: Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive, Wildlife Spotting, Maasai Culture Encounter, Scenic Highlands Drive
Start: Arusha
End: Arusha
Highlights of Safari Tour
- One day game viewing tour of Ngorongoro Crater
- Viewing the big five
- Wildlife photography in the crater
- Beautiful scenery of the Ngorongoro Highlands
- Optional cultural visit to the local Maasai
- Comfortable stay at a lodge or tented camp
- English-speaking safari guide
- Private 4×4 safari car
- Pickup and drop-off in Arusha
Overview
Day 1: Arusha to Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Karatu
Day 2: Ngorongoro Crater – Full day game drive
Day 3: Ngorongoro to Arusha – Departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arusha to Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Karatu
Your 3 day Ngorongoro Safari adventure begins at Arusha, where you will meet your safari guide and leave for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
The journey takes you through the changing landscapes of northern Tanzania, with the opportunity to see rural societies, farming communities and the highlands as you come closer to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Depending on your arrival time, you can stop for lunch along the way before heading to Karatu, where you can conveniently explore Ngorongoro.
If time allows, an optional cultural visit can be arranged to introduce you to the traditions and daily life of the Maasai people. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area provides cultural tourism activities where communities like the Maasai, Datoga and Hadzabe are involved.
After the day’s journey, check in at your accommodation, relax and prepare for the following day’s main safari experience.
Day 2: Ngorongoro Crater – Full day game drive
Wildlife day during the safari experience
Wake up early, have breakfast and then set off for the Ngorongoro Crater with your packed lunch.
The journey to Ngorongoro Crater is beautiful and gives you some of the most amazing views along your trip. You will start descending into the crater from the highlands where the vegetation will be seen changing from forest vegetation to open grasslands, swamps and other wildlife areas.
Once inside the Ngorongoro Crater, your safari experience becomes wildlife viewing based.
Ngorongoro Crater is famous for the presence of an abundance of wildlife that includes elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, hippos, zebras, wildebeests, gazelles and black rhinoceros.
Your guide will carefully follow the available safari routes and wildlife sightings, giving you opportunities to stop for photography and observe animals in their natural environment.
The various habitats of the crater offer the safari drive an interesting range of activities. During your morning safari drive, you can spend some hours observing the predators and large herbivores in the plains and continue towards the waterholes and wetlands where other animals are found.
Lunch at the Picnic Site in Crater
At an appropriately designated location, enjoy a packed picnic lunch before continuing with an afternoon game drive.
The afternoon allows one to get around the crater and observe other animals not seen during the morning drive.
Like any other wildlife safari experience, sightings cannot be guaranteed, as they are dependent on animal movement, weather, and the conditions of the day. Nonetheless, due to the abundance of wildlife, Ngorongoro is among the best places in Tanzania for a short wildlife safari.
In the afternoon, depart the crater and head back to your lodging in Karatu.
Day 3: Ngorongoro to Arusha – Departure
Start your morning with a good breakfast at the lodge before embarking on the journey to Arusha.
Depending on your time of departure, you may be able to make a stopover en route for a brief cultural interaction or experience, as you leave the Ngorongoro region behind.
As you travel back towards Arusha, take in the last sights of the north of Tanzania scenery as you make your way back to Arusha.
Finally, your guide will drop you off at your hotel, airport or another agreed-upon place in Arusha at the end of your 3 days Ngorongoro Crater Safari.
What is Included?
- Africa’s 4×4 Safari Car
- English-speaking guide
- Safari drive at Ngorongoro Crater
- Accommodation
- Meals as per itinerary
- National Park Fees for the Safari package
- Water for safari
- Pick-up/drop-off from Arusha
What is NOT included?
- International airfares
- Tanzania Visa
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses
- Premium & alcoholic drinks
- Tips to guide the driver
