This 7-day northern Tanzania safari covers five of the circuit's most celebrated destinations in a single well-paced loop. Beginning in Arusha, the route visits Tarangire National Park for elephant herds and baobab trees, then dips into the Ngorongoro Crater before entering the Serengeti National Park through the central Seronera area. The safari then moves north to the Mara River zone — the stage for the Great Migration river crossings (July to October) — for two days of intensive wildlife watching, before a southward return through the central Serengeti and a final game drive in Lake Manyara National Park.
The combination of a Ngorongoro Crater visit early in the safari and two days in the northern Serengeti later makes this one of the more comprehensive 7-day northern circuits available. For a longer version that adds Lake Eyasi and Lake Natron, see our 8-day Tanzania wildlife and cultural safari.
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$4,271 per person when 1 person travels alone
$3,235 per person when 2 people travel together
$2,890 per person when 3 people travel together
$2,716 per person when 4 people travel together
$2613 per person when 5 people travel together
$2543 per person when 6 people travel together
For a more accurate estimate, contact us with your specific requirements and budget. We'll send a detailed quote based on your itinerary, group size, and preferred level of comfort.
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Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport you are welcomed by your guide and driver. After a short briefing about the safari ahead, you are transferred to your hotel in Arusha. The remainder of the evening is at leisure.
Distance: Approximately 75 km from the airport to Arusha
Activity: Transfer and orientation briefing
Accommodation: Hotel in Arusha
Meals: Dinner and Overnight
After breakfast you depart for Tarangire National Park, one of Tanzania's most scenic parks. Famous for its towering baobab trees, expansive savannah, and large elephant herds, Tarangire offers a full day of game drives. Lions, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, and many other species are regularly encountered alongside the park's exceptional elephant population. In the late afternoon you drive to your accommodation near Karatu.
Distance: Approximately 120 km from Arusha to Tarangire
Activity: Full-day game drive in Tarangire National Park with picnic lunch
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp in Tarangire
Meals: Full Board
After an early breakfast you proceed to the Ngorongoro Crater — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Africa's most remarkable wildlife destinations. You descend into the crater floor for a game drive with a picnic lunch. The crater's 260 square kilometre floor hosts an exceptional concentration of wildlife including lions, elephants, buffalo, zebras, and the rare black rhino. In the afternoon you continue your journey toward the Serengeti National Park, arriving in the central region in time for dinner.
Distance: Approximately 145 km from Ngorongoro to central Serengeti
Activity: Ngorongoro Crater game drive with picnic lunch; afternoon transfer to Serengeti
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp in central Serengeti
Meals: Full Board
After breakfast you depart northward through the Serengeti toward the Mara River zone. The northern Serengeti is the focal point of the Great Migration river crossings (July to October), when hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra brave crocodile-filled waters. An afternoon game drive focuses on the Mara River area, where lion prides, leopards in riverine forest, elephants, and buffalo are reliably encountered throughout the year.
Distance: Approximately 100 km from central to northern Serengeti
Activity: Morning drive northward through Serengeti; afternoon Mara River game drives
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp in northern Serengeti
Meals: Full Board
A full day in the northern Serengeti with morning and afternoon game drives focused on the Mara River corridor. During the July to October migration season, wildebeest and zebra river crossings are among the most spectacular wildlife events on earth. Year-round, the northern Serengeti supports outstanding predator densities. Nile crocodiles, hippos, elephants, buffalo, and giraffes are all regularly seen.
Distance: Game drives in the northern Serengeti Mara River zone
Activity: Full-day Mara River game drives
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp in northern Serengeti
Meals: Full Board
After breakfast you begin the southward drive through the Serengeti, with a game drive en route through the central plains. Lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, and large herds of plains game are all commonly seen along the route through the Seronera area. In the afternoon you continue toward Karatu, arriving in the evening.
Distance: Approximately 250 km from northern Serengeti to Karatu
Activity: En route game drive through central Serengeti; afternoon transfer to Karatu
Accommodation: Lodge or camp near Karatu
Meals: Full Board
On the final day you visit Lake Manyara National Park at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. A morning game drive covers the park's diverse habitats — groundwater forest, open floodplain, and the alkaline lake shore — which support tree-climbing lions, large elephant herds, flamingos, giraffes, baboons, and a rich variety of birdlife. After the drive you return to Arusha for a drop-off at your hotel or Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Distance: Approximately 130 km from Karatu to Arusha via Lake Manyara
Activity: Morning game drive in Lake Manyara National Park; return to Arusha
Accommodation: N/A – departure day
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Add a Zanzibar beach extension after your safari, or include Lake Eyasi and Lake Natron for a fuller northern circuit. Explore our Serengeti safari packages and Ngorongoro itineraries for more options.
Most 7-day northern circuit tours focus on the central Serengeti only. This itinerary adds two days in the northern Serengeti near the Mara River, making it suitable for travellers specifically interested in the Great Migration river crossings or simply wanting more time in the northern wildlife zone alongside the standard crater and central Serengeti visits.
The river crossings typically occur between July and October when the wildebeest and zebra herds move from the Serengeti toward the Maasai Mara and back. Exact timing varies year to year. The central Serengeti and other parks on this route are excellent year-round.
Tarangire offers large elephant herds, baobab landscapes, and over 500 bird species. Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa's best locations for the rare black rhino alongside the full Big Five. The central and northern Serengeti provide outstanding predator sightings year-round. Lake Manyara is famous for tree-climbing lions, flamingos, and diverse birdlife.
All accommodation as specified, meals throughout, a professional driver-guide, 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof, all park fees, and airport transfers. International flights and visa fees are not included.
Yes. All game drives are family-friendly. Please discuss any specific requirements for children when booking.
Yes. Extra nights in the northern Serengeti can be added, or the tour can be extended with a Zanzibar beach stay, Lake Natron, or Lake Eyasi. Contact us to discuss your preferences.
Most nationalities require a tourist visa, available as an e-visa in advance or on arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport. Yellow fever documentation may be required. Consult a travel health clinic in advance.
Your guide monitors conditions and wildlife movements throughout and will adapt the itinerary as needed. If a specific area is inaccessible, alternative circuits will be used to maximise the quality of your game drive experience.
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