3-Day Safari From Dar es Salaam - Compare 161 Tours

4.8/5 – 2,029 Tanzania Reviews

Dar es Salaam is a fun and fascinating city to explore in its own right, but it also puts you in an excellent position for exploring the amazing wildlife destinations in Tanzania’s south. On a 3-day safari from Dar es Salaam, you’ll be traveling to your destination on day 1 and returning on day 3. That means you have 2 nights and 1 full day on safari, plus part of 2 other days. This is certainly enough to get a taste of one of the fantastic national parks in southern Tanzania. So start planning what animals you want to see and where you’d like to go. Then get ready for a wonderful safari experience.

1-20 of 161 results. Rankings are based on performance, relevance and payment. Learn more

4 Questions About 3-Day Safaris From Dar es Salaam

Expert

Answered by

Anthony Ham

Anthony has written numerous Lonely Planet guidebooks, including ‘Tanzania’ and ‘East Africa’. He writes about Tanzania and the wider region for magazines and newspapers worldwide. He is also the author of ‘The Last Lions of Africa’, part of which is set in southern Tanzania.
› More about Anthony

Where can I go on a 3-day safari from Dar es Salaam?

“With 3 days, you should have enough time to visit Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve) or Mikumi National Park. These are two of the best parks for wildlife and wild landscapes in East Africa. Nyerere is a fantastic place to see lion, elephant, hippo, crocodile, zebra and giraffe, and so much more. You can also enjoy some time on the Rufiji River on a boat safari. Mikumi is similarly good with many of the same animals, and its floodplains are often compared to the Serengeti. If you’d like to combine wildlife with a coastal location, you could consider Saadani National Park, although this would realistically only take up a day or two. Saadani is probably best suited to a shorter safari. If you’re willing and able to fly, you could, in theory, fly to any park in Tanzania. However, you won’t find many cheap or affordable safari options of this kind.”

Is a fly-in safari recommended for a 3-day safari from Dar es Salaam?

“Flying can be an excellent way to make the most of your time on a 3-day safari from Dar es Salaam. By flying directly from the city into one of the national parks, you get there in the quickest way possible. This usually means flying into an airstrip in, or close to, the national park in a small plane. You will also get to enjoy some fantastic views on the way, turning your transfer into a scenic flight (and possibly a highlight of your trip). The downside of a fly-in safari is the cost. Flying can be very expensive, which means that the per-day cost of your safari will be high. In this sense, flying is not a very cheap or affordable way to get around for many travelers. If instead you travel by road, you’ll get to see more of the country in an entirely different way, with lots of vignettes of local life along the way.”

What animals can I expect to see?

“The animals you see will vary depending on which park you visit during your 3 days. If you visit Mikumi National Park or Nyerere National Park, there’s a good chance that you might see lion, elephant, zebra, giraffe, hippo and crocodile. Other big cats and, in Nyerere, African wild dog, may be unlikely in just 3 days but they are in the parks and certainly possible. Nyerere also has the Rufiji River, which means you’ll almost certainly see lots of birds as well. If you include Saadani National Park on your trip, watch out for hippo, crocodile, giraffe, elephant and Lichtenstein’s hartebeest. If you’re very lucky, you may even see a lion or two. In Saadani, it’s also about the location and the chance to see many of these animals right by the Indian Ocean.”

How much does a 3-day trip from Dar es Salaam cost?

“With so many different tours and packages to choose from for your 3-day safari, it can be difficult to be precise about prices. If you’re on a budget camping safari and you travel to (and around) the parks by road, you might be able to arrange a budget safari for around US$100 to US$150 per person per day. If you’re paying this little, it’s possible that you’ll need to help with camp chores that might include cooking, washing up, and setting up and taking down tents. If you choose a fly-in safari, prices should start at around US$350 to US$400 per person per day, but this could go significantly higher if you pay for luxury overnight accommodation, especially in high season (June to October). And if you go on a private safari (where you’ll pay for the guide, vehicle and driver all by yourself) rather than a group safari (where these costs are shared), you could pay even more. Make sure that you understand what is included in any quoted price from a safari company. Transfers, guide, driver, game drives, food and some drinks, park entry fees and accommodation (including, where applicable, camping equipment) should all be included, but always ask.”

Tanzania Reviews

4.8/5 2,029 Reviews

Expert

Gemma Pitcher –

Gemma authored several Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guides to Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.

