7 Day Group Joining Safari
Share the vehicle, the campfire and the cost on this seven-day group camping safari through Tarangire, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara.
- Duration
- 7 days
- Route
- Arusha – Tarangire – Serengeti – Ngorongoro Crater – Lake Manyara – Arusha
- Start / end
- Starts and ends in Arusha (pick-up from Arusha hotels; Kilimanjaro Airport transfers on request)
- Best time
- Departures run year-round; June to October is the most popular dry-season window, and January to February offers great calving-season wildlife.
- Trip style
- Shared 4x4 Land Cruiser with other travelers (usually up to 6–7 per vehicle), English-speaking driver-guide and cook. Nights at public campsites in dome tents.
Tour overview
Traveling solo or as a couple and want to keep costs down? This seven-day group joining safari puts you in a shared Land Cruiser with other like-minded travelers on fixed departure dates. You split the vehicle and guide costs, meet people from around the world and still see the highlights of northern Tanzania.
The itinerary covers Tarangire, three nights in the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara. Every traveler has a guaranteed window seat, and the pop-up roof means everyone can stand for photos. Nights are spent at public campsites, with a cook preparing all meals and a guide who keeps the group moving at a relaxed, wildlife-first pace.
Group sizes are small, typically no more than six or seven guests per vehicle, which keeps the experience social without feeling crowded.
Highlights
- Shared vehicle and fixed departures to keep costs low
- Guaranteed window seat for every traveler
- Three nights camping in the Serengeti
- Ngorongoro Crater game drive
- Elephants and baobabs in Tarangire
- Meet fellow travelers around the campfire
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Arusha to Tarangire National Park
Your guide collects you and your fellow travelers from your Arusha hotels in the morning, and after introductions the group sets off on the drive of about 2 hours to Tarangire National Park. The park is known for its large elephant herds, baobab trees and seasonal swamps, and you will spend the day on game drives with a picnic lunch overlooking the Tarangire River. In the late afternoon the group drives about 1 hour to Mto wa Mbu, where the cook has dinner ready and you settle into camp.
Day 2Mto wa Mbu to the Serengeti
After breakfast you head up the Rift Valley escarpment, through Karatu and across the Ngorongoro highlands, stopping at a viewpoint on the crater rim. The road then crosses the short-grass plains to Naabi Hill Gate, where you have lunch before entering the Serengeti. Game drive toward Seronera in the afternoon, with plenty of chances to spot lions, cheetahs and gazelles along the way. The full journey takes about 5 to 6 hours with stops. Dinner and overnight at the Seronera campsite.
Day 3Full Day in the Central Serengeti
An early start gives the group the best chance of seeing predators active in the cool morning. The central Serengeti around the Seronera River is excellent for leopards, lions and hyenas year-round, and herds of buffalo, giraffe and topi graze the open plains. You return to camp around midday for lunch and a rest during the hottest hours, or picnic in the park if sightings are good. An afternoon game drive continues until sunset, followed by dinner around camp.
Day 4Exploring Further in the Serengeti
Today the guide takes the group further from Seronera, choosing the area based on the season and recent sightings. When the migration is nearby, this is your chance to see thousands of wildebeest and zebra on the move, typically on the southern plains early in the year and further north in the dry season. Otherwise you may explore the Gol Kopjes for cheetahs or the western areas along the Grumeti road. Take a picnic lunch and return to camp in time for dinner.
Day 5Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Crater Rim
Enjoy a morning game drive as you make your way out of the Serengeti, then drive across the plains and up into the Ngorongoro highlands, about 3 to 4 hours of travel. In the afternoon you arrive at Simba Campsite on the rim of the crater, high above the caldera floor. Temperatures fall quickly after sunset at this altitude, so keep warm layers handy. Dinner is served at camp, and you head to bed early before tomorrow's dawn start.
Day 6Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive
The group descends into the Ngorongoro Crater shortly after sunrise. Inside this vast volcanic caldera you can see black rhino, lions, elephants, buffalo, wildebeest, zebras, hyenas and hippos, often within a few hours. Game drives on the crater floor are limited to about 6 hours, and lunch is a picnic at a designated site near a hippo pool. In the afternoon you ascend the crater wall and drive about 1.5 hours down to Mto wa Mbu for a final night at camp.
Day 7Lake Manyara and Return to Arusha
After breakfast the group enters Lake Manyara National Park for a morning game drive. The park's lush groundwater forest is full of baboons and blue monkeys, while elephants, giraffes and buffalo graze toward the lakeshore, where flamingos and pelicans are often seen. After lunch you drive about 2 hours back to Arusha and are dropped at your hotel in the afternoon. Say goodbye to your guide, cook and new friends, or continue on to Kilimanjaro Airport if you have an evening flight.
What is included
- Seat in a shared 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof and guaranteed window seat
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide
- All park entry and conservation fees, including the Ngorongoro Crater service fee
- Camping fees at public campsites
- Dome tents, mattresses and camping equipment
- Safari cook and all meals as listed
- Bottled drinking water in the vehicle
- Pick-up and drop-off at Arusha hotels
- Government taxes and fuel
Not included
- International flights and Tanzania visa
- Travel and medical insurance
- Kilimanjaro Airport transfers (available on request)
- Tips for the guide and cook
- Sleeping bag (available to rent)
- Drinks other than drinking water
- Optional activities and personal expenses
Good to know
- Departures run on fixed dates; contact us for the next available start and the current number of confirmed travelers.
- Your exact group mix varies by departure, and itinerary details may adjust slightly to suit the season.
- Each traveler may bring one soft duffel bag and a daypack to keep the shared vehicle comfortable.
- Single travelers can request a private tent at no change to the shared group arrangements.
Frequently asked questions
How many people will be in my vehicle?
Group joining safaris typically carry up to six or seven travelers per Land Cruiser, and everyone gets a window seat. Group sizes on some departures are smaller.
Can I join as a solo traveler?
Absolutely. Group joining safaris are one of the most popular options for solo travelers, as you share the vehicle with others and meet fellow travelers along the way.
What if I want a private safari instead?
We can run the same route privately on your own dates. Take a look at our private camping safaris or contact us for a tailored quote.
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