8-Day Northern Tanzania Safari: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti & Ngorongoro
tour features
Northern Tanzania safari: eight days through the four great parks of the north. Watch elephants gather beneath giant baobabs in Tarangire, look for tree-climbing lions at Lake Manyara, follow big cats across the endless plains of the Serengeti and descend into the Ngorongoro Crater, with a village walk at Mto wa Mbu and a visit to Olduvai Gorge, the “Cradle of Mankind”, along the way.
About This 8-Day Northern Tanzania Safari
Quick Answer
This Northern Tanzania safari lasts 8 days and 7 nights with The Out Of Africa Experience: 1 night at the Arusha Serena Hotel, 1 night at Tarangire Sopa Lodge, 1 night at Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge, 2 nights in the central Serengeti and 2 nights near the Ngorongoro Crater. It includes game drives in a 4×4 Land Cruiser, park fees, a Mto wa Mbu village walk, an Olduvai Gorge visit, full-board meals on safari, an English-speaking driver-guide and Amref evacuation cover.
This is the classic way to see Northern Tanzania. The route travels steadily west from Arusha to the Serengeti, then returns via the Ngorongoro Crater, so you never drive the same stretch twice and have more time for wildlife. Unhurried two-night stays in the Serengeti and at Ngorongoro make it ideal for first-time safari travellers, families and photographers.
Duration
8 Days / 7 Nights
Start / End
Kilimanjaro Airport
Parks
Tarangire · Manyara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro
Vehicle
4×4 Land Cruiser
Northern Tanzania Safari Highlights
🐘 Large elephant herds and giant baobab trees in Tarangire National Park
🌳 Tree-climbing lions and flamingos at Lake Manyara
🦁 Two nights in the Serengeti, one of the world’s great wildlife sanctuaries
🌋 A full day in the Ngorongoro Crater, home to the endangered black rhino
🦴 Olduvai Gorge, one of the world’s most important sites for human origins
🚶 A guided village walk in Mto wa Mbu
8-Day Northern Tanzania Safari Itinerary: Day by Day
Tap each day to see the details.
Day 1: Arrival at Kilimanjaro – Arusha
🛏 Overnight: Arusha Serena Hotel, Lake Duluti · Bed & Breakfast
Your Northern Tanzania safari begins at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where our representative meets you and transfers you to the Arusha Serena Hotel on the shores of Lake Duluti, a peaceful crater lake in the shadow of Mount Meru. Relax after your flight and prepare for the adventure ahead.
Day 2: Arusha – Tarangire National Park
🛏 Overnight: Tarangire Sopa Lodge · Full Board
After breakfast, drive to Tarangire National Park, famous for its large elephant herds, giraffes and a remarkable variety of resident and migratory birds. In the dry season, the Tarangire River is the only permanent water source in the area, drawing great numbers of wildlife to its banks.
On your afternoon game drive, have your camera ready for the park’s gigantic baobab trees silhouetted against the sky, one of the most iconic sights in Tanzania.
Day 3: Mto wa Mbu Village Walk – Lake Manyara National Park
🛏 Overnight: Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge · Full Board
Drive to Mto wa Mbu, a lively market town at the foot of the Rift Valley escarpment, for a guided village walk. Meet local farmers and artisans, see banana plantations and rice fields, and learn how more than a hundred ethnic groups live side by side here.
In the afternoon, enjoy a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park, where groundwater forest, woodland, grassland and swamps support elephants, buffalo, hippos, baboons and the famous tree-climbing lions. More than 350 bird species live here, including flamingos, pelicans and storks.
Day 4: Olduvai Gorge – Serengeti National Park
🛏 Overnight: Lodge or tented camp in the central Serengeti · Full Board
Climb into the Ngorongoro highlands, with views over the crater rim, and stop at Olduvai Gorge. Nicknamed the “Cradle of Mankind”, it is one of the world’s most important sites for the study of human origins, and its small museum tells the story of the fossils discovered here.
Continue onto the plains of the Serengeti, arriving at your lodge for a late lunch, followed by an afternoon game drive until sunset.
Day 5: Full Day in the Serengeti
🛏 Overnight: Lodge or tented camp in the central Serengeti · Full Board
Spend a full day exploring the Serengeti with a packed lunch. The central Serengeti is one of the best places in Africa for big cats, with large lion prides, cheetahs on the open plains and leopards in the acacia trees, alongside elephants, buffalo, giraffes, gazelles and eland.
