3 Day Serengeti Safari

"We drove in through Naabi Hill Gate just after nine and were watching a cheetah on a termite mound by eleven. Our 3 day serengeti safari covered Seronera, the Moru Kopjes and a long loop north, and the landscape genuinely changes as you go. Dust gets into everything, so bring a scarf and a sealed bag for the camera."

"The cold at six in the morning surprised me more than the midday heat did. Our guide knew which kopjes the lions favoured and we sat with a pride for forty minutes with nobody else around. Sensory memory I keep coming back to is the smell of wet grass burning off in the sun."

"Joseph could spot a leopard tail hanging from a sausage tree at two hundred metres, which I never once managed. The Tanzania Serengeti tour we booked included park fees and the Ngorongoro crater rim viewpoint on the way back, which we had not expected. Roads are rough between Seronera and the western corridor, so take motion sickness tablets seriously."

"Be prepared for real distances, we spent close to six hours in the vehicle on day two. That said the 3 day serengeti safari tours we compared all have that same trade off and the reward was a river crossing at Grumeti with crocodiles waiting. One star off only because our tent had a broken zip."

"We went in late February expecting mud and instead got calving season on the southern short-grass plains, thousands of wildebeest with newborns. Light in the afternoon storms was extraordinary, dark sky against yellow grass. Our driver carried a spare tyre and used it, which tells you something about the tracks."

"Booking the balloon add-on meant a four thirty wake up but drifting over the Seronera river at sunrise silenced everyone in the basket. Back on the ground we joined the game drive and found a hyena den within twenty minutes. Our 3 day serengeti safari tour felt well paced rather than rushed."

"Central Serengeti in January was hot and dry and the animals were concentrated around the remaining waterholes, which made spotting easy. We saw four of the big five in the first afternoon, missing only rhino. The Northern Circuit route through Ngorongoro on the return is scenic enough to justify the extra hours."

"I was sceptical about fitting the Serengeti into three days but the fly-in option to Seronera airstrip removes most of the driving. Our 3 day serengeti safari tickets included park entry, camp meals and the Maasai village stop near Karatu. Nights at the tented camp are loud with hyena calls, which I ended up liking."

"August on the plains means dust devils and hard light in the middle of the day, so the good sightings come early and late. We watched a leopard drag an impala into a tree at around five in the evening, backlit and unhurried. Vehicle windows do not seal well against the dust, so pack accordingly."

"Three days on the Serengeti safari circuit gave us elephants at a waterhole, a serval hunting in short grass and a sky with more stars than I have seen anywhere. Our guide explained the migration timing so we understood why the herds were where they were rather than just photographing them. Bring layers, mornings are genuinely cold in the open vehicle."