Tour Length
Rates in USD $ – Change Currency
Per person, excl. international flightsOperator Rating
Other Tour Features
Filter by Operator
Filter by Accommodation
3-Day Tanzania Safari Tours
A Tanzanian safari is an experience of a lifetime, but a 3-day safari is short. You’ll only be away for 2 nights. But even within these time constraints, you’ll be making precious memories, especially if you plan your limited time carefully. Whether you’re a seasoned African traveler or you’re looking into booking a safari for the first time, Tanzania has something for everybody. Even more so than on a longer safari, you’ll have to make choices. Decide what you really want from the safari and make decisions based on that. To save time, a fly-in safari might be a good choice, but driving to your destination, though slower, is not necessarily a waste of time. It is a great way to see the Tanzanian way of life in the villages and towns.
-
Best Seller
3-Day Luxury Safari in Manyara, Ngorongoro and Tarangire
$1,342 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Lake Manyara NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire NP, Arusha (End)
Amshar Serengeti Adventures
5.0/5 – 66 Reviews
-
Best Seller
3-Day Luxury Fly in, Fly out Safari
$2,145 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Central Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Safari Soles
5.0/5 – 246 Reviews
-
3-Day Luxury Fly in Tour to Serengeti and Ngorongoro
$2,512 to $2,981 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Central Serengeti, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Highlands, Arusha (End)
EATL Tour Company
5.0/5 – 9 Reviews
-
Top Rated Operator
3-Day Essence of Tanzania - Luxury
$1,380 to $1,930 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Unlimited Expeditions: The Soul of Tanzania
4.9/5 – 438 Reviews
-
Top Rated Operator
3-Day Zanzibar to Ngorongoro, Tarangire & Hadzabe Safari
$1,551 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Eyasi, Zanzibar (End)
Serengeti Wakanda Tours and Safaris
5.0/5 – 474 Reviews
-
3-Day Golden Safari and Cultural Tour Experience
$1,012 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Lake Eyasi, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Full Package Adventures
5.0/5 – 61 Reviews
-
3-Day Tarangire, Ngorongoro & Manyara Impressive Safari
$950 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Professional Safaris
5.0/5 – 55 Reviews
-
3-Day Unique 2 Nights 3 Days Northern and Central
$1,895 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Tented CampYou Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Northern Serengeti NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Mountain Warriors Tours and Safaris
5.0/5 – 75 Reviews
-
Top Rated Operator
3-Day Comfortable Safari for Children
$1,683 to $1,760 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Benson Safaris Tanzania
4.9/5 – 219 Reviews
-
3-Day The Best of Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Manyara
$1,073 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Ozon Light Tours
5.0/5 – 70 Reviews
-
3-Day Safari to Nyerere National Park Safari
$715 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLodge
You Visit: Dar Es Salaam (Start), Nyerere NP, Dar Es Salaam (End)
Bujo Tours
5.0/5 – 55 Reviews
-
Top Rated Operator
3-Day Wildlife and Cultural Experience in Tanzania
$1,071 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Lake Eyasi, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Serengeti Smile
5.0/5 – 209 Reviews
-
3-Day Serengeti Fly-in with Ngorongoro Crater
$1,584 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Central Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Serengeti Mystery Adventures
4.8/5 – 22 Reviews
-
3-Day Fascinating Tanzania Tour Mid - Range
$1,470 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Moshi (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Kilimanjaro Airport, Moshi (End)
Serengeti Morning Dew
5.0/5 – 11 Reviews
-
3-Day Winter Wildebeest Migration (December to February)
$1,361 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Southern Serengeti, Ndutu (Southern Serengeti), Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Tanzania Wildheart Adventures
5.0/5 – 14 Reviews
-
3-Day Lodge Safari in Serengeti, Ngorongoro
$1,298 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Central Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Mashindiko Adventure
5.0/5 – 22 Reviews
-
3-Day Serengeti & Ngorongoro Luxury Fly in from Zanzibar
$2,035 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar (End)
Lekobe Adventures Safaris
5.0/5 – 15 Reviews
-
3-Day Unforgettable Experience in Nyerere National Park
$660 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Dar Es Salaam (Start), Nyerere NP, Dar Es Salaam (End)
Widman Tours & Safari
4.7/5 – 24 Reviews
-
3-Day Basic Tanzania Express Safari
$2,086 to $2,097 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara NP, Arusha (End)
Orege Safari & Tours
5.0/5 – 5 Reviews
-
Top Rated Operator
3-Day Camping in Serengeti and Ngorongoro
$1,296 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourCamping
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha (End)
Shemeji Safari Tanzania
4.8/5 – 282 Reviews
5 Questions About 3-Day Tanzania Safaris
Answered by
Ariadne van Zandbergen
Ariadne is a renowned Africa expert. She and her husband write and update many Bradt guides together, including the 'Tanzania' guide. She first visited Tanzania 25 years ago, and returns to visit the parks and reserves at least every three to four years. She has led several group safaris in Tanzania.› More about Ariadne
5 Questions About 3-Day Tanzania Safaris
Is a 3-day Tanzania trip too short?
“A 3-day safari is very short, but whether it is too short depends on your expectations. If you have the option, I would definitely recommend adding a few extra days. More time gives you a chance to settle in and really immerse yourself in the bush experience. However, if time or budget constraints push towards a short trip, I would say a shorter safari is better than no safari at all. Three days will give you an opportunity to get out there and get a feel for what it is all about. And hopefully you’ll be able to return someday with more time on your hands. It is never a good idea to try and fit too much into a safari, and this is especially true on a 3-day safari. Remember to take into account that quite a bit of your time will be taken up by getting to and from your start and end points. So long as you are realistic on what you can achieve on a safari of that duration, it is surely worth going.”
