A juvenile zebra among the herd | Ian Williams

Giraffe crossing in the Serengeti National Park | Ian Williams

Buffalo bull in the Serengeti, Tanzania | Peter Brooke

Northern Tanzania Circuit

A complete small group northern Tanzania safari showcasing four iconic parks in one expertly guided circuit.

Tanzania



3 reviews

8 Days from

$3790 USD

Trip Code: TPW

View dates to Book

Essential Information

Extra trip options & supplements

*Prices listed are per person

Single Supplement

$520 USD

Duration

8 Days

Activities

Wildlife Safari

Accommodation

5 nights permanent safari camp/lodge
2 nights hotel

Meals

6 Dinners
6 Lunches
7 Breakfasts

Difficulty Grading

2 / 10

Adventure touring

Carbon Footprint

51kg of CO₂-e PP per day

(358kg of CO₂-e PP entire trip)

Trip highlights

Explore four iconic parks: Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire
Multiple game drives across forest, crater floor and open savannah in search of the Big Five
Small group safari in custom 4WD vehicles with experienced local guides
Stay in permanent tented safari camps, combining comfort with an authentic wilderness setting

Overview

This 8 day northern circuit safari delivers a comprehensive wildlife journey through Tanzania’s most celebrated national parks. Beginning and ending in Arusha, it pairs seamlessly with a Kilimanjaro climb while standing alone as a richly rewarding safari experience. Travelling in purpose-built 4WD safari vehicles with experienced local guides, you explore four distinct ecosystems: Lake Manyara, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Tarangire National Park. Accommodation is in permanent tented camps that combine comfort with immersion in the safari environment.

Lake Manyara lies beneath the dramatic Rift Valley escarpment, where it's lake shores are frequented by flamingos and hippos. The park is also known for its tree climbing lions and exceptional birdlife. The Serengeti is known for it's vast grasslands and large herds of wildebeest, zebra and antelope move across the plains, closely shadowed by lion, cheetah and leopard. The Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed volcanic caldera, forms a natural wildlife sanctuary. Permanent water and fertile grazing support high densities of animals, including black rhino, lion and large herds of plains game. A walk on the crater rim adds a unique perspective to this extraordinary setting. Tarangire completes the circuit with its baobab studded savannah and river systems that attract large elephant herds and prolific birdlife, particularly during the dry season.

Itinerary

Expand all | Collapse all

On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha you will be met and transferred to the group hotel, which is a lodge set in a wonderful location surrounded by coffee plantations and with beautiful views of Mt Meru. You can explore the gardens or choose to relax by the swimming pool - this is a perfect start to any African safari. Overnight Moivaro Lodge (or similar).

Meals: Nil

An early start this morning (approx 7:00 pickup). Today we will drive from Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park, we enjoy a packed lunch and our wildlife encounters with a full day game drive. Lake Manyara National Park is situated between the dramatic Rift Valley escarpment and the lake and there is an abundance of animals within only 125 square miles (two thirds of which is Lake), as they attracted by the permanent water in the lake and small rivers. The surrounding forest is jungle-like with giant trees and snaking lianas. Often called Tanzania's water wonderland due to the large number of birds and animals the lake supports, Lake Manyara National Park is also famous for its tree-climbing lions. Tonight we stay at the Migunga Tented Camp or Marera Tented Camp (or similar).

Meals: B,L,D

After breakfast, we will drive to Serengeti National Park via the world famous Olduvai Gorge where our earliest ancestors were discovered by Professor Richard Leakey. The Serengeti National Park is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage area for its wildlife and natural beauty. We stay this evening at Osupuko Tented Camp (or similar), which is set in the midst of an incredible vista of savannah and African skies. Today is a long day but passing through varied landscapes and with opportunities to see wildlife and Masai people along the way it holds plenty of interest. (We will visit a Masai village either today or on the return journey).

Meals: B,L,D

Our full day in the Serengeti is spent game viewing in our 4WD safari vehicle. We will either stay out all day, with a picnic lunch, or return to camp for lunch and time to relax before going out again in the late afternoon, depending on what we see. We will explore the different habitats found within the park. Famed for its annual migration, it offers amazing game viewing: herds of buffalo, groups of elephant and giraffe, zebra, impala and other antelopes, wildebeest, lion, leopard, cheetah and much other wildlife. We hope to experience one of the blazing Serengeti sunsets, with silhouetted acacia trees and the call of the wild close at hand. We overnight again at Osupuko Tented Camp (or similar).

Meals: B,L,D

Early this morning we will have a game drive in the Serengeti before returning to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Today is again a long day as we retrace part of our drive from Day 3. However, we often see things differently in the reverse direction and of course there is opportunity to see wildlife and observe the Masai as they roam with their cattle. Overnight Ngorongoro Tortilis Camp or Crater Forest Tented Camp (or similar).

Meals: B,L,D

After breakfast we drive down into the Ngorongoro Crater, also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, for a special day of game viewing. At nearly 2300m, the mornings are brisk and low cloud sometimes covers the area. Please bring some warm clothing as it can be cold here. The Crater is one of the last refugees for the endangered black rhino in northern Tanzania; the rhino population here is carefully protected and they are quite commonly seen. With over 30,000 animals across all species, the Ngorongoro Crater can be regarded as a “Garden of Eden”. The 100 sq km caldera also has the highest density of lions anywhere in Africa. When leaving the Crater proper we will get out of our vehicles and enjoy the environment with a short walk (approx. 1.5 - 2 hours) which adds a unique dimension to our time here. We continue to our accommodation in the late afternoon. Tonight is spent at the Crater Forest Tented Camp (or similar).

Meals: B,L,D

We depart from Ngorongoro for Tarangire National Park, which is approx. a 3.5 hour drive. Once we arrive in the National Park we will spend time game viewing within the park. This area has the largest population of elephants in northern Tanzania, with approximately 2000 sighted along the river at certain times of the year. In the dry season, (July–November) most of the wildlife in the Tarangire ecosystem migrates to the permanent water of the Tarangire River. The lush green shores of the river are a big attraction to many varieties of wildlife, so they offer fantastic game viewing. Dry baobab and acacia trees are scattered widely throughout Tarangire National Park and these provide an ideal home to over 500 species of birds. Most people who have visited East Africa give fabulous accounts of their safaris in this national park, which is famous for both its flora and fauna. We will overnight at Moivaro Lodge (or similar) again on return to Arusha this evening.

Meals: B,L,D

After a leisurely breakfast, your trip concludes with a transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport. If you would like additional nights in Arusha or an airport transfer on any other day, please ask for details (additional cost applies).

Meals: B

Map

Elevation

The map and elevation chart are for illustrative purposes only and meant to provide general guidelines.

Ready to start your adventure?

View dates to Book

What's included?

Included

7 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 6 dinners
5 nights in 3 star permanent safari camps or lodges on a twinshare basis
2 nights in 3 star hotel on a twinshare basis
Game drives and excursions as listed in itinerary
National Park fees valued at US$497
Private transport in 4WD safari vehicle
English speaking local driver-guide
Airport transfers (day 1 and 8 only)

Not included

Flights
Travel insurance
Visa
Bottled water and alcoholic drinks
Meals not specified in the itinerary
Arrival and departure transfers if not arriving/ departing on Days 1 and 8
Items of a personal nature
Tips