Serengeti Safari Packages3 Day Serengeti and Ngorongoro Safari
This 3 day Serengeti and Ngorongoro safari from Season Master Adventures costs $900 per person and covers Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the crater floor in a 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof. All park fees are in the price, along with full board meals, a safari chef and two nights camping at Tumbili and Simba public campsites. The group is capped at 12 participants and pickup runs from 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM in Arusha. This page breaks down what the $900 covers, what you pay on top, and who should look at a different listing. Compare it with the other Serengeti safari packages compared.
About This Tour
Season Master Adventures runs this small-group camping safari out of Arusha. Day 1 drives to the Serengeti for a first game drive and a night at Tumbili public campsite. Day 2 starts with an early game drive and moves to Simba public campsite on the Ngorongoro crater rim. Day 3 is a game drive on the crater floor with a picnic lunch before the drive back.
The trip uses a 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof, and a professional English-speaking driver-guide travels with a safari chef. Reviewers mention about 6 hours on the road from Arusha to the Serengeti, so this is a road safari, not a fly-in one.
$900 per person. It covers the vehicle, the guide, the chef, full board meals with bottled drinking water, camping gear and all park fees: entry, transit, concession and camping fees plus the crater service fee.
3 days, 2 nights. Pickup from 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM on day 1 and drop-off in Arusha from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM on day 3.
Pickup at your Arusha accommodation. Free pickup covers Arusha city centre hotels, and a private transfer is extra for hotels farther out.
Two nights in tents with sleeping mattresses: Tumbili public campsite in the Serengeti, then Simba public campsite in Ngorongoro.
Travel, accident and medical insurance, tips for the driver-guide and airport transfers (available on request, price not stated). The optional balloon safari costs extra, amount not stated.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. Reserve now and pay later is available.
Check Dates and Availability
The listing sells shared departures limited to 12 participants, so dates can fill. Cancel free up to 24 hours before departure.
Quick answer Price, fees and what to expect
This 3 day Serengeti and Ngorongoro safari costs $900 per person for 3 days with 2 nights camping, and all park fees including the crater service fee are included.
Key takeaways
- The group is limited to 12 participants in a 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof, and free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure.
- Expect basic sanitary facilities at the public campsites and about 6 hours on the road from Arusha. Pack wipes and a headlamp, or compare the 4-day camping safari with two Serengeti nights.
- The balloon is optional and its price is not shown on the listing. See the same camps with an optional balloon in a group of 7.
- Not sure how this compares? Browse the full range of Serengeti safari packages.
What the Price Actually Covers
The listing names its inclusions clearly, which is more than many listings do. Here is the line by line picture from the operator's own text.
Included in the $900
The price covers road transport in a 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof, a professional English-speaking driver-guide and a safari chef, full board meals with bottled drinking water, two nights in tents with sleeping mattresses, and all park fees. That last point matters: the operator names entry, transit, concession and camping fees and the crater service fee, so there is no surprise fee queue at the gate.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Park fees | Yes | Entry, transit, concession and camping fees plus the crater service fee, all named as included |
| Meals | Yes | Full board with bottled drinking water. A chef cooks. Day 2 and day 3 lunches are picnics |
| Accommodation | Yes | 2 nights in tents with sleeping mattresses at Tumbili and Simba public campsites |
| Vehicle and guide | Yes | 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, English-speaking driver-guide |
| Flights | No | No flights in the itinerary. All travel is by road |
| Insurance | No | Travel, accident and medical insurance is excluded and highly recommended |
| Tips | No | Tips for the driver-guide are not included |
| Airport transfers | No | Available on request, price not stated |
| Balloon safari | No | Optional extra, price not shown on the page |
| Visa and Arusha hotel nights | No | Not mentioned in the inclusions |
What You Budget on Top
Tips are the main extra. Tanzania Specialist suggests $10 per day per person in your group for a driver-guide, and Duma Explorer suggests $50 per vehicle per day shared among passengers. A single-entry tourist visa is listed at $50 and a multiple-entry visa at $100.
The operator recommends travel, accident and medical insurance and does not provide it. If your hotel sits outside the free Arusha pickup area, a private transfer costs extra, amount not stated.
- Tips for the driver-guide, amount set by you
- Travel, accident and medical insurance
- Airport transfers on request, price not stated
- Private transfer from outside the free pickup area
- Optional balloon safari, price not stated
- Tanzania visa, $50 single entry or $100 multiple entry per SafariFind
Lionesses on a rock near Seronera. Photo: Christoph Strässler, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Route Day by Day
The listing's own itinerary runs Arusha to the Serengeti, then the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the crater floor, then back to Arusha. All travel is by road in the same Land Cruiser.
