Ultimate Tanzania Safar

Safari summary

Tanzania’s Northern Circuit is an iconic safari destination offering a thrilling mix of diverse landscapes and abundant wildlife. The safari journey takes you to four of the country's most popular and celebrated national parks: Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara National Park. Each area provides a unique safari experience, from vast savannahs to dense forests and volcanic calderas, each home to an incredible range of species, including the renowned "Big Five."

Tarangire National Park:
Tarangire National Park is often described as one of the hidden gems of Tanzania, known for its large herds of elephants, ancient baobab trees, and abundant birdlife. It is situated in the northern part of Tanzania, around 120 kilometers southwest of Arusha. The park covers 2,850 square kilometers and is home to diverse landscapes, including savannahs, wetlands, and forests. Its most distinctive feature is the Tarangire River, which runs through the park and attracts wildlife, particularly during the dry season. Tarangire is known for hosting one of the largest concentrations of elephants in Africa, and visitors often witness impressive elephant herds roaming freely across the plains.

Aside from elephants, the park is home to the Big Five—lions, leopards, buffaloes, and rhinos—along with numerous other species, such as giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, and various species of gazelles. Birdwatching enthusiasts will also find the park a paradise, with over 500 species of birds, including flocks of flamingos, ostriches, and various types of raptors. Visitors can enjoy game drives through Tarangire’s various ecosystems, spotting wildlife against the backdrop of the iconic baobab trees. During the dry season, the park sees large concentrations of wildlife gathering near the Tarangire River, creating a prime safari experience.

Serengeti National Park:
The Serengeti is one of the most famous wildlife destinations in the world, renowned for its vast, open plains and the spectacular annual wildebeest migration. Covering over 14,000 square kilometers, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a symbol of Africa's rich natural heritage. The Serengeti’s name, derived from the Maasai word "Siringet," meaning “endless plains,” perfectly captures the vastness of this iconic landscape.

The Serengeti offers an incredible diversity of wildlife, including lions, cheetahs, elephants, leopards, and a wide range of herbivores such as zebras, giraffes, and gazelles. The park is particularly famous for the Great Migration, where over 1.5 million wildebeests, along with hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles, traverse the Serengeti in search of food and water, often crossing the crocodile-infested Mara River in the northern part of the park. While the migration is the most well-known event, the Serengeti is teeming with life year-round, providing an exceptional game viewing experience. In addition to the Big Five, Serengeti also hosts cheetahs, hyenas, and the endangered African wild dog, along with a stunning variety of bird species.

The Serengeti is divided into various regions, including the central Seronera area, which is known for its abundant wildlife and the presence of large prides of lions. The park’s diverse landscapes—from the grasslands of the Serengeti Plains to the riverine forests along the Grumeti and Mara Rivers—create diverse habitats for different wildlife, making it an ideal place for exploration.

Ngorongoro Crater:
Ngorongoro Crater is often referred to as “Africa’s Garden of Eden” because of its stunning natural beauty and the abundance of wildlife it sustains. The crater is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world, measuring about 260 square kilometers, with a depth of 2,000 feet. The area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers some of the best game viewing opportunities in Africa.

The Ngorongoro Crater is home to a unique mix of wildlife due to its isolation from other areas, creating a rich ecosystem where nearly every member of the Big Five can be found. The crater floor is a sanctuary for animals such as lions, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, and hippos, along with a diverse array of other wildlife like zebras, wildebeests, hyenas, and warthogs. The crater also boasts large populations of predators like cheetahs and leopards. The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the best places in Tanzania to see endangered black rhinos in the wild, adding to the allure of this destination.

Aside from the Big Five, Ngorongoro Crater is also home to a variety of bird species, including flamingos that inhabit the alkaline lakes. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area surrounding the crater is also home to the Maasai people, who live in harmony with the wildlife, offering visitors a chance to learn about the indigenous culture and traditions.

About this tour

	Tour type	Custom, tailor-made, private
	Main focus	Game drives
	Activity level	Moderate activity
	Best months	All months
	Countries	Tanzania
	Parks	Lake Manyara Ngorongoro Crater Serengeti Tarangire

Fine details

Safari highlights

• Bird watching—with professional guide
• Walking safari—with armed guard
• Hot air balloons

What’s included?

• Accommodation
• Airport transfers
• Meals
• Park fees
• Private vehicle and driver

What’s not included?

• Alcoholic beverages
• Hot air balloons
• Internal flights
• International flights
• Tips and gratuities
• Visas