7 days / 6 nights
Tanzania Wildlife Safari: Beyond the Savannah
Arusha · Tarangire · Lake Manyara · Ngorongoro · Serengeti
Go beyond a traditional safari and discover the remarkable diversity of Tanzania's Northern Circuit. This 7-day journey combines elephant-rich Tarangire, the Rift Valley landscapes of Lake Manyara, the wildlife-filled Ngorongoro Crater and the legendary Serengeti plains. It is designed for travellers seeking a balanced combination of wildlife, scenery and immersive game-viewing experiences.
Safari highlights
- Large elephant herds and iconic baobab landscapes in Tarangire
- Excellent opportunities to encounter lions and other predators
- Possibility of seeing cheetahs and leopards in the Serengeti
- Search for endangered black rhino in Ngorongoro Crater
- Experience Serengeti's vast plains and abundant herbivore populations
- Discover Lake Manyara's forests, wetlands and rich birdlife
- Enjoy spectacular Great Rift Valley and Ngorongoro Highland scenery
- Excellent wildlife and landscape photography opportunities
- Experience four of Tanzania's most iconic ecosystems
Out on safari
Day by day
7 days, 6 nights
The route below is the standard version. Game drives follow the wildlife rather than a timetable, and your guide adjusts as the animals move.
- 1
Arrival in Arusha
Arrive in Arusha and meet your safari representative. Transfer to your hotel for check-in, relaxation and a safari briefing.
- 2
Arusha to Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, drive to Tarangire National Park for your first game drive. The park is particularly famous for its elephants, ancient baobabs and seasonal wildlife concentrations around the Tarangire River.
Explore the park in search of elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffalo and diverse birdlife.
- 3
Tarangire to Lake Manyara National Park
Enjoy a morning game drive before continuing to Lake Manyara National Park. Set beneath the dramatic Great Rift Valley escarpment, Lake Manyara features groundwater forests, wetlands, open plains and lakeshore habitats.
Look for elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, hippos and numerous bird species.
- 4
Lake Manyara to Ngorongoro Highlands
After breakfast, travel toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Enjoy the changing scenery as you climb into the cooler highlands.
The afternoon can be spent relaxing at your lodge or enjoying an optional cultural experience.
- 5
Ngorongoro Crater to Serengeti
Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for an early game drive. The crater floor supports an exceptional concentration of wildlife, including lions, elephants, buffalo, zebras, wildebeest and, with luck, black rhino.
After the crater visit, continue toward the Serengeti with wildlife viewing along the way.
- 6
Full-Day Serengeti National Park
Spend a full day exploring the Serengeti. Your guide will follow current wildlife movements to select productive areas for game viewing.
Depending on the season, you may encounter large herds of wildebeest and zebra, alongside lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, giraffes and buffalo.
- 7
Serengeti to Arusha
Enjoy an early morning game drive, when wildlife is often most active, before beginning your journey back to Arusha.
Continue through the scenic landscapes of northern Tanzania, arriving in Arusha later in the day.
Included
What the price covers
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
- Professional English-speaking safari guide
- Private game drives as outlined in the itinerary
- 6 nights of accommodation
- Meals
- Tarangire National Park entry fees
- Lake Manyara National Park entry fees
- Serengeti National Park entry fees
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area and crater fees
- Drinking water during game drives
- Arusha transfers as specified
- All applicable government taxes and tourism fees
Accommodation options: Your accommodation will be selected according to your preferred comfort level, travel dates, availability and safari route. Exact properties will be confirmed in your personalised quotation
Not included
What you arrange yourself
- International and domestic flights
- Tanzania visa fees
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tips for safari guide and lodge staff
- Alcoholic and premium beverages
- Laundry and personal expenses
- Hot-air balloon safari
- Optional cultural experiences and activities
- Souvenirs and personal purchases
- Any service not specifically mentioned under "Included"
Best for
This safari is ideal for first-time visitors, couples, families, photographers and wildlife enthusiasts looking for a well-rounded introduction to Tanzania. With four major destinations and varied habitats, it offers more than traditional savannah game viewing, from Rift Valley wetlands and ancient forests to volcanic highlands and the endless Serengeti plains.
Accommodation levels
Choose the level, and we build the trip around it
The same route can be run four ways. The level you pick decides where you sleep, how far you drive to the wildlife each morning, and most of what the safari costs.
Budget
Clean, simple camps and small lodges. Everything you need after a day in the park, and nothing you do not.
Mid-range
Comfortable lodges and permanent tented camps with en-suite bathrooms, pools and full service. Where most safaris sit.
Luxury
High-end lodges and luxury tented camps in prime locations, with the shorter drives to the wildlife that come with them.
Premium
The best addresses in each park. Exclusive-use camps, private guiding and the quietest corners of the reserves.
Why there is no price on the page
A safari price that fits everyone fits nobody. Two people in a premium camp in August and a family of four in a mid-range lodge in April are different trips at different costs, on the same itinerary. Rather than publish a figure that would be wrong for most people reading it, we price each trip properly.
Tell us your dates, your group and the level you want, and you get an accurate quote back with the accommodation named.
What the quote is built from
- Accommodation level and the type of camp or lodge
- Where you sleep: park rates differ, and so do the drives
- Travel dates, since low, high and peak seasons are priced apart
- Group size, and the ages of any children
- Safari style: private, shared, or tailor-made
- Length of the trip, the parks you enter and the activities you add
- Vehicle and transport arrangements
- Anything special: flights, transfers, honeymoon touches, dietary needs
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