5 Days Big Five Camping Safari
Overview
A 5-day camping safari through Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, and Lake Manyara offers an immersive wilderness experience, allowing you to get close to nature and witness Tanzania’s diverse wildlife in their natural habitats. Throughout the safari, you’ll be accompanied by experienced guides who will enhance your wildlife viewing experience with their knowledge of the local flora and fauna. Camping under the African skies adds an extra dimension to your adventure, allowing you to truly connect with nature and appreciate the beauty of Tanzania’s wilderness.
5 Days, 4 Night Safari Itinerary
DAY 1 – ARUSHA TO TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
The first day of your safari will begin by 8AM in the morning with a pick up from your hotel at Arusha.
Once everyone is aboard, you will head towards Tarangire National Park. The 150 Km drive will be covered in about 3hrs.
The national park is extremely famous and special for its diverse landscape and nine different vegetation zones. As you begin your game drive, you will be welcomed by the ancient and gigantic Baobab trees, which make even animals like the giraffe look tiny.
The game drive goes on till about late afternoon and includes a small stop for a picnic lunch. The 3,000 Sq Kms park gets its name from the Tarangire river that flows through it. The river attracts a lot of diverse animals and you should be able to spot a lot of elephants, giraffe, lions, antelopes and zebra.
If it’s your lucky day, you might be able to spot the tree climbing python and the long necked Gerek. The Tarangire National Park has the highest concentration of elephants, which offers a unique chance for you to observe interactions between elephant families.
Don’t forget to capture this beautiful scenery with your camera ready at hand. Post the game drive, you will head back to your camp/lodge where a delicious dinner awaits you. Have good night’s sleep for tomorrow’s adventure. Dinner and overnight at Twiga Campsite.
DAY 2 – SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
Your day will begin with a healthy breakfast and then head out towards the most famous national park in the world – the Serengeti. Along the way, you shall pass through the Ngorongoro conservation area (NCA) which consists of 2 regions, the highlands and plains.
The terrain gradually transforms from thick mist-shrouded rainforests at the highlands to very dry and dusty plains. Majority of that day’s drive will be in the plains.
Apart from the set schedule, you can also do the optional Masai village tour or visit the Olduvai gorge at an additional cost. The Olduvai Gorge is the famous archeological site where Leakey discovered crucial remains related to the understanding of human evolution.
The overall drive time to Serengeti is about 4hrs depending on what extra optional tours are chosen.
On reaching Serengeti at late noon, you will have your picnic lunch and then experience an en-route game drive just as we cross Naabi hill at the entrance gate of Serengeti National Park.
Post the short game drive, you will have a good night’s rest at your chosen accommodation with a delicious dinner to feast on. The next day holds more action! Dinner and overnight at Seronera Campsite.
DAY 3 – FULL DAY IN SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
Today, after a wholesome breakfast you will have a complete day of game drive in the Serengeti.
The Serengeti, means endless plains in the local African language and watching the grassland stretch out as far as the eye can see and eventually merging with the sky at the horizon is an absolutely breathtaking view.
With an overall land area of 14,763 Sq Kms, It puts our notion about distance to shame. It is the home of the great migration of about 2 million wildebeest every year.
The Serengeti also houses the glorious “Big 5” (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard). Along with the “Big 5”, a very pleasant sighting would be one of Africa’s most beautiful animal – The Impala.
The Serengeti ecosystem supports the greatest remaining concentration of plains game in Africa. You must also look out for the Serengeti “Kopjes” which are massive boulders of granite standing in a sea of grass. They provide ample shelter to a large variety of flora and fauna.
A picnic lunch will done during the day long game drive itself. The action packed day comes to an end with a heavy dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation.Dinner and overnight at Seronera Campsite.
DAY 4 – SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK TO NGORONGORO
Today, after a quick breakfast you will go on an early morning game drive in the Serengeti.
The Serengeti, means endless plains in the local African language and watching the grassland stretch out as far as the eye can see and eventually merging with the sky at the horizon is an absolutely breathtaking view. It puts our notion about distance to shame.
It is the home of the great migration of about 2 million wildebeest every year. The Serengeti also houses the glorious “Big 5” (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard). Along with the “Big 5”, a very pleasant sighting would be one of Africa’s most beautiful animal – The Impala.
The Serengeti ecosystem supports the greatest remaining concentration of plains game in Africa. After completing a half day game drive along with a picnic lunch, we will branch out and head towards the Ngorongoro crater rim.
The eventful day comes to an end with a heavy dinner and a good rest in your choice of accommodation.Get a good rest, for the following day you will descend into the massive crater.Dinner and overnight at Simba Campsite.
DAY 5 – NGORONGORO CRATER TO ARUSHA
On this day of your safari, you will have an early start. Finishing up with a quick breakfast you will make an early descend at around 6:30am into the crater floor.
The Ngorongoro crater is the world’s largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera. It has a massive floor of about 260 sq kms with a depth of over 2000 feet. The 5 hour game drive in the crater floor, will show you a lot of animal action. Keeping the camera ready is definitely recommended.
The African elephant, buffalo, Black rhino, Hippos, Hyenas, Cheetahs and Lions are found in plenty. Post the picnic lunch at the beautiful Hippo pool, you will begin a steep ascend to the top exit of the crater.
This is the last leg of your safari, with a 4hr drive left to Arusha. You will be dropped off to your preferred location at Arusha by 6PM in the evening.
With an incredible experience and loads of memories to cherish, this is the time you bid goodbye to your team.
Included/Exclude
- Pick up and drop off from Kilimanjaro International airport.
- 2 nights of hotel Accommodation before and after safari (breakfast included)
- Transportation in a 4×4 Toyota Land cruiser with pop-up roof
- Professional and Experienced English-speaking safari guide
- All national park fees;
- Overnight stays in tents
- Sleeping tents
- Sleeping mattresses
- Camping equipment like table chairs etc
- Sleeping bag
- Three meals per day on safari;
- Bottled drinking water throughout the tour
- International Flights
- Personal spending money for souvenirs etc
- Alcoholic and soft drinks
- Travel insurance
- Visa fees
- Optional activities
- Tips and gratuities to driver/Safari guide
