Mid-range

6 Days Northern Circuit Classic Safari

All four famous northern parks on one balanced loop: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater.

Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
Style: Mid-range
Starts in: Arusha
Accommodation: Comfortable mid-range lodges and tented camps, full board
Best time to go: Year-round; June to October is driest and best for wildlife concentrations.

Overview

The classic northern circuit, planned so you never spend too long in the vehicle. Start gently with Tarangire's elephants, pass through Lake Manyara's forest on the way to the highlands, spend two nights in the Serengeti, and finish with a morning in the Ngorongoro Crater. It is the most popular route in northern Tanzania for good reason: four very different landscapes, excellent chances at the Big Five and an itinerary that suits first-time visitors.

Four parks and conservation areas in six days
Two nights in the Serengeti with a full day on the plains
Big Five chances across the circuit
Time to enjoy Tarangire's elephants and baobabs
Ideal length for first-time visitors

Day-by-day itinerary

Day1 Arusha to Tarangire

Drive two hours to Tarangire for a picnic lunch and an afternoon game drive among elephants, buffalo, zebra and giraffe beneath the baobabs.

Stay: Mid-range lodge or tented camp near Tarangire Meals: Lunch, dinner
Day2 Tarangire to Lake Manyara and Karatu

Take a morning game drive in Tarangire, then head to Lake Manyara for an afternoon in the forest and along the lake shore. Continue up the escarpment to the Karatu highlands.

Stay: Mid-range lodge in Karatu Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner
Day3 Karatu to the Serengeti

Cross the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the open plains to the Serengeti, with game viewing all the way to your camp.

Stay: Tented camp in the central Serengeti Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner
Day4 Full day in the Serengeti

Follow the animals for a full day around Seronera and the river valleys. Look for lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant and migration herds in season, with a picnic lunch in the bush.

Stay: Tented camp in the central Serengeti Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner
Day5 Serengeti to Ngorongoro

Enjoy a morning game drive, then leave via Olduvai Gorge and the highlands to the crater rim, arriving in time for sunset over the caldera.

Stay: Mid-range lodge on or near the Ngorongoro rim Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner
Day6 Ngorongoro Crater and return to Arusha

Descend into the crater at dawn for a half-day game drive, then drive back to Arusha for your onward travel.

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch

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What's included

Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof and a guaranteed window seat for every guest
Professional English-speaking driver-guide for the whole safari
Accommodation as listed on a full-board basis (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
All national park, conservation area and crater service fees
Airport pickup and drop-off in Arusha or at Kilimanjaro Airport
Bottled drinking water on game drives, plus binoculars on request