6-Day Tanzania Camping Safari: Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Cater and Tarangire National Park from Arusha

Wildlife comes first here. This six-day Tanzania safari from Arusha links four major parks with five nights of camping, meals, park fees, game drives, and 4WD transport. You get a strong sweep of northern Tanzania without paying for a luxury lodge at every stop.

I like the route for two clear reasons: Serengeti gets a full day, and the small group size is capped at eight people. I also like the mix of parks, since Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara each offer a different setting and rhythm. The main consideration is the long driving schedule. Most days are listed at about 10 hours, and camping means you must bring or rent a sleeping bag.

The price is $2,675 per person. That is not a tiny budget, but it covers a lot: a 4WD vehicle, park fees, cook, tent, mattress, pillow, table, chairs, five breakfasts, five dinners, and six lunches. You can also choose a lodge package with tented camps and lodges, though the exact price difference is not provided. Past comments praise the friendly staff and strong wildlife sightings, while one practical complaint is worth noting: mattresses may feel too basic for older campers.

Five things to know before booking

• Four major parks in six days: You visit Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara, with game drives in each.
• A full Serengeti day: Day three includes early morning, midday, and afternoon game drives, giving you more time in Tanzania’s best-known park.
• Small group limit: The vehicle holds no more than eight participants, a useful size for game viewing and shared camping.
• Camping keeps the cost under control: Tents, mattresses, pillows, tables, chairs, and a cook are included, but sleeping bags are not.
• Most meals are included: The package covers five breakfasts, five dinners, and six lunches, including picnic meals.
• Olduvai Gorge costs extra: The historical site fee is listed as $18, and a visit is not guaranteed within the schedule.

Why this route works from Arusha

Arusha is a practical starting point for northern Tanzania safaris, and pickup is offered from your hotel at 9:00 a.m. The route then forms a broad circuit through several major wildlife areas before returning to Arusha on the sixth day.

I like the order of the parks. Tarangire comes first, so you begin with a relatively focused game drive before heading toward the bigger Serengeti stretch. The middle of the trip gives you two substantial Serengeti periods, followed by the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara.

The schedule is busy, but it avoids spending the whole trip in one park. If you want one single reserve with lots of quiet time, this is not that kind of trip. If you want a broad first look at northern Tanzania, the route makes good sense.

The advertised price also includes the parts that can quietly make a safari expensive: park entry, transport, meals, cooking equipment, and camping support. You still need to budget for tips, a sleeping bag, and the Olduvai Gorge fee if that stop is added.

Day 1: Tarangire gives you a strong first game drive

You leave your Arusha hotel at 9:00 a.m. and travel to Tarangire National Park. The day includes a picnic lunch and a game drive, with roughly 10 hours scheduled from pickup through the day’s activities.

Tarangire is a good opening park because the first day is centered on wildlife rather than hotel transfers. You get into the 4WD vehicle, settle into the safari routine, and start looking for animals from the open viewing area.

The picnic lunch keeps the day moving. It also means you should not expect a leisurely restaurant stop. This is a practical safari rhythm: eat outdoors, return to the vehicle, and use the daylight for game viewing.

The first day can feel long after an international arrival or a night in Arusha. I would arrive in Tanzania with enough rest before pickup, since the trip begins right away. Your reward is a full introduction to the bush and your first night at a campsite.

Days 2 and 3: Serengeti gets the time it deserves

After breakfast on Day 2, you travel toward Serengeti National Park with a game drive along the way. You have a picnic lunch and a shorter afternoon game drive after reaching the park.

This is an important point about the route: Serengeti is not treated as a quick pass-through. Even though Day 2 includes a long transfer, you still get time for wildlife viewing during the journey and again in the afternoon.

Day 3 is the main Serengeti day. The schedule calls for an early morning game drive, a midday drive, and an afternoon drive. That gives you several chances to see animals at different times of day, rather than relying on one long outing.

The early drive is especially useful because it gives you your best chance to start the day with active wildlife. The midday period can be slower, but it breaks up the schedule and gives you another chance to search across the park. The afternoon drive rounds out the day before returning to camp.

The strongest wildlife results reported from this trip came here. One person saw four of the Big Five in a single Serengeti day, including a leopard. That is never something any safari can promise, but it shows the value of having a complete day in the park instead of only seeing it from the road.

You should also keep your expectations sensible. Wildlife is wild, and no guide can guarantee a particular animal. Still, the combination of an en-route drive, a partial afternoon, and a full day gives Serengeti a fair share of the trip.

Day 4: A final Serengeti morning before Ngorongoro

Day 4 begins with an early morning game drive in Serengeti. After brunch, you leave for the Ngorongoro Crater rim with another game drive along the route.

This day combines two experiences that feel quite different. The early Serengeti drive gives you one last chance to search the open park, while the move toward the crater changes the scenery and pace.

You should read the schedule carefully here. The itinerary places you at the Ngorongoro Crater rim on Day 4, but the main crater-floor game drive comes the next morning. That means the rim is primarily an overnight setting before the descent.

The route also allows for an Olduvai Gorge visit, but it is not guaranteed. The listed historical-site fee is $18, paid separately. If this stop matters to you, ask before booking how it fits into the day and whether the admission cost is included. One person specifically missed Olduvai Gorge, so do not treat it as a certain part of the experience.

Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater is the visual high point

After an early breakfast, you descend into Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive. Lunch is scheduled at the hippo pool picnic site, followed by an ascent to the rim and departure toward Lake Manyara.

This is one of the most concentrated wildlife days of the route. The crater floor places you in a contained setting where you can spend the morning searching for animals before stopping for lunch near the hippo pool.

