Tarangire and Ngorongoro Crater
Tarangire › Ngorongoro highlands › Ngorongoro Crater › Arusha
From $1,450 mid-range$2,650 luxury
6-day safari · Northern circuit
The Northern Circuit
Tarangire, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara at an unhurried pace. Our most booked first safari.
- Days
- 6
- From
- $3,250
- Best
- All year
The route
Where you go
- Tarangire1 night · about 2 h from Arusha
- Serengeti2 nights · about 7 h with game driving
- Ngorongoro highlands2 nights · about 4 h
- Ngorongoro CraterDay visit · a full morning
- Lake ManyaraDay visit · on the way home
Day by day
- Day 1
Tarangire
Collected in Arusha at 8am and in the park by late morning. Elephants, baobabs and the Tarangire River through the afternoon.
- Day 2
To the Serengeti
Up through the Ngorongoro highlands and down onto the plains. Game drive into the central Serengeti.
- Day 3
The Serengeti
A full day where the season is best: the Seronera valley, the kopjes, or out to the herds if they are near.
- Day 4
To the crater rim
Morning on the plains, then back up to the highlands. Evening above the crater.
- Day 5
Ngorongoro Crater
Descend at dawn for black rhino, lion and the soda lake. Afternoon free: a walk in the highlands or a coffee farm.
- Day 6
Lake Manyara and home
A morning in the groundwater forest and on the lake shore at Manyara, then back to Arusha by mid-afternoon.
Included
- Private 4×4 with pop-up roof and your own driver-guide
- All park, conservation and crater fees
- 5 nights in lodges or tented camps, full board
- $25 to The Little Oasis Foundation
Not included
- International flights and visas
- Travel insurance
- Tips
- Drinks at the lodges
Best time: All year. The dry season, June to October, is the classic time.
Is the vehicle private?
Yes. Every Trailheads safari uses a private 4×4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof and your own driver-guide, for your party only. You never share with strangers.
What is the difference between mid-range and luxury?
The vehicle, guide and route are the same. Mid-range lodges and tented camps are comfortable, en-suite and full board. Luxury camps are smaller, closer to the wildlife and more personal, with better food and service. Where you stay explains both.
Are park fees included?
Yes. Every park, conservation area and crater fee on the itinerary is included in the price we quote.
Can you change the itinerary?
Every safari here is a starting point. We change the parks, the nights and the lodges around your dates and interests, and quote the version you choose.
Make it yours.
Tell us your dates. We send the exact lodges, the day-by-day plan and a price. A real person replies within 2 hours.