Experience the best of the Northern Tanzania Safari Circuit on this 8-day Tanzania wildlife safari. Visit Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire with your own private driver-guide.
Starting in Arusha, enjoy exceptional game viewing across Tanzania’s most iconic northern parks, including Big 5 safaris in Ngorongoro Crater and classic wildlife encounters in the Serengeti. Stay in well-located safari lodges and benefit from the full attention and expert knowledge of your dedicated guide throughout the journey.
Your guided Tanzania Wildlife Safari on the Northern Circuit begins when you arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha. Arusha is located at the base of Mount Meru offering breathtaking views of the peak and nearby Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest mountain. The city is conveniently located close to Tanzania's major national parks and is a thriving community with vibrant marketplaces, a broad cultural heritage, and modern services.
When you arrive, our representative will meet you and drive you to the African Tulip Hotel (or similar) for check-in and your first overnight stay. The rest of the day is spent at your leisure, relaxing at the hotel or exploring bustling Arusha.
The African Tulip Hotel offers a blend of comfort and elegance with beautifully decorated rooms that provide a relaxing and luxurious stay. The rooms have air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, complimentary Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee-making facilities. Luxuriate in the plush bedding, spacious bathrooms with rain showers, and private balconies or terraces overlooking the lush gardens or pool area.
Dining at The African Tulip is a delightful experience, with a range of options to suit various tastes. The Baobab Restaurant offers an array of delicious dishes, blending local Tanzanian flavours with international cuisine, prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Relax at the Serengeti Bar with a cocktail, glass of wine, or a refreshing drink by the pool. Additional amenities include an outdoor pool, a business centre and a gift shop with local crafts and souvenirs.
After breakfast, meet your driver-guide and travel to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that protects both wildlife and traditional Maasai heritage.
As you head west, you'll enter the Great Africa Rift Valley, a geological and scenic marvel characterised by vast plains, volcanic hills, and impressive escarpments. The views are expansive, often stretching as far as the eye can see. At the heart of the Conservation Area lies the Ngorongoro Crater, a vast caldera of a collapsed ancient volcano forming a 260km² (100 mi²) amphitheatre packed with diverse wildlife.
Descend the crater's steep walls and explore the crater floor on a 4x4 game drive in search of the Big 5 – lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffaloes – and many other animals. Known as "Africa's Garden of Eden," Ngorongoro Crater is home to over 25,000 large animal species. It hosts herbivores like eland, zebras, Grant's & Thompson's gazelles, and a high density of predators including lions, hyenas, leopards, and jackals. Buffalo abound in the region, and elephant and reedbuck can be seen higher up along the crater's rim. Pelicans and flamingos are often sighted around Lake Magadi in the heart of the crater.
Ngorongoro Crater is the world's biggest intact caldera and the crater floor boasts an incredibly high density of wildlife making it one of the top game-viewing destinations in the world. It is home to practically every single species of animal in East Africa, including the critically endangered black rhino. Your driver-guide will share their expert knowledge of the African wildlife that crosses your path.
After the first thrilling wildlife adventure, we drive out of the Ngorongoro Crater and head to a local restaurant for a hot lunch. Later this afternoon we will visit a Maasai village in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The Maasai people arrived in this region over 200 years ago, and around 42,000 people live in the area with their cattle, donkeys, goats, and sheep. This village visit will give you insight into the Maasai culture and their traditional way of life in rural Africa.
As the daylight begins to fade, our Tanzania Wildlife Safari heads to Ngorongoro Serena Lodge (or similar) for a leisurely evening taking in the breathtaking views over this incredible landscape.
Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, perched on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater, offers a blend of comfort and breathtaking views. Each room is designed to blend seamlessly with the natural surroundings, with private balconies providing stunning vistas of the crater floor. The rooms are well-appointed with modern amenities including cosy beds, en-suite bathrooms and complimentary Wi-Fi.
Dining at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge is a culinary delight. The lodge’s restaurant serves a variety of delectable dishes, from hearty breakfasts to gourmet dinners, all enjoyed with panoramic views of the crater. Guests can also relax in the lounge and bar area, with a cocktail or a glass of wine by the fireplace. Additional amenities include a well-stocked gift shop, a beautiful outdoor terrace, and an information centre providing insights into the local wildlife and culture, ensuring a rich and immersive experience in one of the world's most remarkable natural settings.
After breakfast, we drive northwest to Serengeti National Park. Leaving the Ngorongoro Highlands behind we travel to the Serengeti plains, enjoying a packed lunch along the way.
The next two days of our Tanzania Wildlife Safari will be spent on safari in the world-famous Serengeti National Park. The name is derived from Siringet, meaning "endless plain" in the Maasai language. The Park is 14,800 square kilometres (5,700 square miles) and borders the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the east and the Masai Mara, over the border in Kenya to the north. This is a beautiful wilderness area with diverse landscapes and plentiful wildlife.
