Tarangire → Ngorongoro → Lake Manyara → Arusha town
3-Day Tarangire, Ngorongoro & Manyara Camping Safari
Elephants, the crater and Lake Manyara in three affordable days of camping.
3 days 2 nights
From $720 pp
Conservation Area · Northern Circuit
Ngorongoro Crater
A collapsed volcano holding one of Africa's richest wildlife floors.
About Ngorongoro
The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unbroken, unflooded volcanic caldera in the world. Its walls drop about 600 metres to a floor of grassland, swamp, forest and a soda lake, where some 25,000 large animals live year-round.
This is one of the best places in Tanzania to see the endangered black rhino, alongside lion, elephant bulls, hyena, buffalo and flamingos. Above the crater, the highlands are Maasai grazing land, and the Olduvai Gorge, one of the most important sites in human history, is close by.
Highlights
- Black rhino on the crater floor
- Picnic lunch beside the hippo pool
- Maasai culture in the highlands
- Olduvai Gorge and its museum
- Views from the crater rim at dawn
What you might see
- Black rhino
- Lion
- Elephant
- Buffalo
- Hyena
- Wildebeest
- Zebra
- Flamingo
- Hippo
- Serval
- Golden jackal
When to go
Best Good Quieter / wet
Good all year because the wildlife does not migrate out of the crater. June to October is driest; the green season (November to May) is quieter and beautiful.
Getting there
Around 3–4 hours by road from Arusha. The crater floor is visited on a half or full-day descent; most people stay on the rim or in the Karatu highlands.
How long
1–2 nights
Where to stay
- BudgetSimba public campsite (crater rim)
- Mid-rangeNgorongoro Farm House, Karatu
- LuxuryNgorongoro Crater Lodge
Examples of properties we use. We choose the right camp for your month and budget.
21 trips visit Ngorongoro
Ngorongoro safaris & tours
Tarangire → Ngorongoro → Serengeti → Arusha town
4-Day Serengeti & Ngorongoro Camping Safari
The shortest safari that still reaches the Serengeti — camping inside the park.
4 days 3 nights
From $1,090 pp
Tarangire → Ngorongoro → Serengeti → Arusha town
5-Day Classic Tanzania Camping Safari
Two nights in the Serengeti, the crater and Tarangire — the best value classic.
5 days 4 nights
From $1,340 pp
Tarangire → Lake Manyara → Ngorongoro → Serengeti …
6-Day Northern Circuit Camping Safari
All four northern parks on a budget, with a full day in the Serengeti.
6 days 5 nights
From $1,580 pp
Tarangire → Ngorongoro → Serengeti → Zanzibar
7-Day Budget Safari & Zanzibar Beach
Serengeti and the crater on a budget, then three nights by the sea.
7 days 6 nights
From $1,890 pp
Tarangire → Ngorongoro → Serengeti → Arusha town
4-Day Group Joining Camping Safari
Share the vehicle, split the cost. Serengeti and the crater on fixed dates.
4 days 3 nights
From $890 pp
Good to know
Ngorongoro: questions travellers ask
How long can I spend in the crater?
Park rules limit each descent to about six hours. We go down at gate opening, before most vehicles arrive, for the best light and quieter sightings.
Is it cold?
The rim sits at about 2,300 metres, so mornings and evenings are cool all year. Bring a warm fleece or jacket.
Nearby
Also on the Northern Circuit
National ParkSerengetiEndless plains, big cats and the Great Migration.Explore
National ParkTarangireBaobabs, a life-giving river and some of Africa's largest elephant herds.Explore
National ParkLake ManyaraGroundwater forest, a soda lake and the Rift Valley wall.Explore
National ParkArusha NPMount Meru, crater lakes and walking safaris an hour from town.Explore
Plan your Ngorongoro trip
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and a rough budget. A real person in Arusha will reply within 24 hours with a route and an honest price — no obligation.