Tanzania Northern Circuit

Classic

Tanzania Northern Circuit

Classic
Tanzania Northern Circuit main view
Tanzania Northern Circuit view 2Tanzania Northern Circuit view 3Tanzania Northern Circuit view 4
Tanzania Northern Circuit view 5

Trip Overview

All-inclusive. Everything arranged. No hidden logistics.

SAFARIFly-in Safari
COUNTRYTanzania
REGIONTarangire National Park,
Ngorongoro Conservation Area,
Central Serengeti
DURATION9 Nights
TRANSPORT4 bush flights

Is This Safari Right for You?

BEST FOR

First-time safarisFamilies

WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS

Big 5Black RhinoBig cats

STAY STYLE

Comfortable tented campStylish highland domesCoffee estate lodge

Where This Safari Takes You

From the baobab-dotted wilderness of Tarangire to the wildlife-packed Ngorongoro Crater and the endless plains of the central Serengeti, this route connects three of Tanzania's most iconic safari regions with bush flights between each.

Route at a Glance
Arusha1 night
Relaxed arrival night, coffee estate lodge, easy start before flying to next destination
Bush flight + transfer (95 min)
Bush flight + transfer (95 min)
Tarangire National Park2 nights
Iconic Safari, Walking safari, large herds of elephants, rugged landscape
Bush flight + transfer (4.5 hours)
Bush flight + transfer (4.5 hours)
Ngorongoro Conservation Area3 nights
Remote high altitude camp, crater descent, Empakaai hike
Bush flight + transfer (4 hours)
Bush flight + transfer (4 hours)
Central Serengeti3 nights
Savannah, emblematic safari, hot air balloon
Bush flight + transfer (2 hr 45 min)
Bush flight + transfer (2 hr 45 min)
Kilimanjaro airportDeparture
Arrive directly at the airport
All transport between stops is included

Transfer times are estimates and include road transfers. Bush flights are scheduled and shared.

Tanzania Northern Circuit route map
1

Arusha

A comfortable first night near Arusha allows travelers to recover from arrival before continuing by bush plane to Tarangire.

2

Tarangire National Park

Tarangire is known for its iconic baobab-studded landscape, large elephant herds and excellent walking safari opportunities.

3

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area offers the famous crater floor, one of Africa's most wildlife-dense areas, plus highland hikes and a remote, cooler climate.

4

Central Serengeti

The Serengeti's vast open plains are the iconic African safari landscape, offering classic big-cat viewing and optional balloon rides at sunrise.

Best Time to Go

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
Peak (Dry Weather)
Green Season
Lush, Short Rains
Rain Season

Key Highlights

Birding SeasonJanuary – March
Best ValueOctober, January & February
Fewer CrowdsNovember – June, excluding Christmas
In April, Oliver's Camp will be replaced by Mpingo Ridge Lodge

Planned Accommodations

Your trip includes these camps and lodges or similar alternatives of comparable style and standard if availability changes.

Coffee Lodge

or similar
Arusha1 Night

A refined lodge on a coffee estate for a relaxed first night in Tanzania.

  • Easy arrival night
  • Private road transfer access

Olivers Camp

or similar
Tarangire National Park2 Nights

An iconic safari camp in the heart of Tarangire.

  • Pool
  • Night Drive
  • Wilderness feel
  • 500 species of bird

The Highlands

or similar
Ngorongoro Conservation Area3 Nights

Stylish domes in a remote highland setting.

  • Sauna
  • Massage
  • Wood stove
  • Crater hikes

Dunia Camp

or similar
Central Serengeti3 Nights

A women-run camp on the open Serengeti savannah.

  • Camp run and staffed by women
  • Private veranda
  • Abundance of wildlife
  • New pool and spa (May 2027)

What's Included

All accommodationAll transportAll mealsHouse drinksExpert local guidesAll activitiesAirport meet & greetAll taxes & park feesVisas & fees24/7 concierge support

Not Included

International flightsGratuitiesTravel insurancePersonal expensesPremium wine & spirits

Daily Itinerary

Most days on safari include an early game drive, midday rest, and evening safari activity.