The Three Days
Pickup runs from 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM at your Arusha accommodation. Reviewers put the drive to the Serengeti at about 6 hours, so day 1 is mostly road time with a first game drive on arrival and a night at Tumbili public campsite. Day 2 opens with an early game drive in the Serengeti, then the vehicle heads back through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to Simba public campsite on the crater rim.
Day 3 descends to the crater floor for a game drive with a picnic lunch, then climbs out for the drive back. Drop-off is from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM at your Arusha accommodation or Arusha Airport.
| Day | Route | Night at |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arusha pickup from 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM, road drive to Serengeti National Park, first game drive | Tumbili public campsite, Serengeti |
| Day 2 | Early game drive in the Serengeti, road transfer to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area | Simba public campsite, Ngorongoro |
| Day 3 | Game drive on the Ngorongoro Crater floor with a picnic lunch, road return | Drop-off in Arusha from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM |
Wildlife You Can Expect
The listing brands this a Big Five safari, and the parks hold the animals for it. Wikipedia counts more than 3,000 lions and about 1,000 leopards in the wider Serengeti ecosystem, and the crater floor covers 260 km² and is home to black rhino. No operator can promise a sighting though.
The animals and the rain decide what you see on the day. The crater is 610 metres deep and its floor sits at 1,800 metres above sea level, so mornings up on the rim are cold. Read more in the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park guides.
Who This Trip Rules Out
This is a budget camping trip with long road days. Some travellers should book a different listing, and each one is linked below.
Limits Stated by the Operator
The listing states the trip is not suitable for pregnant women. There is no stated age limit, and the listing shows 'Wheelchair accessible', which is worth confirming with the operator before you book a camping safari. The group is limited to 12 participants, so it stays small but is a shared trip, not private.
- Not suitable for pregnant women
- Camping comfort: public campsites with basic sanitary facilities that reviewers mention
- About 6 hours on the road from Arusha to the Serengeti on day 1
- No minimum age stated, no stated difficulty
Look at These Instead
If public campsite showers put you off, the 4-day mid-range safari sleeps in lodges and camps for $1,750 per person. If you want the same camps with an optional balloon and a smaller group, the 3-day safari with balloon runs from the same operator with 7 participants. If two Serengeti nights appeal more than one, the 4-day camping safari adds a full Serengeti day for $950.
And if a shorter drive matters, the fly-in safari lands in the Serengeti on day 1. Compare every option on the Serengeti safari packages homepage.
A black rhinoceros at Ngorongoro. Photo: Yoky, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Season, Fees and Paperwork
The figures here come from park authority tariffs, the migration calendar and Tanzania entry guidance, not from the operator.
When to Go and Where the Herds Are
SafariBookings puts the Serengeti dry season at June to October and the wet season at November to May, with the heaviest rain in March and April. High season runs July to March. The migration moves with the rain on a loop through the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem with more than 1.5 million wildebeest per Wikipedia.
Sources differ on the calendar, so treat these windows as rough. Calving around Ndutu is put at January to March or December through May, the Western Corridor at April to May or May to July, and Mara River crossings at July to September or July to October. On 3 days you stay in the Serengeti and the crater, so time your expectations to the season.
More detail in the Great Migration and best time to visit Serengeti guides.
Fees That Would Apply Without This Package
Because this tour includes all park fees, you pay none at the gate. For context, the TANAPA tariff for the latest published season sets the Serengeti conservation fee for non-East African adults at $70 per day in peak season (16 May to 14 March) and $60 in the low season (15 March to 15 May), VAT exclusive. Another source quotes $82.60 high season and $70.80 low season including 18% VAT.
Children aged 5 to 15 pay $20 per day and under 5s are free. Concession fees for overnight visitors run $60 July to September and $50 October to June per adult per night on the tariff, while Duma Explorer quotes $71.
| Fee | Tariff figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Serengeti conservation fee, adult | $70 peak, $60 low season | VAT exclusive, TANAPA tariff 2023/24. Another source gives $82.60 and $70.80 with 18% VAT |
| Serengeti conservation fee, child 5 to 15 | $20 per day | Under 5 free |
| Serengeti concession fee, adult per night | $60 July to September, $50 October to June | Tariff, VAT exclusive. Duma Explorer quotes $71 |
| Tanzania visa | $50 single entry, $100 multiple entry | Per SafariFind. Duma Explorer says US passport holders pay $100 for a multiple-entry visa |
Health, Paperwork and Packing
Check the Tanzania visa rules before you fly. Ask your travel clinic about yellow fever certificates and malaria prophylaxis. The operator excludes medical insurance.
Pack warm layers, because Expert Africa says warm clothing matters most for the crater and the Serengeti from June to the end of August, and khaki and green tones, since bright colours are not allowed on the listing. Bring sunscreen, insect repellent, wipes and a headlamp for the campsites. The full checklist is in the safari packing list.
Sources: SafariBookings, TANAPA tariff, SafariFind, Expert Africa
Day by Day Itinerary
The stages below follow the listing's own itinerary with its stated pickup and drop-off windows.