Enjoy an afternoon 4x4 game drive in Serengeti National Park en route to your safari lodge in the heart of Tanzania's top wildlife park. We make our way through the game-rich central Seronera region to our lodge near the Grumeti River and the famous Western Corridor. Sit back and admire the rolling Serengeti Plains, teeming with wildlife. The Big 5 animals - lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino - are present in Serengeti, which is especially famous for its lion sightings. Other animals commonly sighted include cheetah, zebra, giraffe, hippo, Thomson's and Grant's gazelle, eland, impala, klipspringer, and warthog. More than 500 bird species have been identified, including ostriches, bustards, and secretary birds.
Day 4 of your northern Tanzania Safari is set aside for a full-day safari in Serengeti National Park. We return to the lodge for a hot lunch or take picnic lunches on our full-day safari, depending on the movements of the wildlife. Your driver-guide will expertly guide you around the Seronera region of the reserve, keeping a lookout for the iconic Big 5 of Africa. Additionally, the Serengeti Park is famous for its vast herds of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles. During the Great Migration millions of ungulates, including wildebeests and zebras, pass through this area on their way to Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve, just the other side of the border (see our notes about the Great Migration below).
On the morning of day 4, you can take an optional Hot Air Balloon Safari (at additional cost) for spectacular views of the Serengeti Plains and abundant wildlife. There is also an option to visit a Maasai community near Serengeti to learn more about their way of life on day 4. The Maasai are noted for their beautiful beading, rich traditions, and vibrant clothing. At the end of our thrilling day on safari in Serengeti, we return to the comfortable lodge to enjoy a last evening under the stars in this incredible African park.
Nestled in the heart of the Serengeti National Park, Serengeti Serena Lodge offers a breathtaking safari experience amidst stunning natural beauty. The lodge and infinity pool seamlessly blend into an acacia-lined ridge, offering panoramic views across the Serengeti's vast, limitless plains. 65 guest rooms are situated in clusters of classic stone-built and domed, thatched "rondavels" that surround the lodge's beautiful infinity pool and look out over the plains. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, with en-suite natural stone bathrooms, and a private balcony for enjoying the breathtaking vistas. They feature a fan, wireless internet, coffee/tea-making facilities and an in-room safe.
The safari lodge boasts a range of dining options, including a main dining room serving delicious international cuisine with a local twist. Guests can also enjoy al fresco dining under the African sky, with traditional barbecues and cultural performances adding to the unique dining experience. There is a poolside bar where you can enjoy refreshing drinks while taking in the stunning views and soaking up the sunshine. The Maisha Spa offers a menu of treatments to pamper both body and soul.
On day 5 of our Tanzania Wildlife Safari, we leave the expansive Serengeti plains and head to Lake Manyara National Park. Our scenic drive takes us southeast via the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to Lake Manyara at the foot of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. This beautiful lake is a shimmering expanse of alkaline water that stretches along the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, attracting a multitude of bird species, including pink-hued flamingos.
Surrounding the lake is Lake Manyara National Park, a lush green belt of acacia woodlands and grassy floodplains, home to a variety of wildlife such as elephants, giraffes, and hippos. This Tanzanian park is also known for its unique tree-climbing lions, which can often be spotted lounging in the branches of the acacia trees. It is said that the lions acquired this behaviour to avoid troublesome biting flies, but whatever the cause, it is a remarkable sight to witness and one that you will most likely see on your afternoon 4x4 game drive when they take to the trees for an afternoon sleep.
As the sun dips to the horizon, we proceed to our lodge perched on the famous Rift Valley Escarpment. Settle in and enjoy the sweeping views of the Great Rift Valley and Lake Manyara below.
Lake Manyara Best View Lodge is a unique retreat located on the rim of the Great Rift Valley, near the western edge of Lake Manyara. The lodge offers spectacular panoramic views of the lake and the surrounding escarpment. Guests can enjoy the serene landscapes from their well-appointed rooms, each featuring private balconies to admire the stunning vistas. The lodge is renowned for its warm hospitality and provides a variety of amenities, including a restaurant that serves local and international dishes. The Lake Manyara Best View Lodge is conveniently located near Lake Manyara National Park, making it an ideal base for combining relaxation with wildlife adventures.
After breakfast overlooking the Great Rift Valley, your guide drives you southeast to Tarangire National Park via the Great Rift Valley floor. The remainder of our Tanzania Wildlife Safari will be spent exploring Tarangire National Park, a less-visited gem on the Northern Safari Circuit.