On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met by your personal driver for a warm meet and greet. From there, enjoy a scenic 90-minute private road transfer through the foothills of Mount Meru to Arusha Coffee Lodge, set among working coffee plantations on the outskirts of Arusha.


Settle in at your own pace, the rest of the evening is yours to relax and prepare for the days ahead.

After breakfast you will be driven to Arusha Airport, just a 5-minute drive away, for a 30-minute light-aircraft flight over the Great Rift Valley escarpment and down into Tarangire. The bush plane lands at Kuro Airstrip, where a camp vehicle meets you for an approximately 1-hour game-drive transfer to Oliver's Camp.


On arrival, the camp team will welcome you with a presentation and safety briefing to prepare you for the days ahead. Finish the evening with a sundowner as the sun sets over the baobab-dotted landscape.

Head out on a morning game drive through Tarangire's open grasslands and along the Tarangire River, where elephants, buffalo and predators congregate around the water. After lunch back at camp, you have the option to join a guided walking safari led by an armed ranger and your Maasai guide, offering a completely different perspective on the bush.


Please note that the walking safari is only available for children aged 12 and above. Birdwatchers will find over 500 recorded species here, including several endemics unique to the area.

A short 20-minute bush flight carries you northwest from Tarangire, landing at Manyara Airstrip on the edge of the Rift Valley. From there, a scenic 3-hour road transfer climbs through farmland and dense highland forest before reaching the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater.


The Highlands lodge sits on the slopes of the dormant Olmoti volcano at over 2,500 metres, where you can expect a noticeably cooler climate compared to the lowlands. Spend the afternoon exploring the lodge grounds or simply taking in the vastness of the landscape.

An early start takes you down the steep crater wall to the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, a 260-square-kilometre caldera that supports around 25,000 large animals year-round. You will spend the full day game-driving across grasslands, soda lakes and acacia woodland, with excellent chances of spotting lion, black rhino, elephant and flamingo.


A picnic lunch is served beside the Hippo Pool or on the open plains. Back at The Highlands in the late afternoon, unwind with a wood-fired sauna session under the highland sky.

Today offers a welcome change of pace with a choice of two guided hikes. The Empakaai Crater hike descends into a lush, forested caldera with a soda lake often ringed by flamingos, and on a clear day the views stretch to Ol Doinyo Lengai, the Maasai 'Mountain of God.' Alternatively, the Olmoti Crater nature walk is a gentler trek through highland meadows and forest, finishing at a waterfall that feeds the Munge River flowing into the main crater below.


Both walks are accompanied by an armed ranger and a local Maasai guide.

The morning game drive from The Highlands to Manyara Airstrip doubles as a final chance to spot wildlife along the crater rim road. At Manyara you board a 30-minute bush flight to Seronera in the heart of the Serengeti, where a camp vehicle meets you for a 45-minute transfer to Dunia Camp.


The camp is set on the open savannah of the central Serengeti, an area known for year-round resident game including large prides of lion and healthy populations of cheetah and leopard.

For those who choose the balloon experience, a pre-dawn departure lifts you silently over the Serengeti as the sun rises across the plains, ending with a champagne bush breakfast on landing. The rest of the day is spent on extended game drives through the central Serengeti's kopje-studded grasslands, where rocky outcrops often harbour resting leopards and lions.


Whether you fly or not, the game viewing in this area is consistently outstanding due to the year-round prey concentrations.

The day can begin with an optional visit to a local Maasai village near the park boundary, offering a genuine insight into daily life and traditions in this part of Tanzania. This visit is possible from July to October only, and the round trip takes up to 7 hours.


If you prefer to stay in the park, head out for an extended game drive across the wide-open plains, searching for any last sightings. Return to Dunia Camp for a farewell bush dinner under the stars, a fitting close to your time in the Serengeti.