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6:00 AM to 7:00 AM
Pickup in Arusha
A Land Cruiser collects you at your Arusha accommodation. Free pickup covers city centre hotels, and a private transfer costs extra from farther out.
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Morning to afternoon
The road to the Serengeti
About 6 hours of driving, per reviewers, with stops on the way. Bring snacks and water beyond the bottled water provided.
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Afternoon
First game drive
Enter Serengeti National Park, 14,763 km² of plains and kopjes, and start game viewing from the pop-up roof. Sightings depend on the day.
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Night 1
Tumbili public campsite
A chef cooks dinner at camp. Facilities are basic, so wipes and a headlamp help.
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Day 2, early
Early game drive
The best light and the most active hours. Wikipedia counts more than 3,000 lions in the ecosystem, but nothing is guaranteed.
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Day 2, afternoon
Transfer to Ngorongoro
Drive out of the Serengeti into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area with a picnic lunch. Night 2 is at Simba public campsite on the crater rim, where it gets cold.
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Day 3, morning to afternoon
Crater floor game drive
Descend into the crater, which is 610 metres deep, for a game drive on a floor of 260 km² with a picnic lunch.
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5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Return to Arusha
Climb out of the crater and drive back. Drop-off is at your Arusha accommodation or Arusha Airport.
Pros and Cons
An honest read of the listing, including the points reviewers raise.
What we genuinely like
- All park fees are named as included: entry, transit, concession, camping and the crater service fee, so no gate surprises
- A safari chef cooks full board meals with bottled drinking water
- Small group capped at 12 participants in a pop-up roof Land Cruiser
- 4.8 rating from 70 verified GetYourGuide bookings
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure and reserve now, pay later
- Drop-off at Arusha Airport or your accommodation is stated
The honest downsides
- About 6 hours on the road from Arusha to the Serengeti on day 1, per reviewers. Fix: leave on the early end of the pickup window and plan the day around it
- Basic sanitary facilities at the public campsites, per reviewers. Fix: pack wet wipes, a headlamp and a quick-dry towel
- The optional balloon safari is listed but its price is not shown, so ask the operator before you count on it
- Insurance, tips and airport transfers are not included and are budgeted separately
- Not suitable for pregnant women, and one Serengeti night is short for the drive involved
Who it's NOT for: Travellers who need lodge beds, private vehicles or a short drive on day 1 should book a lodge, private or fly-in listing instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does this 3 day Serengeti and Ngorongoro safari cost?
The price is $900 per person for 3 days and 2 nights camping, and it includes all park fees, full board meals and a chef. The lowest-priced listing in the catalog is the 3-day camping safari from Suricata Safaris at $770 per person, but that listing does not state whether park fees are included, so ask before booking.
Are park and crater fees included in the $900?
Yes. The operator names entry, transit, concession and camping fees plus the crater service fee as included, which is unusual and valuable. For comparison, the 4-day camping safari lists entrance fees as included too, while several other listings leave fees unstated.
Can I add a hot air balloon flight to this trip?
The listing shows a balloon safari as an option but does not show its price, so ask the operator directly. The same operator runs the 3-day safari with balloon with an optional flight on day 2 in a group of 7, and there is a standalone Serengeti balloon safari listed at $599 per person.
Is this trip suitable for families with children?
No minimum age is stated and infants are not addressed on the listing, so confirm with the operator. The trip is a shared 12-person camping safari with about 6 hours of driving on day 1, and it is not suitable for pregnant women. If lodge beds suit your family better, see the 4-day mid-range safari.
What are the campsites like?
You sleep in tents with sleeping mattresses at Tumbili public campsite in the Serengeti and Simba public campsite on the Ngorongoro rim, and reviewers mention basic sanitary facilities. Pack wipes and a headlamp, and read the safari packing list for the full kit.
When is the best time for this safari?
The dry season runs June to October and high season runs July to March, per SafariBookings, while March and April bring the heaviest rain. The migration moves with the rain, and on this route you stay in the Serengeti and the crater. The best time to visit Serengeti guide breaks down the months.
How does cancellation work?
You can cancel free up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and reserve now, pay later is available. That is more flexible than the 5-day private safari from Kilimanjaro Airport, where all sales are final. Compare terms across all Serengeti safari tours before you commit.
What Travelers Said
We had an amazing time. We saw all the animals and some of them very close. The guide was very friendly, informative and helpful. The food was delicious and the tents were spacious. If you like camping and seeing Tanzania’s national parks, this trip is for you!
We were amazed about all the animals we saw. All big five plus many more. Extremely competent guide and driver and cook. The food was always plenty and delicious. Absolutely recommebdable!
Great experience! Way above my expectations, everything was up to schedule. Have a great time in serengueti and Ngorongoro
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