Serengeti Safari PackagesSerengeti Fly In Safari: 3 Days, Serengeti and Ngorongoro
This Serengeti fly in safari from Safari Soles Tours buys you the one thing most 3-day trips cannot give you: no long drive on day 1. You are picked up in Arusha, Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam, put on a scheduled flight and land in the Serengeti the same morning, with a Seronera game drive before dark. Day 2 runs south to the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge and day 3 is the crater floor before a road return to Arusha. The listing shows a 4.9 score from 95 reviews and prices the trip at $2,750.77 per person. This page walks the route, lists what the price covers and where the gaps are, and compares it with other Serengeti safari packages before you commit. Compare it with the other Serengeti safari packages compared.
About This Tour
Safari Soles Tours sells this as a private 3-day fly-in safari for travelers who want the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro crater without two long drive days at either end. Pickup is in the morning from your hotel in Arusha, Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam, then a transfer to the airport for a scheduled flight to the Serengeti. The same day brings a game drive in Seronera, the central Serengeti, that runs to the late evening.
Day 2 starts with an early game drive, lunch, then a game drive south while exiting the Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge. Day 3 descends to the crater floor for about 5 hours of game driving, the listing's own figure of 300 minutes, looking for black rhino, which the listing calls the hardest animal to spot in the crater, then ascends for the road trip back to Arusha town. The trip is priced per person, runs in English or Spanish with a driver-guide and takes up to 15 travelers per booking as a private group.
$2,750.77, with all fees and taxes listed as included. Tipping and on-board restrooms are excluded.
3 days. Day 1 and day 2 each list 720 minutes of activities, day 3 lists 300 minutes.
Hotel pickup in Arusha, Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam, then a transfer to the airport for the flight to the Serengeti.
Serengeti Safari Lodge on night 1 and Ngorongoro Serena Lodge on night 2. Note that the inclusions list also names camping equipment, so ask the operator which applies.
The itinerary has a scheduled flight to the Serengeti but the inclusions do not name it, so confirm it is in the price. Tipping is excluded. The return from the crater to Arusha is by road.
Full refund if you cancel 6 or more full days before departure, 50% back from 2 to 6 days out, nothing within 2 days. The booking can also be cancelled for bad weather or too few travelers.
Check Dates and Availability
Check live dates, the per-person price and the child age bands on the listing page. Book only after the operator confirms the Serengeti flight is in the price.
You'll confirm the exact date and time on the secure booking page.
Quick answer Price, route and the one thing to confirm
This 3-day private Serengeti fly in safari costs $2,750.77 per person, has a 4.9 score from 95 reviews and sleeps you at Serengeti Safari Lodge and the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge. All fees and taxes are listed as included, but the inclusions do not name the day 1 flight, so confirm that with the operator before paying. Cancellation is free only up to 6 full days before departure.
Key takeaways
- The route: fly in on day 1, Seronera game drives, crater floor on day 3, road return to Arusha. Full days in the route day by day.
- Compare before you book: the Zanzibar to Serengeti Safari includes return flights for $1,875 per person over 2 days, and the 3-Day Private Serengeti Safari is a private road trip at $2,206.35.
- See exactly what is in and out of the price in what the price actually covers.
- Browse the full range of Serengeti safari packages including camping, lodge and migration trips.
What the Price Actually Covers
The listing states its own inclusions and exclusions. Read them against the table below, then ask the operator to put the flight in writing.
What Is Stated as Included
The inclusions list all fees and taxes, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and camping equipment. The meals carry detail: day 1 lunch is a lunch box, and breakfast on days 2 and 3 is a quick tea before the early game drive. All fees and taxes is the line that should cover the Serengeti conservation fee and the Ngorongoro crater fees, since the trip enters Serengeti National Park and descends the crater. For scale, the TANAPA tariff for 2023/24 sets the Serengeti conservation fee for non-East African adults at $70 per day in peak season and $60 in low season, with peak running 16 May to 14 March. This listing does not break the fees out.
