COMPLETE NORTHERN CIRCUIT ADVENTURE
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Destination to Visit
Arusha, Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro crater and Zanzibar
Start / Finish in
Start in Arusha & End in Zanzibar
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Overview
The tour begins gently with Arusha National Park, a quieter area often overlooked but ideal for adjusting to the rhythm of safari travel.
From there, the experience expands into the classic northern circuit destinations, Tarangire’s open savannah, Lake Manyara’s forested escarpment, the expansive plains of the Serengeti, and finally the Ngorongoro Crater.
Each stop introduces a different environment and pace, allowing time to observe wildlife while also appreciating how geography shapes animal movement and daily life in the parks.
Day By Day
Day 1: Arrival – Pick Up and Transfer to Arusha
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met by our driver and transferred to your hotel in Arusha. The drive gives a first impression of northern Tanzania, passing small towns, local activities, and views of Mount Meru depending on weather conditions. After check in, the remainder of the day is left open so you can rest, adjust to the time zone, or simply settle into the hotel.
Later in the evening, you will meet our safari manager for a short briefing covering the plan for the coming days, travel expectations, and practical preparations for the safari. Enjoy a relaxed evening afterwards.
Day 2: Arusha National Park
After breakfast, you depart for Arusha National Park, located a short drive from town. The park is defined by its varied scenery rather than large predator sightings, with montane forest, open grassland, lakes, and views of Mount Meru shaping the experience.
Game drives move at an unhurried pace as you look for giraffes, buffaloes, warthogs, and colobus monkeys often seen in the forest canopy. Flamingos and other water birds may gather around the Momella Lakes depending on seasonal conditions.
Because visitor numbers are generally lower here, the atmosphere feels calm and less crowded, allowing time to observe animal behavior without pressure to move quickly. After a picnic lunch inside the park, you continue exploring before returning to your hotel in Arusha for dinner and overnight.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Arusha - Tarangire National Park
The safari continues southwest toward Tarangire National Park, a drive that gradually transitions from urban atmosphere into open countryside and Maasai villages. Tarangire is known for its large elephant population and unique baobab trees, which shape the park’s character and provide shade along seasonal wildlife routes.
Much of the activity centers around the Tarangire River, a reliable water source that attracts animals, especially during the dry season. Your game drive follows different tracks through woodland and grassland areas where zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, and various antelope species are commonly seen.
Lunch is taken at a designated picnic site inside the park, followed by further exploration in the afternoon when temperatures begin to cool and wildlife movement increases again. Later, you continue to your lodge or camp for dinner and overnight inside Tarangire.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Lake Manyara National Park
After breakfast, you drive a short distance to Lake Manyara National Park, set beneath the steep wall of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. The park’s compact size allows for intimate game viewing within a single day, moving through groundwater forest, open plains, and lakeshore.
Troops of baboons and blue monkeys are often seen near the forest entrance, while elephants and giraffes may appear deeper inside the park. Birdlife is abundant, particularly near the lake where flamingos and other water birds gather depending on water levels.
The shaded forest sections provide a noticeable contrast to the previous day’s experience, making the tour feel different despite the short travel distance. After a picnic lunch, you continue the afternoon game drive before heading toward the Ngorongoro highlands for dinner and overnight.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 & 6: Serengeti via Ngorongoro Highlands
Leaving the highlands behind, the safari continues through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area toward Serengeti with stops along the way to appreciate viewpoints overlooking the crater and surrounding plains. As the landscape gradually opens, wildlife sightings often begin as you travel toward your camp.
Over these two days, time is spent exploring different sections of the park, adjusting routes according to wildlife patterns, weather conditions, and recent sightings shared among guides. Morning and afternoon game drives allow opportunities to observe large herbivore herds, predators, and the subtle details of the plains.
Breaks are taken for meals and rest at suitable spots, maintaining a comfortable pace throughout. Evenings are spent at camp, where the quieter atmosphere of the Serengeti becomes part of the overall safari experience.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
An early start allows for a final morning game drive in the Serengeti, a time when animals are often active before the day warms. Following breakfast, you continue exploring while making your way toward Ngorongoro. The drive back retraces part of the earlier route but often feels different due to changing light and new wildlife encounters along the way.
The afternoon is more relaxed, allowing time to settle into your lodge near the crater rim or in the surrounding area. This slower pace provides a natural transition before the next day’s crater descent, with opportunities to enjoy the scenery and prepare for the final wildlife experience of the safari.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Ngorongoro Crater Tour - Return to Arusha
After an early breakfast, you descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a half-day game drive on the crater floor. The enclosed ecosystem supports a high concentration of wildlife sustained by permanent water sources and fertile grazing areas. Over the course of the morning, you explore grasslands, swamps, and acacia woodland while observing a variety of animals that remain within the crater year-round.
A picnic lunch is taken near one of the designated sites, allowing time to rest while watching nearby wildlife activity. In the early afternoon, you ascend the crater wall and begin the drive back to Arusha. Arriving in Arusha later in the day where the tour concludes.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
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RECOMMENDED FOR
- Anyone looking to immerse themselves in Tanzania wilderness.
- People who want an authentic safari adventure.
- Nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts.
PRICE INCLUSION
- All Game Drives;
- Accommodation At Lodges/Tented Camps
- English Speaking Driver/Guide;
- All Food; Drinking Water;
- 18% VAT Tax;
- At Least 1 Pair Of Binoculars;
- Accommodation In Moshi/Arusha;
- Airport Transfers;
PRICE EXCLUSIONS
- International flights
- Tanzania visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Tips and gratuities (guide, driver, lodge staff)
- Personal expenses (laundry, phone calls, souvenirs)
- Alcoholic and soft drinks (unless stated)
- Optional activities