Discover the best-known wildlife destinations in northern Tanzania on this 8-day Great Northern Circuit Safari from Arusha.
This extended itinerary combines Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park, giving you more time for wildlife viewing than shorter Northern Circuit packages.
The Northern Circuit is the classic safari loop around northern Tanzania, connecting Arusha with Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti.
You will experience Tarangire’s elephant-rich landscapes and baobabs, Lake Manyara’s forest and birdlife, the wildlife-filled Ngorongoro Crater, and multiple days across the vast Serengeti plains.
With three nights in the Serengeti, this itinerary gives you valuable time for game drives and allows your guide to adapt the route according to wildlife activity and seasonal conditions.
Why Choose an 8-Day Great Northern Circuit Safari?
Eight days gives travelers more time to experience Northern Tanzania without rushing between destinations.
The itinerary combines the four major destinations of the classic Northern Circuit: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti.
The additional Serengeti time is particularly valuable because it allows for multiple game drives and the flexibility to explore different wildlife areas. Current eight-day Northern Circuit itineraries commonly use several Serengeti days alongside Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara.
Your 8 Days Great Northern Circuit Safari begins with a morning pickup from your hotel in Arusha.
Meet your professional safari driver-guide before travelling toward Tarangire National Park.
After entering the park, begin your first game drive through a landscape of baobab trees, acacia woodland and seasonal water sources.
Tarangire is particularly famous for its elephants and baobab-dotted scenery. During the dry season, wildlife can concentrate around the Tarangire River and other water sources.
Look out for:
- Elephants
- Lions
- Giraffes
- Zebras
- Wildebeest
- Buffalo
- Warthogs
- Antelopes
- Monkeys
- Numerous bird species
Enjoy lunch during the safari before continuing with your game drive.
Later in the afternoon, leave the park and continue to your accommodation.
Overnight: Budget / Mid-Range Lodge or Tented Camp
Meals: Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, depart for Lake Manyara National Park.
The park provides a different landscape from Tarangire, with groundwater forests, open plains, the alkaline lake and dramatic Rift Valley scenery.
Enjoy a game drive through the park while searching for:
- Elephants
- Buffalo
- Giraffes
- Zebras
- Wildebeest
- Hippos
- Baboons
- Monkeys
- Lions
- Flamingos and other birds
Lake Manyara is also known for reports of tree-climbing lions, although wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.
After your game drive, continue toward Karatu, located near the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Overnight: Budget / Mid-Range Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Wake up early and travel toward the Ngorongoro Crater.
Descend into the crater for a full-day game drive across its diverse landscapes, including grasslands, wetlands and lakes.
The crater is one of the major highlights of the Northern Tanzania safari circuit and offers opportunities to see a wide range of wildlife within a relatively compact area.
Possible sightings include:
- Lions
- Elephants
- Buffalo
- Zebras
- Wildebeest
- Hippos
- Hyenas
- Gazelles
- Antelopes
- Black rhino, when conditions allow
Enjoy a picnic lunch during the crater excursion before ascending in the afternoon.
Return to your lodge in Karatu for dinner and relaxation.
Overnight: Budget / Mid-Range Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, begin your journey toward the legendary Serengeti National Park.
Travel through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and toward the vast Serengeti plains.
As you enter the Serengeti, the landscape opens into extensive grasslands and wildlife-rich areas.
Enjoy an afternoon game drive depending on your arrival time.
Your guide will look for:
- Lions
- Leopards
- Cheetahs
- Elephants
- Buffalo
- Wildebeest
- Zebras
- Giraffes
- Hyenas
- Gazelles
Continue to your Serengeti accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Overnight: Serengeti Budget / Mid-Range Camp or Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today is dedicated entirely to the Serengeti.
Start early for a morning game drive when many animals are active.
Your professional guide will monitor recent wildlife activity and select areas that provide good opportunities for wildlife viewing.
The Serengeti is particularly known for its large populations of predators and herbivores, making this an important day of your Tanzania wildlife safari.
You may encounter:
Lions • Leopards • Cheetahs • Elephants • Buffalo • Wildebeest • Zebras • Giraffes • Hyenas • Hippos • Gazelles
Enjoy a picnic lunch during the day's game drive before continuing your exploration.
Return to camp in the evening.
Overnight: Serengeti Budget / Mid-Range Camp or Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Enjoy another full day exploring the Serengeti.
Having an additional full day gives you more flexibility to explore different areas instead of limiting your Serengeti experience to a single game drive.
Depending on your travel season, your guide can focus on areas where wildlife is most active.
This may include searching for:
- Large wildebeest herds
- Zebra
- Lions
- Leopards
- Cheetahs
- Elephants
- Buffalo
- Giraffes
- Hyenas
- Hippos
- Gazelles
If your travel dates coincide with the Great Migration, your guide can adjust the safari route according to the seasonal location of the herds.
Migration is a natural event, so specific herd locations and river crossings cannot be guaranteed.
Return to your camp after the game drive.
Overnight: Serengeti Budget / Mid-Range Camp or Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Enjoy an early morning game drive in the Serengeti before beginning your journey back toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
The drive itself provides additional opportunities for wildlife viewing.
Leave the open Serengeti plains and travel toward the Ngorongoro Highlands.
Arrive at your lodge in the Karatu area and enjoy the afternoon at leisure.
You can relax at the lodge, enjoy the surrounding scenery or arrange an optional local cultural experience.
Overnight: Budget / Mid-Range Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, begin the final journey toward Arusha.
Depending on your departure schedule, you can stop for photographs or enjoy a short local experience along the way.
Arrive in Arusha in the afternoon or evening.
Your 8 Days Great Northern Circuit Safari ends in Arusha.
Airport transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport can be arranged according to your flight schedule.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch