3-Day Safari Itinerary for Serengeti National Park (Honeymoon Guide)

In this blog post, we’ll tell you all about our 3 day itinerary for Serengeti National Park. Where we stayed, what areas we visited, and what animals we saw.

Serengeti National Park is one of the most famous national parks in the world and it’s the ultimate safari destination. On a typical day in the Serengeti – you’ll likely get to see the Big Five (lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and rhinos). It’s also here that you may be lucky enough to witness the Great Migration – when millions of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles journey across the plains.

Anyway, you’ve clicked here because you’re planning to spend 3 days in Serengeti National Park – lucky you! But, if you’re like us, then you’ll know that planning an itinerary in an area that spans over 30,000 square kilometers is no easy task! And that’s why I’ve written this blog post to give you all the information we wished we had before we visited!

Yep, you see we recently spent 3 days in Serengeti National Park. In fact, it was a big part of our honeymoon. And staying in the Serengeti was a very exciting moment for me having spent many years watching TV shows about the area on National Geographic.

In the below blog post, we will let you in on a few secrets about our trip to Serengeti – where we stayed, how we got there and what months are the best for wildlife viewing!

The best time of year to visit the Serengeti depends on what you hope to experience. If witnessing the Great Migration is your goal, the best months are from June to September. This also falls in line with Serengeti’s dry season which runs from June to October which is considered the best time for general game viewing, as animals congregate around water sources, making them easier to spot.

How many days do you need for a Serengeti safari?

I recommend booking a minimum of a 3 day safari in the Serengeti. That’s how long we had, and it enabled us to visit not only the Serengeti but also the Mara River (where the great migration occurs) and the otherworldly Ngorongoro Crater.

It’s also worth pointing out that most safari tours to the Serengeti depart from Arusha (the closest big city to the park). It’s a 7-hour drive between the two places, so you’ll need to allow for a full day of travel. There’s a domestic airport located in Arusha and so many tourists fly direct to Arusha from the international airport in Dar es Salaam.

Every day on safari in the Serengeti is different. And your driver will adapt each day depending on what animals you want to see. Also, depending on the time of the year – seeing the great migration will likely be a big priority to you.

Our 3 day itinerary for Serengeti National Park

This is the itinerary our guide followed for our 3-day tour of the Serengeti. Note, that we spend two full days in the Serengeti and one full day in the nearby Ngorongoro Crater.

This is the same 3 day safari tour of Serengeti that we did and you can BOOK it HERE!

Day one – Seronera area

On our first day upon being picked up from Seronera airstrip, we focused on the central area of Serengeti (also known as Seronera) which is known for big cats like lions and leopards.

The Seronera River runs through the area, and it attracts predators like lions, leopards, and cheetahs who come there in search of water. The landscape in the Seronera is a picturesque blend of open plains, acacia woodlands, and kopjes – rocky outcrops that offer incredible vantage points for observing the surrounding wilderness.

Day two – Mara River and Great Migration

On our second day, we drove from Lobo Wildlife Lodge North towards the Mara River. We were hoping to see the Great Migration. We waited for a few hours in one location, had some lunch in the vehicle and we thought all hope was lost.

Then on our drive back to our lodge, we spotted lots of cars in the distance hiding in the bush near the river. Our driver decided to go check it out. As luck would have it, when we arrived we spotted hundreds of Wildebeest lined up on the other side of the river. This is it we thought. It took several minutes but eventually, they started crossing the river. We witnessed the great migration and it was incredible.

Day three – Ngorongoro Crater

On our third day, we drove towards the Serengeti exit gate, including some game spotting en route. We were slowly making our way towards the Ngorongoro Crater. Once you exit the Serengeti you are essentially driving on an ‘almost’ motorway, to break this up we stopped at a traditional Masai village. Entry to here was $50 USD and it was very interesting albeit a little ‘showy’.

What I mean by that – is that it seemed like the Masai tribe was putting on a show for us. We did get caught paying well over the odds for some trinkets they were selling. So be mindful of this.

The drive into Ngorongoro Crater is stunning and very steep. We weren’t very lucky in spotting a huge amount of animals but we did spot elephants, zebras, baboons, and others. We weren’t lucky enough to spot the elusive black rhino whilst driving through the national park. However, later on our lodge’s deck, we spotted two through the binoculars. Lucky us!

Some excellently-rated guided tours that are similar to ours:

Where we stayed in the Serengeti:

In total, we spent three nights in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater National Park. Our first two nights here were spent in Lobo Wildlife Lodge in the Lobo area of the park. This is a government-owned lodge that was built back in 1968.

It has a beautiful setting overlooking the park, but it needs some maintenance. The floorboards in our room were very squeaky. But the view from the deck area of the bar and the pool more than made up for the minor quirks. We stayed on a full board package, and the food was good, although not as good as some other lodges we stayed at.

For our third night, we stayed at Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge. This is located within the Ngorongoro Crater National Park and is approximately 3 hour’s drive from the exit gate of Serengeti.

The lodge has a fantastic view from the main deck of the crater, when we arrived we even spotted a black rhino through the lodge’s binoculars from here. Like Lobo Wildlife Lodge, this is government-owned but seems more modern (recently renovated, perhaps). It was built in 1969. Again, we stayed on a full board package and the food here was of really high quality.

Related Read: Another bucket-list-worthy thing we did in Africa was gorilla trekking in Uganda. You can read all about the best gorilla trekking tours here!

The best areas to stay in Serengeti National Park:

Other than the two hotels we stayed at, there are several hotels we recommend to stay in Serengeti. Which one you choose depends on your budget (a lot are pricey as you can imagine) and what part of the National Park you want to stay in (Serengeti is huge!!).

