Skip to content
TANZURI
Umbrella thorn acacias standing on the grassy plains of Serengeti National Park
Safari & WildlifePhotography Safaris

Northern Tanzania Safari

Seven days through Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater

Request a quoteAsk on WhatsApp
Duration
7 days / 6 nights
Destinations
Arusha, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Starts / ends
Arusha (Kilimanjaro International Airport) → Arusha (Kilimanjaro International Airport)
Travel style
Private or small group
Accommodation
Budget · Mid-range · Luxury

Sample itinerary. Routes, travel times and the style of accommodation are typical for this journey. Your named lodges, final schedule and price are confirmed in your personal quotation, and everything can be adjusted.

Overview

About this journey

This is the classic Tanzanian safari: a week on the Northern Circuit that links four of Africa’s best-known wildlife areas. You start among the ancient baobabs and elephant herds of Tarangire, continue to the forests and soda lake of Lake Manyara, spend two full nights on the open plains of the Serengeti and finish with a morning inside the Ngorongoro Crater.

The pace is designed to balance time in the parks with comfortable travel days. Your private driver-guide stays with you from start to finish, so you can linger at a sighting, ask endless questions and shape each game drive around what you most want to see.

It suits first-time visitors to Africa, couples and families who want a varied safari in one week, and photographers looking for a strong mix of landscapes and wildlife. It also combines easily with a Zanzibar beach extension or a Kilimanjaro climb.

Highlights

  • Two nights in the Serengeti for unhurried game drives on the open plains
  • A morning descent into the Ngorongoro Crater, one of the best places in Africa to see black rhino
  • Large elephant herds among the baobabs of Tarangire, especially in the dry season
  • The groundwater forest and flamingo-lined shore of Lake Manyara
  • A private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof and a professional driver-guide throughout
  • The chance to follow the Great Migration, depending on the season
  • Optional sunrise hot-air balloon flight over the Serengeti

Ideal for

  • First-time safari travellers
  • Couples and families with a week to spare
  • Wildlife photographers
  • Travellers adding a beach stay or Kilimanjaro climb

Route

  1. 1Arusha
  2. 2Tarangire National Park
  3. 3Lake Manyara & Karatu
  4. 4Serengeti National Park
  5. 5Serengeti National Park
  6. 6Ngorongoro Crater
  7. 7Arusha

Day by day

Your itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Arrival in Arusha

    Kilimanjaro International Airport → Arusha

    Karibu Tanzania! On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport you are met by our representative and driven to your hotel in Arusha, the gateway to the northern safari parks. On a clear day you may see Mount Kilimanjaro or Mount Meru along the way.

    The rest of the day is yours to rest after your flight. In the evening your guide briefs you on the safari ahead and answers any last questions.

    Planned

    • Airport meet and greet
    • Transfer to your hotel
    • Safari briefing

    Optional (extra cost)

    • Visit to a local coffee farm or Arusha’s markets if you arrive early
    Travel
    Approx. 1 hour by road
    Meals
    Dinner
    Overnight
    Hotel or lodge in Arusha (to be confirmed)

  2. Day 2

    Tarangire National Park

    Arusha → Tarangire

    After breakfast you drive south-west to Tarangire National Park, known for its giant baobab trees and some of the largest elephant herds in Tanzania. The Tarangire River draws wildlife throughout the dry season, so you may also see giraffe, zebra, buffalo, lion and a rich variety of birds.

    You spend the day on game drives, with a picnic or lodge lunch, before continuing to your accommodation in or near the park.

    Planned

    • Full-day game drive in Tarangire National Park
    • Picnic or lodge lunch
    Travel
    Approx. 2–2.5 hours by road to the park gate
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Tented camp or lodge in or near Tarangire (to be confirmed)

  3. Day 3

    Lake Manyara National Park

    Tarangire → Karatu

    Today you visit Lake Manyara National Park, set beneath the dramatic wall of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. The park’s groundwater forest is home to baboons and blue monkeys, while the lake shore can attract flamingos, pelicans and hippos. The park is also known for tree-climbing lions, although sightings are never guaranteed.

    In the afternoon you climb the escarpment to the green highlands around Karatu, a quiet farming town close to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

    Planned

    • Game drive in Lake Manyara National Park

    Optional (extra cost)

    • Guided village walk or cultural visit in Mto wa Mbu
    • Short coffee farm walk around Karatu
    Travel
    Approx. 1.5–2 hours by road, plus game-drive time
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Lodge in the Karatu highlands (to be confirmed)

  4. Day 4

    Into the Serengeti

    Karatu → Central Serengeti

    Your journey to the Serengeti climbs through the forests of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with a first view down into the crater from the rim, before descending across the short-grass plains to Naabi Hill Gate. From here the Serengeti opens up in every direction.

    You game drive on the way to your camp, arriving in time to settle in and enjoy the sounds of the bush at nightfall.

    Planned

    • Scenic drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area
    • Game drive en route into the Serengeti
    Travel
    Approx. 4–5 hours by road, including game viewing on the way
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Tented camp or lodge in central Serengeti (to be confirmed)

  5. Day 5

    A full day in the Serengeti

    Central Serengeti

    A whole day to explore the Serengeti. The central Seronera area is known for resident lions and leopards in the acacia trees and along the rivers, and depending on the time of year your guide may head towards the migrating herds of wildebeest and zebra.

