Tanzania’s northern safari circuit stands among the most famous and most visited wildlife regions worldwide. Six day exploring this series of phenomenal national parks exposes visitors to so much more than just Africa’s prized Big Five on the Serengeti. Coveted moments are spent beneath a baobab in tranquil Tarangire National Park, and on the lip of the prehistoric Ngorongoro Crater. Time spent with local communities further enhances the tour, making this experience far more than a simple safari. Delve into the wilds, immersing yourself in this remarkable region of east Africa.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS 

• Enjoy the solitude and serenity of Tarangire National Park as you sit in the shade of a baobab tree while elephants wander the horizon
• Search the Serengeti for close encounters with Africa’s Big Five: lions, leopards, buffalo, elephant and rhinoceros
• Drive into the heart of the Great Wildebeest Migration (month dependent), surrounding yourself with nearly two million ungulates searching for greener pastures
• Explore the lush floor of the collapsed volcano in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, seeking out leopards and flamingos as you go
• Enjoy each safari from the comfort and consistency of a series of Lodges or Camp of your choice

TRIP AT A GLANCE 

(Day 1):  Arusha to Tarangire – Drive out of the city into the bush, arriving in time for an afternoon game drive

(Day 2):  Tarangire to Ngorongoro – Drive to the lip of the Ngorongoro Crater and Spend a full day exploring the slopes, floor and escarpments of the Ngorongoro Crater

(Day 3):  Ngorongoro to the Serengeti

(Day 4):  Serengeti – Full day safaris across Serengeti in search of Africa’s Big Five

(Day 5):  Serengeti to Karatu – by way of Olduvai Gorge

(Day 6): Driving to Arusha. Enjoying a final few hours in the city before catching an international departure

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 

Begin your explorations of Tanzania’s northern parks in a remote corner of Tarangire National Park under the shade of a baobab tree. Drive alongside the life-sustaining Tarangire river, observing the multitude of species that flock to its shore in search of water. Watch as a large population of elephants feast on the leaves of an acacia tree, before you migrate back to a stunning Lodge or Camp of your choice for an evening of sundowners, fantastic food and fireside chats.

Move on from Tarangire to the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest inactive volcanic caldera. This lush and fertile landscape perfectly complements your time in the arid region of Tarangire, while still offering spectacular wildlife encounters. Drive through the jungle slopes of the crater before emerging onto the grassy plains of the floor, circling the lake in search of rhinoceros, flamingo and leopard amidst innumerable ungulates.

The crux of the tour occurs as you emerge from the crater floor out onto the endless grassy plains of the Serengeti. The final days of this tour are spent traversing these inspirational and epic plains in search of the Great Wildebeest Migration. Weave and wander along the dusty trails with an expert guide who will take time to highlight the smaller creatures and plants of this unbelievable ecosystem. As the adventure draws to a close,  option of send yourself high above the savanna on a luxurious and romantic tour from a hot air balloon, descending just in time for a glass of champagne before returning home.

IDEAL TRAVEL MONTHS

This tour has been designed to run year round. The best timing depends largely on your particular preferences and values in a safari. However, given that the Great Wildebeest Migration is a central component of this particular tour, we would recommend trying to time your visit between the months of October and April, when then wildebeest are found throughout the Serengeti. Within this period, the months of November and April are the most ideal for safaris in Tarangire, given that this is when the migratory herds flock to the park in search of water.

The busiest time in the Serengeti occurs between July and March, while low season generally lasts from November to May.

ACTIVITIES 

• Cultural / Local Food / Food & Wine / Gourmet Dining / Photography / Small Towns / Villages / Ecotourism / National Park / Reserve / Nature / Outdoor Adventures

THEMES 

• Ecotourism / Photography / African Safari / Outdoor Adventures

FEATURES 

• Leisure / Spectacular Scenery / Unique Accommodations / Luxury African Safari Lodges

PLACES TO BE VISITED

Arusha, Tarangire National Park, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Olduvai Gorge

DEPARTURE DATES

Dates are flexible and customizable for private departures.

This morning after breakfast you will drive down from the slopes of Mount Meru with you lunch box, and begin making your way into the bush as you travel towards Tarangire National Park. Named after the river that bisects the park, this baobab-filled landscape is one of the quieter parks in the country’s northern safari circuit.