After a final breakfast at camp, you will be transferred to Seronera Airstrip for your bush flight back to Kilimanjaro International Airport. The flight takes approximately 1 hour 45 minutes, crossing the Ngorongoro Highlands and the Rift Valley on the way.


On arrival at Kilimanjaro you will connect with your onward flight.

Each day can be customized based on how you feel and what you would like to see with the help of your guides and staff.

Optional Add-ons

Enhance your trip with these
curated experiences.

Hot air balloon

Hot air balloon

Drift above the Serengeti at sunrise for a bird's-eye view of the migration herds and golden savannah below.

$599 / person
Private safari vehicle

Private safari vehicle

Enjoy exclusive use of a safari vehicle and guide, giving your group the freedom to set the pace and linger at sightings.

$4,800 / group

Optional experiences can be added now or later.

Arrival & Practical Information

Tourist visas are required for most nationalities and are included in your trip price.

We will handle the full application process for you and simply request a few basic details when the time comes.

Please ensure:

Your passport is valid for at least 6 months from your exit date
Your approved visa is printed before arrival

Arrival airport: Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO)

Most international flights arrive in the evening
Your private driver will be waiting for you at arrivals and transfer you directly to your hotel
We are happy to recommend the best flight options based on your departure city

All internal flights are operated by small bush planes connecting conservancies and parks.

Ground transportation is provided in comfortable 4×4 safari vehicles for optimal game viewing. All airport transfers are included.

Please note:

Segment 1: Kilimanjaro Airport → Legendary Lodge (Road, private transfer, 60 min) Segment 2: Legendary Lodge → Arusha Airport (Road, private transfer, 15 min) Segment 3: Arusha Airport → Kuro Airstrip (Bush plane, ~90 min) Segment 4: Kuro Airstrip → Oliver's Camp (Bush road transfer) Segment 5: Oliver's Camp → Airstrip (Bush road transfer) Segment 6: Airstrip → Ngorongoro / The Highlands (Bush flight + road transfer, ~4.5 hours) Segment 7: The Highlands → Manyara Airstrip (Game drive, ~3 hours) Segment 8: Manyara Airstrip → Seronera Airstrip (Bush flight) Segment 9: Seronera Airstrip → Dunia Camp (Bush road transfer) Segment 10: Dunia Camp → Seronera Airstrip (Bush road transfer) Segment 11: Seronera Airstrip → Kilimanjaro Airport (Bush flight, ~1h 45min)
Pack in layers for temperature changes
Neutral-colored clothing is recommended for safari activities

Yes, this itinerary works well for families.

However:

Children under 5 are not permitted on this trip.
If you have children 4 or under at the time of travel, please contact us so we can help arrange for specific camps where it is allowed and have childcare support available.

Absolutely. Each day can be adjusted based on your preferences, energy level, and wildlife interests with the help of your guides and staff.

It is also possible to:

Add extra nights
Combine your safari with a post-trip beach stay

For the above options, you can contact us directly, and we are happy to advise on locations and logistics. Please also see our optional add-ons for more ways to customize your trip.

Yellow fever vaccination is required if arriving from a high-risk country
For travelers over 60, a medical contraindication certificate may often be accepted in place of the vaccine
Malaria prophylaxis is not mandatory but is generally recommended
We advise consulting your doctor 4–6 weeks prior to travel

We recommend travel insurance for this trip

If you would like insurance, we recommend Yonder Insurance as they will give you several quotes from different travel insurance providers. There you can select the plan that best suits your needs based on cost and coverage.

Still have questions? We're happy to help.

Thoughtfully Planned

Every transfer, permit, and detail handled for you

Expert Local Guides

Deep wildlife knowledge and conservancy access

Flexible Each Day

Adjust activities based on how you feel

Support Throughout

From first inquiry to your final transfer

Questions about this safari?

Our safari specialists are here to help.

Questions about this safari?

Our safari specialists are here to help.

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