The northern circuit by 4x4 with a guide: baobabs and elephant herds in Tarangire, a day inside the Ngorongoro Crater, then the endless Serengeti for big cats and, in season, the great migration. June to October is dry and easiest for game; January and February are calving season in the south Serengeti.
Tour or safari route for your dates
5 days from Sat, Dec 5.
- Day 1 Arusha
- Day 2 Tarangire & Lake ManyaraDrive from Arusha to Tarangire & Lake Manyara (about 2 hours)
- Day 3 Ngorongoro CraterDrive from Tarangire & Lake Manyara to Ngorongoro Crater (about 2.5 hours)
- Days 4–5 SerengetiDrive from Ngorongoro Crater to Serengeti (about 4 hours)
Last day: about 1 hours back to the start (a light aircraft from the Serengeti to Arusha).
Good to know
- Use a licensed operator; the price usually includes the vehicle, guide, park fees and lodges.
- Pack soft bags: light-aircraft flights limit luggage to 15 kg, including hand luggage.
- Malaria prophylaxis and a yellow fever certificate (if arriving from a risk country) are needed; see a travel clinic.
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Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
Learn about Tanzanian coffee from bean to cup at a plantation.
Tanzanian art, masks and carvings for a stopover afternoon.
Park famous for large elephant herds and giant baobab trees.
Forest, hot springs and flamingo-lined lake, close to Ngorongoro.
Drive into the world's largest intact caldera for rhinos, lions and flamingos.
Learn about Maasai life, jumping dance and beadwork with local guides.
Full day drives across the endless plains looking for lions, cheetahs and herds.
Watch wildebeest cross the Mara River between July and October, a dramatic spectacle.
Dawn flight over the plains followed by a champagne bush breakfast.
Cradle of mankind with fossil finds and a small museum.
Guided walks among granite outcrops to spot leopards, hyraxes and birds.
Dining beside a fire with the sounds of the bush all around.