Here I have split the hotels into three of the most popular areas – Seronera, Naabi Hill and Mara River.

Seronera

Also known as the Central Serengeti, this is the best part of the Park to see big cats like lions, cheetahs, and leopards. The peak season in the Seronera is between April and June and October to December – when the Great Migration passes through the area. These months are definitely the best time of year to go on safari in Tanzania! Seronera airstrip (where we flew to from Zanzibar) is also located here.

Best hotels in Seronera – Mbuzi Mawe Serena Camp and Four Seasons Serengeti

Mara River

The Mara River borders both Kenya and Tanzania, this area in Serengeti is famous because it is where the Great Migration happens (we witnessed it and it was amazing!!). As a result this area gets booked up quickly from September to December when the great migration happens in the area.

Best hotels near Mara River – Melia Serengeti Lodge; Serengeti Serena Lodge and Mbalageti Serengeti

Naabi Hill

This is where the main gate to enter Serengeti is located so it’s a popular option for the first night in Serengeti. Naabi Hill is actually an acacia-covered hill and this area is home to lions and the Great Migration passes through the area on the way to the Eastern Serengeti.

Best hotels in Naabi Hill – Gnu Ndutu Camp and Lake Ndutu Luxury Tented Camp

How we got to the Serengeti:

We arrived at the Serengeti in a very unique and memorable way – by fixed-wing plane. We booked with Auric Air from Zanzibar to Seronera airstrip in the Serengeti. This included a quick re-fuel in Arusha. This was an amazing experience, flying high over the blue Indian Ocean, and above the Serengeti in a small plane. Our plane only sat nine passengers plus the pilot and co-pilot.

Neither Paul nor I are afraid of flying, but if you were a nervous flyer, then the fixed-wing plane would feel different than a ‘normal’ plane. But we felt very safe at all times. Make sure to have a camera with you, as the photo opportunities on this flight are incredible.

Our driver met us at Seronera airstrip upon landing, and we immediately began our safari experience in the Serengeti.

How’s the food in Serengeti National Park?

As mentioned above, throughout our time in the Serengeti we were on a full board package. I believe this is common in most hotels in the Serengeti as it’s not like a normal destination where you can go for dinner in a nearby restaurant. Here, almost everyone eats and drinks in their accommodation due to the distances between accommodation options. Our meals were a lot better than expected considering the remote nature of the Serengeti.

Breakfast for us was a buffet offering fruits, cereals, and baked goods as well as made-to-order pancakes or omelets. Our lunch was pre-packed and eaten in the park during our game drive. It consisted of a sandwich, fruit, crisps and a cake. Dinner was buffet-style with soup and salad to start. A variety of meats, vegetables, and french fries for the main. There were some small cakes on offer for dessert.

Best things to do on honeymoon in Serengeti National Park:

Besides going on safari, there are lots of other fun activities you could add to your 3 days in the Serengeti. A popular and bucket-list-worthy activity is a sunrise hot air balloon tour but we also really enjoyed our private picnic.

• A sunrise hot air balloon – wake up before anyone else and embark on a bucket-list balloon ride over the Serengeti and watch the sky go pink and the animals below going about their morning. The balloon ride is an hour long.

• See the Great Migration – if you visit Serengeti National Park during the months of late September to December you may just catch the Great Migration. We were lucky enough to witness this in late September on the Mara River. For the best chance of seeing this phenomenon stay at Mbalageti Serengeti which looks onto the Mara River.

• Have a picnic in the wild – ask your accommodation if they can set up a private picnic for you in the Park.

Check out more about the hot air balloon tours here:

Can you do the Serengeti without a tour?

The short answer is yes – you can self-drive through the Serengeti, provided you have a suitable 4WD vehicle. You can rent one if needed and we recommend Discover Cars to search for the best available rates. And you can also filter by vehicle type. Remember, you will need a 4WD! It’s also worth checking if the car rental insurance covers driving through national parks (as some don’t!)

Your best option if you plan to self-drive is to drive in via the Naabi Hill Gate as the road here is in the best shape. And overall, drive slowly and carefully when driving through the Serengeti as the roads can be very bumpy!

What to pack for your honeymoon in Serengeti:

• A good pair of hiking boots with ankle support, and synthetic material as opposed to leather is best. And a sole with a good grip. Although you will be in the car most of the day these are helpful when you get out to stretch your legs or go on a safari walk with your guide

• Long pants and a long sleeve top – ideally with built-in insect repellant (mosquitos and horseflies are a big problem here).

• Thick wool socks, preferably merino wool so your feet don’t get too sweaty in your boots. These are a great pair of merino wool socks! We also recommend tucking your pants into your socks to limit insect bites.

• Travel pants, we love the brand Kuhl and always wear their travel pants when traveling. Check out the best women’s travel pants here and the best men’s travel pants here.

If you love adventure then this 3 day itinerary for Serengeti National Park is for you!

So, there you have it a brief insight into our 3-day itinerary for Serengeti National Park. Although we only spent three days here, we felt like we saw everything we wanted to see. Our expectations were well and truly exceeded, and we mentioned numerous times to each other on the trip that we wished we had left Serengeti until the end of our trip. As no other safari lived up to what we saw in Serengeti.

The Serengeti is truly a place like no other, and what better way to see it than with your spouse on a honeymoon?

*We booked our Serengeti trip through Shidolya Tours and we highly recommend them. They were quick to answer our questions and were reasonably priced. Our driver Peter was so knowledgeable and friendly.

Thanks for reading about our 3 day itinerary for Serengeti National Park, we also have loads more blog posts on Africa including gorilla trekking in Uganda, Amboseli National Park, climbing Kilimanjaro, and much more!

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Last Updated on March 13, 2025 by snaphappytravel