This 8-day / 7-night Northern Tanzania safari gives enough time for extended game drives in the Serengeti while also covering Tarangire National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater. These three destinations form a classic Northern Tanzania safari circuit.
Tanzania Safari
| Day | Location | Nights |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arusha | 1 |
| Days 2–3 | Tarangire | 2 |
| Days 4–6 | Serengeti | 3 |
| Day 7 | Ngorongoro/Karatu | 1 |
| Day 8 | Safari ends | — |
This 3-night Serengeti allocation is useful because it gives the safari enough time to explore the park rather than treating it simply as a transit destination. An 8-day northern-circuit itinerary with Tarangire, Ngorongoro and three Serengeti nights is also consistent with published northern-circuit itinerary structures.
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha and meet your Africa Outdoors safari guide.
Transfer to your hotel in Arusha for check-in and relaxation. Depending on your arrival time, you can have a short briefing with your safari guide.
Accommodation: Arusha hotel
Meal plan: Dinner
After breakfast, depart Arusha for Tarangire National Park, approximately 2–3 hours by road.
Enter the park and begin your first game drive. Tarangire is particularly known for its large elephant populations, baobab trees and wildlife concentrated around the Tarangire River.
Expect opportunities to see:
- Elephants
- Lions
- Giraffes
- Zebras
- Wildebeest
- Buffalo
- Antelopes
- Numerous bird species
Enjoy a picnic lunch before continuing your afternoon game drive.
Accommodation: Tarangire area lodge/tented camp
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
After an early breakfast, spend a full day exploring Tarangire.
A full day allows your guide to explore different sections of the park and follow areas where wildlife is most active. The landscape of giant baobabs, open grassland and river valleys makes Tarangire particularly attractive for photography and bird watching.
Return to your lodge in the late afternoon.
Accommodation: Tarangire area lodge/tented camp
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
After breakfast, depart Tarangire and travel towards the Serengeti National Park, passing through the scenic Ngorongoro Highlands.
Continue into the Serengeti and begin an en-route game drive as you approach your accommodation.
The Serengeti is renowned for its enormous plains and resident wildlife, including lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebras and wildebeest.
Arrive at your camp/lodge in the evening.
Accommodation: Serengeti lodge/tented camp
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Wake early for a morning game drive when wildlife is often particularly active.
Return for breakfast, followed by a full-day exploration of the Serengeti with a picnic lunch.
Your guide will select the best areas based on wildlife movements and the season. You may encounter:
- Lions
- Leopards
- Cheetahs
- Elephants
- Hippos
- Giraffes
- Buffalo
- Wildebeest
- Zebras
- Hyenas
- Numerous bird species
Optional: Hot-air balloon safari at sunrise, subject to availability.
Accommodation: Serengeti lodge/tented camp
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Another full day in the Serengeti gives you more time for wildlife viewing rather than spending the day driving between destinations.
After an early breakfast, head out with packed lunch for a full-day game drive.
Depending on the season and your safari dates, your guide can target areas known for particular wildlife activity. The Great Migration is seasonal, so sightings and herd locations cannot be guaranteed.
Return to camp in the late afternoon or early evening.
Accommodation: Serengeti lodge/tented camp
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Enjoy an early morning game drive in the Serengeti before breakfast or depart after breakfast, depending on your preference.
Continue towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with additional wildlife viewing along the way.
As you leave the Serengeti plains, the landscape changes dramatically as you approach the Ngorongoro Highlands.
Arrive at your lodge on or near the crater rim in the afternoon and enjoy views over the crater.
Accommodation: Ngorongoro/ Karatu lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
After an early breakfast, descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a morning/full-day crater game drive.
The crater provides a concentrated wildlife experience and is known for its diverse wildlife, including lions, elephants, buffalo, hippos, flamingos and, with luck, black rhino.
Enjoy a picnic lunch inside the crater before ascending and beginning the journey back to Arusha.
Arrive in Arusha in the late afternoon or evening.
Safari ends in Arusha or at Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Meal plan: Breakfast & lunch