1What can I fit in during a 3-day safari in Tanzania?
“There are many 3-day safaris on offer in Tanzania, so you do have choices on what you can fit into your safari. As you will be away for only 2 nights, I would recommend sleeping both nights in the same location. The most-popular option for a holiday involving a 3-day Tanzanian safari is the Northern circuit. This comprises four parks: Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara National Park and Tarangire National Park. To visit all four parks in 3 days is technically possible, but certainly not recommended. A more realistic option would be to visit the world-famous Serengeti and drop into the Ngorongoro Crater en route. Alternatively, Lake Manyara and Tarangire are both close to Arusha National Park, and either could be combined with a visit to the Ngorongoro Crater on a 3-day safari. There are some 3-day safari options in the south of the country as well. Either Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve) or Ruaha National Park can be visited on its own as a stand-alone fly-in safari from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar. Mikumi National Park can be visited on a short road safari. The drive from Dar es Salaam takes about 5 hours each way.”
2What kind of accommodation can I expect?
“Tanzania has an established tourism industry, and it offers a large range of accommodation options. There are lots of budget camping tours available. This is not only the most budget-friendly way to travel, but it is the best way to really immerse yourself in the environment. A step up from this in terms of comfort would be a budget lodge tour. These budget accommodation options often lie outside the parks, but safari operators routinely use them as a base for game drives. All the popular parks have some mid-range options as well. These are usually larger, no-frills hotels in and outside the parks and reserves. Going up the scale even more are luxury accommodation options. On a short safari, these high-end lodgings are commonly used on fly-in safari packages. Great food and service are the norm, but the style differs greatly. Many are small designer ecolodges, often made to blend into the environment. If you want to do a Tanzanian safari in style, this might be the right choice for you.”
3Which animals can I expect to see?
“Tanzania has an incredible wealth of wildlife, and which animals you may see will largely be determined by which parks you visit. All popular parks have a good variety of safari animals. However, the parks and reserves all have distinct differences in terrain, and this is reflected in the wildlife that is commonly encountered in each of them. If you don’t mind a lot of driving, it is possible to visit the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater on a 3-day road safari. This combination gives you a reasonable chance of seeing all the Big Five in a short time. Ngorongoro is the only reliable park in Tanzania to see black rhino in the wild. The Serengeti and the Crater are both good for predators, and lions are particularly easy to find in both. Spotting a leopard on a 3-day safari is a bit trickier, but you never know your luck. To reduce driving time, you could fly in and out of the Serengeti and skip on the Ngorongoro Crater and its rhinos, or drive one way via the Crater and fly the other. A 3-day trip to Ruaha or Nyerere in the south can be very productive. Predator sightings are more hit-and-miss, but you’ve a very good chance of seeing lion. The southern parks are known for wild dog, and Ruaha has a large variety of unusual antelope species, including the impressive greater kudu.”
4How much will this safari cost?
“It is difficult to put an actual price on a 3-day safari, as so many variables must be factored in. Expect a starting price of US$600 per person for a budget camping tour, going up to about US$1,000 per person for a mid-range lodge tour. Luxury tours are more expensive. You’re more likely to get a good deal when traveling in the low season. Once you have decided on your priorities, get a few quotes. Tanzania’s parks and reserves are some of Africa’s best, and being able to visit them is an incredible experience. Unsurprisingly, however, you will pay a premium for the privilege. Accommodation options range from budget to mid-range to luxury. Camping is a great way to reduce costs, assuming you don’t mind the basic facilities, and it will bring you closer to nature. The price of a safari also depends on whether you book a private or a group tour. There are many 3-day road safaris on offer, but with such limited time, you might want to consider a fly-in safari. This is usually more expensive than a road safari.”
5Tanzania Reviews
Stephen is a travel writer and avid conservationist whose work appears in prestigious magazines such as Africa Geographic and Travel Africa.
Much More than a Migration Destination
For me, Tanzania is a country of two halves. Both hemispheres have been richly endowed with natural beauty and plentiful wildlife, but there are some big differences when it comes to the type of safari experience you’re looking for. The...
Mary is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including South Africa, Tanzania, East Africa and Africa.
Tanzania – Classic African Safari Destination
Few areas of the continent offer the amount, variety and accessibility of wildlife that Tanzania does, against such a scenic backdrop. Wildlife is abundant, species diversity excellent, and evocative acacia- and baobab-studded landscapes...
Amazing!
Absolutely loved my day safari at Mikumi Park! It was a one-day trip from Dar es Salaam, and it exceeded all expectations. Huge thanks to the agency for their flexibility and accommodating all our special requests, like starting the tour at...
Unforgettable!
Our safari was great. At the airport, after resolving a few small problems, we were picked up by the driver and taken to Arusha to a good hotel to spend the night and agree on the Safari that would start the next day. We had booked the...
Beautiful Country
My daughter and I did a 3 day fly in fly out from Zanzibar. You get the island experience in Zanzibar with beautiful beaches and Stonetown. When you hit the Serengeti it is such a special place, the Crater is another totally different...
Absolute beauty and sheer diversity!
We had six days in Serengeti and Ngorongoro protected areas and we absolutely loved it! Ndutu region was marvellous with lots of game sightings and more intimate experiences with nature. Here, sighting a caracal, a family of five bat-eared...