Arriving at Tarangire Park we embark on a 4x4 game drive to our lodge in the northern part of the park. Tarangire National Park offers unforgettable game viewing with one of the world's greatest concentrations of elephants and enormous prides of lions. The national park spans 2,600 square kilometres (1,000 square miles) of grasslands and swamps, connecting the Maasai Steppe plains in the southeast to the Great Rift Valley lakes in the north and west. The north of the park is the most frequented, with the perennial Tarangire River meandering over the terrain, while the south is made up of enormous marshes that turn into juicy green grassy plains in the dry season. Among the densely packed elephant grass, wide sections of mixed acacia forests, and exquisite ribbons of riverine forest, you may expect to encounter wildebeest, zebra, impala, giraffe, and buffalo. Lion, leopard, and spotted hyena are all regularly spotted in Tarangire National Park, while cheetah, black rhino, the endangered gerenuk, and fringe-eared oryx are more difficult to observe.
Your guide drives you through the landscapes of Tarangire National Park on day 7 searching out as many animals as possible. You will enjoy a picnic lunch at a scenic rest stop, before continuing to explore this underrated wildlife park. Enjoy the sight of gigantic baobab trees silhouetted against the setting sun as you head back to our lodge for more delicious food and another serene evening under the stars.
Get an early start today for your final morning 4x4 game drive in Tarangire National Park as we leave.
Then your guide drives you back to Arusha, on the slopes of Mount Meru, through stunning Great Rift Valley scenery. In Arusha, you are transferred to the airport where our Tanzania Wildlife Safari finishes. From Arusha, you can catch your onward flight, be it your international flight home or a local flight to Zanzibar Island for a blissful beach break.
Each day on safari follows a relaxed rhythm designed around wildlife activities and comfort.
Throughout your Tanzania Wildlife Safari, your knowledgeable driver-guide will be your companion and resource. They'll share their expertise on the local wildlife, traditions, and history, ensuring a safe, comfortable, and unforgettable African experience.
Flexibility: While the safari schedule offers a general structure, your Tanzania safari guide will consider your preferences and adjust the timings whenever possible. The priority remains adhering to park regulations and ensuring safe travel within the time constraints. Your private guide will provide expert recommendations but is always open to hearing your interests.
All of these Tanzania Safari tours are conducted on a private departure basis. A minimum of 2 clients is needed to guarantee a departure.
The accommodation listed in this itinerary is subject to availability. Should the listed establishment not be available, a similar lodge of the same standard will be booked. This will be conveyed to you at the time of booking.
Transport is in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof for optimal game viewing and photographic opportunities. The safari vehicles are fitted with high-frequency radios for two-way, long-range communication. Each guest is guaranteed a window seat in the vehicle.
The cost of any optional activities will be confirmed on request.
This Tanzania Wildlife Safari combines well with our 4-Day Zanzibar Beach Resort Package. Zanzibar Island, located off the coast of Tanzania, is renowned for its stunning white-sand beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters, rich cultural heritage, and historic Stone Town, making it a paradise for both relaxation and exploration.
For this tour, you decide how much or how little you wish to do in this tropical paradise. The Zanzibar beach resort caters to all tastes with watersports, land-based activities, spa treatments, three restaurants, many bars, and a variety of facilities. The resort is set along a white-sand beach and features one of Zanzibar's largest swimming pools, complete with a pool bar. To learn more about Zanzibar Island, arrange excursions at the beach resort, which include spice tours and a visit to Stone Town.
Speak to a travel expert to add this Zanzibar trip to your Tanzania safari package or browse our Zanzibar Tours.
This Tanzania wildlife safari is also available as a combined itinerary with a Zanzibar beach stay included. View our 11-Day Private Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Tour for travellers who want a fully packaged bush-and-beach experience.
Flight costs are not included in this Tanzania safari package and must be booked separately. Our friendly travel advisors can advise on your options and make bookings on your behalf through our flight partners.
Talk to one of our travel experts if you would like us to arrange accommodation for before and/or after your Tanzania Wildlife Safari.
Please note that the Wildebeest Great Migration of Kenya’s Masai Mara & Tanzania’s Serengeti is seasonal. As a natural wildlife phenomenon, it is fluid and unpredictable. For this reason, it must be understood that seeing the Great Migration cannot be guaranteed.
The wildebeest and other wild herbivores migrate between Masai Mara in Kenya and Serengeti in Tanzania. These herds move in a massive circular route covering some 1200 miles (1931km). It is a continuous movement of wildlife that can be seen in different areas at different times of the year. During certain phases of this annual trek, the animals disperse or slow down, whilst at other times the migration picks up speed, with the herds becoming larger and denser. Not only does the Wildebeest Great Migration vary from place to place and season to season but the movement of these large wildlife herds varies from year to year.
Please talk to a travel expert from African Budget Safaris about seeing the Wildebeest Great Migration on your safari to find out more. Also, check out our detailed article about the Great Migration in Serengeti and Masai Mara.
For up-to-date and confirmed pricing info for optional items, please drop us an enquiry.
This tour does take children.
Children below 2 years are complimentary
Children 3 – 12 years sharing with 2 adults pay 50% of the adult rate (up to 2 children only)
Children 3 – 12 years in their own room pay 75% of the adult rate
*Subject to availability
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