Trip Overview
Number of days: 8 or 9
Destinations: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater
Trip options: Lake Eyasi, Empakai Crater, or Arusha National Park walking safaris
Travel category: big 5 wildlife, adventure, migration, photography
Complete Tanzania’s Northern Circuit to the best that East Africa has to offer in dramatic landscapes, animal encounters, and unique cultures.
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- By 4×4 vehicle, by foot, and with a sense of adventure, step into a natural world unlike anywhere else on earth.
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- All year round, follow the Great Migration of millions of hooved animals in their ancient ‘circle of life’ path.
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- In Signature Safaris, Big 5 animals – elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, and rhino – are visible in multiple environments.
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- Misele’s best safari guides in the business will delight you with stories and learning of the natural East African environments, and take you through an exciting journey tailored to your interests.
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- Immerse yourself in the wild through exclusive safari camps and lodges in Ngorongoro and Serengeti.
Walking safaris options
Select from Lake Eyasi, Empakai Crater, or Arusha National Park to enhance the safari adventure on foot.
Itinerary
| DAY | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Tarangire Depart from Arusha town, following breakfast to drive 2 hours west to the outskirts of Tarangire. Enter into the second largest park in Tanzania, home to more than 30 elephant herds that migrate between Tarangire to Lake Manyara. Look out for pythons and lions in trees. |
| Day 2 | Lake Manyara Departure from Tarangire to arrive at Lake Manyara National Park late morning. Park and animal viewing late morning to afternoon, enjoy the lush forests surrounding the lake in the shadows of the Great Rift Valley Escarpment. Look for lions climbing trees and a variety of animals – buffalo, giraffes, hippos, wildebeest – close to the lake. |
| Day 3 | Serengeti Day 1 Pass through the Ngorongoro Highlands into the drier plains as you head to Oldupai Gorge. Opt in to see the origins of humankind at the archeological site and walk though the museum documenting the significance of the Gorge. Consider an additional visit to a traditional Masaai village in the protected Ngorongoro Conservation Area and see how Masaai have lived side by side with wildlife since time immemorial. Head to the Seronera Area for overnighting. |
| Day 4 | Serengeti Day 2 4 of the Big 5 Animals are all at home in the Serengeti. Stay close to the Seronera River to see animals of prey and predator in their natural habitats. Central Serengeti is considered one of the best places in Tanzania to sight animals, close to watering holes admist the unending flat plains. Make camp in central Serengeti and enjoy dinner in the bush. (FB) |
| Day 5 | Serengeti Day 3 In the season of the Great Migration, watch wildebeest, zebra and other hooved animals arrive from the northern limit of Masaai Mara as they follow their ancient instincts along their return to Tanzania. Large animals and cats abound in the central area during the dry season. Overnight close to the Seronera River in central Serengeti. |
| Day 6 | Serengeti to Ngorongoro Wind out of the Serengeti Plains to the East Gate and depart for the Ngorongoro Crater Area in the late morning. Arrive in time at the Crater rim to see dusk arrive over the Ngorongoro slopes. Overnight on the slopes of the Crater. |
| Day 7 | Ngorongoro Crater – return to Arusha Explore the Ngorongoro Crater beginning from early morning to catch a glimpse of the elusive Black Rhino. Enjoy breathtaking views of the crater from the floor, and see a microenvironment of elephants, zebras, wildebeest, and lions. Return to Arusha by evening. |
| Additional day | Empakai Crater Full day trek in the Empakai Crater with Masaai guide and ranger as the wildlife is full in the quiet crater covered by water. Surrounding the Crater lake are flamingoes and plentiful wildlife on the road less traveled by humans and cars.Lake Eyasi Take a walking safari with the Hazabe and Datoga tribes, two of the last remaining hunter-gathering tribes in Africa. Experience the hunt for daily food in the wilderness surrounding Lake Eyasi and visit their nomadic homes as the tribes look to preserve their origins into the modern era.
Arusha National Park Nestled between Mount Meru and Kilimanjaro, the lush Arusha forests are home to the black-and-white colobus monkey and thousands of animal and bird species. |
Pricing estimates
Listed prices are estimates in USD per person.
Prices can vary depending by season. Please submit a booking request for accurate prices reflecting your travel dates.
| ACCOMMODATION TYPE | 1 PERSON | 2 PERSONS | 4 PERSONS | 6 PERSONS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STANDARD CAMPING | 4811 | 2940 | 2140 | 2035 |
| SELECT LODGING | 5590 | 3575 | 2760 | 2485 |
| LUXURY LODGING | 10070 | 7580 | 6750 | 6475 |