The crater also changes the feel of the safari. Serengeti is broad and open, while Ngorongoro feels more enclosed and dramatic. You may find the views from the rim as memorable as the game drive itself, though the schedule does not leave much spare time for lingering.

The move to Lake Manyara after lunch makes Day 5 another long day. You are combining an early start, a crater-floor drive, a climb to the rim, and a transfer. I would treat this as a high-value day, but not a relaxed one.

The wildlife reports from this stop are strong. One person saw three of the Big Five at Ngorongoro Crater and also had a successful day in Tarangire. Again, those sightings are not guaranteed, but the route gives you repeated chances across different parks.

Day 6: Lake Manyara closes the circuit

The final day starts with breakfast and a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park. You stop for a picnic lunch, then leave in the middle of the afternoon for Arusha and a hotel drop-off.

Lake Manyara is a useful final park because it gives you one more morning of wildlife before the return journey. The shorter visit also keeps the final day from becoming only a drive back to town.

You should plan for another full day. The listed schedule is about 10 hours, and the afternoon return to Arusha may feel tiring after five nights in camp. Still, finishing with a morning game drive is much better than spending the last day entirely on the road.

The tour ends with a hotel drop-off in Arusha, which is helpful if you are continuing your trip from there. The experience does not include a separate airport transfer in the information provided, so confirm your onward transport if you are flying out that day.

Camping, mattresses, and the lodge option

The camping package includes five nights in tents at campsites. A cook, mattress, pillow, table, and chairs are provided, so you are not expected to carry a full camp kitchen or assemble a completely unsupported trip.

That setup saves money and keeps you close to the outdoors. It also gives the safari a more practical, less polished feel than a lodge circuit. You should be comfortable with simple accommodation, early starts, and the possibility that camp comfort will be basic.

A sleeping bag is not included. This is the most important packing point in the entire package. Bring one or arrange one before departure, and do not assume the supplied mattress replaces it.

There is also a lodge package listed, with five nights in tented camps and lodges. Since the available information does not explain the exact accommodation split or price difference, ask for those details before paying. Older campers may prefer the lodge option or may want to ask if camp beds can replace the standard mattresses. One person specifically wished for that choice.

Meals and the real value of $2,675

The price includes five breakfasts, five dinners, and six lunches. Lunch is often a picnic during the game drives, while breakfast and dinner fit around the camping schedule.

That meal coverage matters because remote park days do not offer easy access to independent restaurants. You also avoid negotiating food costs each day, which makes budgeting simpler.

At $2,675 per person, the trip is best judged as a package rather than as six sightseeing days alone. You are paying for four parks, multiple game drives, park entry, a 4WD vehicle, camping equipment, a cook, accommodation, and meals.

The value is strongest if you want a wide range of parks and do not need luxury accommodation. It is less attractive if your main goal is a slow Serengeti stay or a high-comfort lodge holiday. The itinerary spends substantial time on the road, but that road time is what links four major sites in one trip.

The group cap of eight also helps the value. You share the vehicle, but the group is small enough to keep the arrangement more manageable than a large coach-style safari.

What the strongest feedback tells you

The most praised parts are the wildlife variety, the staff, and the attention before and after the safari. Friendly, helpful service matters on a camping trip because the cook, driver, and support team shape your daily comfort as much as the parks do.

The wildlife results are especially encouraging. One account describes four of the Big Five in Serengeti in one day and three of the Big Five at Ngorongoro Crater, with Tarangire also producing strong sightings. These are impressive outcomes, though you should never book a safari expecting a fixed animal checklist.

The main weakness is comfort. The supplied mattresses may not suit older people or anyone with back problems, and camp beds are not listed as standard equipment. The long days are another factor, particularly Days 4 and 5.

The tour has an overall rating of 4 out of 5 from six ratings. That suggests a generally positive experience, but it is still a small sample. I would place more weight on the specific practical points: confirm the sleeping arrangements, ask about Olduvai Gorge, and understand which accommodation package you are buying.

Who should book this safari?

I would choose this trip if you want to see several famous northern Tanzania parks in one organized circuit. It suits people who care more about wildlife access and route variety than about soft beds and slow mornings.

It is also a good fit if you want a small group, included meals, and a cook without arranging every detail yourself. The 4WD vehicle and five nights of camping remove much of the planning burden.

I would think twice if you dislike long drives, need firm sleeping surfaces, or want a luxury safari. The schedule is full, and the camping package is clearly designed to keep costs down.

Cancellation is flexible only up to three full days before the start time. After that point, the amount paid is not refunded, and changes are not accepted. Most people can participate, but anyone with specific mobility or comfort needs should ask questions before booking.

Should you book it?

Book this safari if your priority is maximum park coverage in six days, with Serengeti receiving a proper full day and Ngorongoro receiving a crater-floor drive. The included transport, food, park fees, and camping support make the price easier to justify.

Before you commit, confirm three things: the exact difference between the camping and lodge packages, how sleeping bags are handled, and whether Olduvai Gorge can be added. If those answers suit you, this is a practical and wildlife-focused introduction to northern Tanzania.

FAQ

Where does the safari start?

The safari starts in Arusha, with pickup from your hotel at 9:00 a.m.

How long does the safari last?

The experience lasts six days and includes five nights of accommodation.

Which national parks are included?

The route includes Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara National Park.

How many people can join the tour?

The group is limited to a maximum of eight participants.

Is camping equipment included?

The package includes a tent, mattress, pillow, table, chairs, and a cook. A sleeping bag is not included.

Are meals included?

Yes. The package includes five breakfasts, five dinners, and six lunches.

Is Olduvai Gorge included?

Olduvai Gorge is not guaranteed in the schedule. If visited, the historical site fee is listed as $18, paid separately.