Depending on the season, you may also see the herds of the Great Migration. For a special start to the day, add a sunrise hot-air balloon flight over the plains.
Day 6: Serengeti – Ngorongoro Highlands
🛏 Overnight: Lodge in the Ngorongoro highlands near Karatu · Full Board
Enjoy a final morning game drive in the Serengeti, then drive back across the plains to the cool, green Ngorongoro highlands. Arrive at your lodge in time for lunch, with the afternoon at leisure to relax or take an optional excursion.
Day 7: Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive
🛏 Overnight: Lodge in the Ngorongoro highlands near Karatu · Full Board
After an early breakfast, descend into the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera, for a game drive with a picnic lunch at a designated site. The crater floor’s grasslands, swamps and soda lake are home to lions, buffalo, elephants, hyenas, flamingos and the endangered black rhino, giving you one of the best chances in Tanzania to see the Big Five in a single day.
Day 8: Ngorongoro – Arusha – Departure
After breakfast, drive back to Arusha for lunch at a local restaurant, then continue to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight home or your onward journey to Zanzibar.
End of your 8-day Northern Tanzania safari.
What’s Included
✓ Accommodation as stated in the itinerary
✓ Meals as per the itinerary (full board on safari)
✓ All game drives in a 4×4 Land Cruiser
✓ All park entrance fees as per the itinerary
✓ Mto wa Mbu village walk and Olduvai Gorge visit
✓ Qualified English-speaking driver-guide
✓ All transfers as per the itinerary
✓ Mineral drinking water
✓ Amref Flying Doctors evacuation cover
✓ A complimentary gift
Not Included
✗ International and domestic flights
✗ Alcoholic and soft drinks
✗ Visas and travel or personal accident insurance
✗ Laundry, massages and personal expenses
✗ Optional activities and excursions
✗ Tips and porterage
✗ Anything not listed under “What’s Included”
Optional Extras
🎈 Sunrise hot-air balloon flight over the Serengeti
🔥 Bush dinner under the stars
🛖 Maasai cultural village visit
🏨 An extra night in Arusha before or after your safari (bed & breakfast)
Prices for extras are confirmed when you book.
Good to Know
• Rates are based on standard rooms, with a maximum of 2 adults and 1 child under 12 per room.
• Lodges of a similar standard may be offered, depending on availability at the time of booking.
• Amref evacuation cover is for emergency evacuation to Nairobi only; hospital bills are paid by the traveller or their insurer.
• Every traveller entering Tanzania must complete the online Traveler’s Health Surveillance Form.
• We may adjust the programme in line with weather and road conditions.
Northern Tanzania Safari: Frequently Asked Questions
Which parks does this Northern Tanzania safari visit?
Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater, the four classic parks of Tanzania’s northern circuit, plus Olduvai Gorge and Mto wa Mbu.
Is 8 days enough for a Northern Tanzania safari?
Yes. Eight days lets you visit all four northern parks at a comfortable pace, with two nights in the Serengeti and a full day in the Ngorongoro Crater. For a shorter trip, see our 5-Day Tanzania Safari.
Will I see the Great Migration?
It depends on the season. The herds move in a yearly cycle: calving in the southern Serengeti around December to March, the western corridor around May to July, and the northern Serengeti from about July to October. The central Serengeti offers excellent big cat sightings all year.
Can I see the Big Five?
The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the best places in Tanzania to see all of the Big Five in a single day, including the endangered black rhino, although sightings are never guaranteed.
When is the best time for a Northern Tanzania safari?
Wildlife viewing is good all year. The dry season from June to October is the easiest for game viewing in Tarangire and the Serengeti, while January to March brings the calving season in the southern Serengeti and lush green landscapes.
Can I add Zanzibar after the safari?
Yes. Flights from Kilimanjaro or Arusha to Zanzibar take about an hour and a half. See our 14-Day Tanzania Safari and Zanzibar Holiday for a ready-made combination.
Prefer a more active trip? See our 10-Day Tanzania Adventure Safari, or combine the Serengeti with the Maasai Mara on our 12-Day Kenya and Tanzania Safari.
Book Your Northern Tanzania Safari
Lodges in the Serengeti and at Ngorongoro fill quickly in peak season, so get in touch early to check availability and secure your dates.
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