In Short
The only sensible way to include the Serengeti in three days is to fly in. Driving from Arusha to the central Serengeti is seven to nine hours each way, which on a 3-day trip means two of your three days lost to the road. Flying instead takes under an hour, so almost all of your time is spent on the plains rather than in the vehicle getting there. We add a night on the Ngorongoro Crater rim on the way back, so the trip covers two of the Northern Circuit's best parks, then fly you out from the Ngorongoro area back to Arusha rather than driving the long way home.
On This Page
Overview
Three days is not enough to drive to the Serengeti and back with any real time left over, so this itinerary does not try to. You fly directly from Arusha to the central Serengeti in under an hour, landing in time for your first game drive the same afternoon. Two full days follow on the Serengeti's short-grass and central plains, home to resident lion prides, and the Great Migration herds when they are in the area between roughly December and July.
Rather than fly straight back, you then drive the three hours south to the Ngorongoro Crater rim, adding one of Africa's most concentrated wildlife areas to the trip, before descending onto the crater floor on your final morning. From there, a short flight from the nearby Manyara airstrip returns you to Arusha, so neither direction involves the long Arusha-Serengeti road.
- Two full days of game drives in the central Serengeti, not a single rushed afternoon.
- A private descent into the Ngorongoro Crater on your final morning.
- Both flights included: fly in to the Serengeti, fly out from Ngorongoro's Manyara airstrip.
- A private 4x4 and guide on the ground throughout, no shared vehicle.
- Comfortable mid-range camps in both the Serengeti and on the crater rim, full board.
- All park fees and the Ngorongoro Crater Service Fee already included.
- Day 1: Fly Arusha to the Serengeti, afternoon game drive.
- Day 2: Full day of game drives across the central Serengeti.
- Day 3: Drive to Ngorongoro, crater floor descent, fly out from Manyara to Arusha.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1
Depart Arusha Airport on a scheduled light-aircraft flight to the central Serengeti's Seronera airstrip, roughly 50 minutes flying time with a possible short stop en route.
Your guide meets you at the airstrip and transfers you to your camp, with a game drive built into the drive itself.
Your first proper game drive across the central Serengeti's plains, known for resident lion prides and, in season, the passing migration herds. Overnight at your camp, full board.
Day 2 Full Serengeti Day
An early start while the plains are coolest and predators most active.
Breakfast out on the plains or back at camp, followed by further exploration of the central Serengeti's rivers and kopjes.
A second full game drive as the light softens toward evening. Overnight at your camp, full board.
Day 3 Crater Floor
An early departure for the roughly three-hour drive south to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with a stop at Olduvai Gorge possible along the way.
Descend onto the crater floor for a game drive across the plains, swamps and Lerai Forest, searching for the crater's resident black rhino.
Ascend from the crater and transfer to the nearby Manyara airstrip for your short return flight to Arusha, arriving in the afternoon.
Timings are a guide and flex with the season, road conditions and the wildlife.
Price for 2027 (3 Days, Fly-In / Fly-Out)
Because both flights are a fixed per-person cost, the price falls less steeply with group size than a drive-only safari, though the ground vehicle, guide and crater fee are still shared.
| Group size | 1 | 2 | 3 to 4 | 5 to 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price Adult (USD) | $3,200 | $2,450 | $2,250 | $2,150 |
Per person sharing, 2027 indicative rates including both flights. Northern Serengeti airstrips (for the July to October Mara crossings) are quoted separately, as they add flying time and cost.
Accommodation
Two nights in the central Serengeti at a comfortable mid-range camp, full board, positioned for easy access to the plains and rivers where the resident lion prides are usually found. One night on the Ngorongoro Crater rim at a lodge with views into the caldera, also full board. Upgrades to luxury properties at either stop are available on request.
What's included
- • Return scheduled flights: Arusha to Serengeti, Ngorongoro (Manyara) to Arusha
- • Airstrip transfers on both ends
- • Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof for all ground game drives
- • Professional English-speaking driver-guide
- • 2 nights Serengeti camp + 1 night Ngorongoro rim lodge, full board
- • All Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area park fees
- • Ngorongoro Crater Service Fee (~$295 per vehicle)
- • Bottled water throughout
What's excluded
- • International and domestic flights to/from Arusha or Kilimanjaro
- • Tanzania visa
- • Drinks and beverages beyond meals
- • Tips for your driver-guide and camp staff
- • Travel insurance
- • Personal expenses and souvenirs
- • Olduvai Gorge museum entry fee (optional stop)
What You'll See
Two of the Northern Circuit's best wildlife areas in one short trip: the open plains of the central Serengeti, and the permanent, concentrated wildlife of the Ngorongoro Crater floor.
| Animal | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| Lion | Very high in both the Serengeti and the crater |
| Cheetah | Good on the Serengeti's open plains |
| Leopard | Present in both parks, more visible in the Seronera valley |
| Elephant | Good in both parks |
| Black rhino | Good in the crater, one of Africa's most reliable sites |
| Wildebeest & zebra | Very high, resident year-round and seasonally in vast migration numbers |
| Hippo | Very high in the crater's swamps |
| Flamingo | Seasonal, on the crater's Lake Magadi |
Best Time for This Safari
The central Serengeti holds resident wildlife year-round, so this trip works in any month. If the Great Migration's timing matters to you, the herds are typically in or near the central and southern Serengeti from roughly December to July, moving north from around July to October, when a fly-in to the northern airstrips would be the better choice instead. The Ngorongoro Crater is excellent year-round regardless of the migration's position, since its wildlife does not migrate out.
Good to Know
- Pack a small soft-sided bag within the 15kg limit; leave the rest of your luggage at your Arusha or Zanzibar hotel.
- The crater rim is cold at night and in the early morning, even though the Serengeti days are warm, so bring a layer.
- Want more time on the plains? This trip extends naturally into our 4-day Serengeti fly-in safari with an extra full day.
- Coming from Zanzibar? This itinerary can start and end with flights to and from the coast instead of Arusha.
Frequently asked questions
Justus Kahwa
Plans Serengeti & Ngorongoro Fly-In itineraries on a regular basis, sequencing each around the guest's flights and the season, and would rather send the route that fits than the one already on the shelf. This one includes two full days of game drives in the central Serengeti, not a single rushed afternoon.
