Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater Safari - Self-Launched Edition
5 days · Tanzania
Serengeti African Tours charges £1,450
No-markup version: ~£745 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of the classic 5-day northern Tanzania safari loop — Tarangire, Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater — booked independently from Arusha. Rather than a fully guided private group tour, you join a shared camping/budget-lodge safari departure (widely sold by Arusha operators and bookable directly or via GetYourGuide/Backpackers' hostels), or self-organise the same parks using public transport plus a shared 4WD with other travellers. Costs below assume a shared camping safari (the backpacker-standard option) with park fees paid at the gates; expect roughly £50-90/day extra if you want a mid-range lodge instead of camping. All figures are approximate estimates in GBP and vary hugely with season (Jul-Oct and Dec-Feb are peak and priciest).
Day-by-day
Arusha to Tarangire National Park
Tarangire National Park
Arrive/start in Arusha. Most budget safari departures collect you from your Arusha hostel or from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) — the airport shuttle to Arusha town costs roughly £8-15 per person by shared shuttle or public bus. Drive out to Tarangire National Park (about 2 hours), pay your park entry, and spend the afternoon on a game drive among the famous baobabs and huge elephant herds. Picnic lunch at the Tarangire River picnic site where wildlife often wanders past. Overnight in a tented camp or budget lodge near Karatu/Mto wa Mbu.
🚌Shared 4WD safari vehicle from Arusha (~2 hrs); JRO airport shuttle from ~£8
🛏Budget tented camp or guesthouse near Karatu / Mto wa Mbu (shared safari camping approx. £15-25 pp including dinner)
- →Shared game drive in Tarangire National Park
- →Picnic lunch at Tarangire River picnic site
- →Elephant and baobab spotting
Across the Rift Valley to the Serengeti
Serengeti National Park (Seronera)
Early start and a long drive north-west through Karatu, up the Rift Valley escarpment and through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area gate (you pay transit/entry fees as you pass), with a stop at a viewpoint over the crater. Continue to Seronera in the central Serengeti for an afternoon game drive — leopard, lion and the Seronera River wildlife corridor are the highlights. Overnight in a public campsite inside or just outside the park (basic but atmospheric; listen for hyenas at night).
🚌Shared 4WD safari vehicle, ~5-6 hrs driving between parks
🛏Public campsite in the Serengeti (Seronera area) or nearby budget camp, approx. £15-25 pp
- →Transit through Ngorongoro Conservation Area
- →Afternoon game drive around Seronera
- →Rift Valley escarpment viewpoint stop
Serengeti sunrise game drive, then on to Ngorongoro
Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Out at dawn for the best predator activity — self-drive or shared-vehicle game drives are allowed on the Serengeti's marked tracks, and dawn is when the big cats are on the move. Return for brunch, then drive out of the park with an afternoon game drive en route, heading to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area rim or nearby Karatu for the night. Optionally visit a Maasai village or the Olduvai Gorge museum on the way (small extra fee).
🚌Shared 4WD safari vehicle, ~4 hrs including game drive
🛏Budget camp or guesthouse on the Ngorongoro rim / Karatu, approx. £20-30 pp
- →Dawn game drive in Serengeti
- →Afternoon game drive en route
- →Optional Olduvai Gorge museum or Maasai village visit
Descend into Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Crater
Early breakfast and an early descent into the crater — one of the best wildlife arenas in Africa and the easiest place to tick off all of the Big Five in a single morning. Game drive across the crater floor, stop at Lake Magadi for the flamingo flocks and hippo pools, and picnic at the designated site (beware the very bold black kites). Ascend by mid-afternoon. Overnight back towards Karatu/Mto wa Mbu or Arusha.
🚌Shared 4WD safari vehicle; 4WD descent into the crater
🛏Budget guesthouse or camp near Mto wa Mbu / Karatu, approx. £15-25 pp
- →Guided/self-drive game drive on the crater floor
- →Lake Magadi flamingo and hippo viewing
- →Picnic lunch in the crater
Final game drive and return to Arusha
Tarangire / Arusha
Breakfast and a last game drive (some departures re-enter Tarangire or do a shorter drive nearer Arusha), picnic lunch, then transfer back to Arusha town for around mid-afternoon. Spend the evening in Arusha — the Arusha Backpackers or similar hostels are the classic solo-traveller base for onward trips to Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar ferries or flights from JRO.
🚌Shared 4WD back to Arusha (~2-3 hrs); optional Arusha hostel transfer
🛏Not included — Arusha hostel approx. £10-18 pp if you stay the night
- →Morning game drive
- →Picnic lunch
- →Return transfer to Arusha
Self-launched vs. Serengeti African Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Serengeti African Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£745 | £1,450 |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £705 per person (49%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Serengeti African Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£745
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater Safari - Self-Launched Edition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £745 per person for 5 days in Tanzania. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Serengeti African Tours?+
Yes — Serengeti African Tours charges around £1,450 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £745 — a saving of roughly £705 (49%) per person.
How long is the Tanzania trip?+
This itinerary runs 5 days, covering 5 day-by-day stops through Tanzania.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, wildlife, budget trip through Tanzania, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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