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The Northern Circuit

Tanzania Safari Tours

5 itineraries

The northern circuit, in the right order for your month

Tanzania’s northern circuit runs Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, and the order matters more than the list. The wildebeest are on the southern plains for calving from December to March and up in the north for the river crossings from July to October, so your dates decide which Serengeti you ought to be sleeping in. We route it out of Arusha, usually driving out and flying back, and we choose the camp once we know when you are coming rather than before.

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What makes our Tanzania trips different?

  • The circuit sequenced around the herds Where the wildebeest are in your month decides which Serengeti camp you sleep in. We pick the camp after we have your dates, which is the whole reason to use a planner rather than a search box.
  • Drive out, fly back Arusha to the central Serengeti is a full day on rough road; the flight is about an hour. Most of our Tanzania routes do one of each, so you see the country without losing two days to it.
  • One day in the Crater, not two Ngorongoro is dense and busy in equal measure, and the descent road is queuing by seven in the morning. We will tell you when a second descent is not worth the fee.
  • Park fees at the published rate Park and concession fees are the largest single line on a northern circuit quote. They appear at what the authority charges rather than folded invisibly into a day rate.
  • One planner from Kigali to Kilimanjaro RDB licensed and an RTTA member since 2007. If you are pairing Tanzania with Rwandan gorillas, the same person books both ends and stays reachable throughout.
Talk to a Tanzania specialist
Before you book

Everything you need to know

The migration, the Crater, flying versus driving and what a northern circuit really costs.

Where will the migration be when I travel?

Broadly: calving on the southern Serengeti plains from December to March, herds moving north and west from April to June, and the Mara River crossings in the far north from July to October. The herds follow rainfall rather than a calendar, so the camp we book depends on your month and on what the season has actually done.

Is the Ngorongoro Crater worth a full day?

Yes, for density. Black rhino, large lion prides and old elephant bulls all live on one crater floor. It is also the busiest place on the circuit, with vehicles queuing at the descent road from early morning. One full day is enough and a second descent rarely adds much.

How many days does the northern circuit need?

Four days covers Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the Crater out of Arusha. Six adds the Serengeti properly rather than as a night on the way through. Eight to ten is the length at which the Serengeti stops feeling like a transit and starts being the point.

Should I fly or drive between the Tanzanian parks?

Arusha to the central Serengeti is a full day on rough road via the Crater rim; the flight takes about an hour. Driving is cheaper and shows you the country between the parks. Flying buys back roughly a day and a half. Most of our routes drive out and fly back, which gets both.

When is the best time to visit Tanzania?

June to October is the long dry season, with firm roads, thinner bush and animals concentrated at water. January and February are the calving weeks on the southern plains and the strongest time for predator sightings there. April and May bring the heaviest rain and the lowest rates, and some camps close.

What visa do I need for Tanzania?

A tourist visa, applied for online in advance or issued on arrival at Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. Most nationalities pay USD 50 for single entry; United States passport holders are issued a multiple-entry visa at USD 100 and have no single-entry option. Applying online before you fly avoids the arrival queue.

Is a balloon flight over the Serengeti worth it?

It is booked separately from the safari, launches before first light and lands with a bush breakfast, and it is expensive next to a game drive. It is also the add-on travellers most often tell us they would repeat. Flights are cancelled for wind, so ask us to confirm the operator’s cancellation terms before you commit to a date.

Can Tanzania be combined with Rwandan gorillas?

Yes. Kigali and Kilimanjaro are linked by short scheduled flights and we run a nine-day Serengeti and Volcanoes routing. The gorilla permit, the internal flights and the Tanzanian park fees are the fixed costs on that trip, and we show all three separately.