The Northern Circuit Safari Highlights
About this Tour
- 5 Days
- 4 Nights
Area to Visit
Arusha, Tarangire National Park, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater
Explore the northern safari circuit of Tanzania on a 6-day action packed safari adventure, featuring active game viewing and a cultural experience with the Maasai community in Ngorongoro, while staying in hand-picked hotels and tented lodges that reflect African heritage with European influence, in the heart of the African savannah.
As with most of our safaris, this tour includes a deeply-experienced safari guide who understands the African wildlife, and a range of experiences suited to varied travel interests. The highlights of this tour include the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire, and a tour to a Maasai Manyatta in Ngorongoro.
Full Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrival at (Jro) - Transfer to Hotel in Arusha
On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, and after you have completed all the necessary formalities, our safari representative will be outside arrivals lounge ready to pick you up and transfer to your hotel in Arusha, where relaxation and rejuvenation await. Our representative will ensure a swift check-in at the hotel, allowing you to unwind.
Serving as the launching-pad for most of the “northern circuit” safaris, Arusha sets the stage for unforgettable wildlife encounters in some of Africa’s most renowned national parks including the ones in this 6-day program. Tonight, enjoy a wonderful evening at leisure while looking forward to the five-dream-come-true days that await you beginning tomorrow.
Meal Plan: Dinner
- Day 2: Arusha - Tarangire National Park
Following an early morning breakfast, your driver guide will collect you from the hotel and depart for Tarangire National Park with a packed lunch to maximize time in the field. Upon arrival, a full-day game drive begins immediately after formalities at the park entrance, allowing exploration of several sections of the park. Admired for its baobab-dotted savannah and holding one of the largest elephant populations in Africa, Tarangire is primarily defined by the Tarangire River. This permanent water source a major draw to a broad range of wildlife, including elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, antelope, and a diverse avian species.
In the afternoon, we stop for a picnic lunch at a designated observatory area within the park. From here, animals can often be seen drinking along the riverbank, and on occasion, predators take advantage of the concentration of prey. After lunch, the game viewing continues into lesser visited sections of the park, extending the opportunity to observe wildlife activity through changing landscapes. As the light softens toward evening, the drive wraps up with a transfer to the lodge inside the park for dinner and overnight rest.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 3 & 4: Tarangire - Serengeti National Park via Nca
The third day begins with a compelling game drive en route to Africa’s most celebrated game reserve – Serengeti National Park. After an early morning breakfast, we depart Tarangire and proceed toward the Serengeti, passing through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The fourth day allows time to explore the breadth of what the Serengeti offers. An alternative adventure could be an optional hot air balloon flight, offering a unique perspective of the park.
Serengeti, a singular safari destination in Africa, is famous for having the largest intact land-based ecosystem on the planet. Widely known for hosting the largest populations of leopard, cheetah, and lion in all of Africa, the name Serengeti, meaning “Endless Plains” in Maasai language, perfectly encapsulates the essence of its vastness. The scale becomes apparent as the plains serve as the stage for the world’s most extensive annual overland migration of terrestrial wild animals, covering more than 800 kilometers.
Depending on the season, there is an opportunity to observe this natural cycle as over 1.5 million wildebeest move steadily across the plains alongside various antelope species. Predator activity follows these movements closely, creating consistent photographic and wildlife observation prospects throughout the park.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 5: Serengeti - Ngorongoro - Cultural Experience
The day starts early with a final morning game drive before breakfast, making use of the cooler hours when wildlife activity is at its highest. This last drive in Serengeti allows time to observe predators returning from night hunts. Afterward, we head back to the lodge for brunch, check out, and begin the drive toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Upon arrival, we stop at a Maasai boma for a brief but rich-in-experience cultural visit. This offers a clear introduction to typical Maasai daily life, including traditional housing, livestock keeping, and social structure. A local guide will explain about the customs, values, and the role cattle play in Maasai culture, with time for questions and simple interaction. Lunch follows, after which we continue further into the conservation area to reach the lodge in time. Dinner is served at the lodge and time to rest for the next day’s activities.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater – Back to Arusha – Transfer to Airport
Today marks the last day of your safari adventure and will start early in the morning. After an early morning breakfast, we will make a descent into the crater floor. The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera.
It has a massive floor with a depth of over 2,000 feet. Today’s game drive will be an action-packed experience. It is important that you keep your camera ready at all times. The African Big 5: elephant, buffalo, Black rhino, lions, and leopard are found in plenty. Following a picnic lunch at the beautiful Hippo Pool, we will begin a steep ascent to the crater walls and start a road trip back to Arusha.
You will be dropped off at the Kilimanjaro International Airport in the evening for your onward flights. With an incredible experience and unforgettable memories to cherish, this is the time you bid goodbye to your Heavenly Horizons safari team.
Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch
Price Includes
Price Excludes
The quoted package price includes the following:
- English-speaking chauffeur/guide
- 4×4 Land Cruiser vehicle
- All air transfers within Tanzania
- Bottled mineral water while on safari
- Transfers to/from airport upon arrival/departure
- Full board accommodation while on safari
- All park entrance fees
- Game drives as specified in the itinerary
- All Tanzanian government taxes & service charges
The quoted package price does not include the following:
- All International flights to / from Tanzania
- Visas
- All items of a personal nature
- Laundry service at your lodges
- Tips and gratuities
- Alcoholic drinks while on safari
- Travel Insurance
- Optional activities (Hot Air Balloon in Serengeti).
- Last-minute changes made by you
Price Includes
From the moment you arrive until your departure, we make sure you are free to relax and enjoy your safari.
- English-speaking chauffeur/guide
- 4×4 Land Cruiser vehicle
- Bottled mineral water while on safari
- Transfers to /from airport / airstrip upon arrival/departure
- Full board accommodation while on safari
- All park entrance fees
- Activities as specified in the itinerary
- All Tanzanian government taxes & service charges
Price Excludes
The quoted price does not include the following:
- All International flights to / from Tanzania
- Visas
- All items of a personal nature
- Laundry service at your lodges
- Tips and gratuities
- Alcoholic drinks while on safari
- Travel Insurance
- Optional activities (Hot Air Balloon in Serengeti).
- Last-minute changes made by you
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