    You can choose an early start and return for lunch, or take a picnic and stay out all day — your guide will suggest the best plan for the season.

    Planned

    • Morning and afternoon game drives, or a full-day drive with picnic lunch

    Optional (extra cost)

    • Sunrise hot-air balloon safari (booked in advance, supplement applies)
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Tented camp or lodge in central Serengeti (to be confirmed)

  6. Day 6

    Serengeti to the Ngorongoro highlands

    Central Serengeti → Ngorongoro crater rim or Karatu

    After a final morning game drive in the Serengeti you head back towards the Ngorongoro highlands. The drive crosses the plains again, often with good sightings along the way.

    You arrive in the late afternoon at your lodge on the crater rim or in the Karatu area, where evenings are noticeably cooler.

    Planned

    • Morning game drive in the Serengeti
    • Drive back through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area

    Optional (extra cost)

    • Stop at Olduvai Gorge, an important site in the story of human evolution
    Travel
    Approx. 3–4 hours by road, plus game-drive time
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Lodge on the Ngorongoro crater rim or in the Karatu area (to be confirmed)

  7. Day 7

    Ngorongoro Crater and return to Arusha

    Ngorongoro → Arusha

    An early start takes you down into the Ngorongoro Crater, a vast volcanic caldera around 600 m deep. The crater floor supports a remarkable concentration of wildlife, including lion, elephant, buffalo, hyena and, with luck, the endangered black rhino.

    After a picnic lunch on the crater floor you drive back to Arusha for your onward journey, or continue to a Zanzibar or Kilimanjaro extension.

    Planned

    • Half-day game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater
    • Picnic lunch
    • Transfer to Arusha or the airport
    Travel
    Approx. 3.5–4 hours by road from the crater to Arusha
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
    Overnight
    Not included — departure, or add a night in Arusha

Travel times are typical estimates and vary with road conditions and wildlife sightings.

Where you’ll stay

Accommodation

Choose the style that suits you — named properties are proposed in your quotation, subject to availability.

Budget

Clean, comfortable lodges and permanent tented camps, usually just outside the park gates or in nearby towns such as Karatu, with en-suite bathrooms, hot water and simple, hearty meals. Some nights in the Serengeti may be in basic fixed tented camps inside the park. Ideal if you want the full safari experience and would rather spend on time in the parks than on the room.

Mid-range

Our reference standard: well-run safari lodges and tented camps with spacious en-suite rooms or tents, good food and friendly service, located inside or close to the parks so you spend less time on the road. Many have a pool, a lounge and views over the bush.

Luxury

Intimate luxury lodges and high-end tented camps in prime wildlife areas, with generous rooms, private decks, fine dining and attentive service. Some include extras such as a set number of drinks, laundry or private vehicle options — details depend on the property and are confirmed in your quote.

The fine print, made clear

Included & excluded

Included

  • Airport transfers on arrival and departure
  • Private 4x4 safari vehicle (typically a Toyota Land Cruiser) with pop-up roof for game viewing
  • Professional English-speaking driver-guide throughout the safari
  • All national park and conservation area entry fees for the planned itinerary
  • Ngorongoro Crater service fee (vehicle descent into the crater), where the itinerary includes the crater
  • Accommodation as described for your chosen tier
  • Meals as listed in the day-by-day plan
  • Drinking water in the vehicle during game drives
  • Government taxes on the included services

Not included

  • International flights
  • Tanzania visa fees
  • Travel and medical insurance (required)
  • Tips and gratuities for guides and lodge staff
  • Drinks, except drinking water in the vehicle
  • Optional activities, such as a hot-air balloon safari or cultural visits not listed as included
  • Laundry, phone calls and other personal expenses
  • Anything not listed as included

Before you go

Practical information

More answers in our Travel Guide & FAQs.

Price / Request a quote

Get your personal quotation

Prices depend on your travel dates, group size and accommodation style, so we quote each trip individually. Tell us a little about your plans and we’ll send a clear, itemised quotation — no obligation.

Enquiring about: Northern Tanzania Safari (7 days)

More journeys

A curving white-sand beach with turquoise water and coconut palms at Matemwe, Zanzibar10 days · 9 nights

Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar Escape

The Northern Circuit’s great parks, followed by Stone Town and the white sands of Zanzibar

Arusha · Tarangire National Park · Serengeti National Park · Ngorongoro Conservation Area · Zanzibar

Private or small groupView itinerary
A Masai giraffe and its calf on a lake shore in the Selous (Nyerere National Park), with hills beyond8 days · 7 nights

Southern Tanzania Wilderness

Boat, walking and game-drive safaris in Nyerere and Ruaha, far from the crowds

Nyerere National Park · Ruaha National Park

PrivateView itinerary
Stone Town waterfront in Zanzibar, with historic whitewashed buildings, palm trees and boats in the harbour6 days · 5 nights

Zanzibar Island Escape

Stone Town’s history, spice farms, red colobus monkeys and the turquoise Indian Ocean

Zanzibar

PrivateView itinerary