10 days Tanzania | The Northern Safari Circuit

Welcome to Arusha

You shall be picked up from Arusha or JRO International Airport and brought to your hotel.

Arusha town is a pleasant introduction to East Africa. It is a green, orderly town with several nice coffee bars and restaurants. Being considered the safari capital of Africa, it's bustling with Landcruisers, safari guides and the like, but you're a trendsetter when going on a self-drive safari! 

Our preferred choice: 

Ilboru Safari Lodge (mid-range with swimming pool)

Start: Arusha
Destination: Tarangire National Park
Drive: 150 km | 2,5 hours

As Tarangire National Park is conveniently located near Arusha, it is a wonderful first safari stop on your Tanzania self-drive roadtrip. It's an easy and scenic 2-hour journey on a smooth asphalt road. 

The game viewing tracks are well signposted, and the public facilities like toilets and picnicsites are well maintained. There are even food trucks (bush baristas) nowadays. 

During the dry season, Tarangire boasts the largest concentration of elephants in the world! Additionally, the park is known for its abundance of baobab trees and beautiful stands of acacia tortilis trees - those flat-topped acacias you'll probably know from films like 'The Lion King' or 'Out of Africa'. Check our Tarangire Destination Guide for more information and tips on what to see and do. 

A glimpse of our lodge selection:

• Luxury: Tarangire Babobab Tented Camp (furnished en-suite safari tent, inside Tarangire) 
• Comfort: Burunge Tented Lodge (cottage, swimming pool - inside Wildlife Management Area, close to Tarangire gate)
• Combo: set up your roof tent or ground tent at a campsite within Tarangire National Park. There is a fenced dining mess, a basic sanitary block, and a ranger who can also help you start your campfire.

Start: Tarangire 
Destination: Karatu or Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA)  
Drive: 100 km | approx 2 hours. 

Relax by the pool of your lodge, undertake a leisurely walking safari, or go for more game drives in the park. 

Drive to Karatu where you are booked in a lovely lodge with a swimming pool, 15-30 mins from Loduare Gate, the entrance to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. When you opt for our Combo Tour, you enter the NCA in the late afternoon to set up your camp at Simba public campsite, at the Ngorongoro Crater Rim. 

A glimpse of our lodge selection 

• Luxury: Ngorongoro Farm House, cottage, pool.
• Comfort: Karatu Tented Lodge, furnished en-suite safari tent, pool. 
• Combo: camping at Simba public campsite A 

Start: Karatu / Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Destination: Serengeti - Seronera 
Drive from Naabi Hill gate:  70 km | approx. 2 hours. 

Few safari destinations deliver the same experience as the Ngorongoro Crater. There are bigger and wilder parks, but if you want some of the easiest and most rewarding game viewing in East Africa, a safari in the Ngorongoro Crater will not disappoint. It is the only place in the world where you have a very high chance of seeing the 'Big 5' in one day. In half a day, you can cover most of the game-viewing tracks. Check our Ngorongoro Destination Guide for more travel tips. 

Today involves a lot of driving and game drives. We advise entering the NCA very early morning for your Crater safari. You exit the NCA at Naabi Hill Gate. From there, it's another 2 hours to your lodge in the Serengeti. 

A glimpse of our lodge selection: 

• Luxury: Mawe Tented Camp, furnished en-suite safari tent.
• Comfort & Combo tour: Africa Safari Ikoma, furnished en-suite safari tent.

Enjoy: Serengeti

Serengeti is rattling with wildlife. Enjoy plenty of game drives on your self-drive safari in the Serengeti.

Check our Serengeti Guide for more travel tips. 

Enjoy Serengeti: 

We recommend 3 nights / 2 full safari days inside the Serengeti. Seronera is the heart of the Serengeti and is most accessible from Arusha and most suitable for self-drivers. 

Start: Serengeti - Seronera
Destination: Mto wa Mbu, Lake Manyara
Drive: 200 km | approx. 5 hours. 

Drive to Mto wa Mbu, the gateway village to Lake Manyara National Park. En route, you can enjoy game drives in the Serengeti. After the dusty savannah plains, we are sure you can appreciate the lush environment and the pool of your lodge. 

Enjoy: the premises of your camp and Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara is one of Tanzania’s smallest parks, 1 day of game drives is enough. Nevertheless, Manyara boosts a very diverse flora & fauna. The park offers suburb birding and guided walking safaris along the shore to the hot springs and flamingo lookout point. The walking safari can be arranged on the spot at the gate. Find more info and tips in our Lake Manyara Travel Blog.