3-Day Tanzania Explorer: Arusha National Park, Tarangire & Ngorongoro Crater

Tour Overview

Price Start From $ 932 P er Person, 2 Pax

This 3-day safari offers travelers a compact yet unforgettable journey through Tanzania’s most diverse wildlife habitats, with each day revealing a completely different landscape and experience. Starting in Arusha National Park, you’ll explore lush forests, volcanic craters, and spot giraffes, zebras, buffalo, and playful colobus monkeys, with options for walking safaris or canoeing on Momella Lakes. The adventure continues in Tarangire National Park, renowned for its towering baobab trees and massive elephant herds, where the Tarangire River draws large gatherings of animals year-round, before overnighting in Karatu near the Ngorongoro Highlands. The grand finale takes you into the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site often called the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” where you’ll have the chance to see the Big Five in one place before returning to Arusha, completing a short but richly rewarding safari.

Day 1: Arusha to Arusha National Park

Depart Arusha in the morning and drive to Arusha National Park. Though small, this park is incredibly diverse, offering montane forests, open savannah, volcanic craters, and lakes. Enjoy a game drive with opportunities to spot giraffes gracefully moving across the plains, zebras grazing, buffalo herds, and black-and-white colobus monkeys swinging through the trees. Depending on conditions, you may also take a guided walking safari or canoe excursion on Momella Lakes, where flamingos and waterbirds thrive. In the evening, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Main Destination: Arusha National Park

Accommodation: Charity Hotel

Meals: Lunch & Dinner

Day 2: Tarangire National Park

After breakfast, drive to Tarangire National Park, famous for its ancient baobab trees and large elephant herds. Spend the day on a game drive, spotting lions, zebras, wildebeest, and over 500 bird species. The Tarangire River is the lifeline of the park, attracting wildlife year-round, especially during the dry season when animals gather in huge numbers. In the late afternoon, continue to Karatu, a charming town near the Ngorongoro Highlands, where you’ll enjoy dinner and overnight at a lodge surrounded by rolling hills and coffee plantations.

Main Destination: Tarangire National Park

Accommodation: Eileens Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha

After an early breakfast, depart Karatu and drive to the Ngorongoro Crater. Descend into this spectacular natural caldera, often described as the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” The crater floor is home to an incredible density of wildlife, including elephants, lions, buffalo, zebras, hippos, and the rare black rhinoceros. Enjoy a half-day game drive exploring the crater’s diverse habitats, from open grasslands to forested areas and the scenic soda lake often lined with flamingos. After a picnic lunch inside the crater, ascend the crater walls and return to Arusha, where your safari concludes.

Main Destination: Ngorongoro Crater

Accommodation: None

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch