The Northern Circuit Enquire

6 Day Lodge Safari

On this 6-day lodge safari you will get to explore four different wildlife areas in northern Tanzania. Apart from the Serengeti and the Ngorogoro Crater you will also visit the Tarangire and the Lake Manyara National Park. You will see swamps and plains, herds of elephants and a crater full of game.

lone Zebra

Highlights

Day 1-6 | Tanzania

  • Tarangire National Park – Game drive
  • African Rift Valley – Viewpoint
  • Serengeti National Park – Game drive
  • Ngorongoro Crater – Game drive
  • Lake Manyara National Park – Game drive

Facts

Private safari: The Northern Circuit
Tourcode: E06LNORCIR
From: Arusha
To: Arusha
Min. number to guarantee tour: N/A
Max number of participants: private safari
Departure day: any day of your choice
Price: from 2,410 USD (7 pax)
Single Supplement: from 400 USD
safari-vehicle lodges

Day 1 Arusha – Tarangire National Park

In the morning you will start your safari with a drive to the Tarangire National Park. The park is roughly the size of Luxemburg and covers an area of about 2,600 km². Bush savannah, seasonal swamps and giant baobab trees make up the landscape of this nature reserve and the park is probably one of the best places in East Africa to see elephants. From the open roof of the safari vehicle you will be able to watch them and absorb the landscape. Apart from elephants, the park is also home to Masai giraffes, various gazelles, antelopes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, baboons and more than 500 types of birds. After an extensive game drive you will leave the park in the afternoon and drive to the Sangaiwe Tented Lodge for your overnight stay.
Lunch; Dinner

Day 2 Tarangire Area – Lake Manyara National Park – Karatu

Today you will visit the small but beautiful Lake Manyara National Park. A large area of the park is covered by the alkaline Lake Manyara, which is home to colonies of flamingos and other water birds. Apart from giraffes, hippos, wildebeests and impalas on the grassy plains, you might see lions lounging in the trees and elephants feeding on the acacias in the woodlands. While the forest near the lake is filled with noisy troops of blue monkeys, extended baboon families hang around the roads. After extensive game drives, you will leave the park in the afternoon to make your way to the cooler regions of the Ngorongoro highlands. You will spend the night at the Marera Valley Lodge.
Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 3 Karatu – Serengeti National Park

After breakfast you set off to the famous Serengeti. Travelling through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area you might stop for a breath-taking view over the Ngorongoro Crater before you continue to the Serengeti National Park. Serengeti means “endless plains” in the language of the Masai and you will see the grassland savannah stretching to the horizon. Bizarre rock formations dot the grassy landscape where predators roam. Blue wildebeests, Thomson’s gazelles, zebras and buffaloes are on their menu… Through the high and open roof of the safari vehicle you will be able to enjoy the diversified habitats and landscapes of the park. You will arrive in the Seronera Valley for an evening meal and overnight stay at the Kati Kati Tented Camp. Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 4 Serengeti National Park

The entire day is dedicated to game viewing in the Serengeti National Park. The areas that you will visit will depend upon where the migrating herds are to be found. Predators usually follow closely behind the trekking animals. During the short rainy season in November and December the herds move from the hills in the north to the plains in the south. During the longer rainy season from April to June they return up north. As the migration depends upon the yearly rains, the location of the herds might vary from year to year but your guide will know where to see them best. You will spend another night at the Kati Kati Tented Camp.
Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 5 Serengeti National Park – Ngorongoro Conservation Area

After breakfast you will join another game drive in the Serengeti National Park and you might spot animals you haven’t seen during the last two days. The Serengeti is also home to the Big Five – lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard – and today you might be able to see all the members of this group. After lunch at a picnic site, you will drive in direction of the Ngorongoro Crater and as soon as you have reached the edge of the crater, the caldera opens up before you. This approximate 20 km wide crater is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to over 25,000 animals. You will drive to the Ang’ata Ngorongoro Camp from where you can witness the sunset over the crater.
Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 6 Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha

Rise and shine! At day break you drive down into the crater. Inside the world’s biggest caldera you will see a diversity of wildlife ranging from black rhinos, Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles, lions and leopards, to elephants and mountain reedbucks in the forests on the slopes. You might also see buffaloes, spotted hyenas, rare wild dogs and some of the more than 500 bird species of the area. After an extensive game drive and a picnic lunch you will leave the crater and drive back to Arusha where you will arrive in the early evening.
Breakfast; Lunch

Items included:

  • Lodge safari according to the itinerary
  • Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle
  • Professional, English-speaking guide
  • Overnight accommodation according to the itinerary
  • Meals according to the itinerary
  • Mineral water
  • All mentioned activities
  • All national park fees
  • Flying Doctors insurance (AMREF) during the safari

Items excluded:

  • Flights
  • Optional activities
  • Alcoholic and soft drinks
  • Visa fees
  • Tips
  • Personal spending money for souvenirs etc.
  • Travel insurance
Enquire


  • This is a private tour and hence the group will only consist of the people you chose to travel with. Our vehicles can take a maximum of 7 people and should your group be bigger than that, more than one vehicle will be used.
  • Officially there is no age limit but due to the many hours that are spent in the vehicle, we don’t recommend this trip for children under the age of 6 years. However, if parents can confidently say that their children are comfortable in travelling long distances, they are of course welcome. However, parents are responsible for their children at all times.
  • You will stay in hotels, safari lodges or permanent tented camps (with en-suite bathrooms). Safari lodges are solid buildings, whereas tented camps are permanently set-up, walk-in safari style tents that offer the same service as hotels and lodges.
  • We only use specially converted 4×4 safari vehicles (i.e. Toyota Landcruiser) that are able to take on the harsh Tanzanian road conditions. Each guest will enjoy a window seat and during game drives the roof will open, ensuring unspoilt views.
  • Meals are included as stated in the itinerary and mineral water is also supplied during the safari. All other drinks such as soft drinks and alcoholic beverages are excluded and need to be settled by yourself.
  • You will dine at the respective accommodations. For breakfast, a buffet is usually set up, whereas a three course menu is typically served for dinner. Lunch is mostly enjoyed en-route in form of pre-packed lunch (lunch-box) consisting of sandwiches, boiled eggs and fruits or grilled chicken thighs.
  • Please let us know if you have any special dietary requirements or food allergies and we will do our outmost to cater for them (only possible with advanced notification).
  • Upon booking you will receive a detailed packing list that will assist you in deciding what to bring.
  • Yes there are and due to the fact that space in the vehicle is limited, luggage is restricted to 15 kg in a soft bag or rucksack. In addition thereto, guests are allowed one small piece of hand luggage. Please refrain from bringing bulky suitcases as this can cause problems when storing the luggage. Furthermore, please do not forget to read up on your airlines respective luggage policy.
  • Yes you should bring along some cash for extras like drinks, snacks, souvenirs and tips.
  • Please make sure that your USD bills that have been printed after 2004 as any earlier dated bills will not be accepted.
  • Tipping after a safari is customary and we recommend 15-20 USD per day per group for the guide.
  • Although most nationalities can obtain a visa upon arrival in Tanzania, it is the sole responsibility of every traveller to be in possession of all required documents. We therefore strongly suggest that you contact your respective embassy for the latest visa regulations.
  • Officially no vaccinations are required but seeing that Tanzania is located in a yellow fever region, we suggest getting a yellow fever vaccination for your own piece of mind.
  • Despite the fact that Tanzania does not require you to be vaccinated against Tetanus, Diphtheria, Polio or Hepatitis A&B, we would strongly advise to have those shots up to date.
  • Malaria is also a concern and we therefore recommend that some precautionary measures are taken. For more detailed information on prophylaxes and the effects and possible side effects, please contact your doctor or travel clinic.
The Northern Circuit map