Game drives will likely begin by winding alongside the Tarangire River, which provides year round sustenance to wildlife populations. This river becomes critical to survival during the dry season, when water elsewhere in Tanzania grows scarce. In these early morning hours, zebra, wildebeest impala and perhaps even a lion can be seen sipping on the shoreline. Birdlife along the river is also plentiful and diverse, with the Kori Bustard being a prized spotting. This bird is in fact the heaviest flying bird worldwide, and is a remarkable sight for those lucky enough to encounter one.

One of the biggest draws to this park is that it is relatively quiet, in comparison to the sister parks in the northern circuit. As you drive along rolling hills and wind alongside the river, you will enjoy moments of exclusivity in this unique ecosystem. You will hopefully find yourself alone with one of Tanzania’s largest herds of elephants over the coming days, in addition to time spent with ungulates and birdlife. Return to your choice of accommodation as the sun begins to drop, moving towards the lodge’s upper deck for a sunset overlooking the plains below. Relish a cocktail before moving down to the outdoor patio for a dinner served under the starry night sky.

Following a breakfast under a baobab tree, you will return to your private vehicle and drive towards the Ngorongoro Crater. The arid landscape of Tarangire will quickly slip away as you approach the volcano-lined plateaus that surround the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Snake your way through the tangled jungle of the crater slopes as you work your way towards the sprawling grasslands of the crater floor. Teeming with wildlife, this natural enclosure is home to some of the densest populations of lions on the continent. Ungulates, including zebra, wildebeest and gazelle, are plentiful year round, while predators lurk along the perimeter. You will spend some time traversing the lakeshore that sustains much of the resident species. Lined with flamingos as birdlife swirls above, this is the perfect place to pause with a pair of binoculars. Keep an eye on the floodplains for sightings of the resident rhinoceros populations as well. Though rhinos are an endangered species, they remain visible within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Jackals and Cape buffalo are other favorite sightings among those navigating the floor. 

This morning you will travel away from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and towards the famed plains of the Serengeti. You will observe the interactions between predators and herbivores as they navigate the landscape. Hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, zebra and impala graze happily in the plains if your timing is right, while lions stalk them with hunger in their eyes. Elephants and giraffes are often seen meandering throughout acacia trees, snacking as they go, while leopards and cheetahs laze in the shade. Rhinoceros are slowly being reintroduced to the region after numbers decreased to roughly 70 individuals due to aggressive poaching. Conservation of the species, along with wild dogs, is currently of paramount importance in the park.

While you and your party ultimately design and drive every day on safari, today we recommend devoting your time to observing the Great Wildebeest Migration. This phenomenal migration of two-million ungulates is heralded as one of the world’s most impressive natural feats, and if timed correctly, you will have the chance to drive into the epicenter of it all. Setting out at dawn, work your way along the dirt trails as your guide follows signs of the migration. Wildebeest will soon begin to speckle the horizon, growing in density as you near the central section of the migration. Soon, you fill find yourself completely surrounded by the species – though keep an eye towards the perimeter, where hungry predators are often seen lurking. Spend the morning weaving in and out of grazing ungulates, occasionally moving towards sections of the herd relocating to their next destination. The migration follows an annual route between the Serengeti and Kenya’s Masai Mara, in perpetual pursuit of greener pastures.

It will be your decision whether you opt to pack a picnic and spend the entire day in the bush, or return to the lodge for some midday relaxation. Much of the wildlife retreats to the shade during these peak hours, making this the perfect time to finish that book, or borrow a new one from the library. Set out again in the late afternoon for a final round of explorations, seeking out a few final species you have yet to see, or visiting past favorites once more. Enjoy one final evening of sundowners, a thoughtful meal and an extra-long fireside gathering before drifting asleep to the surreal sounds of the bush.

Depart from Serengeti National Park after an early breakfast through the Oldupai Gorge to Karatu. . First, however, you will detour through the Olduvai Gorge – one of the world’s most important paleoanthropological sites. It was in this valley that Mary and Louis Leaky discovered the oldest known remains of a hominids skull, dating back 1.75-million years. Broken up into 40 pieces, this reconstructed skull came to define a new species in human evolution: the Zinjanthropus boisei. In the years surrounding, the Leakys continued to discover other evolutionary species, along with a plethora of tools. Take a tour through the Olduvai Gorge, stopping in at the visitor’s center for additional information on this historic site, before continuing towards Karatu.

Depart from Karatu to Arusha, we are able to stop for some souvenir shopping or this can be done on arrival to Arusha – at the famous Maasai Market