Complete Safari
7-Day Classic Northern Circuit
A complete safari journey through Tanzania’s most iconic northern parks.
- Duration
- 7 Days / 6 Nights
- Route
- Arusha · Tarangire · Lake Manyara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro
- Best time
- June to October and January to March
- Pace
- Moderate
Overview
About this safari
The full northern circuit without rushing: a calm first night in Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, two nights in the Serengeti, a Maasai village visit and a final day in the Ngorongoro Crater.
Trip highlights
- Every major northern park
- Two full days in the Serengeti
- A visit to a Maasai boma
- Ngorongoro Crater on the final morning
Your route
Trip at a glance
- Duration
- 7 Days / 6 Nights
- Start / end
- Arusha → Arusha
- Style
- Complete Safari
- Pace
- Moderate
- Stay
- Lodges and tented camps (mid-range or luxury)
- Ideal for
- First-time visitors, families and couples
- Best time
- June to October and January to March.
- Price
- Quoted per trip; depends on season, group size and lodges
Day by day
Your itinerary
Timings and camps can shift with the season and wildlife; your guide adapts each day to give you the best sightings.
Day 1: Arusha base
Arrive and relax at your Arusha lodge, meet your guide for a full briefing and enjoy your first taste of Tanzanian hospitality.
Day 2: Tarangire River circuit
First day of safari in Tarangire, tracking elephant herds along the river with a private lunch deep in the park.
Day 3: Lake Manyara forest
Explore compact Lake Manyara as it changes from groundwater forest to acacia woodland and the alkaline lake shore, then climb to the cool highlands.
Day 4: Entering the Serengeti
Cross the Ngorongoro Conservation Area into the Serengeti, focusing on the granite kopjes where lions keep watch over the plains.
Day 5: Serengeti heartbeat
A full day in the central Serengeti, tracking leopards in the Seronera riverine forest and searching the plains for cheetahs.
Day 6: Ngorongoro highlands
Morning game drive out of the Serengeti, then a visit to a Maasai boma for a cultural exchange before settling in near the crater rim.
Day 7: The final caldera
A full morning in the Ngorongoro Crater seeking the Big Five, then the drive back to Arusha.
What’s included
Included and not included
This is what a standard private safari with us includes. Your written proposal confirms the details for your trip.
Included
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide
- All park and conservation fees for the itinerary
- Accommodation as listed, with the meals shown for each day
- Drinking water in the vehicle throughout the safari
- Airport transfers in Tanzania
Not included
- International flights and Tanzanian visa
- Travel insurance (required)
- Optional activities such as balloon flights
- Tips for guides and camp staff
- Drinks and personal expenses unless stated
When to go
Best time for this trip
June to October and January to March.
- JanGood
- FebGood
- MarGood
- AprQuieter / wet
- MayQuieter / wet
- JunGood
- JulPeak
- AugPeak
- SepPeak
- OctPeak
- NovGood
- DecGood
Destinations
Places on this safari
Read our in-depth guide to each park on the route.
You might also like
Similar itineraries
Seasonal Migration7-Day Migration Tracking Safari
A deep focus safari following the movement of the Great Migration.
7 Days / 6 Nights · View itinerary →
Explorer Circuit6-Day Northern Circuit Safari
A deeper journey through Tanzania’s diverse northern ecosystems.
6 Days / 5 Nights · View itinerary →
Luxury Experience6-Day Serengeti Fly-In & Ngorongoro
A high-end safari combining fly-in access and luxury wilderness camps.
6 Days / 5 Nights · View itinerary →Make this trip your own
Change the length, the camps or the route. A safari designer replies within 24 hours with a tailored plan and price.