12 Day Northern Circuit Tanzania Safari

OVERVIEW

This is Tanzania’s most complete safari. The journey moves through Tarangire’s elephant country, the forests of Lake Manyara, the vast Serengeti plains and finally the wildlife‑rich Ngorongoro Crater.

Each park reveals a different landscape and ecosystem, creating one of the most diverse wildlife experiences available anywhere in Africa. From baobab‑filled savannahs to lush groundwater forests and volcanic highlands, the scenery evolves constantly while wildlife encounters intensify deeper into the circuit.

Your Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival in Arusha

Arusha sits beneath Mount Meru and has long served as the gateway to Tanzania’s northern safari circuit. On arrival you are met and transferred through quiet leafy neighborhoods to your lodge where gardens and views toward distant volcanoes create a calm start to the journey.

The afternoon is intentionally unhurried. Most travelers relax after their flight, enjoying the cooler highland air before the safari truly begins tomorrow.

Accommodation Options

Luxury

Gran Meliá Arusha

Mid‑Range

Arusha Serena Hotel

Budget

Ilboru Safari Lodge

Meals: Dinner

Day 2 – Arusha to Tarangire National Park

Leaving Arusha behind, the road heads south into the baobab‑dotted landscapes of Tarangire National Park. The terrain becomes increasingly wild as giant baobab trees rise from the savannah and wildlife begins appearing along the roadside.

Tarangire is famous for its elephants and it rarely takes long before the first herds appear. In the dry season hundreds gather along the Tarangire River while giraffes, buffalo and antelope move slowly across the plains.

Accommodation Options

Luxury

Tarangire Treetops

Mid‑Range

Tarangire Sopa Lodge

Budget

Sangaiwe Tented Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3 – Tarangire Wildlife Exploration

Morning light filters through the baobab trees as elephants move toward the river. Tarangire’s wildlife often concentrates along the water, creating remarkable sightings of large herds gathering in the same place.

The afternoon explores deeper sections of the park where lions rest beneath acacia shade and giraffes wander slowly through the woodland savannah.

Accommodation: Same as Day 2

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4 – Tarangire to Lake Manyara

The journey continues toward Lake Manyara where the landscape shifts dramatically. Dense groundwater forests line the entrance to the park while cliffs from the Great Rift Valley rise steeply above the lake.

Game drives explore the park’s forests and open floodplains where elephants, monkeys and abundant birdlife thrive. Lake Manyara is also known for its elusive tree‑climbing lions.

Accommodation Options

Luxury

Lake Manyara Tree Lodge

Mid‑Range

Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge

Budget

Manyara Wildlife Safari Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5 – Lake Manyara to Serengeti

The road climbs into the Ngorongoro Highlands before descending gradually toward the endless plains of the Serengeti. Along the way Maasai villages and grazing cattle appear across the rolling volcanic landscape.

As the Serengeti opens up, wildlife becomes increasingly abundant. Herds of zebra and wildebeest move across the plains while predators patrol the grasslands.

Accommodation Options

Luxury

Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti

Mid‑Range

Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge

Budget

Serengeti Heritage Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6 – Serengeti Game Drives

Dawn in the Serengeti brings intense wildlife activity. Lions return from the night hunt while cheetahs scan the plains from termite mounds looking for movement across the grasslands.

Later in the day massive herbivore herds roam the savannah while elephants move between scattered waterholes and rocky kopjes.

Accommodation: Same as Day 5

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7 – Serengeti Wildlife Exploration

Another full day allows your guide to explore different regions of the Serengeti ecosystem. Tracks in the dust and distant alarm calls often reveal predators long before they are visible.

Every corner of the Serengeti offers a different scene — a lion pride resting in the shade, giraffes silhouetted against the horizon or vultures circling above a distant kill.

Accommodation: Same as Day 5

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8 – Serengeti to Ngorongoro Highlands

Leaving the open plains behind, the journey climbs gradually into the Ngorongoro Highlands where misty forests and volcanic ridges replace the savannah landscape.

Your lodge sits on the crater rim offering breathtaking views across the vast volcanic caldera below.

Accommodation Options

Luxury

Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

Mid‑Range

Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge

Budget

Rhino Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 – Ngorongoro Crater Safari

Descending into the crater reveals one of Africa’s most remarkable wildlife environments. Lions, elephants, buffalo and the rare black rhino roam the grasslands alongside large herds of zebra and wildebeest.

The enclosed ecosystem creates extraordinary wildlife density, making this one of the best places in Africa to observe multiple species within a single day.

Accommodation: Same as Day 8

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 – Ngorongoro Highlands

A slower day in the highlands offers time to explore the surrounding landscapes including crater viewpoints and nearby Maasai communities.

The cooler air and dramatic scenery create a peaceful contrast after the intensity of the Serengeti and crater safari.

Accommodation: Same as Day 8

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11 – Ngorongoro to Arusha

The road descends from the volcanic highlands back toward the fertile plains surrounding Arusha. Coffee farms and small villages line the route as the landscape transitions from wilderness to cultivated countryside.

Arrival in Arusha allows a relaxed final evening reflecting on the journey’s wildlife encounters.

Accommodation Options

Luxury

Gran Meliá Arusha

Mid‑Range

Arusha Serena Hotel

Budget

Ilboru Safari Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12 – Departure

Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your onward journey.

Meals: Breakfast