Tanzania
Northern Highlights Safari
Short Description Five days to see the three great parks of northern Tanzania: Tarangire, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. It's a compact safari with a good chance of seeing the Big Five. Ideal when you're short on time or adding a safari to a climb or beach holiday.
From $2,000
Tour overview
5 Days, 7 Days Northern Highlights Safari
This short safari packs in the very best of the northern circuit. You start in Tarangire National Park, where elephants gather in large herds beneath ancient baobab trees, and lions, leopards and huge flocks of birds follow the Tarangire River.
Next you drive up through the green Ngorongoro highlands and down onto the endless plains of the Serengeti. With a full afternoon and morning of game drives in the central Seronera Valley, you have excellent chances of seeing big cats, and depending on the season, the herds of the Great Migration.
The safari ends with a descent into the Ngorongoro Crater, a 20-kilometre-wide caldera and UNESCO World Heritage Site where around 25,000 animals live, including rare black rhino. It is one of the few places where you can realistically see the Big Five in a single morning. After a picnic lunch on the crater floor, you return to Arusha for your evening flight.
Highlights
In just five days you visit the three great parks of northern Tanzania. Watch elephant herds gather beneath ancient baobabs in Tarangire, spend a full day of game drives on the endless plains of the Serengeti, and descend into the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you have a real chance of seeing the Big Five in a single morning.
With a private vehicle and an experienced driver-guide, you travel at your own pace and stop as long as you like at every sighting.
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A taste of what to expect on this journey
Arrival in Arusha
Karibu Tanzania! Your iTour Tanzania guide meets you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drives you (about 1 hour) to your hotel in Arusha, the safari capital of Tanzania, set beneath the slopes of Mount Meru. Relax after your flight and enjoy a short safari briefing over dinner.
Meals: Dinner
Arusha to Tarangire National Park
Drive west (about 2 hours) into Tarangire National Park, famous for the largest elephant herds in northern Tanzania and its magnificent baobab trees. Spend the day on game drives along the Tarangire River, where lions, leopards, giraffes, zebras, and over 500 bird species gather, especially in the dry season.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Tarangire to Serengeti National Park
Drive up the Rift Valley escarpment and through the Ngorongoro highlands, descending to the Serengeti plains. Game drive en route through Naabi Hill and the central Seronera Valley, known for its big cats, including lion, leopard and cheetah.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Serengeti to Ngorongoro
Enjoy a morning game drive in the Serengeti, following the latest wildlife sightings. After lunch, drive back towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, arriving by late afternoon at your lodge on the crater rim or in the Karatu highlands.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ngorongoro Crater and departure
Descend early into the Ngorongoro Crater, a 20 km-wide caldera home to around 25,000 animals, including rare black rhino, lion, hyena, elephant and flamingo on Lake Magadi. Enjoy a picnic lunch by the hippo pool, then drive to Arusha (about 3–4 hours) and on to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your evening flight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
You've reached the end of your adventure
Where you stay
Accommodations
Platinum
Arusha Coffee Lodge (Elewana)
Arusha
Gold
African Tulip Hotel, Arusha
Arusha
Silver
Outpost Lodge, Arusha
Arusha
Platinum
Oliver's Camp, Tarangire
Tarngire
Gold
Tarangire Safari Lodge
Tarangire
Silver
Kirurumu Tarangire Tented Camp
Tarangire
Platinum
Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti
Serenget
Gold
Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge
Serengeti
Silver
Kati Kati Tented Camp, Central Serengeti
Serengeti
Gold
Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge (crater rim)
Ngorongoro
Silver
Bougainvillea Safari Lodge, Karatu
Karatu
Platinum
&Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge (crater rim)
Ngorongoro
Best time to travel
Northern Tanzania offers excellent safaris all year, but each season has its own advantages. The long dry season from June to October is the classic safari time: vegetation thins, animals gather around rivers and waterholes, and game viewing is at its easiest. January and February are also very good, with green landscapes, newborn animals and the migration's calving season in the southern Serengeti.
Dry season (June–October, January–February) the easiest wildlife viewing, fewer mosquitoes and comfortable temperatures, but higher prices and more vehicles in the popular areas.
Wet season (the short rains in November–December and the long rains from March to May) lush green scenery, dramatic skies, great birdwatching, fewer visitors and lower lodge rates. Rain usually comes as afternoon showers, and only April and May are consistently wet.
Safari includes & excludes
Inclusions
- Airport pick-up and drop-off (Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar as per itinerary)
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof, charging points and cool box
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide (other languages on request)
- All national park, conservation area and concession fees
- Accommodation in your chosen tier (Budget, Mid-range or Luxury)
- Meals as listed in the itinerary (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner)
- Unlimited drinking water in the vehicle during safari
- Government taxes and 18% VAT
- Flying Doctors (AMREF) emergency evacuation cover while on safari
Exclusions
- International flights and Tanzanian visa
- Travel and medical insurance (compulsory)
- Tips for guides and camp staff
- Drinks other than drinking water, unless included by the lodge
- Optional activities (hot-air balloon, cultural visits not listed, walking safaris)
- Laundry, telephone and other personal expenses
Why choose this safari
Choose this safari if you want to see Tanzania's most famous parks in a short time without missing the Serengeti.
- Tarangire, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater in only five days
- A real chance of seeing the Big Five
- Private vehicle and guide at your own pace
- Easy to combine with Kilimanjaro or Zanzibar
- Available in all three accommodation levels
Best for: Best for Safari first-timersAll the headline parks in a short time FamiliesShort drives between parks and plenty of variety HoneymoonA perfect safari before a Zanzibar beach stay Kilimanjaro climbersAn easy add-on after your climb
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Add these must-do experiences
Hot-Air Balloon Safari over the Serengeti
Serengeti, sunrise
Float over the plains at dawn as the animals wake, followed by a champagne bush breakfast. Seats are limited in high season, so book early.
No extra day needed
Maasai Boma Visit
Visit a Maasai homestead to learn about pastoral life, traditional dances and beadwork, arranged respectfully with the community.
No extra day needed
Olduvai Gorge Museum
Stop at the 'Cradle of Mankind', where the Leakeys found some of the oldest human fossils. A short museum visit with views over the gorge.
No extra day needed
Extra night in the Serengeti
The best upgrade to this itinerary: a full day in the Serengeti gives your guide time to find the big cats and follow the migration.
Adds 1 day
Zanzibar Beach Extension
Fly from the Serengeti or Arusha straight to Zanzibar for beach time after your safari.
Adds 3–6 days
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Your questions answered
Is five days enough for a safari?
It is enough to see the three headline parks, but days are full and include some long drives. If you can, add one extra night in the Serengeti.
How long are the drives?
The longest day is from Tarangire to the Serengeti, about 6–7 hours including game viewing on the way. Most other drives are 2–5 hours.
Is the safari private?
Yes. Every iTour Tanzania safari is private, with your own 4x4 vehicle and driver-guide. You set the pace, and you can stop as long as you like at sightings.
What kind of vehicle will we use?
A 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof for standing and photography, window seats for everyone, charging points, a cool box with drinking water, and binoculars on request.
Can children join?
Yes, children are very welcome. We plan shorter drives and child-friendly lodges, and many lodges have family rooms and pools. Some luxury camps have minimum ages, which we will advise on.
Is it safe?
Tanzania is one of Africa's most established safari destinations. Your guide is trained in safety and first aid, lodges are staffed around the clock, and our safaris include emergency evacuation cover.