The honest gap is the flight. The itinerary clearly flies you to the Serengeti on day 1, but the inclusions list does not name the flight, so you cannot see from the page whether the $2,750.77 covers the airfare. Email the operator and get the answer in writing before you book. Also ask which applies on accommodation, because the inclusions list camping equipment while the itinerary names two lodges. The itinerary is the more specific of the two documents, but the conflict should be closed by the supplier.
What Is Excluded and Paid on Top
The exclusions list names two items: tipping and on-board restrooms. The listing states no other mandatory extras. That leaves the usual money you will still spend outside the price: tips for the driver-guide, with Tanzania Specialist suggesting $10 per person per day in your group, drinks beyond the stated meals, your visa, travel insurance and any nights in Arusha before or after the trip, which the listing does not mention.
If you start in Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam, confirm with the operator whether the pickup and transfer from those cities carries an extra cost, because the page does not say.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All fees and taxes | Yes, listed as included | Should cover Serengeti and Ngorongoro entry. Ask for a breakdown |
| Day 1 scheduled flight to the Serengeti | Itinerary has it, inclusions do not name it | Confirm in writing before booking |
| Meals | Breakfast, lunch and dinner | Day 1 lunch is a lunch box, days 2 and 3 breakfast is a quick tea |
| Accommodation | Serengeti Safari Lodge, Ngorongoro Serena Lodge | Inclusions also list camping equipment. Ask which applies |
| Return to Arusha | By road from the crater | Long drive on day 3 |
| Tipping | No, excluded | Tanzania Specialist suggests $10 per person per day, Duma Explorer $50 per vehicle per day |
| Visa, insurance, drinks, Arusha nights | Not mentioned | Not stated in the listing, budget for them separately |
Where It Sits Against Other Listings
At $2,750.77 per person this is one of the pricier 3-day options in the catalog. The same parks by road cost $2,206.35 on the private 3-Day Private Serengeti Safari from Gosheni Safaris, with park fees explicitly named as included. From Zanzibar, the 2-day Zanzibar to Serengeti Safari includes return flights for $1,875 per person, though it skips the crater.
If you can spare the days, the 5-day private 5-Day Serengeti Ngorongoro Safari costs $2,845 with two Serengeti nights, but note it is all sales final.
Sources: Wikipedia, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority tariffs
A grass airstrip in the Lobo area of the northern Serengeti. Photo: Pi3.124, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Route Day by Day
This is the operator's own itinerary, with its stated durations and the night stops as listed. Total trip duration is given as 4,320 minutes, which is the 3 days.
Day 1, Pickup and Flight to the Serengeti
Morning pickup from your hotel or inn in Arusha, Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam, then a transfer to the airport for a scheduled flight to the Serengeti. You arrive in the morning and go straight into a game drive in Seronera, the center of the park, that the listing runs to the late evening, with 720 minutes of activity listed for the day. The listing dangles the chance of seeing a predator hunting or on a kill at sunset, which is a chance and not a promise.
Night 1 is at Serengeti Safari Lodge. Lunch is a lunch box and dinner is at the lodge.
Day 2, Early Game Drive and Out to Ngorongoro
Breakfast is a quick tea before an early game drive that the listing describes as waking the animals, running until the afternoon. After lunch at camp there is a second game drive while exiting the Serengeti toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, another stated 720 minutes of activity. The night is at the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, with lunch and dinner included.
Day 3, the Crater Floor and the Road Back
A quick tea, then descend to the Ngorongoro crater floor for 300 minutes of game driving, with the listing steering the search toward black rhinos, which it calls the hardest animal to spot in the crater. After lunch there is a final game drive, then you ascend and pack for the drive back to Arusha town, where the trip ends. The return time is not stated so do not book evening commitments in Arusha.
| Day | Route | Night at |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pickup in Arusha, Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam, airport transfer, scheduled flight, Seronera game drive to late evening | Serengeti Safari Lodge |
| 2 | Early game drive, lunch, game drive south while exiting the Serengeti to Ngorongoro | Ngorongoro Serena Lodge |
| 3 | Crater floor game drive, 300 minutes, ascend, road return to Arusha town | Trip ends in Arusha |
Africa Fly-in Safari, to Serengeti National Park
A fly-in safari landing in Serengeti National Park. Third-party video by The Rusty Traveller. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Who This Trip Rules Out
The listing sets clear limits on age, party size and money-back flexibility. Check them before you book, because a poor fit here is expensive.
Age and Party Rules
The booking age band starts at 4 years old, and an adult must be on the booking. If you are traveling with a toddler under 4, this listing does not take them. The trip is private and takes up to 15 travelers per booking, so it works for families and small groups, but there is no stated minimum party size, so solo travelers should ask the operator how the private rate applies to one person.
If you want a cheaper shared option that takes all ages, the 3-Day Serengeti Camping Safari at $770 per person lets infants ride on an adult's lap, though it is camping rather than lodges.
The Money-back Window Is Short
Free cancellation ends 6 full days before departure. Inside that you get 50% back between 2 and 6 days out and nothing within 2 days. Compare that with the 24-hour free cancellation on most other listings here, including the road-based 3-Day Private Serengeti Safari.
If your plans might shift late, this listing is the wrong shape for you, and the operator can also cancel for bad weather or too few travelers. For a private trip with two Serengeti nights, look at the 5-Day Serengeti Ngorongoro Safari, but note it is all sales final, so read that page carefully too.
Long Day 3 and a Documentation Conflict
Day 3 packs a 300-minute crater drive and the full road drive back to Arusha, and the listing states no return time. If that sounds like too much in one day, a road-based itinerary that sleeps closer to Arusha on the last night may suit you better. The other honest note is the accommodation conflict: the inclusions list camping equipment while the itinerary names Serengeti Safari Lodge and the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge.
Ask the operator directly which you get, and get the answer on the booking confirmation. For more background on the crater leg, see the Ngorongoro Crater guide.
Ngorongoro Crater seen from the rim. Photo: PLBechly, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Season, Fees and Paperwork
What the weather, the fees and the entry rules mean for this specific trip. The herds move with the rain, so timing shapes what you see.
When to Go and Where the Herds Are
Roadtrip Africa names January to February and June to October as the best months for the Serengeti, and SafariBookings puts the dry season at June to October with the wet season from November to May and the heaviest rain in March and April. Daytime highs average about 27°C with chilly nights. Where the wildebeest are depends on the rain and moves every year, so no month guarantees them.
On a 3-day trip with a Seronera game drive you are in the central Serengeti. If the migration itself is the reason you are going, the herds spend part of the year far north, and a longer trip such as the 10-Day Serengeti Migration Safari spends three nights at Kogatende in the northern Serengeti. Read the best time to visit Serengeti guide before fixing dates.
Fees That Sit Behind the Price
The listing says all fees and taxes are included, but it helps to know what those are. The 2023/24 TANAPA tariff sets the Serengeti conservation fee for non-East African adults aged 16 and over at $70 per day in peak season and $60 in low season, with peak running 16 May to 14 March and low 15 March to 15 May. Children aged 5 to 15 pay $20 per day and under-5s are free.
Sources disagree on whether those figures include VAT: Duma Explorer quotes $82.60 high season and $70.80 low season including 18% VAT against the tariff's VAT-exclusive numbers. On the Ngorongoro side, the crater sits in the conservation area and descent carries its own fees, which the listing does not break out. Ask the operator to itemize the fees in your confirmation.
Visa, Health and Packing
GOV.UK says your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after arrival with at least one blank page, and recommends applying for an e-visa online before travel. SafariFind lists a single-entry tourist visa at $50 valid up to 90 days and a multiple-entry visa at $100, while Duma Explorer says US passport holders pay $100 for a mandatory multiple-entry visa, so check the current rule for your nationality. Non-residents must also buy Tanzanian government inbound travel insurance for stays of up to 92 days, bought at the first port of entry.
On packing, Expert Africa advises light summer clothing for the midday heat with warm layers for cool mornings, and khaki and green tones while avoiding white and bright colours. For the full kit, see the safari packing list and what to wear on safari guides.
Itinerary in Steps
The operator's own day numbers and stated activity durations, broken into the phases of the trip.
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Day 1, morning
Pickup and airport transfer
You are picked up in the morning from your hotel or inn in Arusha, Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam and transferred to the airport for a scheduled flight to the Serengeti.
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Day 1, morning to evening
Flight and Seronera game drive
Land in the Serengeti in the morning and game drive in Seronera, the center of the park, with the listing running the day to the late evening, 720 minutes of activity. Lunch is a lunch box. Night at Serengeti Safari Lodge.
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Day 2, early
Early game drive
A quick tea, then out at first light for a long morning game drive in the Serengeti, running to the afternoon.
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Day 2, afternoon
Exit south to Ngorongoro
Lunch at camp, then a game drive while exiting the Serengeti toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Night at the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge.
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Day 3, early
Down to the crater floor
A quick tea, then descend into the Ngorongoro crater for 300 minutes of game driving, with the listing steering the search toward black rhinos, which it calls the hardest animal to spot.
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Day 3, afternoon
Ascend and drive back
After lunch, a final game drive, then ascend the crater and pack for the road trip back to Arusha town, where the trip ends.
What Works and What Does Not
The strengths and the real friction points of this listing, taken from its own terms.
What we genuinely like
- No drive day at the start: you land in the Serengeti in the morning and game drive the same day, saving the long road haul from Arusha
- Private trip with a driver-guide in English or Spanish, up to 15 travelers per booking, so your group sets the pace
- All fees and taxes are listed as included, plus three meals a day
- Two lodge nights, Serengeti Safari Lodge and the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, though the inclusions also list camping equipment
- A 4.9 score from 95 verified reviews, the strongest evidence base in the fly-in category
- Covers both headline parks, the Serengeti and the crater floor, in 3 days
The honest downsides
- The inclusions list does not name the day 1 flight even though the itinerary has one, so whether the airfare is in the price is unconfirmed until you ask
- The inclusions list camping equipment while the itinerary names two lodges, a direct conflict you must resolve with the operator
- Free cancellation only up to 6 full days before departure, with nothing back inside 2 days
- Day 3 stacks a 300-minute crater drive with the full road return to Arusha, and no return time is stated
- Tipping and on-board restrooms are excluded
- The vehicle type is not stated anywhere on the listing
Who it's NOT for: Not for travelers who need late flexibility, a fully documented price including the flight in writing, or anyone with a child under 4.
Questions About This Tour
How much does this Serengeti fly-in safari cost per person?
The listing prices it at $2,750.77 per person for 3 days, with all fees and taxes stated as included and tipping excluded. For comparison, the road-based 3-Day Private Serengeti Safari costs $2,206.35 per person.
Is the flight to the Serengeti included in the price?
The itinerary has a scheduled flight on day 1 but the inclusions list does not name it, so ask the operator to confirm in writing that the airfare is in the $2,750.77. The Zanzibar to Serengeti Safari states its return flights as included outright, which makes its terms easier to read.
Where does the trip start and end?
Pickup is from hotels or inns in Arusha, Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam in the morning, followed by an airport transfer. The trip ends back in Arusha town after the road drive from the crater, as set out in the route day by day.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancel 6 or more full days before departure for a full refund, 50% back from 2 to 6 days out, and nothing within 2 days. The operator can also cancel for bad weather or too few travelers. Most other listings, such as the 3-Day Serengeti Camping Safari, offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Can children join this safari?
The booking age band starts at 4 years old and an adult must be on the booking, so children under 4 cannot join. For trips that take all ages, see the 3-Day Serengeti Camping Safari or browse other Serengeti safari tours.
What accommodation do I sleep in?
The itinerary names Serengeti Safari Lodge on night 1 and the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge on night 2, but the inclusions list also mentions camping equipment, so ask which applies before booking. The 5-Day Serengeti Ngorongoro Safari spells out its lodge and camp names in full, a useful benchmark for clarity.
When is the best time to do this trip?
Roadtrip Africa names January to February and June to October as the best months, with the dry season at June to October and daytime highs around 27°C. What you see of the migration depends on the rain, and the full picture is in the best time to visit Serengeti guide.
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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