Africa as I pictured it

5/5

I still remember the first picture of Africa I saw when I was a kid. Vast, stretching plains of undulating yellow grass, broken only by flat-topped acacia trees and the odd strolling giraffe, all set beneath the dome of a perfect blue sky....

Full Review

Expert

Mike Unwin –

Mike is an award-winning wildlife writer, former editor of Travel Zambia magazine and author of the Bradt Guide to Southern African Wildlife.

Endless Space

5/5

While Kenya may be the African destination most synonymous with safaris, Tanzania – its larger neighbour – boasts Africa’s single most famous park, and arguably offers even more than Kenya in terms of variety and quantity of wildlife....

Full Review

Matthieu Rodmacq –

Reviewed: Dec 14, 2025

Amazing country which offers the best of wildlife watching !

5/5

I went on a safari for a whole week, including the visit of the following parks : Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro. We had the opportunity to see so many different animals, including the famous "big five" but also a lot of...

Full Review

Stefano Mencacci –

Reviewed: Dec 11, 2025

It has been a fantastic experience. Wonderful places, big organization, very professional tour guide

5/5

The Safari Explorer tour operator was exceptional from the moment we booked the trip. They assist and guide you with great professionalism, striving to offer you a personalized and unique experience. The safari was exceptional; the...

Full Review

Paul –

Reviewed: Dec 7, 2025

The Northern Tanzanian Parks are every bit as good as they were during my first visit 50 years ago

5/5

Our family safari with African Big Cats was wonderful. We stayed the first night in a tented camp in Tarangire where we had to wait for 20 minutes for a bull elephant to get out if a way, On the 9 drive we saw 8 species that we never saw...

Full Review

Brenda –

Reviewed: Dec 6, 2025

The most incredible travel destination if you are looking for the trip of a lifetime!

5/5

Tanzania is where all the animals are! There are so many possible destinations for a safari and it is an overwhelming decision, but it doesn’t need to be. If you are looking for: polite, friendly, welcoming people, fantastic weather, a...

Full Review

All 2029 Tanzania Reviews

Your Safari

Tour Length

Rates in USD $ – Change Currency

Starting From

Comfort Level

Private or Shared Tour

Safari Type

Operator Rating

Specialized Tours

Other Tour Features

Filter by Operator

Filter by Accommodation

Operators From

3-Day Safari From Dar es Salaam - Compare 161 Tours

3-Day Mikumi Park and Maasai Village

3-Day From Dar Es Salaam Tarangire, Ngorongoro & Manyara

3-Day Selous (Nyerere NP) Boat & Game Drive

3-Day Selous (Nyerere NP) Boat, Game & Walking Safari

3-Day Serengeti Fly-in Safari-Mid-Range

3-Day Private Safari to Nyerere National Park

3-Day Gombe Chimpanzee Trekking from Dar Es Salaam Tour

3-Day Best of Mikumi National Park

3-Day Dar Er Salaam to Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Manyara

3-Day Nyerere Safari with Selous Kinga Camp

3-Day Affordable Mikumi & Nyerere Iconic Safari

3-Day Fly in out Dar Tarangire Ngorongoro & Manyara Znz

3-Day Saadani National Park and Boat Safari Experiences

3-Day Explore Mikumi Wildlife & Scenic Views by Train

3-Day Budget Mikumi Safari Adventure - Wildlife & Maasai

3-Day Selous Boat, Game Drive & Walking Safari Adventure

3-Day Wonderful Mikumi NP plus Night Game Drive

3-Day Chimpanzee Trek, Gombe Park

3-Day 2 Nights Mikumi Safari by Train – Luxury Stay

3-Day Mikumi National Park on Days Safari Escape

Related Searches

4 Questions About 3-Day Safaris From Dar es Salaam

Answered by

Anthony Ham

4 Questions About 3-Day Safaris From Dar es Salaam

Where can I go on a 3-day safari from Dar es Salaam?

Is a fly-in safari recommended for a 3-day safari from Dar es Salaam?

What animals can I expect to see?

How much does a 3-day trip from Dar es Salaam cost?

Tanzania Reviews

Africa as I pictured it

Endless Space

Amazing country which offers the best of wildlife watching !

It has been a fantastic experience. Wonderful places, big organization, very professional tour guide

The Northern Tanzanian Parks are every bit as good as they were during my first visit 50 years ago

The most incredible travel destination if you are looking for the trip of a lifetime!