Seven days is the benchmark duration for experiencing Tanzania's northern safari circuit thoroughly and unhurriedly. This private midrange safari visits four of the most rewarding parks in sequence, spending meaningful time in each rather than passing through. The Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros — are all regularly encountered across the route, and the landscapes shift dramatically from one ecosystem to the next.
You are collected from Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha town and transferred to your hotel in the city. The afternoon is free to rest, explore Arusha's lively town centre or visit the Cultural Heritage Centre. Your guide joins you for a safari briefing in the evening, going over the route, what to expect at each park and important wildlife viewing etiquette. Dinner is at the hotel before an early rest ahead of the first full safari day.
An early departure from Arusha brings you to Tarangire National Park in the mid-morning, allowing a full day of game viewing. The Tarangire River corridor is the centrepiece of the safari experience here, drawing elephants, zebras, wildebeest, hartebeest and impala throughout the year. Resident predators including lion and leopard patrol the riverine forest, and the park's population of python is one of the largest in Tanzania. Over five hundred bird species have been recorded in Tarangire, making it a paradise for birdwatchers. After a full day you proceed to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
After breakfast you drive to Lake Manyara National Park, entering through the main gate at the base of the Ngorongoro escarpment. The groundwater forest at the entrance is one of the most biodiverse sections of any Tanzanian park, sheltering olive baboon, vervet monkey, blue monkey and a variety of forest birds including trumpeter hornbill and purple-crested turaco. Beyond the forest the park opens to grassland floodplains and the shores of the alkaline lake, home to pelicans, herons, storks and enormous flocks of lesser flamingo. You spend the full day exploring the park before heading to your lodge for the night.
Today brings the long and rewarding drive across the Ngorongoro highlands into the Serengeti. The route climbs through Karatu town and into the conservation area, offering views across the Crater highlands to the Rift Valley escarpment. As you descend onto the Serengeti plain the landscape opens completely, the horizon becoming a distant shimmer of grass and acacia. You arrive in the central Serengeti in the afternoon and head immediately on game drives in the Seronera area, maximising time in the field. You settle into your tented camp as the sun sets and the sounds of the Serengeti night begin.
A complete day in the Serengeti without the need to cover any ground between parks allows you to properly immerse yourself in Africa's most celebrated wildlife environment. You head out at first light, when the golden morning illumination makes photography extraordinary and predator activity is at its peak. Different areas of the central Serengeti offer different rewards: the river valleys for leopard and hippo, the open plains for cheetah and wildebeest, the kopjes for lion prides sheltering their cubs in rocky outcrops. Afternoon brings a different quality of light and often a different set of sightings as animals move to drinking points and predators begin their evening activity.
The sixth day is dedicated entirely to the Ngorongoro Crater, one of the most extraordinary wildlife environments on earth. Your vehicle descends to the floor shortly after dawn, entering a world that feels entirely self-contained. The crater's resident wildlife population includes one of Africa's best opportunities to observe black rhinoceros at relatively close range, along with dense concentrations of lion, spotted hyena, elephant, cape buffalo and zebra. The Lerai Forest on the crater floor shelters yellow fever trees and is a favourite haunt of elephants and olive baboons. You spend the full morning on the crater floor with a picnic lunch before ascending in the afternoon and driving to your overnight lodge.
The final morning offers time for a leisurely breakfast before the drive back to Arusha. Depending on your departure time you may stop at a local Maasai cultural village or browse the craft market at Tengeru, famous for its jewellery, textiles and wood carvings. Your guide delivers you to Arusha town, your hotel or Kilimanjaro International Airport for your onward journey.
All prices are per person. Select your group size and we will put together a personalised quote.
Rates are subject to availability and lodge tariffs at time of booking.
| Group Size | Price (USD) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1Person | $3,200 | |
| 2People | $2,513 | |
| 3People | $2,320 | |
| 4People | $2,160 | |
| 5People | $2,060 | |
| 6People | $1,990 | |
| 7People | $1,930 |
Private tour. Rates per person based on group size. Suitable for all ages including young children.
The figures shown are indicative and give you a general guide to costs. They are subject to change based on availability, lodge rates, park fees and seasonality. For an accurate personalised quote please hit the "Book This Safari" button and our team will come back to you within 24 hours.
Our team will get back to you within 24 hours with a personalised itinerary and detailed quote.
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7 days · Serengeti National Park
Safari is 7 days
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