Classic wildlife safari

The northern circuit in one trip

A classic wildlife safari follows the route most people picture when they think of Tanzania: Tarangire or Lake Manyara, then the Ngorongoro Crater, then the Serengeti. You travel by safari vehicle with a guide, game-drive every day and sleep in lodges or tented camps along the way. Five to eight days is typical.

It's the right first safari for most people. The route takes you through very different country, from baobab woodland to a volcanic caldera to open plains, and each park adds animals the last one lacked.

Who it suits

First-time visitors, couples and families with children old enough for long drives. It also suits anyone who wants a broad picture of East African wildlife in a single trip. If you've done the circuit before, a private tailor-made safari lets you go deeper into fewer places.

A typical day

Days start early. You'll usually leave camp around sunrise, when the light is soft and predators are active, and drive until late morning. Lunch is either back at camp or a picnic in the park. After a rest through the heat of the day, the afternoon drive runs until the park's evening closing time.

Travel days feel different. Moving between parks takes a few hours on the road, and your guide will game-drive along the way where the route allows. The drive from the Ngorongoro highlands into the Serengeti can fill most of a day on its own.

Mid-range or luxury

At comfort level, you stay in mid-range lodges and tented camps, often near park gates or, for the crater, in the farmland around Karatu. Rooms are comfortable and en-suite. Properties tend to be larger, with set meal times.

At luxury level, camps are smaller and more often inside the parks, so there's less driving and more time with wildlife. A private vehicle is usual, and some sections may be flown to save a day on the road. Our mid-range safari and luxury safari pages explain the differences in detail.

Practical considerations

• Season: the dry months from June to October are the easiest for game viewing. January and February are excellent for the calving herds in the south.
• Distances: long drives are part of the trip. Ask about flying back from the Serengeti if you'd rather not repeat the road.
• Packing: layers for cold highland mornings and warm afternoons, a scarf against the dust, and binoculars for everyone.

The 5-day classic Tanzania safari and the 6-day Serengeti and Ngorongoro safari both follow this shape. For the parks themselves, start with the Serengeti.

When you're ready, share your dates and who's travelling on the plan your safari page, and we'll suggest a route that fits.