6-Day Northern Tanzania Safari
A good-value camping safari from Arusha through Lake Manyara, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire, staying at campsites in or near the parks.
6 days · 5 nights · Year-round · driest Jun – Oct & Jan – Feb
About this experience
This trip covers the four classic parks of northern Tanzania in under a week, keeping costs down by camping rather than staying in lodges. You start with an afternoon in Lake Manyara, then spend two nights in the central Serengeti with a full day of game drives on the plains. Day four takes you down onto the floor of Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive and picnic lunch. The trip ends with a village walk in the Ngorongoro highlands and a final game drive among Tarangire's elephants and baobabs before the drive back to Arusha.
Best for
- Safari on a budget
- Campers
- Tanzania's classic parks
Trip features
- Private vehicleYour own 4x4 and driver-guide
- Starts any dayPick your own date, 7+ days ahead
- Can be tailoredChange lodges, add days or parks
- Children welcomeAges 3–12 at half price
- Pickup in ArushaAirport or your hotel
- EnglishGuide language
Signature experiences
Optional extras we can add to this trip. Prices are per person and confirmed when you book.
Chilled drinks on a ridge as the sun drops and the sky turns — a quiet, golden end to a day of game drives.
A lantern-lit table set out under the stars, your own chef and a crackling fire — the safari dinner people remember for years.
Spend an hour in a working manyatta — the jumping dance, fire-making, and a look at daily Maasai life, hosted by the community itself.
On foot with an armed ranger — tracks, plants, birds and the small details a vehicle drives straight past.
Day by day
What each day looks like, from pickup in Nairobi to drop-off.
After breakfast you drive from Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park for an afternoon game drive. Dinner and the night are at a campsite near the park.
Panorama Campsite · Full board
You head west into the Serengeti, passing Olduvai Gorge, where the Leakey family found fossils of early humans. A stop to visit the gorge is optional and costs extra. You camp in the central Serengeti for two nights.
Seronera Campsite · Full board
Morning and afternoon game drives take you across the plains in search of lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and, with luck, rhino. Cheetah, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and plenty of birds are also part of the picture.
You drop around 600 metres (2,000 feet) onto the crater floor for a game drive among lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and plains game. Lunch is a picnic in the crater before you climb back up to camp on the rim.
Simba Campsite · Full board
A guided nature walk and village visit in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area gives you a feel for local life and the highland scenery. You then drive to Tarangire National Park, known for its big elephant herds and baobab trees, and camp for the night.
A final game drive in Tarangire looks for elephants and the park's tree-climbing lions, and the birding is good here, with more than 550 species recorded. Afterwards you drive back to Arusha and are dropped at your hotel.
Where you'll stay
Lodges we book on this trip. If one is full on your dates, we'll offer a comparable property before you pay anything.
What's included
Included
- Camping accommodation at campsites in or near the parks
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day
- All national park and conservation area entry fees
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof and an experienced driver-guide
- Drop-off at your hotel in Arusha on the last day
- 24/7 WhatsApp support from the Bookara team
Not included
- International and domestic flights
- Tanzania visa (government fee — we help you apply)
- Travel insurance
- Olduvai Gorge visit (optional, extra cost)
- Tips for guides, drivers and camp staff
- Optional activities, drinks and personal expenses
Route & pickup
Where the trip goes, and where we meet you.
- 01 ArushaDay 1 · City
- 02 Lake ManyaraDay 1 · Lake
- 03 SerengetiDay 2 · National park & reserve
- 04 Ngorongoro CraterDay 4 · National park & reserve
- 05 TarangireDay 5 · National park & reserve
- 06 ArushaDay 6 · City
Good to know
A 30% deposit holds your dates, and the balance is due 45 days before you travel (book closer than that and you pay in full). Cancel 90+ days before departure for a full refund, 60–89 days before for 50% back. Full terms.
Common questions
Where does the safari start and finish?+
It starts in Arusha after breakfast on day 1 and finishes back in Arusha on day 6, where we drop you at your hotel. Accommodation in Arusha before and after the safari is not included, but message us and we'll quote it.
Is this a camping trip?+
Yes. To keep the price down, you stay at campsites in or close to the parks rather than in lodges. If you would prefer lodges, the route and accommodation can be adjusted on request.
Is this a private trip?+
Yes. You have your own vehicle and guide, and nobody else joins.
Book on WhatsApp
Your chat opens with the trip pre-filled — no payment needed now. Our team replies between 7am–10pm EAT.
Request saved
WhatsApp is opening with your details pre-filled — just hit send.
- 1 Send the pre-filled messageYour trip details are already written for you.
- 2 Confirm in chat — or pay the deposit onlineSame reference either way. Our team replies 7am–10pm EAT.
- 3 Instant confirmationWhatsApp message + email receipt the moment your deposit lands.
Your request ref becomes your booking reference once the deposit is paid.
Book direct with the operator
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Licensed & certified
Kenya-registered operator in Nairobi with experienced driver-guides.
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Run from Nairobi
We plan and run your trip ourselves, with driver-guides we know, and stay reachable on WhatsApp throughout.
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Secure payment
Card or Apple Pay through Paystack (USD). Taxes and park fees are in the price you see.
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Flexible cancellation
Full refund up to 90 days before departure; a 30% deposit holds your dates.
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